Case Fan: Speed v Noise

[Furkin]

Hi,
I'm looking for a cheapish case fan for my ACER T120 2400+.
My original one is o.k,,,, apart from the noise.
After looking at some terrific items to replace this, I see that most of them run at a lot slower speed.
My existing Foxconn runs at 3550+ (not sure what it's s'posed to run at, Foxconn havn't got back to me - yet ???)
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I'm just learning about temperature problems (I've never suffered with it in almost 20 years of computing).
I have just replaced the cpu cooler with an arctic one from YoYo, which dosn't seem to be running fast enough (it states 2200rpm on the box - i'm only getting around 1575rpm) which I am assuming is not fast enough for the job either (YoYo are looking into it for me !!!!)
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Back to the point:
I am supposing that ACER used this case fan specifically for the purpose,,,, so would I be wise to consider something slower, just to get it quieter ?

[Biscuit]

What size fan are you looking for?

I have 3 sharkoon golfballs installed and they are all very very quiet.

These two are the best for keeping the noise dlevels down.
80mm 2000RPM

120mm 1000RPM
the 1000rpm doesnt move a great deal of air though

2000rpm 120mm
That is pretty noisey but will give good airflow.

I personally think the best way to control the balance of airflow/noise in a case is to use a very basic fan controller. I think this can be done at operating system level with programs liek speed fan but

this
is what i use and find it very practical. Whenever i want to do something that uses a lot of power i just turn up the nobs

[jimbouk]

Maybe your motherboard is slowing them down (NOT a bad thing). If they are plugged into the mobo some of them set the fan speed depending on the temperature.

If the case fan connects via the standard 4pin molex then maybe 5V or 7V mod the cable to slow it down so it isn't so loud.

[Rack]

Yate Loon (sp.) are regarded some of the best noise/airflow fans about. Those and the Silverstone ones.
Not sure about price or size though.

[Zak33]

Big and slow.... is far better if possbie that small and fast

The centre of a fan is all motor and no bades. On a large OR a small fan the motor's similar size. So...small fans are doing loads more work by reving their nuts off.

What can you use? What sizes?

[Zak33]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=326073
Like these personally....but thats cos I'm tight

[Furkin]

BISCUIT: I like the look of the Golfballs thingies,,,, but can't see that they do my size,,, but will have another look after this.
Mine is a 92mm, & I can't squeeze anything bigger in (!)
I don't have room for a second unit 'as is',,,, but I s'pose I could put one on the case side (which comes off) of almost any size,,,, but will need advice on power supply if I do. A controller would be good,,,, (in fact if I go this root, I might just need a 120mm instead of the existing ???)

JIMBOUK: Others have mentioned the bios for speeds also,,,, but I can only see 'temp' in the bios (my cut-off is disabled). It is a 3-pin connector.

RACK: Never heard of 'em, so will be searching again later.

ZAK: Pretty obvious really ! Whilst i'm also a bit tight, things have to do the job,,,,, but I can't afford overkill.
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I bought a 92mm XILENCE RedWing (cheap) but was put off installing it,,,, cos it only runs at 1500rpm, hence my quest for help.
-------::-------
This is a basic, home machine that I have run for 2 years. No great probs untill the cpu cooler went down last week, which started me thinking (always a bad sign !). It sits in the corner of the lounge & being in Cornwall, the ambient temp is about to get very warm soon.
Whilst my previous cpu fan was on the blink, it was still keeping the temp down to around 35c (at the mo' tis 48/50c)
The first thing is to get this sorted before moving on to the 'noise' just for the sake of it, but was hoping that if I do have to get another cpu fan, then I could get the case one at the same time,,,,,,,

thanks all for the help so far

[shaithis]

You might be able to find a 92mm>120mm fan adaptor if you don't mind it sticking out a bit.

If that's a possibility you could get something like the Antec SmartCool fans that have a thermal sensor and spin up/down depending on case temps.

EDIT: http://www.jab-tech.com/92mm-to-120m...t-pr-2637.html
They are out there but can't find a UK retailer....

[Zak33]

ZAK: Pretty obvious really ! Whilst i'm also a bit tight, things have to do the job,,,,, but I can't afford overkill.

ahh..good..so long as my help was taken so well

What I'm also indicating is that MAYBE under 2000 rpm is ok. Turbulence comes with faster spin speeds and hence inefficiency creeps in.

And those Akasa fans are good. Not cheap....good value.

[Clunk]

Loonies ftw.

[Furkin]

SHAITHIS: Very handy. I was wondering if I could make something similar myself. Coincidentally, I had just sent jab-teck an 'e' about fans anyway.
Maplins do a fan adapter, but looks like just 80 > 120mm.
I'll keep looking.

ZAK: All help & advice is appreciated, whether it gets used or not.
As long as the fan does the job, I don't mind about speed - it's just that I would have thought ACER might have used something slower if it was o.k.
At the end of the day, as long as it shifts a similar amount of air I don't think it matters much - but as long as it does.


cheers

[amjedm]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=326073
Like these personally....but thats cos I'm tight

Have you compared these Akasa fans to any others?

Been looking at them myself to test against other fans

[Zak33]

I have 2 of these Akasa fans in an old Chieftech PC case. I can't compare them to anything as they work fine, and are quiet, and haven't stopped and my PC doesnt overheat

Which is what I got them for.

[Zak33]

to expand:

Case airflow is complex but you can see differences with good fans and good placement.

With this case, though many years ago, I took the side off, and covered the open side with polythene. I taped it air tight.
I then tried different fan config's, each time resealing the polythene sheet each time

It was terrifiying to find that my original "perfect" set up made the polythene "baloon" hence I was forcing more air IN than could get out.

I tried some other set up's ....adding more and more fans, and one of them made the polythene suck INWARD.....I was creating a minor vacuum!

I ended up with one fan at the rear......!! a 120mm fan sucking out, along with the PSU, and one at the front pulling in.

It works to this day

[Furkin]

AMJEDM: I havn't compared,,,, never needed to before.
ZAK: Sucks v Blows ? An age old conundrum I s'pose. For my two pen’orth, as long as it shifts air, does it matter ?
If it sucks in, it has to force it out (!!!)
If it blows out, it has to force it in !
In my case, my case expels air, & sucks it through the front panel slots. I regularly have to clean the ROM/FDD/Card reader slits as they get mucky !
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There are lots of adapters out there – thanks for pointing me in that direction. That’s the way I’ll go,,,, which brings me to another question, which I am sure should be self-explanatory ?!?!
How does one measure up for size ??? I thought mine was 92mm (which the case is) The holes are about 82mm apart.
Whilst measuring up from behind, I noticed other holes,,,,,,, there are a set of holes at about 72mm apart !
1/ Is my existing Fan a 92mm (as per the case) or 80mm (as per the holes) ?
2/ Are the second set of holes for an 80mm fan (a choice) or just for cosmetics ?
(I was toying with the idea of an 80 > 120 adapter, cos there’s more choice,,,,,, but I think I’d better stick to the 92mm version,,,,, if that’s what my case is – otherwise I’m defeating the object !)
Back to my original quest – a cheap fan,,,, but now I can go for 120mm of which there is even more choice.


BTW: I seem to have lost the HEXUS link in my favorites ! Any idea why ?

Thanks again