CPU heatsinks in my Zen Amp - Page 2

Gubby · 28th May 2004, 08:18 AM

First of all many thanks to Mr Pass for joining this discussion...

BUT today I'm not happy !
Yesterday I made a first test of my Zen amp (cooled by Zalman heatsinks + Papst fans) with the case closed.
After an hour of nirvana listening rock music at high volume , I played a classical (Chopin) CD. Of course the sound pressure was lower and I began to hear the fans noise (spinning at high high speed).

Then I tried to low this speed and it was perfect......during 10 minutes...and suddenly no more left channel !!!

I opened the cased, put my finger on the IRFP240 heatsinks

!

OK ! I'm stupid ! But I was so "bewitched" by the music...I forgot to check the temperature...

And I think I made a big mistake and this is also my

question:

My 2 fans extract the air from the case inside to the outside (I made also 2 extra holes for the air flow from the outside), don't you think it should be a better idea to invert the air flow (from the outside to the inside) ? or 1 fan importing the fresh air and 1 fan extracting the hot air ?

Holger Barske · 28th May 2004, 08:53 AM

This issue is often discussed on the PC overclockers forums.
Normally, a CPU cooler is designed to "drag" air from the inside to the outside of the case. But it is possible that the opposite direction is more effective.
You should give it a try while you measure the heatsink temperature.

Gubby · 28th May 2004, 12:43 PM

....one thing I forgot to mention: the Zalman stock fan (provided with the heatsink) push the air to the heatsink !
So this is why I suppose it should be better...

Anorgan · 28th May 2004, 04:51 PM

As advised by HBarske, go to an overclocking site and read all there is on cooling. The idea is to keep the air flowing through the case. So try to use 12cm fan blowing out, and the same one blowing in from the other side. If you put those fans on a low voltage, you'll still have enough CFM (airflow) for cooling. Here are some links:

http://www.overclockers.com/topiclist/index09.asp#CASE COOLING
http://www.webx.dk/oz2cpu/pcmod/water.htm - here's something for watercooling - water running through zen amp -

Gubby · 2nd June 2004, 09:03 AM

This is the solution !

1 fan blowing in the fresh air & 1 fan blowing out the hot air !
Now I can touch the CPU heatsinks with my finger without any risk for my integrity...and the voltage of the fans is quite low.

And the sound !!!! Waaaaw ! I tried to use my Vincent KVH111 headphone amp (valve amp) as preamp and the result is marvelous, even better than with my BOZ... (price~ 450 Euro in Europe - picture below)

Pictures of my Zen are coming.

Gubby · 2nd June 2004, 09:06 AM

this is my headphone amp...
But OK it's out of scope....

Gubby · 5th June 2004, 10:46 AM

And finally the picture !

Gubby · 5th June 2004, 10:52 AM

2x34 V
300 VA
4x22000 uF
soft start circuit
2 selfs

(I made one change after I made the picture: on the picture this is a -34V/0V/+34V and now this is a +34/0/+34V)

Nelson Pass · 7th June 2004, 07:02 PM

I'm waiting the arrival of the Zalman "Resorator" water
cooling towers for one of my Zens. No doubt it will become
one of the articles.

Anorgan · 7th June 2004, 07:13 PM

I saw those - they should cool stuff realy good.

28th May 2004, 08:18 AM	#11
Gubby diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Brussels	Barbecue First of all many thanks to Mr Pass for joining this discussion... BUT today I'm not happy ! Yesterday I made a first test of my Zen amp (cooled by Zalman heatsinks + Papst fans) with the case closed. After an hour of nirvana listening rock music at high volume , I played a classical (Chopin) CD. Of course the sound pressure was lower and I began to hear the fans noise (spinning at high high speed). Then I tried to low this speed and it was perfect......during 10 minutes...and suddenly no more left channel !!! I opened the cased, put my finger on the IRFP240 heatsinks ! OK ! I'm stupid ! But I was so "bewitched" by the music...I forgot to check the temperature... And I think I made a big mistake and this is also my question: My 2 fans extract the air from the case inside to the outside (I made also 2 extra holes for the air flow from the outside), don't you think it should be a better idea to invert the air flow (from the outside to the inside) ? or 1 fan importing the fresh air and 1 fan extracting the hot air ?

28th May 2004, 08:53 AM	#12
Holger Barske diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Ruhrgebiet	This issue is often discussed on the PC overclockers forums. Normally, a CPU cooler is designed to "drag" air from the inside to the outside of the case. But it is possible that the opposite direction is more effective. You should give it a try while you measure the heatsink temperature. __________________ Best regards: Holger www.holgerbarske.com - Deutschsprachiges Paradise-Support-Forum

2nd June 2004, 09:03 AM	#15
Gubby diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Brussels	1 blowing in & 1 blowing out This is the solution ! 1 fan blowing in the fresh air & 1 fan blowing out the hot air ! Now I can touch the CPU heatsinks with my finger without any risk for my integrity...and the voltage of the fans is quite low. And the sound !!!! Waaaaw ! I tried to use my Vincent KVH111 headphone amp (valve amp) as preamp and the result is marvelous, even better than with my BOZ... (price~ 450 Euro in Europe - picture below) Pictures of my Zen are coming.

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28th May 2004, 12:43 PM	#13
Gubby diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Brussels	....one thing I forgot to mention: the Zalman stock fan (provided with the heatsink) push the air to the heatsink ! So this is why I suppose it should be better...

28th May 2004, 04:51 PM	#14
Anorgan diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Croatia	As advised by HBarske, go to an overclocking site and read all there is on cooling. The idea is to keep the air flowing through the case. So try to use 12cm fan blowing out, and the same one blowing in from the other side. If you put those fans on a low voltage, you'll still have enough CFM (airflow) for cooling. Here are some links: http://www.overclockers.com/topiclist/index09.asp#CASE COOLING http://www.webx.dk/oz2cpu/pcmod/water.htm - here's something for watercooling - water running through zen amp -

7th June 2004, 07:02 PM	#19
Nelson Pass The one and only Join Date: Mar 2001	I'm waiting the arrival of the Zalman "Resorator" water cooling towers for one of my Zens. No doubt it will become one of the articles.

7th June 2004, 07:13 PM	#20
Anorgan diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Croatia	I saw those - they should cool stuff realy good.

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