ATX power with fan on top ?

[SingSing]

I am looking at a cheap ATX power supply, and found this coolmax-500 at local microcenter.
But the fan is mounted on top. I would like to know whether this actually is going to work in a mATX case ?

Coolmax 500 ATX supply


vs

Normal ATX supply

[lordsmurf]

It only works if you have a vent, or can cut one into the case. Otherwise heat will back up, it will fail, and possibly take out other computer parts when it does.

Cheap can be good, cheap can be awful. Depends on a number of quality factors. Quality is not determined by price.

[redwudz]

It would be odd to have a PS that is upside down. The large fan shown is the intake, the exhaust is to the rear. Most PS's are pictured upside down, but they fit in the computer with the large intake fan on the underside. I would check the PS mounting screw pattern on your computer and on the PS.

Like this:

[johns0]

You have the psu upside down,the fan faces down when you install it.

[Po|arbeaR]

Are you guys sure it's not mounted vertically? I've seen PSU's like that too.

-PB

[redwudz]

Usually vertical PS's are special items, more common with OEM computers. I think they picture most common power supplies upside down as the other side is just blank metal and not as interesting for advertising. You can tell by the screw pattern most times which way it goes. The bottom screw holes are almost the width of the PS. On the top, one is to the side and the other is spaced in a bit. A vertical PS would usually have a different mounting pattern.



The PS in this HTPC is mounted upside down, but this is a special application:



The case was made for a front intake PS and this one intakes on the top/bottom. It's the only way it would fit.

[lordsmurf]

I've seen it both ways, blowing in, and blowing out. So which is it?

[budz]

I have a Cooler Master 590 & 690 cases that have vent holes on the bottom of the cases where the power suppy is mounted. I have a Corsair 520HW power supply that is fan side faced down since there's vent holes on the bottom of the case which releases air from the ps fan. I think it would really depend on the computer case that you're using.

[INFRATOM]

Power supply is not flush to the top of the case so there is a gap for the air to escape, but you need good ventilation to get the hot air out of your computer. My computer side is always open so it doesn't matter. The picture above is transposed when you look at the PSU from the back the inward screw should be on the top left. If it sucks in the air from bottom and shoots out from back it doesn't matter. I have an Antec case so if I had to install it the fan would be to the bottom. I guess it depends on the design.

[SingSing]

Many people got it right. This PSU is shown Aussie way = DOWNSIDE UP

The picture of the same unit at tigerdirect, shows the screw holes near the fan are at the outside edge, thus the bottom.

The fan of this PSU has to be an intake, because the back has to be the exhaust.

I will pick up one this week at microcenter.

Thank you for the help