PIMP My UFO

Project 1

The back panel

Some time ago some one over here had an idea to improve the cooling on the alienware M17 by creating a custom back pannel

And i decided to give it a try the goal is improve the size of the air intake and the airflow across the laptop so i though about it that way if i put someting directly over the fan and a hudge air intake just beside it should force the air to cycle inside the laptop.

click on the pictures to get a bigger version

so we start with this




And this is the fan positionings (note that pic is not from my m17 i found it on the web and it was faster to use it then take a picture of mine after i was done with the mod and wanned to game)


so the idea is to build something like that (ya ugly i know my picture manipulation skills are VERRY lacking)


Material used this mesh



use a cuting tool in my case a dremel 4000 with a flex shaft and the metal cutting wheel



cut the shape in the mesh


after that cut the shape of the air intake in the back pannel (that's water on my back paneli had to clean it cause cutting through a sort of plastic/rubber makes an anoying powder that stick and "burn" your finger)



once done assemble both part and ajust the mesh to be sure it fit with mounting holes and other stuf then glue all part together and enjoy.

i also covered the original grills that where just over the fans

my projects are posted faster over there Granyte and cie but i'll end up posting them here anyway

i have quite some modifications plans for that laptop

 

Very nice project you got there & the way you set up the flow of the pics/descriptions is easy to read! +1

You should change your title to "Pimping My UFO"! XD

 

i though people would catch the joke but maybe some just skiped over it thinking it was a spam or something


i will try to put the other project in a as clear format but ... well you will see

Edit: well i can't change the thread title

 

I think it looks cooler with the mesh material on the back.
Very well done.
I don't think I would have the guts to put a drill anywhere near my alienware.

 

Can't wait to see your results : )

You can use the *report* button in your Post #1, to ask a Mod to change your thread title to what you want. : )

Usually after you make a thread, you only have about 2-3 minutes to make changes to thread titles yourself. After, that you would need to Report it and ask a Mod to change

 

it looks super! but, i'm wondering if the metal mesh screen will conduct electricity & potentially damage any parts inside, or if it doesn't dissipate heat as well as plastic? just wondering...waiting to see some test results! great job though!

 

my cooling setup was adrealy modified befor this i added ram sink to the heatsink and since these are 6mm thick they prevent the mesh from getting any where near the component

also if you notice the inside of the original panel there was a aluminium foil so if it was dagerous i don't think they would have put it there

and metal dissipate heat much better then plastic if it was the other way around heat sink would be in plastic


as for the result they are on my blog but i hesitate to post them here cause the last run i had was in mid december with an ambian temp of 16-20c and the result i have after the mod are with an ambian temp of 27-32c also the run time is not the same and the usage is not ethier

how ever i can tell that a stock m17-r1 (not 17x) idle around 62 and mine is around 42 with all the mods i have for the cooling wich i should list

 

Usually laptops holes are made so airflows would go as it should to reach not only seen devices (CPU, RAM) but other inside too so wouldn't it lesser airflow to other place?
I'm not one of that guys who like to say: "Do nothing, you are not smarter than manufacturer" but...
Besides dust will be more.

PS But still you are brave guy to do this.

 

brave meh i knew i could buy a replacement back pannel for 9 bucks if this would have failed

for the other component well all thoses that this mod can affect are preatty much visible all the other componen like raid controler and other suff are on the other side of the mobo and i'm not modding that yet (well maybe when i have a replacement part but until then)

i'm definitly not smarter then the manufacturer but i definitly have more experience with it the laptop then they do they droped suport for that model 2 years ago

ya well for dust orginaly they even put filters into the vent on the original back pannel and it didnot stop dust from accumulating so there might be a little more accumulating but i would be surprised if it would be enormous