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BH

Burke Hamblin

22 Posts

88763

December 23rd, 2004 14:00

Dimension 4700 heatsink/fan question...

I received my Dimension 4700 yesterday (3.0 Prescott), and I noticed the fan for the "green chimney" is actually taking in air from the rear and blowing it over the skivved fins instead of drawing heat off the heatsink and moving it out the back. After seeing the perforations on the side panel, I assumed it was done on purpose, but I just wanted to make sure the fan is facing the proper direction and that it's not an assembly mishap. TIA.

BH

Grumper

271 Posts

December 23rd, 2004 22:00

I had the same setup on a 4100--I think its stupid to have it that way. what I did was toss the "green chimney" and mount a new fan ON the fins pulling heat OFF the CPU and reversed the fan on the back where the actual air intake was but I had it pull the air OUT of the case, that makes sence to me, this way you exhaust the entire case---on this computer I also cut a fan into the removable side of the computer---- never a problem, the cooler you keep these babies the longer they last.

davexps350

40 Posts

January 1st, 2005 06:00

Would have to say this is correct. The CPU fan is supposed to draw cool air in and over the processor and the case fan is supposed to draw air out of the case. I don't know if reversing it would be a good idea...

Dave

Grumper

271 Posts

January 1st, 2005 11:00

If you dont reverse the case fan outside air will be comming in with no real exhaust. The way I did it was 1 fan pulls the heat off the CPU, the added side fan pulls air in and the rear case fan pull air across everything  mobo ,cards etc:and exhausts to the outside off the case.

The shroud [ tunnel] is worthless

Burke Hamblin

22 Posts

January 23rd, 2005 05:00

How exactly did you mount the fan on the massive heatsink?

Grumper

271 Posts

January 23rd, 2005 11:00

The heatsink I used had holes the lined up [ real close] with the fan housing, I had to modify it a little and MADE IT FIT--anytime you mod anything you have to be creative ---theres always a way.

Burke Hamblin

22 Posts

January 23rd, 2005 18:00

Can you put an aftermarket HSF combo on this thing (let's say it was all moved to a new, larger case), or are there no mounting holes?

Grumper

271 Posts

January 23rd, 2005 19:00

If you buy a HSFcombo the fan will of course fit the heat sink--- The only precaution you have, is to be sure the HFS is meant to fit the CPU/ motherboard ---this will all be on the HFS specs.

davexps350

40 Posts

January 24th, 2005 16:00

Perhaps Dell designed the 4700 fan for a reason?  Did anyone think of that??  So if you modify your case fans, Dell will probably not cover your machine under warranty. 

Has anyone found a 4700 to overheat?  I run mine daily running X-plane, a very graphics-intensive program which makes the fan run fast but I've never noticed any problems with the machine getting too hot. 

Dave

mhrich2

9 Posts

January 26th, 2005 23:00

To the people responding to this thread - you are not answering the original posters question.  I too just received a 4700 and noticed the same thing as the OP.  The rear fan air flow is reversed and draws in cool air from the back and blows it over the passive heatsink and then out through the small holes in the bottom left side of the case.  I also noticed that my hard drive was mounted in the second bracket and not the first which places it closer to the air flow.  This is different that any other Dell that I have had (2400, 4400, 4550, 4600, 8300, 8400 and 400SC).  The other Dell Dimensions draw air through the front over the drives and CPU heatsink then out of the back of the system which is the normal air flow for most PCs.  I am still researching the answer to this question but what I have found so far indicates that this air flow change was made because of the heat generated by the newer Intel Prescott P4s.  The old air flow method was apparently not enough to cool the newer CPUs. 
 
To the OP, I would  not worry about this unless it is causing you a heat problem. 

