Aerothorn on 18/6/2009 at 23:17
So I recently built my first computer, and everything seems to be running hunky-dory. However, the wire on my CPU fan was much longer than it needed to be. I bundled it up, but there was no real place for it to sit; thus, this small bundle of wires is resting on the back of my graphics card. Is this a problem? Do I need to somehow tape them to the side of the case or use another extreme method to prevent this from happening, or is it no big deal?
TBE on 18/6/2009 at 23:46
The wire is insulated, so in theory, it should not harm your card.
I recommend you take something like a (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_tie) cable tie, or zip tie and keep your excess wiring attached to the computer case frame, instead of dangling on your parts. Looks nicer, and also will make sure nothing gets shorted out. If your card vibrates, even a little, the vibration back and forth will cause the rubbery insulation on your wire to come off. Then you have an electrical conductor exposed to your card.
If you can't afford, or find these zip ties, I'd also recommend a bread bag tie. Just make sure you keep it away from components. Against the frame is ok.
If you have a bunch of string around, you can also string-tie the wire to the frame, using a clove-hitch is your best bet. That's what we use in the Air Force for all the wiring bundles. Check out the (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove_hitch) clove hitch knot and then put a square knot on top. The clove hitch constricts the items together, and the square knot keeps the clove hitch from coming open.
dj_ivocha on 18/6/2009 at 23:47
As long as the sheathing is undamaged, it should be no problem.
Aerothorn on 19/6/2009 at 03:46
Thanks for the tips. I have a few extra bread ties as well as a couple of zip-ties lieing around, so I should be able to use them. And that looks like a great article, TBE - wish I had had that when I was building this thing!
And yeah - the inside of my computer is not particularly attractive right now. What can I say, I'm a first time builder with horrible spacial design skills - but apart from the aforementioned issues none of the wires are touching or getting in the way of anything else, which is good enough for now.
Incidentally, when I first built this computer it made an atrocious angry noise when running. It sounded like it was coming from the CPU fan so I replaced the stock cooler with an aftermarket one (hence the current wires), but the sound still persisted. It ended up that it was the graphics card fan cutting into the fan's own wire. Thankfully I caught it before it actually chopped the wire, though it did chip away at a small piece of the insulation (which, thankfully, is not touching anything else).
While we're on amateur case-building questions - how many fans should I have running? I got a Raidmax Smilodon case, which comes with 4 fans pre-installed. I figured I didn't need them all running (and I would have had to do a little bit of re-wiring to get them all plugged in), so I only have the front 120mm fan and one of the side 80mm fans running (the CPU fan also blows into a grated area in the back of the case). I assume this is fine for a single-graphics card system?
Nameless Voice on 19/6/2009 at 03:49
Quote Posted by Flagston
Your floppy drive can also dangle outside of the case and work resting only on one of its corners.
Your
what now?
Renzatic on 19/6/2009 at 04:10
If you want to avoid this issue altogether, get a modular PSU next time you go out shopping for computer parts. I used to have one, and I had my comp innards as neat and trim as a strippers crotch. Then I got offered a brand new slightly more powerful PSU for practically a steal. Works great, but it's not modular, and things aren't so nice in there anymore.
Aerothorn on 19/6/2009 at 04:12
Yeah, I guess I'll get the modular next time. On the upside, I did get an 80 Plus Certified one, which will save a few bucks in the long run.
TBE on 19/6/2009 at 10:35
I'd recommend at least 2-3 fans on your system. Perhaps the one in front drawing in air, one in the back expelling the air, and one on the side of your case you're talking about. If you want to get fancy, you can hook them together to a (
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102789) potentiometer. (Basically, a volume knob) to control the speed of your fans. Some of the ones you plug into your motherboard can be controlled by the motherboard, but ones just hooked into your power supply run at full speed constantly, which is annoyingly loud.
