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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is installing a power supply in a…
A technician is installing a power supply in a new build. The case has a bottom-mounted PSU bay with a dust filter. The technician notices that the PSU fan faces downward. Is this correct?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Yes, the fan should face downward to draw cool air from outside the case.
In a bottom-mounted PSU configuration, the fan should face downward to draw cool air from outside the case through the dust filter. This improves cooling efficiency and reduces dust buildup inside the case.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
No, the fan should face upward to exhaust hot air from inside the case.
Why it's wrong here
Mounting the power supply unit (PSU) fan upward causes it to draw hot, pre-heated air from the interior of the PC case, specifically from components like the CPU and GPU. This significantly increases the PSU's internal operating temperature, reducing its efficiency and potentially shortening its lifespan due to thermal stress on components. It also disrupts optimal case airflow by recirculating heated air, negatively impacting overall system cooling.
- ✓
Yes, the fan should face downward to draw cool air from outside the case.
Why this is correct
The correct orientation for a bottom-mounted power supply is with the fan facing downward, drawing cool, ambient air directly from outside the case. This configuration utilizes the dedicated filtered intake vent typically found at the bottom of modern PC cases, ensuring the PSU receives a constant supply of fresh, clean air. This optimizes the PSU's cooling efficiency, maintains stable internal temperatures, and prevents it from contributing to the overall heat load inside the system, thereby enhancing component longevity and system stability.
- ✗
No, the PSU should be mounted fan-up to prevent dust from entering.
Why it's wrong here
Mounting the power supply with its fan facing upward does not prevent dust from entering; instead, it causes the PSU to draw unfiltered, dust-laden air from inside the PC case. This orientation bypasses the external dust filter designed for bottom-mounted PSUs, leading to significant dust accumulation within the power supply unit itself. Internal dust buildup can impede airflow, reduce cooling efficiency, and potentially cause overheating and component failure over time.
- ✗
The orientation does not matter as long as the PSU is securely mounted.
Why it's wrong here
The orientation of a power supply is critically important for both thermal performance and long-term reliability, not merely for secure mounting. Incorrectly orienting the PSU, such as having its fan face upward in a bottom-mount configuration, forces it to ingest hot, recirculated air from inside the case, drastically increasing its operating temperature. This compromises cooling efficiency, accelerates component degradation, and can lead to system instability or premature PSU failure, making proper orientation essential for optimal system health and longevity.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.