Message Edited by mhrich2 on 01-26-2005 07:47 PM

Message Edited by mhrich2 on 01-26-2005 07:47 PM

Message Edited by mhrich2 on 02-27-2005 12:06 AM

Grumper

271 Posts

January 27th, 2005 10:00

I guess I got a little carried away with the "mod" I suggested, and Im sure the computer will work just fine the way it is. That being said dont loose site of the fact that a fan saved times God knows how many units can become a lot of $$$$ and thats what its all about isnt it--a second fan to pull the air out would make me feel better, then thats me--I love modding computers and thats my kind of R&D. Sure I spend more $$$ then is required to just be able to run, then so does BMW as compared to Ford.

firefox91

21 Posts

February 27th, 2005 03:00

Bringing up an old topic but...

I just recently got a Dim 4700 and I love it so far. I installed a GeForce 6600 card and started playing a game for a while. I put my hand on the case and it was frigging hot! This no doubt had to do with the fact that I assumed the fan on the back was an exhaust fan. Because I assumed that, I zip tied a 80mm case fan to the front of the case under the bezel to blow air IN over the hard drive. I was pulling a bunch of air in with nowhere to go. :/

I have been thinking about the fan on the back pulling air in over the CPU and this just can't be right. It seems that all of the Dim 4700s are like this so Dell apparently thinks it is right. But even without my added fan, where is the air going to go? Most likely it will get pulled back out from the power supply fan. This poses a problem in that the central case has hot air getting pumped in and that hot air is going over an already hot power supply. This also does nothing to cool the hard or optical drives.

So risking the warranty or not, I am doing things my way. I reversed the fan under the green tunnel so it is an exhaust fan. I still have my intake fan in the front. I am going to add a slot fan right next to my GeForce 6600 to pull air away from it and out the back. Air flow all moves front to back. It's simple and it just makes sense.

davexps350

40 Posts

February 27th, 2005 04:00

Doing that will void your warranty...


@firefox91 wrote:
Bringing up an old topic but...

I just recently got a Dim 4700 and I love it so far. I installed a GeForce 6600 card and started playing a game for a while. I put my hand on the case and it was frigging hot! This no doubt had to do with the fact that I assumed the fan on the back was an exhaust fan. Because I assumed that, I zip tied a 80mm case fan to the front of the case under the bezel to blow air IN over the hard drive. I was pulling a bunch of air in with nowhere to go. :/

I have been thinking about the fan on the back pulling air in over the CPU and this just can't be right. It seems that all of the Dim 4700s are like this so Dell apparently thinks it is right. But even without my added fan, where is the air going to go? Most likely it will get pulled back out from the power supply fan. This poses a problem in that the central case has hot air getting pumped in and that hot air is going over an already hot power supply. This also does nothing to cool the hard or optical drives.

So risking the warranty or not, I am doing things my way. I reversed the fan under the green tunnel so it is an exhaust fan. I still have my intake fan in the front. I am going to add a slot fan right next to my GeForce 6600 to pull air away from it and out the back. Air flow all moves front to back. It's simple and it just makes sense.

firefox91

21 Posts

February 27th, 2005 04:00


@davexps350 wrote:
Doing that will void your warranty...




Not doing it will cook my components until they are brought to the point where they need a warranty.

I'll have to look up the fine print on it anyway to see if it really does void it. I'm not making such a significant change to the overall setup that it should void the warranty anyway. But would it suprise me to find out that it still does? No.

I'll post again after I get my slot fan and let you know. I don't have an internal thermostat so you won't be getting numbers. But if it is cool, I'll say COOL! :)

mhrich2

9 Posts

February 27th, 2005 04:00

Let us know how it works out firefox91.  I thought I read on other forums here that people were having heat issues using a high performance video card in their 4700.  The slot fan will help.  You also might want to consider taping up the holes in the bottom left case side (looking at the case from the front).  This will help force air through the front of the case amd over the hard drive(s) now that you have your CPU fan pulling the air out.  Good luck.
 
 
 

Grumper

271 Posts

February 27th, 2005 10:00

Void The Warranty -------- Thats an interesting thought. Now that you have done the minor Mod is your case any cooler??? If you have improved the air flow then you win. Dell is a huge company, an on occasion they might just lose touch with their "common sense".

I agree with you as to your approach to keeping the system cool--it will last a lot longer, and Im sure Dell wants you system to last as long as possible.

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