Antec Dark Fleet DF-85 User manual

DF-85
DARK FLEET
THE ADVANCED
GAMING FORCE
US E R MA N U A L

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DF-85 USER’S MANUAL
Congratulations on your purchase of the Antec Dark Fleet DF-85.
Your DF-85 is the gaming case re-envisioned, with all the award-winning build quality that made Antec cases
famous and plenty of airy, wide-open expandability with 14 total drive bays and 7 expansion slots. Fleet-
Release™ front drive bays allow swift customization of front fan and drive configurations and easy access to
tool-less, washable fan filters. A top-mounted hot-swappable SATA (SSD-compatible) drive bay plus Fleet-
Swap™ SATA drive interfaces offer blazing fast throughput with superb convenience.
The DF-85 comes without a power supply. Make sure you choose a power supply that is compatible with your
computer components and has a long enough power harness to reach your motherboard and peripheral devices.
We recommend our High Current, Signature Series, TruePower Quattro, TP New, or CP Series power supplies
for the latest ATX specification compliance, broad compatibility, and power savings capability.
At Antec, we continually refine and improve our products to ensure the highest quality. As such, your new case
may differ slightly from the description in this manual. This isn't a problem; it's simply an improvement. As of
the date of publication, all features, descriptions, and illustrations in this manual are correct.
Disclaimer
This manual is intended only as a guide for Antec’s computer enclosures. For more
comprehensive instructions on installing the motherboard and peripherals, please refer to
the user’s manuals that come with those components.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Getting to know your case…………………………………………………. 5
1.2 Case specifications…………………………………………………………. 6
1.3 Before you begin…………………………………………………………… 7
1.4 Locating and positioning your computer…………………………………... 8
SECTION 2: HARDWARE INSTALLATION
2.1 Setting up…………………………………………………………………... 10
2.2 Motherboard installation…………………………………………………… 12
2.3 Standard ATX power supply installation…………………………………... 14
2.4 Installing a CPX form factor power supply………………………………... 15
2.5 Cable management…………………………………………………………. 16
2.6 Internal 3.5” device installation……………………………………………. 17
2.7 Using Fleet-Swap™….…………………………………………………….. 19
2.8 Using the top 2.5” hot-swap bay…………………………………………… 23
2.9 External 5.25” device installation………………………………………….. 23
SECTION 3: FRONT I/O PORTS
3.1 USB 2.0…………………………………………………………………….. 26
3.2 USB 3.0…………………………………………………………………….. 26
3.3 AC’97 / HD audio ports……………………………………………………. 26
3.4 Power switch / reset switch / hard disk drive LED connectors……………. 27
3.5 Rewiring motherboard header connections………………………………... 27
SECTION 4: COOLING SYSTEM
4.1 Included fans………………………………………………………………. 29
4.2 Top 140 mm red fan…………………………………………………. 30
4.3 Front 120 mm red LED fans ……………………………………………… 30
4.4 Rear exhaust 120 mm TwoCool™ fans………………………………….... 32
4.5 Optional fans.…………………………………………………………….... 31
4.6 Washable air filters………………………………………………………... 32
4.7 Water cooling……………………………………………………………… 33

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INTRODUCTION
SECTION 1

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1.1 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CASE
Drive bays Hardware mounts
15.25” drive bays 10 Motherboard standoffs (pre-installed)
23.5” drive bays 11 Power supply mounts
3Fleet-Swap SATA bays 12 Front I/O ports
42.5” internal SSD bays
52.5” external hot-swap
Cooling
6140 mm top TwoCool™ fans
7120 mm rear TwoCool™ fans
8Fleet-Release access door modules w/front variable-speed 120 mm red LED fans
9Water cooling grommets
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10
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8
1
2
9
3
4
5
7
6
11
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1.2 CASE SPECIFICATIONS
CASE TYPE
Full Tower
COLOR
Matte black
DIMENSIONS
- 23.5” (H) x 8.5” (W) x 19.9” (D)
- 596 mm (H) x 213 mm (W) x 505 mm (D)
WEIGHT
26.3 lbs / 11.3 kg
COOLING
2 x top 140 mm TwoCool™ fans
2 x rear 120 mm TwoCool™ red LED fans
3 x front 120 mm red LED fans with speed control knobs
1 x side 120 mm fan to cool graphics cards (optional)
Water cooling capable
DRIVE BAYS
9 x internal 3.5”(4 x external 3.5”Fleet-Swap™drives, position changeable)
3 x external 5.25”
1 x external top 2.5”hot-swap SATA drive bay
1 x internal bottom-mounted 2.5”SSD drive
EXPANSION SLOTS
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MOTHERBOARD SIZE
Mini-ITX, microATX, Standard ATX
FRONT I/O PANEL
1 x USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0
AC’97 / HD Audio In and Out

