Question about assembly - PSU upside down?

[dragnalus]

Hi,

I'm putting together my first machine in about 10 years, and having a ball. Got all the parts yesterday from newegg and it was like Christmas morning. However since I don't do this often I am running into some unexpected questions:

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932;
PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V

Main question: In this case, the PSU sits at the bottom. On the PSU, there is a built in fan on the bottom of it. Does this mean I should install the PSU upside down so that it doesn't sit on its fan? Or is there enough space between the bottom of the PSU mount and the outer chassis to not worry?

Other comments:

- Installing the CPU (i7 920) into the mobo (ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX) was nerve-wracking because it took a lot more force than I expected to re-close the lever locking it in. The lever handle even has a slight bend to it now that it's in place. (Yes I'm sure it's in the right way.)

- For a CPU cooler I installed a XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V. I put it on backwards first with the fan facing the wrong way and had to redo it. Kinda bent one of the fins putting the fan on- it's bent back now but what a pain. It's hard to tell how the airflow is supposed to work from the installation diagrams.

Question 2: I've yet to power anything up yet. At what point should I first turn it on to see if things are okay? After everything is in? Before the video card (GTX 285) is in? Is there a guide I should maybe follow since I'm just kinda winging it? Seems like a lot of steps before I'm to the point of installing Vista.

more to follow...

edit: typo / clarity

 

[dragnalus]

Ok i think i answered my own question... Even if you mount the PSU at the bottom then you still need to have the fan on the bottom of the PSU facing inward towards the case. So if it's on the bottom then flip it upside down.

This case is nice in that you can mount the PSU at the top or the bottom.

I don't see any drawbacks of doing it bottom-mounted.

 

[kubes]

Well glad your back in the cockpit putting together a pc again.

Question 1:
Yes its fine to install your psu upside so the fan is point up. I would probally recommend having the fan blow up. I just don't think there's a enough room on the bottom of the case.

Question 2:
If you've already got the board in the case and screwed down then i'd probally wait till you've got all your compents installed and power it up.
If you still don't have anything put together i'd start by installing the cpu and heatsink out of the case. Then I'd also install the ram. Then you should note the on/off switch on your board (there's also a reset switch). Connect the psu's 24 pin and 8 pin 12v into the board (the 8 pin is located next to your cpu socket). Make sure this fires up. It should give you some beep codes saying your missing items. This is totaly valid. I would then continue to installing this stuff into your case.

If these instructions arn't clear there are some great vidoes you can watch out on youtube.com that show you a step by step process on how to build your rig.

Your other comments:
I would suggest using the front fans as intakes and the back fans as outakes. for your case maybe the front and side fan as intake and the back and top fan as outtake? or maybe have the front fans as the only intake fans and all the others as outake? just make sure to becareful you don't cause an air deadlock.

 

[dragnalus]

Thanks for the reply.

So far I installed the CPU, and heatsink, PSU (which I will flip over) and mobo into the case. I'd have done the RAM too, but it comes in the mail later today so it'll be later.

Once I get the RAM in, I'll connected all the power cables and see if it will post. If so, I'll install my VGA and connect the HDD.

 

[knotknut]

There are spacers, ( stand-Off's), that go between the case and the motherboard.
If you installed them disreguard this post.
Warning!
If you forgot the Stand-off's DO NOT power up the system. You will have a short.

 

[dragnalus]

crap. now that i'm looking at it, I can't install the PSU upside down in the bottom of the CM HAF case. The screws don't line up.

Maybe it's okay right-side up with the PSU fan downward? In the case there's still an inch of space, plus an open ventilated bottom on the very bottom. Does anyone see an issue with this?

I could, theoretically, install the PSU at the top of the case, however that would mean removing the massive 230mm top exhaust fan.

thoughts?

 

[grieve]

Your fine having the fan blow down... The Air has room to move still.


**edit**
here is an image i found of another unit, is this what you mean?
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5742/img0353739x985.jpg

 

[dragnalus]

Your fine having the fan blow down... The Air has room to move still.


**edit**
here is an image i found of another unit, is this what you mean?
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5742/img0353739x985.jpg

Yep - exactly. Looks I'm okay with the PSU fan pointing down, as in the picture.