Stupid power supply question (?)

S

Sofa Slug

I would like to upgrade the "Smartpower" power supply in an Antec TX640 case to an Antec "Truepower 2" model (Antec's website seems to infer that the True 2's can be used in any Antec case).

I noticed though, that the Truepower 2 supplies - as well as those made by Enermax and others - have a fan mounted on top. Installed, it looks like that top fan would end up only about 1/4" below the top of the system case. Wouldn't this effectively block that fan off? I see these types of supplies used in similar cases mounted the same way... it seems like a bad idea.
 
W

wooducoodu

the fans on the bottom, not the top.

I would like to upgrade the "Smartpower" power supply in an Antec TX640 case
to an Antec "Truepower 2" model (Antec's website seems to infer that the
True 2's can be used in any Antec case).

I noticed though, that the Truepower 2 supplies - as well as those made by
Enermax and others - have a fan mounted on top. Installed, it looks like
that top fan would end up only about 1/4" below the top of the system case.
Wouldn't this effectively block that fan off? I see these types of supplies
used in similar cases mounted the same way... it seems like a bad idea.
 
M

MCheu

I would like to upgrade the "Smartpower" power supply in an Antec TX640 case to an Antec "Truepower 2" model (Antec's website seems to infer that the True 2's can be used in any Antec case).

I noticed though, that the Truepower 2 supplies - as well as those made by Enermax and others - have a fan mounted on top. Installed, it looks like that top fan would end up only about 1/4" below the top of the system case. Wouldn't this effectively block that fan off? I see these types of supplies used in similar cases mounted the same way... it seems like a bad idea.
Click to expand...

It shouldn't point upwards. In fact, if you did that, you can be
fairly certain you've installed it upside down. That's assuming
that's even possible. I seem to recall that the screw holes on the
case and PSU are arranged in a specific pattern to avoid that.

On PC power supplies that have two fans, the port for the second fan
faces downwards.
 
E

Ed Medlin

wooducoodu said:
the fans on the bottom, not the top.
Click to expand...

Actually, many new PSUs have top mounted fans (BTX ready) if they have the
24pin MB connectors. If you install them in an ATX case you must install
upside down. My OCZ modular PSU had the convertable 20-24 pin connector and
the top mounted fan. I had to remove the fan grill and install it upside
down but still needed the 24 pin connector for this MB.

Ed
 
J

JAD

wooducoodu said:
who are you kidding? no ones adopted BTX, newegg doesn't even carry one.
Click to expand...

no one? sure about that? newegg? the lord on high 'vender' reseller doesnt
have one, so the standard won't be in practice?
 
T

Tweek

There is really no such thing as right side up or upside down for an ATX
power supply (that I have seen anyway) Because of the screw hole
configuration, they can only be put in one way. If you look at the picture,
the fan is on the 'top' but if you look at where the offset screw hole is
located, the fan will be on the bottom when mounted in an ATX case.
 
R

ric

E

Ed Medlin

wooducoodu said:
who are you kidding? no ones adopted BTX, newegg doesn't even carry one.
Click to expand...

Not kidding anyone. Take a look at the OCZ 24 pin PSUs and tell me. Every
single one of them has the fan on top. Why, please tell me, are they made
that way. Every single PSU I have seen with a 24 pin MB connector is that
way. BTX is coming. Because Newegg doesn't carry PSUs that are BTX ready
surely doesn't mean they don't exist. 24 pin connectors and top-exhaust PSU
fans are two things that will come with BTX......... I did not say anyone
has adopted BTX, just that most of the newer PSUs supporting the S-775
series of boards are BTX ready.

Ed
 
E

Ed Medlin

Tweek said:
There is really no such thing as right side up or upside down for an ATX
power supply (that I have seen anyway) Because of the screw hole
configuration, they can only be put in one way. If you look at the
picture, the fan is on the 'top' but if you look at where the offset screw
hole is located, the fan will be on the bottom when mounted in an ATX
case.
Click to expand...

In my Lian Li PC60, I have a removeable bracket that the PSU mounts to and
that had to be turned a 180 for this PSU. Therefore, if you have "fixed"
holes in your case for mounting the PSU, it would be upside down.

Ed
 
J

JAD

take a 'look' where, off the catalog? They always show the fan 'up' in
pictures, even antec had me going a while back when I started looking into a
purchase.
 
T

Tweek

Never seen anything like that. Learn something new every day. Every ATX case
I have seen that does not have the bracket you have has the offset hole on
the upper left (facing the back of the case). In the case of the power
supply mentioned (even the OCZ), the fan would always be on the the bottom
when installed properly. Also it would not be a top exhaust fan, the fan
pulls air toward it and out the back of the powersupply. As far as BTX
goes, the design does not call for the fan on top, the PSU generally mounts
flush (or pretty close to flush) with the top of the case. The fan must
either be at the back of the PSU, on the bottom or even at the 'front' of
it. All configurations have the fan pulling air into the PSU and out the
back. Take a look at the pictures on this page:
http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/7200Series/1008274/1008274faq5.shtml

This is Gateway's BTX chassis. The fan is in the back of the PSU.
 
W

wooducoodu

yes, no one.

newegg was just an example, and i think a good one, since it's one of the
most popular vendors with one of the largest selections.

try searching pricewatch for BTX (not even limiting it to PSUs but just BTX)
and hardly anything comes up. also what few PSUs you will find are ATX PSUs
that are "BTX ready".
 
M

Matt

JAD said:
no one? sure about that? newegg? the lord on high 'vender' reseller doesnt
have one, so the standard won't be in practice?
Click to expand...

Last I checked, newegg had one BTX case. How many can you find at
mwave, zipzoomfly, and techonweb? Few to none ...
 
R

Ruel Smith

Last I checked, newegg had one BTX case. How many can you find at mwave,
zipzoomfly, and techonweb? Few to none ...
Click to expand...

What's up with ZipZoomFly lately? They don't have much listed on their site
anymore...
 

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