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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Kampfflieger on May 10, 2004, 07:49:56 pm

Title: Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: Kampfflieger on May 10, 2004, 07:49:56 pm
If i put a motherboard without case inside a custom arcade, maybe it don't heat like if where inside the PC Case.
I'm open to good suggestions to cooling a custom arcade, beforehand thanx!!!
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: rsoandrew on May 11, 2004, 12:12:06 pm
That's my plan too. I figure that as long as there are some type of vents in the back and some on the top of the cab, natural convection will take care of the rest. I
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: rsoandrew on May 11, 2004, 12:12:19 pm
That's my plan too. I figure that as long as there are some type of vents in the back and some on the top of the cab, natural convection will take care of the rest. I
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: Tilzs on May 11, 2004, 12:39:17 pm
just cut some slots in the back for some vent slots and mount a pc case fan. You might want to have a couple slots with a couple of fans, maybe one blowing in and one out.

Monitor is going to generate most of the heat, and remember heat rises.
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: FoX on May 11, 2004, 01:51:50 pm
Yea...a fan pulling in cool air low and one expelling hot air uptop should be sufficient
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: Stingray on May 11, 2004, 02:43:03 pm
I put one fan inside the cab blowing across the processor heat sink. I then put another fan on the other side of the motherboard blowing the air out of the cab. This seems to keep everything nice and cool.

-S
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: spystyle on May 14, 2004, 10:49:27 pm
I recommend using 120mm computer fans connected to  the 5 volt line on the molex (instead of 12)

This results in very quiet cooling (who wants to hear the roar of computer fans when playing their arcade?)

also check www.pricewatch.com for a Zalman cpu cooler to quietly cool the processor.

In my opinion a quiet computer is an essetial part of keeping authentic (real arcade machines don't have roaring CPU fans) but cooling is also essential, so many 5 volt fans keep your cabinet extra groovy.

Dig it?
Craig
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: Minwah on May 15, 2004, 08:35:11 am
I have a Zalman noiseless PSU.  The fan only comes on when required, and only to the required (low) rpm, so it is *very* quiet.  The PSU can also control the speed of other fans, so I have a Cooler Master regular case fan controlled from it (that spins slow+quiet too).  The only fan that really makes any noise is the CPU (blower) fan, which I can manually slow down to whatever speed I like (comprimise between noise/cooling).
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: DaveJ-UK on May 15, 2004, 09:49:07 am
I can recommend the Zalman range of silent cooling solutions too.

I have their pure copper heat sink / fan on my CPU. It barely makes a whisper, even at full speed.
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: AmericanDemon on May 15, 2004, 10:45:16 am
If you are planning to use the cabinet as a full on media center too, then stick a water cooling kit in there and sit back and watch it cool down.  :)
Title: Re:Cooling Custom Arcades??
Post by: paigeoliver on May 15, 2004, 05:25:04 pm
A few notes on this stuff.

I used to decase my computers in my Mame cabinets. I stopped doing it once I got a good look at the insides of several modern PC based arcade games. Every single one still has the computer inside the case.

So, keeping the computer in the case IS correct.

As long as your cabinet has SOME sort of ventilation then you will be fine. My (slotted) decased Athlon 650 powered micro-mini had NO ventilation, and it did get a little warm inside, but no warmer than the inside of any normal computer.