Does the installation of e4690 video card in a 625 brain box required extra cool

[Solsurvivor]

I installed an e4690 video card in my 625 brain box. This e4690 has massive heat sinks.  Is the stock 625 brain box externally mounted fan adequate to keep the brain box within the required operating temperatures.  If not, what is the recommended fan; i.e. Brand, CFM, size, voltage, etc.  It would also need to be a three wire connection.  The brain box fan speed is continuously monitored.

The stock fan is 92 x 32mm 12V 290 Mn 70 CFM 3-wire

Thanks.

[sccarlso]

The external case fan in all brainboxes are the same spec.   But in some cases it may have been replaced by another brand with similar specs.

As long as it's spinning at a good rate and not squealing, it's plenty to keep the brainbox & video card cool.  But some may switch to a higher CFM fan.  As long as it's the same size, voltage, and not a lot more mA draw, nothing wrong with doing so.  But it can make the machine a little louder when running.

It's more important to ensure the CPU fan is good and not binding/spinning slowly.  If the CPU fan stops spinning or binding, the machine will shut itself down automatically when the CPU gets too hot.  Which it will fairly quickly if the CPU fan is dead.  Pretty hard to find the actual OEM CPU fans, but any CPU fan that's 40mmx40mmx10mm in size, 12v @ around 0.8w with the same connector / number of wires is fine.   I always replace with Sunon fans that have the same specs when I need to replace a fan whenever possible.

If the fans are spinning ok, should be just fine. 

Something that's really overlooked that causes overheating is not cleaning the cabinet vents or replacing dead cabinet fans.    Machines that come from casinos that ran 24/7 rarely got cleaned if at all.  So all the vents on the cabinet are 100% clogged with dust and never even get looked at.  Or vents with 24v fans that aren't spinning at all.  Then no air is getting in/out of the cabinet.   So if fans are spinning ok, it's more important (and free!) to clean all the vent grilles on the cabinet and ensure all cabinet fans are running ok so there's good airflow.  That often means you have to remove the fan on the vent to clean it.  But if the vents are totally clogged, it's well worth it to check all the air vents on the cabinet.  Things like canned air and such don't blow them out very well.  So if any are dirty, I remove the fan, totally clean the grille, and remount the fan.  If it's a home use machine that doesn't run 24/7, once the vents have all been cleaned.  Won't likely need to do it again anytime soon and everything will be much cooler inside the machine.   

[Solsurvivor]

OK, thanks for the reply.  All of the fans (external brain box, internal brain box heat sink, lower cabinet exhaust, top box exhaust, and 4 MLD fans) appear to functioning as they should.  I spent the better part of two weeks cleaning this machine. I didn't replace the brain box intake filter.  You could have grown corn in that filter it had so much dust. I will likely change out and/or upgrade some of the fans before the end of the year, especially the lower cabinet exhaust fan.   I did change out the 2010 Toshiba 250GB HDD with a new Kingston 250GB SSD which added more air space inside the brain box.  In this machine the ATX is mounted below the hard drive and on the same chassis.

[sccarlso]

More than enough to keep it cool.   The brainboxes are actually pretty tough and can handle a lot of heat without failing.  They're used and abused in casinos.

Probably the most important is when you have an MLD machine.  I'd pay the most attention to the fans on the MLD display with your other fans running and vents cleaned.   I'd make sure to blow the fans on the MLD screen out with canned air (best you can do without taking it apart), and ensure all the fans are running nice and smooth.

The MLD screen is probably the most succeptable to overheating in that machine and casinos don't clean them, so all good fans running in the MLD display is critical.  If any one of them is going bad or stops.  You have to pull the MLD screen out the front of the machine entirely and it's certainly a "process" to carefully open it up to replace a fan.  But there is a youtube video on doing it.  And if one fan fails or just starts going bad.  Get 4 identical new fans from digikey and replace them all.  Don't want to have to do it again.  lol   Also gives you access to ensure there's no dust clogged up in there anywhere.  With it clean and all new fans installed, you're really doing yourself a favor, and the MLD screen should be good for a long time.  Good used MLD screens are expensive, and they're also not simple to repair if you went that route.  The rear LCD is usually what fails if they overheat. 

Replacing the old drive with an SSD also makes a difference inside the brainbox as the SSD really doesn't generate any heat compared to old mechanical drives. 

[Solsurvivor]

 My MLD has 4 fans, Delta Model EFB0612HHA. DigiKey has over 1,600 in stock and I can get 4 delivered for around $45, when I need them. Combined they have a rating of around 80 CFM which is higher than the brain box single fan of 70 CFM.  Too bad IGT didn't provide for monitoring the two-wire MLD fans' revs like it does the three-wire brain box fan. 

I watched the video where the MLD fans are replaced and the video surfaces are cleaned.  I'm not looking forward to that.