Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Top Fan Cavity Mod

[cptwilk]

thank god i found this thread :D, im thinking about buying this case over the s340 elite and the only thing bugging me was the fan placement up top i think the AIO's look terrible mounted as standard on the rack and iv seen a few people say it not advisable to place it in the front, this mod looks simple so thanks for you guys for leading the way the only thing im unsure on (my first build) is iv got a deepcool captain 240 ex AIO and once the mod is done would it be better to set the fans to push air into the case and exhaust through the front or pull with intake fans at front?, i hear about negative and positive and while i understand the basics of it im new to building and modding and im just concerned about whats best with the lack of space for heat to escape after the mod

[bmxxxrider559]

i just did mine a few days ago. i used an air grinder to do quick work but it created alot of heat and took some paint off the top cover. not noticeable with the case all together. Wish i avoided that but still looks good. glad i found this post awhile back.

 

 

 

•  

  2016-12-31 22.36.39.jpg

  7.17 MB

• •  
  •  
   

  2017-01-28 16.36.44.jpg

  4.39 MB

•  
•  

 

[carlosriosness]

Awesome information everyone. I just got the the TG version in grey today. (just sucks their front panel is a bit outdated. i wish it had a type c and hdmi port). though that can be a future mod if need be.

 

I like to keep my fans hidden since they are noctuas, and are ugly. i think i will look into that front panel LED mod too. i like that the case supports Aura, but with only 2 lights. 

 

I just want to add, i have been taping off all open grills/ports/holes for some time now. i currently have a storm scout 2 case. and i have taped off the top (gaps between rad and case). i have taped off the front (empty bays). and rear grill areas that have no filters.

 

i do this for 2 reasons. 1, air will flow where it can move easiest (like water). for example, this phanteks case, if you have a 240mm rad up top, the air will blow into the top cover, but a majority of that air will make it right back into the case through the open grills on top, rather then force out of the back. 2) i like positive air flow. more air coming in, then blows out. with all gaps taped off, this forces all air through my rads (which are exhausting air).

[carlosriosness]

so i just did the rad tray to about 90% of the lips being gone. took me way longer then expected. i used a dremel with both sanding style discs and cutting discs (541 - aluminum cutting discs, doesnt last long and is hard to be accurate, i went through 2 of these) ( 8153 - aluminum grinding stone, doesnt grind as efficient as i would hope) (446 grit sanding, it does work, but only last a few minutes, i went through like 5 of them and still didnt finish).

 

what bits did you guys use? do any cut through this aluminum like butter?

 

https://www.dremel.com/en_US/accessories-and-attachments/-/find-by/technique/27385/grinding-sharpening 

 

if you dont know the model, maybe you can check out their accessories and see if you can find it?

[carlosriosness]

i ended up buying an angle grinder from harbor freight for $12 bucks. a 80 grit flap for $7 and a set of metal cutting discs for $11. i think the 80 grit one would have been good enough, but i just wanted to be sure. i started with the metal disc. and then moved to the 80 grit to smooth out all the edges.

 

for the top panel i didnt clear all the cut outs since i new i would only be using the front portion. but i can always go back if needed. both of them have nearly no marks on their back sides. id say i did a pretty good job for my first time using an angle grinder.

 

now i am considering modding the front panel to fit a usb type C port. i just dont think i am skilled enough to do it cleanly. 

 

[pintie]

On 13.3.2016 at 8:15 PM, JettaGetUpandGo said:

 

 

you should have looked for five more seconds...

 

i have a h115 installed with the same two noctua fans.....

 

but you didn't have to drill holes.

the top of the case is with screws. 

 

i just took of the top of the case. 

installed the h115i and the two fans. 

then fittet the radiator with the fans into the top of the case

and then the top with everything to the rest of the chasis.

 

 

so same configuration - without useing any tool but a screw driver.

 

:-)

 

 

[JFM98]

On 27/04/2017 at 5:21 PM, pintie said:

you should have looked for five more seconds...

 

i have a h115 installed with the same two noctua fans.....

 

but you didn't have to drill holes.

the top of the case is with screws. 

 

i just took of the top of the case. 

installed the h115i and the two fans. 

then fittet the radiator with the fans into the top of the case

and then the top with everything to the rest of the chasis.

 

 

so same configuration - without useing any tool but a screw driver.

