Ok, now it's time for my opinion on this, well over talked subject. But
that is how we learn some times. I also am in Jim's camp with leaving the
cover on. I'm in Los Angeles, which has been quite warm the last few days,
well over 95 where I am. I am running a PIII 600 with 2 Seagate 10,000 rpm
Cheetahs and a 7200 rpm IBM SCSI drive. I have a PC Power and cooling Turbo
350 power supply which exhausts, and an additional case fan in the front
blowing in. In addition, I have PC P&C bay coolers on my HDs. I just
returned from the weekend at home out of town, and with my apt. closed up,
it was probably over 95 ambient in here. I find Mother Board Monitor
reporting a balmy 107 degrees f, or 42C. I have never seen it over 108. Not
bad for a weekend away with it all on in this heat. As a refrigeration
contractor, who deals with heat removal, air flow is critical. I find more
equipment ruined because of poor house keeping. I blow out my machines about
every three months or more as I am in a really grungy part of the city and I
smoke. Sure I suppose I could achieve the same results if I took off the
covers and stuck a room fan blowing on the works, but then I'd have no room
for my size 12s.
Brad Loomis


I am one of the proponents for leaving the cover on.
(Just like I keep the cover on my television set.... <grin>)
I figure that a mechanical engineer somewhere designed
the system to work with a cover so it is probably a good
idea to leave it on.


'N dat's my story, an ah'm astickin' to it.

Jim Meagher

PS: You can add additional fans, but if you have a stock PC,
then there shouldn't be any need for more.  If you are a "tinkerer"
and have added more components, then you should consider
adding more cooling fans.

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