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1.3BEFORE YOU BEGIN
In order to ensure that your building experience with the Dark Fleet DF-85 will be a positive one, please take
note of the following:
While working inside your Dark Fleet DF-85, keep your case on a flat, stable surface. Make sure your
build environment is clean, well-lit, and free of dust.
Antec cases feature rounded edges that minimize the occurrence of hand injuries. Nonetheless,
exercise caution and control when handling case interiors. We strongly recommend taking the
appropriate time and care when working inside the case. Avoid hurried or careless motions. Please use
reasonable precaution.
Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts on a card. Hold a
card by its edges. Hold a component such as a processor by its edges, never by its pins.
To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself periodically by touching an unpainted metal surface
(such as a connector or screw on the back of this computer) or by using a wrist grounding strap.
Before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly aligned and oriented. Bent pins
can be difficult to fix and may require replacement of the entire connector.
This manual is not designed to cover CPU, RAM, or expansion card installation. Please consult your
motherboard manual for specific mounting instructions and troubleshooting. Before proceeding,
check the manual for your CPU cooler to find out if there are steps you must take before installing
the motherboard.
Do not sit on your case. Although it is constructed of heavy-duty steel and internally reinforced, it is
not designed to support the weight of an adult, and may buckle.
Remember to use the right tools for each task. Do not use improvized screwdrivers like coins, nails or
knife blades as they may result in damage to screw threads or even injury. Do not use your fingernails
to separate edges or lift the sides of the case, as paint chipping or injury may occur.

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1.4LOCATING AND POSITIONING YOUR COMPUTER
Your DF-85 has backwards- and top-facing exhaust fans, as well as front-mounted intake fans and one side-
mounted front air intake. For optimum performance, we recommend leaving the front air intakes unobstructed.
When open, the DF-85’s Fleet-Release™ doors take up an additional 15.5 cm of space in the front. Since
loading and unloading the DF-85’s internal Fleet-Swap™ SATA bays through the doors will require opening
and closing them, you may wish to leave space in front of the computer open for this purpose.
The DF-85 comes with a top 2.5” Hot Swap drive bay. While it’s in a handy location, we do not
recommend that users put any liquid-containing items (drinks, ice cream, coffee, perfume, etc.) on the drive
bay. It was not designed for storage purposes.

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HARDWARE
INSTALLATION
SECTION 2

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2.1 SETTING UP
Put the case upright on a flat, stable surface so that the rear panel (power supply and expansion slots) is facing
you. To remove the left and right side panels, remove these thumbscrews:
Note: Place the panel thumbscrews aside carefully and remember where they are.

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Now rest your case with the left side up. Here’s what we’ll be working with first:
A –Power supply mounts
B –5.25” drive bay area
C –3.5” drive bay area with Fleet-Swap SATA bays
D –Front panel wiring
E –I/O panel
Note: Do not use your fingernails to pry or lift the panels. Damage to the panels or injury to
your fingernails may result.
Note: This manual is not designed to cover CPU, RAM, or expansion card installation. Please
consult your motherboard manual for specific mounting instructions and troubleshooting.
C
B
D
E
A

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2.2 MOTHERBOARD INSTALLATION
Before proceeding:
-Check the manual for your CPU cooler to find out if there are steps you must do before installing the
motherboard
-Make sure you have the correct I/O panel for your motherboard. If the panel provided with the case isn’t
suitable, please contact your motherboard manufacturer for the correct I/O panel.
Make sure you have the correct I/O panel. This mismatched I/O panel
can cause difficulties down the road.
1. Lay the case down, with the open side facing up. The drive cages should be visible on the right side of
the case, with the power supply in the lower left.
2. Now insert your motherboard, aligning your motherboard with the standoff holes and remember
which holes are lined up.
Installing the motherboard, step 2. Note that not all motherboards will match with
all the provided holes; this is normal and won’t affect functionality.
3. Now remove your motherboard by lifting it up.

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Lift your motherboard out to install the standoffs.
4. Install standoffs as needed and put the motherboard back in.
5. Screw in your motherboard to the standoffs with the provided Phillips-head screws.
Step 5: Screwing in the motherboard after standoffs are installed
Caution: Make sure to remove any unused motherboard standoffs. They may come into contact
with the back of the motherboard and may electrify your case exterior if left connected.

