hey people. I have installed a 80mm fan in the back of my PC because this is supposed to take hot air out of the PC. I have not had any real improvements though. It's a standerd black 80mm fan and Iv'e installed it with the info sticker in the centre facing forward into the case.

My second query is that for installing this fan I used a magnetic screwdriver. It's not strongly magnetic, but it can pick up screws.
I didn't use it on the inside of my PC only to fix the fanin so I don't belive their should be any problems????
I really hope not. It did touch the outside of the case a few times but would that damage it in anyway? There are no real problems that have seen with games etc.

I use a magnetic screwdriver for everything.

Did you think installing a fan was gonna make a HUGE difference? Look somewhere on the housing for an arrow indicating airflow...make sure that arrow is pointing outward

I use a magnetic screw driver all the time too. It hasn't caused any problems ... yet.

A magnetic screwdriver could theorically corrupt data on a harddrive or a floppy disk. I also use a magnetic screwdriver to assemble components, including harddrives. The real worry is static. If you were statically charged and were touching the metal shaft of any screwdriver you could damage components due to static discharge.

thanks guys woah this is definitly the place to come for advice , and the place to get it quick :).
Ok, I'll carry on using magnetic screwdrivers:):).
My remaining problem is with the fan. I have obviously got a fan/heatsink on my CPU(arctic cooling silent). It's a good cooler. My graphics card is a ATI 9800 which has a good fan so that should keep cool.
Apart from those fans and this new fan I have no others situated in the case. Where should I put this fan for maximum effect. With one fan I know there is not gonna be a big effect but I could go without the fan and be the same temp, and have less noise also. Is tehre anwhere else in the case like under the harddrive where it would have more of an impact on lowering heat?

"My graphics card is a ATI 9800 which has a good fan so that should keep cool."

I have this adapter in one of my computers and it is a HUGE producer of heat. I have a case with a side port (Enlight) that has a baffle between the space over the HSF and the space over the display adapter so that the air fow over these two things is separate.

This computer has an Athlon64 3200+. The CPU temp is 40-45C without the side port and 29-35C with it.

explain how this side port works and how I could get it???

My Enlight cases now come with them:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811116010

I have an Antec case that has one too.

You mentioned you installed the fan with the sticker facing 'forward into the case'. With most fans I've encountered, the sticker is on the air exit side. So if the fan is situated so the sticker is facing into the case then it may be pulling air in instead of out.

Your intent seems to be to pull air out of the case, and that would be the normal function of a fan in the rear of the case. So you may want to make sure you've mounted it correctly.

But as already menioned, don't expect some big change.

As posted above, the best place for the fan is just under the psu to exhaust warm air. Like jam said, there is and arrow to show airflow direction and rotation direction on the fan...you have to look for it; can be hard to see.

If that fan lowers case temps 1 or 2°C, it's about the best you can expect.

Side fans are a whole different animal. For example, if ducted directly onto the cpu, you should see cpu temps drop some and motherboard and pmw temps remain about the same. If not ducted, that side fan can do a lot of things...most of which are not especially good. Examples:

1q. You see lower cpu and motherboard/pmw temps.
1a. The cool air being blown on the motherboard and cpu allows a false report of these temps and lulls you into thinking you've improved your situation.

2q. That side panel fan can disrupt airflow thru the case.
2a. Yep, sure can...cool air needs to enter at the lower front area and exit at the power supply area. The cool air picks up heat on this trip and, if that desirable airflow is disrupted, can cause hotspots inside the case. See 1q/1a.

3q. Why a fan in the side of a case.
3a. Not always, but usually because the case design sucks and the side panel fan is added as an afterthought to try and make that $14.95 kinda work. This also applies to a poorly designed $229.95 case.

4q. What is the make/model of the case you have.
4a. We might be able to give some suggestions to help your overall cooling.

5q. Magnetic screwdrivers?
5a. Use em all the time. Try to keep from layin' the thing down inside your machine but, I feel they do much less damage than a loose screw under the motherboard...just use normal precautons like you would with a nonmagnetic screwdriver.

Skip

Hi, Sorry, didn't have time to read all the posts in this thread. Magnetic screw driver is not likely to damage anything in your computer and very likely did no damage while installing the fan. The new fan should probably be blowing in not out. You are trying to move as much outside air as possible through the case. It might also be a good idea to mount the new one in the front position of the case. Ideally about half your fans should be blowing in and the rest out. The PSU fan normally blows out.

Good Luck, Jim

ok, thanks guys I have listened to all of your advice. The rear fan is now facing the irght way and the case temps are about 1-2C down. The cpu still is hot. I may try and cut a hole in the side of my case to install a side fan....but ill need to research on that. I don't know my case model, the PC was custom built by a friend of mine who owns a PC store...