 

:-)

 

 

Could you show me which screws allow the top panel above the radiator tray to be removed so I can screw the fans in that way? That'd be greatly appreciated

[pintie]

there are about 10 screws round the top. lose all of them.

 

then you could put in the mounted radiator and fans with the plate. 

 

i had no problem with the fin arround the holes. just don't thighten the fans to much. 

so didn't modify anything - just screwed it togehter and it works just fine.

 

the holes where no radiator ist, i just taped these. Guess i will make a better version with 3d print when i have time.

[JFM98]

8 hours ago, pintie said:

there are about 10 screws round the top. lose all of them.

 

then you could put in the mounted radiator and fans with the plate. 

 

i had no problem with the fin arround the holes. just don't thighten the fans to much. 

so didn't modify anything - just screwed it togehter and it works just fine.

 

the holes where no radiator ist, i just taped these. Guess i will make a better version with 3d print when i have time.

I've got most of the screws out but the far side of the top panel won't budge. Any idea on this? The front side lifts up fine just not the back side, so I can't lift it off.

[JFM98]

9 hours ago, pintie said:

there are about 10 screws round the top. lose all of them.

 

then you could put in the mounted radiator and fans with the plate. 

 

i had no problem with the fin arround the holes. just don't thighten the fans to much. 

so didn't modify anything - just screwed it togehter and it works just fine.

 

the holes where no radiator ist, i just taped these. Guess i will make a better version with 3d print when i have time.

Never mind I got it off now. Did you also loosen the actual part that the tray slides into? Even with it off, it seems it won't slide in there without removing that first.

 

EDIT: Managed to just slide the tray in. All working fine now and it works. Lovely job  

Edited May 1, 2017 by JFM98

[carlosriosness]

i did 2 more mods to my top panel. i cut out the grills in the front and back. its a soft plastic, so my dremel cut through it like butter. i also removed the grills from the side cut outs. i figure it was restricting air flow for no reason. they are in place by a thin strip or double sided tape. they are easy to peal off without bending or damaging them. i figure i can put them back if i ever need to. 

 

these two mods allow for better airflow, i havent done any specific testing but when fans are at full speed i can definitely feel the air being pushed through the side vents a lot more.

[Bootsyyy]

I am about to do this same mod so I can fit my ek vardars on top to exhaust air off my ek se 360. I'm just wondering if I can get away with only flattening the radiator bracket lips and not the top ones and then removing the top, screwing the fans to the radiator with the bracket in between, and then installing the whole thing and screwing the top back down. The vardars are only 25mm so I think it might work just wondering what you all think? 

 

Also just want to say this forum is awesome because I really don't want to obstruct the view of my ram and motherboard. I'm glad I found it! Thanks!!

[carlosriosness]

i dont think so. the top "lips" are the taller ones. the bracket lips are pretty short. but you can get away with NOT grinding 100% of the lips/folds. for example, the lips/folds along the right side of the case (back side of case) can be left alone since a 360 rad is not that wide. 

[carlosriosness]

I think noctua has an answer for people... they have a new super fan that is 15mm thin. might fit with less modding (modding just the removable rad tray).

 

link to new series in general:

http://noctua.at/en/noctua-introduces-new-a-series-fans-and-accessories 

 

link to specific fan (nf-a12x15 pwm):

http://noctua.at/en/nf-a12x15-pwm

 

link to noctua explaining how this is better then their current nf-f12 pwm:

 

[carlosriosness]

On 4/27/2017 at 9:21 AM, pintie said:

you should have looked for five more seconds...

 

i have a h115 installed with the same two noctua fans.....

 

but you didn't have to drill holes.

the top of the case is with screws. 

 

i just took of the top of the case. 

installed the h115i and the two fans. 

then fittet the radiator with the fans into the top of the case

and then the top with everything to the rest of the chasis.

 

 

so same configuration - without useing any tool but a screw driver.

 

:-)

 

 

im not sure i understand since the radiator tray has to be slid into the top panel. whether its in the case or removed. this means you took the rad tray out. mounted rad and fans to it then slide it back into the top panel? but the mounted fans would get in the way of the top panels' sides (even when its removed from the case).

 

i guess i am most confused on what "then fitted the radiator with the fans into the top of the case" means exactly? 

