I want to ask about refinishing, and designing the correct air flow
for a venerable steel full tower Antec case that is still servicing
well, after six or seven years. (Ironically, that Antec case's Antec
PSU was the only Power SUpply I have ever seen just outright burn out,
contrary to many statements I have seen on line).  It is a robust,
well designed case that fits together like a chinese puzzle..  I have
previously revamped this case, and am doing so again.

First, I am more interested in preventing further rust, and keeping
the case clean and serviceable, than in doing a flash-bang "mod".  I
wonder whether my original method was good enough, however.  It is in
the area of rust prevention that I seeking advice.

Last time, I used Naval Jelly to dissolve alot of the rust, and a wire
brush.  Most of the rust was and again IS near fans, where hot air was
constantly being blown against the metal.  I  sprayed with "LPS
Instant Galvanize" treatment, which is a 93+% xinc coating.  This
material is miraculous in salt-spray exposure.   I then used stainless
steel screws in every case possible.  (I was not able to find
stainless steel thumb screws locally).

This confiuration has held together ok for two years, but one of the
the perforated fan screens is well-rusted already.  I am planning to
use either more Naval Jelly or a treatment called "Ospho" which
converts the rust to a black, I think Phosphate compound.  I am
curious whether any one with expertise in this area has a better
suggestion, or a preference.  Or does everyone just purchase a new
200.00 case every couple of years?

Perhaps an epoxy paint would do well?  I am most curious about the
healthy amount of rush near the fans and other particular spots.


The proliferation of rust on the inside of the case near one of the
case fans leads me to also think I am not ventillating the case
properly.  This case is quite tall, and the power supply is attached
at the rear about 6" from the top of the chassis.  Above the PS are
two perforated fan grills, more or less, one beside the other, the
size of small case fans.  I have purchased a new TigerPro 500W power
supply with a rather large fan on the bottom, that will pull air from
the front/bottom vents across the CPU and through the PSU.  A 3.5" hdd
cage hangs from the top just in front of the two fans, above the PSU.
So air will either be drawn by the fans from outside and across the
HDDs in this cage, or from, mainly, the bottom front vents (or
conceivably a fan intake down there too), which would mean the air
would be warm already.

What would be recommended, fans drawing air into the top back ports
and across the power supplies, then, presumable down into the bottom
of the case where it would be drawn by the bottom-drawing PSU fan?  Or
fans exhausting air that has been drawn across the HDDs?

My gut feeling is I was wrong to have the one fan I was using as an
exhaust fan.  Perhaps an alternative would be one intake and one
exhaust fan in the top back of the case, drawing and pulling air
across the HDDs.


Thank you for any ideas.  I can mull them over while I wait,.
seemingly interminably, for parts to arrive.

Alan Davis




-- 
Alan Davis, Kagman High School, Saipan  [log in to unmask]     1-670-256-2043

I consider that the golden rule requires that if I like a program I
must share it with other people who like it.
                                          --------Richard Stallman

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