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G3 Fan Controller mod...

Submitted by mac0s9user on March 8, 2007 - 12:23am. PowerPC Macs

Well,since my story is a no-show I figured I'd just post it here.Hope thats cool.

The whole reason I decided to put this on here is that people are constantly overclocking there G3's. But the G3 has no temp sensors so you never know how hot your running.It's pretty simple though.
Materials Needed:
Screw Driver (Phillips)
Replacement Bezel($10)
Fan Controller ($20)
Wire Loom($5)
Grand Total of $35
So I started with a pretty normal G3
Anyway I started by removing the Drive bays. First is the Bezel Pretty simple just push the two clips inside the computer towards the CD-Rom and the bezel should come loose. After thats out of the way disconnect all cables and remove the tow screw at the front of the bays where the bezel was. Then The whole assembly should slide out. Now to remove the Zip Drive (if you have one). After thats pulled out Install your new fan controller. You'll have to route the wires through the back which is kind of a pain as the grill in the back doesn't come off of the Drive bay assembly. Then install everything back to its former glory except the bezel.
Since the Zip Bezel (or the solid one depending) will not fit any more you'll have to get a "universal" bezel.Which looks like this:

Remove the old bezel from the bracket and replace it with this one. After thats done install it onto the computer.

Now install the temp sensors and fan accordingly ( I say fan as mine only supports one, so I used the CPU fan) After everything is setup you have the choice to leave your case with wires running everywhere:

OR you can use the loom and make it look a lot cleaner. And surprisingly the computer runs cooler when the wires are not all over the place( 2 degree drop here)

So after all is said and done it looks something like this on the outside:

So thats pretty much it. Fairly simple. Any questions or suggestions are great. Hopefully your projects go as smooth as this one did for me.

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Hokusai's picture

Hmm

Submitted by Hokusai on March 8, 2007 - 3:22pm.

A rather good idea. Very good use of that zip drive space.

Too bad there isn't a window on the case. That way you could see those fancy blue fans in there.

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Jon's picture

Not too shabby. It's a great

Submitted by Jon on March 8, 2007 - 10:50pm.

Not too shabby. It's a great touch to get the wiring cleaned up, for air flow and also to keep the wires out of the fan blades. I once got a rack mount server that had the floppy cable routed and bent such that it kept one of the case fans from spinning. Of course it burned out and froze up, and it was only getting 2/3 of the expected airflow... Your G3 seems to have quite a few fans. They will move air around the case, but is there anything to increase air flow in and out of the case?

» I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine. - Fritz Perls

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Well other than the fresh air

Submitted by mac0s9user on March 8, 2007 - 11:41pm.

Well other than the fresh air intake in the back not too much really. Im thinking of running a fresh air duct over the CPU as when I open the case the temp drops 11 degrees. But the highest I've seen the temp get is 102 Fahrenheit. So not too bad.

As for the blue fans.... They were cheap ($14). I have been thinking of getting a hold of a plasma torch and cutting a small window that could be seen through the G3 plastic case and then setting up some cathode tubes but thats another day. Or when I find a torch Smiling

Any ideas as to where I could put another exhaust fan would be great, Unless I just get some PCI Card Fans.
Thanks for the comments though, I appreciate it.

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eeun's picture

Nicely done, and not over the

Submitted by eeun on March 9, 2007 - 12:26am.

Nicely done, and not over the top. At least, not yet. Grin

If you want to cut the case, drilling a pilot hole and using a jigsaw with a metal blade works quickly and gives a fairly clean cut. Remaining flash cleans up with a file or grinding bit on a drill/dremel.

The G3/G4 case is designed to pull air in from the rear vent holes beside the PCI slots, and exhaust it just above at the PSU. Your setup seems to complement that airflow nicely. Aside from opening up the lower vent holes and PSU grill to let more air in there's not much you can do without changing the aesthetics of the case by making visible blowholes. If that's okay, more power to you.

There's a nice top blowhole G4 mod somewhere over at MacMod.

It was noted by someone here when I cut windows in my case...

...that it would change the airflow design, but my heatsink was always cool when I checked. That 120mm does a lot of cooling, even with the 1 GHz Sonnet card and stock Sawtooth heatsink I had in there. IIRC, I cut the grill covering the 120mm fan and replaced it with the wire one that came with the LED fan I added (after the above photo was taken). Quieter, and more airflow.

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Hawaii Cruiser's picture

Dangers of EMF's?

Submitted by Hawaii Cruiser on March 9, 2007 - 12:52am.

Eeun, that big window in your G4 is very cool. I'd love to be able to look into my B&W's and G4 like that all the time. The only thing is, what about EMF's? I have my upgraded B&W sitting right here close to my right leg. I'm already concerned about EMF radiation, although the subject is new to me and I haven't a Gauss meter to know what I'm being exposed to sitting here all day long. Cut out that window from the metal casing and you're getting a direct hit, aren't you? Possible dangers of "leukemia, Iymphoma and cancer of the nervous system" as stated on this page:
http://www.mercola.com/article/emf/emf_dangers.htm
Makes me wonder if I should have a lead shield under my desk or something, and actually, I've got two B&W's under there on each side of me and sometimes I have both going at the same time. This is probably a subject for a whole new thread, if anyone wants to start one. I'm sure there's a lot of people who may be concerned.

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Jon's picture

The biggest source of EMR wou

Submitted by Jon on March 9, 2007 - 12:55am.

The biggest source of EMR would be a CRT monitor. Go to LCDs and your power use drops, and so does the amount of energy being radiated at your head. Eye-wink

» I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine. - Fritz Perls

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Hawaii Cruiser's picture

So what about his window in h

Submitted by Hawaii Cruiser on March 9, 2007 - 1:21am.

So what about his window in his G4? And does EMR drop from the CPU if you switch to LCD's?

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eeun's picture

EMF

Submitted by eeun on March 9, 2007 - 2:22am.

Let's continue the EMF discussion Here and let this thread go back on topic.

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Yay EMF's!!!

Submitted by mac0s9user on March 10, 2007 - 12:32am.

Just kidding. Seriously though that G4 looks nice. All that with a Jig Saw? Did you create a forum on it and if so may I have the link?
Anyway thanks for all the comments. Hope you all have fun

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eeun's picture

Yep. The jigsaw worked really

Submitted by eeun on March 10, 2007 - 3:53am.

Yep. The jigsaw worked really well. Noisy as all heck, though. And little metal particles flying everywhere. Good goggles are a must.

The writeup is Here.

Not too long after I got the final cold cathode installed and called it done, I sold it. I believe it's somewhere in California now.

Right now I've got another Sawtooth in an ATX case awaiting something...special. That's all I'll say for now about the VVE Eye-wink

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