 

i just got new fans and will be installing them soon. i am just trying to figure out the easiest/best way to mount them to the top of the rad tray. so i can use all 8 screws and not have to screw any more holes in my top panel. 

[carlosriosness]

On 5/1/2017 at 0:03 PM, JFM98 said:

Never mind I got it off now. Did you also loosen the actual part that the tray slides into? Even with it off, it seems it won't slide in there without removing that first.

 

EDIT: Managed to just slide the tray in. All working fine now and it works. Lovely job  

how did you manage to slide the tray in? with the rad and fans mounted my tray is "blocked" from sliding in. the top panel has walls that block the tray (if tray has fans on it).

 

im trying to figure out how you guys mounted the tray with rad/fans?

[senjin88]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 2:10 PM, pintie said:

there are about 10 screws round the top. lose all of them.

 

then you could put in the mounted radiator and fans with the plate. 

 

i had no problem with the fin arround the holes. just don't thighten the fans to much. 

so didn't modify anything - just screwed it togehter and it works just fine.

 

the holes where no radiator ist, i just taped these. Guess i will make a better version with 3d print when i have time.

Wow, you did something I haven't seen anywhere, can you care to explain a bit more? How did you slide the tray in? your method is a game changer if you did it without modding the top of the case. can you put 3 x120 fans in there?

[Bootsyyy]

Just want to say I love this forum!!! I completed my mod and OH MAN DOES MY RIG LOOK CLEAN!!! I hated how the fans would block off a good chunk of my memory and mobo and now they are nice and hidden. Thank you all for the help and here's a link to the build if you want to see it all completed

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/d28Ycf

[MrRavens]

Haha, great works guys. Shout out to the Phantek Enthoo Evolv squad. ;D

[KWelz]

2 minutes ago, LtRavens said:

Haha, great works guys. Shout out to the Phantek Enthoo Evolv squad. ;D

Agreed.  But sadly this won't fix the bad thermal issues that Watercooling causes in this case.   I am still Experimenting with mine to solve it.  Including working on a 3d printed riser for the top panel to allow more airflow. 

 

[MrRavens]

2 minutes ago, KWelz said:

Agreed.  But sadly this won't fix the bad thermal issues that Watercooling causes in this case.   I am still Experimenting with mine to solve it.  Including working on a 3d printed riser for the top panel to allow more airflow. 

 

Mhmm, tell me how that goes.

[KWelz]

1 minute ago, LtRavens said:

Mhmm, tell me how that goes.

Will do.  Have to get my office back together and the printer back up and running first.  but the general idea is a 1/2 inch  slotted structure around the entire sides.  The hardest part has been designing something that fits the style of the case.  

 

The standard version isn't so bad.  But the TG version leaves it looking much more tacked on.   

 

 

[MrRavens]

Just now, KWelz said:

Will do.  Have to get my office back together and the printer back up and running first.  but the general idea is a 1/2 inch  slotted structure around the entire sides.  The hardest part has been designing something that fits the style of the case.  

 

The standard version isn't so bad.  But the TG version leaves it looking much more tacked on.   

 

 

Haha true true. You got your work cut out for you. Good luck! 

[jsf124512]

On 2017-7-18 at 0:03 AM, carlosriosness said:

how did you manage to slide the tray in? with the rad and fans mounted my tray is "blocked" from sliding in. the top panel has walls that block the tray (if tray has fans on it).

 

im trying to figure out how you guys mounted the tray with rad/fans?

you have to dismount the top panel of the case, put the fans and radiator in the tray and force the top panel to the sides to put the tray in the rails.

[carlosriosness]

On 7/28/2017 at 5:40 AM, jsf124512 said:

you have to dismount the top panel of the case, put the fans and radiator in the tray and force the top panel to the sides to put the tray in the rails.

thanks for the additional info.... still not sure what "force the top panel to the sides" means. 

 

1) i removed the top panel

2) i mounted the fans and rad to the rail

3) is where i am lost. slide rail into top panel (but i dont know how since the top panel has sides that block it from sliding in with a fan mounted). the sides i am talking about are the ones with the felt padding. are you saying your bending the side with felt?

 

is the top panel sitting on the top of the case at this point, just loose and unscrewed? or are you doing this step with it off of the case entirely, then after sitting the top panel back up top? 

 

at this point i have it mounted, so i guess im good. but it would be nice to know your method when i want to change something in the future.