You recently opened your PSU case and you just noticed the PSU shroud for the first time.
Or maybe, you have an old PSU and you need to know whether it’s worth it to make a shroud for that power supply.
Why To Use PSU Shroud?
Well, you’ve definitely come to the right place. As a tech enthusiast, who works with power supplies regularly, I’ve researched long and hard on this for hours and I wrote this easy-to-understand guide for you.
So, make sure you are wide awake and alert while following my guide. Also, you should not skip any part otherwise you might find yourself confused.
Is It Good To Have a Power Supply Shroud?
A shroud doesn’t improve the power supply in any noticeable way so it’s neither bad nor good to have a PSU shroud. However, people generally prefer having a power supply with a shroud to get rid of all the messy cables.
Whether you should get a power supply with or without a shroud totally depends on what you prefer.
Do you like having a minimal and clean setup with cables hidden away? Go for a PSU with a shroud. But before that, check out what PSU do you have.
Otherwise, go for one without any shroud if you like keeping all your cables out in the open.
Another point to note is that for some people who own a PSU that generates a lot of heat during intense sessions, having a shroud will help keep temperatures low for sure.
Does PSU shroud affect airflow?
The main point of having a shroud is to improve the internal beauty of the power supply. As a result, there is neither an improvement to the airflow nor any damage. However, if the PSU shroud is not installed properly, airflow could suffer heavily.
So, you can probably understand that a PSU shroud needs to be carefully handled if you want to prevent any sort of heating issues.
So, what’s the right way to install the power supply shroud? Well, if you’ve mounted the PSU while keeping the fan facing downwards, you’ve installed it perfectly.
On another note, a lot of users have reported that they often feel that having a shroud will have some damaging effects on the airflow.
I am here to tell you that this is nothing but a misconception.
As the PSU is facing down, it draws the air in from under the case and exhausts it out the back so there is literally no effect on the airflow, as I’ve said earlier.
Another false misconception is that it makes the PSU noisy. Noise will either bounce off of the bottom of the case or off of the shroud, either way it will bounce off of something..
Facing a PSU Overheating problem, you can quickly fix it from our detailed guide.
How Do You Build A PSU Shroud?
There is no fixed method for making a DIY PSU shroud. Therefore, you can use whatever materials you prefer and make RGB shrouds, acrylic shrouds or many others.. To find how to make some of the best DIY power supply shards, read this section carefully.
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Since many modern power supplies come with a shroud built-in, you need to be certain that your setup doesn’t already have one before you put all your time in making the DIY shroud.
So, for making this do-it-yourself shroud, you will need:
- Cardboard.
- 2 mm thick aluminum.
- Jigsaw or anything that can cut the aluminum.
- Regular Hand Files and Sandpaper.
- A Sheet Bender or something that can bend the aluminum.
- 3m double-sided tape.
After you’ve gathered all these items, here is the method to make a DIY power supply shroud.
- Make a quick mockup using cardboard. Cardboards are a great way to quickly prototype parts like a PSU cover which can be difficult to visualize.
- Figure out how wide the shroud should be.
- Measure the length which can vary depending on how your fan, or any other part, is configured in the front.
- Take note of the height. This will need to be added to the width so you can figure out how big a piece you will need to cut out while adding a few extra millimeters taking the bend into account.
- Mark out the measurements on the sheet of 2 mm thick aluminum.
- Use a jigsaw to cut out the aluminum sheet and fill out the edges with the help of the regular hand files and sandpaper.
- Take the height from the measurements again and mark it out on the sheet of aluminum.
- Use a sheet bender or something similar to bend the aluminum sheet.
- Mount the cover, use the double-sided tape if you don’t want any visible screws, and mount the cover to the PSU itself.
Well, that’s it! It might seem a little complicated but just see how aesthetically clean everything looks after you’ve done all this.
The best part of this DIY power supply shroud is the fact that you can completely customize the look using spray paint if you want.
All you have to do is remember to keep the shroud outside for at least a day so the paint is properly dried out.
Also learn how to Fix PSU Making Clicking Noise.
FAQ
Question: Does a PSU need airflow?
Answer: Yes, any power supply requires proper airflow to make sure there are no heating issues. Therefore, while installing the PSU shroud, you should mount the PSU with the fan kept downwards.
Question: How do you remove PSU shroud?
Answer: Most power supply shrouds are riveted in place so I would not recommend to remove the PSU shroud in any way. You can still access the components under the shroud from the other side of the case.
Question: How do you mount fans to PSU shroud?
Answer: The best and only recommended way is to make sure the fan is facing downwards when mounting the PSU. This ensures that there is no negative effects on the air intakes or outtakes.
Question: Are PSU shrouds good?
Answer: Well, if it’s a DIY shroud, it’s only going to be as good as the materials you used. If the shroud is built into the power supply, it will be a good one as long as the shroud is removable or the PSU can be slid in from the outside.
Final Thoughts
PSU shrouds can give some life to the internals of your PSU without causing any damage in the process.
This can change if you don’t pay any attention to the installation process.
So, I hope you understood everything and can finally decide whether your PSU needs a shroud or not. Keep following us to get more of your confusions cleared on anything tech-related.
