The Cooler Master Elite 430 Black Case

Installing the PSU

Let’s look at the options for installing our power supply.

Here we see there is no dust filter that is supplied for use with the power supply as Cooler Master did for Gladiator 600. Of course, if you use your PSU with the fan facing up, there is no need for a dust filter. If you install your PSU with the fan facing downward as in this case, the best place for a dust filter is under the power supply, to protect it from clogging with dust.  If you use a top case fan to exhaust the hot air, you can remove and use that dust filter for the bottom.

We are using OCZ’s 850 watt PSU to illustrate positioning. Here the power supply unit is installed with the fan facing downward. The cool air is drawn in by the power supply’s fan from beneath the PC and exhausted out the PSU’s grille. In this position, the PSU’s fan does not affect case air flow at all.

The alternative is to install the power supply unit “upside down” with the fan facing upward. The warm air from inside the case is now exhausted out the PSU’s grille. One of the disadvantages with the fan facing up is that now you have to take extra care so as not to drop a screw or other tiny object into the now open PSU. As a tip, cover your open PSU with a cloth when you are adding a video card, for example.

The bottom of the Elite 430 sits on 4 rubber feet which serves the dual purpose of isolating vibration and keeping it solidly on any surface that you set it on without scratching or damage.  Well, we got our power supply in. Now let’s put it all together.