Lowering temps in my Streacom F1C CustoMac Mini?

[jsahlen]

Hey all,
I built myself a replacement for my aging Mac Mini based on a Gigabyte GA-H61N-USB3 and an Intel Core i3 2105 (with a Scythe Kozuti low-profile CPU cooler), sitting in a Streacom F1C case. I also have a MacBook Pro IR receiver connected to the motherboard, which is working great.
All in all, I'm super happy with the build. The one problem is that the CPU runs a little hot – with the lid on the case, I get an idle temperature of about 40–45 °C. I know it's not extremely hot, but since the computer is used as an HTPC, it's important that it's as quiet as possible, and since the Kozuti cooler has quite a small fan, it makes a lot of noise when it speeds up (which happens at around those temperatures!) Thing is, if I take the lid off, I get an idle temperature of around 35 °C instead – much better, and of course the CPU cooler fan is much much quieter. Presumably this is because of a combination of bad air circulation and the fact that the case is so low (there's only about a centimeter to spare from the cooler to the lid when it's closed.)
I'd really rather not have to buy a new case, since looks are important to me, and I really like the look and the build quality of the F1C. I don't have a lot of knowledge about airflow and cooling in general, so I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone has any good ideas for how I can make things work.

I've attached some pictures of my current setup, and you can see the case in it's "virgin state" here: http://www.streacom.com/products/f1c-chassis/ (as you can see, I've skipped the brackets for optical/disk drives, and just let the SSD lay by itself.)
I've experimented with having a 40mm fan in the case (tried on both sides, blowing both in and out) but it didn't make much of a difference (maybe -2 °C.) I've also removed the back panel for the motherboard, but that also didn't have a big impact. I suppose the best thing would be to just cut a hole in the lid and put a filter in it, but I really don't have the tools or know-how for it, so I'd like to try other solutions first

Hope someone here can help me out. Let me know if there's any more info that would be good to have. Thanks!

 

[tom.humphrey]

Any chance you can put in something like a corsair H60? Would help a lot with cpu temps.

edit: scrap that just saw you can't get a 120 mm fan in there.

 

[tom.humphrey]

Any chance you could fit in something like this

http://www.aquatuning.co.uk/product_inf ... urchased/1

Would help to have a water cooled cpu instead of air cooled.

 

[minihack]

If it runs cool and quiet enough with the top off (and the current top is solid) then it suggests to me that the air cooler is (a) either not able to draw enough air into the case or (b) not able to expel it from the case. Either way, you may be able to solve (or at least improve substantially) the problem by a custom top that is perforated. This may be an easier - and probably cheaper - solution than trying to fit more stuff into the case.

 

[jsahlen]

Hey, thanks for your replies. Yeah I was thinking of trying to find some perforated metal or such, maybe even metal mesh, and cutting it to shape with some tongs. Is that something that I could find in a construction retailer or such do you think?

Water cooling isn't really an alternative for me I think. In part for the investment, and in part for the space (having a pump and so on…). Would probably be awesome temperature-wise though.

 

[minihack]

Hey, thanks for your replies. Yeah I was thinking of trying to find some perforated metal or such, maybe even metal mesh, and cutting it to shape with some tongs. Is that something that I could find in a construction retailer or such do you think?

Water cooling isn't really an alternative for me I think. In part for the investment, and in part for the space (having a pump and so on…). Would probably be awesome temperature-wise though.

Yep, you can try metal mesh and see what results you get. A diy store like BandQ would sell you some [for an extortionate price] or get some off of eBay cheaper. Some sellers will cut to size (square cuts) leaving you then to just carefully trim the corners to shape. If you trim, sand and then spray black to match the case that might them give you something that works well for you.

 

[Methanoid]

Great thread. Just what I was thinking to do.

My question/suggestion. Is there any room to put a bigger fan? The case is 75mm tall but the fan they suggest is a crappy 40mm no-flow! How about a 60mm fan? How thick a fan can you fit? 10-15-20-25mm? On either side?

Some more pics please!

 

[shibirian]

Just for a quick note; most Temp reader software on Mac does not work well with HackIntosh.

CoreTemp gives me under Windows temps of 33°-36° IDLE, and with Temprature Monitor under OSX it's 45°-49° IDLE. Mind, when I clock the machine to 2Ghz and lock multipliers so C1E cannot interfere.

So don't give too much about those readings. Just my 2cent.

 

[azzilla]

I have the same case you have

I have also encountered the same problems you're having. And my fix is not yet complete but when I am done, I hope it will be for good.

You see, I have been trying all sorts of CPU coolers, including the one from Scythe that you are using.

Airflow is the problem with FC1, I have even been talking with their customer service about this trying to get them to recommend a CPU cooler without getting anything substantial other than "any low profile cooler".
I have also tried installing 40mm case fan to increase airflow but all it did was add to fan noise.
This is not at all what I planned for, hell I even planned to be able to use a slot load slim DVD player and it wouldn't fit with even the lowest profile cooler I could find.

So instead i built my own

I used a ThermalTake Slim X3 and replaced the fan with a super silent NOCTUA NF-R8 80mm Case Fan.

The fan from Noctua is amazing as it is is so silent, I can't even hear it running on highest RPM.
Trade off would be that you have to control RPM using the included cables with built in resistors instead of using smart control. So basically it runs at set speed all the time.

At the moment I am running my mini without the lid but I am planning on perforating the lid, and i have boiled my options down to two.

Either I try to get a hold of some perforated aluminum and fit it to the case myself, or I send the lid off to a company that will use a CNC router and perforate it for me (expensive).

Keep me posted with your progress.

Good luck!

 

[azzilla]

I have the same case you have

I have also encountered the same problems you're having. And my fix is not yet complete but when I am done, I hope it will be for good.

You see, I have been trying all sorts of CPU coolers, including the one from Scythe that you are using.

Airflow is the problem with FC1, I have even been talking with their customer service about this trying to get them to recommend a CPU cooler without getting anything substantial other than "any low profile cooler".
I have also tried installing 40mm case fan to increase airflow but all it did was add to fan noise.
This is not at all what I planned for, hell I even planned to be able to use a slot load slim DVD player and it wouldn't fit with even the lowest profile cooler I could find.

So instead i built my own

I used a ThermalTake Slim X3 and replaced the fan with a super silent NOCTUA NF-R8 80mm Case Fan.

The fan from Noctua is amazing as it is is so silent, I can't even hear it running on highest RPM.
Trade off would be that you have to control RPM using the included cables with built in resistors instead of using smart control. So basically it runs at set speed all the time.

At the moment I am running my mini without the lid but I am planning on perforating the lid, and i have boiled my options down to two.

Either I try to get a hold of some perforated aluminum and fit it to the case myself, or I send the lid off to a company that will use a CNC router and perforate it for me (expensive).

Keep me posted with your progress.

Good luck!

Oh I would also like to add that with the lid on and the fan running at maximum speed, the warmest temperature my CPU is reporting is 85 degrees C. Running 1080p bluray rip in PLEX.
I consider that being too much as the i5 shouldn't be running much warmer than 75-80 degrees according to random googling.