Risk of computer hardware overheating in cabinet?

[Deathgaze]

What design choices can I make to ensure that the arcade cabinet won't give the computer enough cool air?

I built the PC last night and it's keeping a very nice temperature, just a little worried for when it's in a cabinet.

[Osirus23]

How big is your cabinet? If its a full size upright you probably won't have anything to worry about.

[Deathgaze]

I'm yet to build it, but that's why I'm asking for when I finalise plans. It'll be a sit down similar to a Japanese candy cab but made from wood.

[paigeoliver]

I have done approximately 25 PC based builds in cabinets. The only one that ever overheated was a caseless motherboard install inside of a very small Sega mini cabinet that the buyer put out on location running 24 hours a day, (same machine had been in my gameroom for 2 years with no problems). My main cabinet has had the same PC in the case, just sitting inside for 16 years now.

[Zebidee]

Partly depends upon climate too. I put 2 PC fans (and bug mesh) in my main 10yo cab last year because I'm in a tropical/hot/humid area now, and it was getting pretty warm in there (and bugs too). I was worried something might blow up

Now it runs a lot cooler, esp in the monitor (27" Sony PVM) bit. I'm amazed at how warm the metal cover over the top fan (monitor bit) gets from the hot air being pushed past it.

I was also putting a fan in at the bottom I needed a cover. So I pulled the metal back wall off an old/dead PC power power supply (literally cut it off with tin snips), tidied it up (no sharp edges), used the PSU's fan grill for my new fan (with blue LED light!) and adapted the attached PC power input socket to my cab, so that now it plugs into the wall using a regular PC power cable!

The cab looks much more  professional now. With the recycled power/fan plate ensemble mounted on the inside of the rear vent, there are no rough cuts to see (I made it pretty neat anyway). In addition to looking and being cooler, this means I don't need a power adapter anymore as the wall plugs are also different in my cab's new, tropical location (now I just use a local PC power cable). Fortunately voltages are the same at ~220V.

Finally, if you open the door at the front of the cab, the bright blue LED light has some weirdly mesmerising time-tunnel effect on you as you peer into the cab's otherwise inky depths... 

This whole project cost me basically nothing as almost all the parts were recycled, including one of the 90cm fans (the top one). Used up some spare wire and molex connectors. I spent a couple of dollars (maybe even 3 or 4) on the bottom fan with the pretty blue LED light.

If fan noise is a potential issue for you, then could try to use larger fans (eg 120cm) as they rotate slower while moving more air (ie both less noisy and more efficient). I only used 90cm fans as they fitted neatly into my existing vent holes and other arrangements.

[pbj]

One time I used an underpowered fan on my MAME cabinet and the computer caught fire, burned down my apartment, and killed about 20 of my neighbors.

Now I don't spend any less than $2 on a fan.

[Osirus23]

Only 20? Not sure that's worth redesigning a cab over.

[jdbailey1206]

One time I used an underpowered fan on my MAME cabinet and the computer caught fire, burned down my apartment, and killed about 20 of my neighbors.

Now I don't spend any less than $2 on a fan.

With a name of Deathgaze from the OP I don't think he is too concerned with killing.

Worse case scenario if the cabinet is PC based it will shut down due to over heating and you just have to install a more productive heat sink and fan.  Happened to me in my weecade.

[pbj]

Worse case scenario if the cabinet is PC based it will shut down due to over heating and you just have to install a more productive heat sink and fan.  Happened to me in my weecade.

Have you considered a Pi?

[Osirus23]

[jdbailey1206]

Worse case scenario if the cabinet is PC based it will shut down due to over heating and you just have to install a more productive heat sink and fan.  Happened to me in my weecade.

Have you considered a Pi?

I have sir!  I own one and it setup as an NES Classic alternative.  I am also breaking down and selling my Weecade.  No Weecade = no over heating!

[Deathgaze]

This thread didn't go the way I expected but I appreciate the replies. 

As it stands the cabinet-less computer is running at a comfortable 21 degrees celsius. But once the cabinet is constructed I'll monitor it closely and change it's configuration if it does heat up.

[Zebidee]

This thread didn't go the way I expected but I appreciate the replies. 

lol no worries 

As it stands the cabinet-less computer is running at a comfortable 21 degrees celsius.

Wish it was only 21 degrees here, that'd be great. Then I wouldn't have to get my hair cut so short