120mm Case Fan Recommendations?

[jough]

Hi,

I'm looking to both quiet and cool my X-Qpack case - I don't need or really want anything with LEDs that light up. I just want something that makes the box cooler than the included Aspire 120mm fan does. Quieter too would be a plus, but my primary concern is temperature. Noise I can put up with - a PC crashing from overheating I can't.

I've been looking around NewEgg, and reading various fora to try to find recommendations, but most of the recommendations seem to be predicated on how cool the fan *looks*, and not how cool the fan cools, if you know what I mean.

I'm also looking to possibly replace the CPU fan, although I don't really want to have to replace the stock heatsync, which would involve removing the bracket from the motherboard, etc.

Right now the CPU seems to be running hotter than it was a week ago - idling around 33-35C, and going to 45-50C under load. I don't know if this is hot for an Athlon 64 X2 4200+ dual core CPU or not, but if I can do anything to cool the system down further I will, especially since I want to add my new PowerColor x800XL video card which will generate even more heat inside the case.

 

[JSLIM]

try reversing the fan to blow air in the case instead of exhaust air out. I have the stock aspire fan on 5 volts as of now.

 

[mickles]

Try the Panaflo 120mm series

 

[jough]

Originally posted by: JSLIM
try reversing the fan to blow air in the case instead of exhaust air out. I have the stock aspire fan on 5 volts as of now.

Wait, but won't running it on 5v instead of 12v make it run slower? As I said, it's not the noise I mind, but the stock fan is not running cool enough (although having said that, I haven't had any issues with overheating yet).

Also, based on http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=993483 it looks like often reversing the fan just makes the case suck in hot air from the PSU exhaust (and yes, I suppose I could reverse that too).

I'd really like to draw hot air out of the case rather than push room temperature air into it. I'd even be amenable to putting a little air conditioning unit into the case if I could.

 

[jough]

Originally posted by: mickles
Try the Panaflo 120mm series

Couldn't find that one at NewEgg or elsewhere. Found specs on another forum for that one that said it only pushed out 32cfm of air, whereas I'm looking at others that do 80cfm or more.

I have no idea how much the stock Aspire fan pushes or what my actual needs are, however. It just seems to me that higher cfm and lower dBA is better, no?

 

[PClark99]

vantec stealth is reasonably priced and works great.

thats what I am using in my qpack.

 

[TylerP]

You can reverse the system fan and duct the PSU air to the side.

Also, going to a Zalman 7000B-Cu would be better than the stock fan.

Or you could replace it with a Nexus(Yate-Loon) 120mm fan. Both found on www.jab-tech.com (Black Yate-Loon is cheaper and spins slightly faster)

I have an orange Nexus fan on my Qpack and it is blowing in...while the PSU is ducted to the side.

Both the system fan and CPU fan can be run at slower speeds than rated, but even at full speed for both I don't hear them.

Fan link:
http://www.jab-tech.com/YATE-LOON-120mm-Case-Fan-D12SL-12-pr-3009.html

CPU cooler link:
http://www.jab-tech.com/Zalman-CNPS7000B-Cu-pr-2580.html

And if you see any posts about Qpacks on hardforums made by TINY...that was me. Kyle must be on the rag...cause he IP banned me for no reason. (but I am still posting there under another name from the same computer...teehee)

*edit*
Also, if you want to add more cooling when you put your new video card in...look into getting a PCI slot fan. They work wonders.

 

[mickles]

Couldn't find that one at NewEgg or elsewhere. Found specs on another forum for that one that said it only pushed out 32cfm of air, whereas I'm looking at others that do 80cfm or more.

I have no idea how much the stock Aspire fan pushes or what my actual needs are, however. It just seems to me that higher cfm and lower dBA is better, no?

I think you looked at the wrong Panaflo's, my source tells me...

Panaflo 120mm LOW 68.9cfm 30dba L1A Fan
Panaflo 120mm HIGH 103.8cfm 41.5dba TH1A Fan
Panaflo 120mm MEDIUM 86.5cfm 35.5dba M1A Case Fan
Panaflo 120mm ULTRA 115cfm 45.5dba U1A Case Fan

that's from www.shoprbc.com/ca

I use the M1A fans in my case and on my XP-120 heatsink all with a Vantec fan controller. Works like a charm.

 

[TylerP]

If you are looking for cfm, I have a Panaflo 120mmx38mm fan that pushes a ton of air, and when screwed to a case it doesn't sound that loud.

 

[jough]

Sounds like Panaflo is the way to go, then. Thanks for the replies.

 

[RedBeard]

IBL!!

I have been using some Antec branded 120mm fans with speed adjustments. They work very well and you don't have to buy an additional rheostat in case you want to turn the fan down. On the lowest of three settings there are almost silent.

 

[mickles]

Those Antec's aren't a bad idea, just check to see if the cfm's meet your needs.

 

[Liver]

also put some thought into how you are going to mount them. the quietest fan mounted wrong will make bad bad noise. i decouple my fans from the case with zip ties and rubber padding. makes a big difference in non resonance.