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Note: The DF-85 comes with a CPU cutout on the motherboard tray, which
will allow you to change your CPU heatsink without removing the motherboard.
2.3 STANDARD POWER SUPPLY INSTALLATION
The DF-85 can accommodate either a standard-size power supply or an Antec CPX form factor CP-series high
performance power supply.
1. Open the case. With the case upright, place the power supply on the four silicone pads on the bottom
of the case.
PSU resting on the standard ATX PSU mount.
CPU
c u t o u t

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2. Push the power supply to the back of the case and align the mounting holes.
3. Attach the power supply to the case with the screws provided.
2.4INSTALLING A CPX FORM FACTOR POWER SUPPLY
The DF-85 can accommodate an Antec CPX form factor CP-series high performance power supply. An
adapter plate for standard power supplies is pre-installed with standard Phillips-head screws and must be
removed for a CPX form factor power supply to be installed.
1. Open the left side of the case. Turn the case around so that the back of the case is facing you.
Remove the screws indicated below.
Adapter plate screws. Your CPX power supply will use different screw locations than an ATX power supply.
Make note of them and carefully secure your CPX power supply to your case.
Note: Power supplies with fans on the bottom of the power supply will need to be mounted so
that the fan is facing the top of the case. The DF-85 provides mounting holes for power
supplies with standard mounting layouts to be installed right side up or upside down.
Note: Carefully remove the adapter plate and set it aside –you will need it again if you ever decide
to switch to a standard-form-factor power supply.

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2. With the case upright, place the power supply on the four silicone pads on the bottom of the case.
Push the power supply to the back of the case and align the mounting holes, and attach the power
supply to the case with the screws provided.
2.5CABLE MANAGEMENT
There is a cable management compartment between the motherboard and right side panel, as well as cable ties
located on the back of the motherboard panel. You can tuck excess cables in this compartment or route them
to the drive bays.
Cable management ties
1. Choose the cables you would like to pass through the holes behind the motherboard tray. Pull them
through the hole toward the right side of the case.
Using cable management.
2. Use the cable ties provided to hold your cables in place. Cable ties can be anchored to tiedown
locations located on the back of the motherboard panel.

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3. For cables which will be routed back to front drives or other internal accessories, feed the cables back
through the insertion point nearest the destination of the cable. Connect the cable and then pull the
slack back to the right side of the case.
4. For cables which will be routed directly to front drives or other internal accessories, cable tiedowns
are located along the drive cage. Bundle front drives’ or other internal accessories’ cables together and
secure them using tiedowns.
Tiedown locations for front drive bay cable routing
2.6INTERNAL 3.5” DEVICE INSTALLATION
Lock lever in default, unlocked position. Slide the lever to its most upward point to lock access doors.
Note: If you plan to use the Fleet-Swap feature, you should leave one or two cables with four
SATA connectors in the main compartment, so that they will be able to reach the Fleet-
Swap bay without stretching.
Note: The DF-85 contains a Fleet-Release™ access door lock lever on the left side panel. DF-85
comes with the lock lever in the downward, unlocked position. To lock your Fleet-Release™
access doors, slide the lever to its fullest upward position.

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The DF-85 includes three Fleet-Release™access doors. With the front bezel facing you, they are located by
default on the bottom nine drive bay slots (each door covers three drive bays).
1. Open the Fleet-ReleaseTM access door. Gently press the left side to release it, and then swing it open.
Do not push the front panel retention clips.
2. Insert your 3.5” device into the 3.5” drive cage from the front of the case. You will feel resistance
from presstabs on either side of the drive cage which will create friction against the drive. Push gently
until the drive’s mounting holes align with the screw holes in the cage.
Note: Do not attempt to open up the Fleet-Release™ access door by removing the left side panel
and pushing the front panel retention clips –they do not hold the Fleet-Release™ access
doors in place.

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Installing a 3.5” internal device
3. Fasten the device in place with the provided screws on both side of the drive cage.
Make sure to install screws on the left side… …as well as the right side.
4. Mount any other 3.5” HDD devices accordingly.
5. Connect the appropriate power and data cables to the device(s), using cable routing as desired.
6. Close the Fleet-ReleaseTM Access Door.
2.7 USING FLEET-SWAP™
The DF-85 includes two sets of Fleet-SwapTM 3.5” drive bays. Each set contain two connectors, for a total of
four hot-swappable SATA drive bays, pre-installed on the top and bottom of the internal 3.5” drive cage.
A. PREPARING YOUR FLEET-SWAP™SATA BAYS FOR USE
1. Remove the left side panel of the case. Open the Fleet-ReleaseTM Access Door by pressing the left
side to release it, then swing it open. Locate the Fleet-Swap bays inside the drive cage.

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Fleet-Swap™ default locations
A –Fleet-Swap™ SATA and power connectors
B –Fleet-Swap™ bay screws
2. You may wish to move the Fleet-Swap bays. There are two screws securing each Fleet-Swap bay to
the drive cage. To move or remove the Fleet-Swap bay, remove these screws, slide the Fleet-Swap bay
towards the side opposite the screws, and carefully remove it.
A
A
B
B