Fractal Define Mini C fan mount to cool 3.5" hdd (Tempered Glass)

thingiverse

This is designed to fit the Fractal Define Mini C Tempered Glass case, with a 99% guarantee it will work with the same chamber dimensions as the normal Define Mini C. I designed this after noticing that my 3.5" mechanical HDD reached 43°c (~109°f) with current summer temperatures. After installing the fan, my HDD temp dropped to 33°c (~91°f) at a 27°c (~80°f) ambient temperature. The fan adapter is designed around measurements of the Noctua NF-R8 Redux 80mm. It should work with some other 80mm fans, but keep in mind that the Noctua actually measures 82mm for the sides by ~26mm deep, and the adapter was spaced at 83mm to allow some room to move. Anything smaller might be a loose fit. To mount securely, you will need a couple of medium zip/cable ties and 4 fan screws. The zip ties go through the side holes and are tied together (see pics) to apply a little pressure to keep the fan held in the mount. You could instead use double-sided tape or hot glue if you have that available. It's a good idea to be gentle when screwing in the fan mount so as not to overtighten and thread the screw holes. To actually fit the adapter and fan, you will need to unscrew your PSU, move it backwards as far as possible, unscrew the drive cage, and move it far back towards the PSU. The fan and adapter need to slide in diagonally to clear the edge of the case, and once in can be straightened into place and screwed in. The screw holes are a tiny bit off here and there and not perfectly aligned, but close enough. It's easy enough to start the screw and make it fit. I worked first try, so it wasn't worth redesigning and reprinting. I'm probably going to get questions about my oddball fan size setup for the Define Mini C, as my PC internals were previously in a Fractal Node 304 ITX case. I'm reusing the Corsair H90 with 2 x 140mm Noctuas in a push-pull config, and underneath that is a 120mm fan used as intake for the GPU. Please excuse the horrible print quality in the photo, my printer needs an overhaul!