Silent Power Supplies

[Bookie]

I am on a quest to make my study as quiet as possible. I currently have three Athlon XP1800+ computers (mine, my wifes, and a server). I've replaced all the HSF's with the Artic Cooling Super Silent Pro which are wonderful for my setup (I won't be upgrading the chip till I can get a hammer). I have been looking into replacing the power supplies but I'm not sure which is the best. So far, it seems as if the Zalman 300A is the quietest, but I want to make sure. The best price I've found this for is $69, so I want to make sure I get the right thing before purchasing three of these. 300-watts is plenty of power for my systems so I don't need anything massive. SVC also has this modded fortron psu at 18dba. Has anyone gotten this that can tell me how you like it? I'd like to keep the power supply under 20dba.

Would it be easy to modify my existing power supplies with a different fan?

 

[beatle]

IMO, it's very easy to replace the fan in a PSU. I've done it twice with excellent results. Just use common sense and don't poke at the capacitors or other connectors with a metal stick. If you want to be extra careful, let the PSU sit for a while (24 hours if you're paranoid) to discharge the caps. If you have problems getting the PSU out of the case, the time it takes for you to remove it should be sufficient. It was for me. BG Micro is a great source for Panaflo L1a fans, which are very quiet and cheap.

 

[Bookie]

Thanks, I think I'll try this before dropping the money for a more expensive alternative.

 

[VTBigBear]

It is very easy..

but you have to be very careful...

just dont go touching anything else

 

[Dannnn]

Originally posted by: VTBigBear
It is very easy..

but you have to be very careful...

just dont go touching anything else

how do you make sure the replacement fan shifts as much air as the original? If it doesn't, don't you risk overheating?

 

[jarsoffart]

I've heard the Antec TruePower series is very quiet.

 

[Lizardman]

Originally posted by: Dannnn

Originally posted by: VTBigBear
It is very easy..

but you have to be very careful...

just dont go touching anything else

how do you make sure the replacement fan shifts as much air as the original? If it doesn't, don't you risk overheating?

Your right you do risk overheating if you put a lower cfm fan in there. But hey its your powersupply do what you want with it right.

 

[stultus]

I have the Zalman and it is orders of magnitude (well, maybe not that but tons) quieter than my "Whisper" PSU. I now clearly hear my stock Intel cooling (which before I couldn't hear at all). Maybe you should just try one PSU before buying 3 at a time... if anything, I've learned that silence is subjective.

 

[GnomeCop]

yep I have a zalman 300apf too it is very quiet. After changing my vid card to passive cooling, the cpu fan is the only thing I hear in the case.

 

[hmsrolst]

I also have the Zalman 300A APF (two in fact), along with an Antec TruePower and an Enermax Whisper. The Zalman is easily the quietest. I ended up modding my Enermax's with Panaflo L1A's (and removing the 92mm interior fan), but they're still noisier than the Zalman. I've also modded a PC Power and Cooling PSU with a very quiet Papst fan, but it still won't beat the Zalman.

 

[Pothead]

if you have money to throw around and want a quieter and better constructed psu than the Zalmans:

quietpc.com

 

[stultus]

I have yet to see anyone compare the Zalmans to the quietpc ones. It would be interesting, but the silentpc ones are so much more expensive...

 

[Pothead]

mikhailtech and silentpc did a comparison....

Mainly, the quietpc's heatsink and ventiliation is better constructed than Zalman's. In addition, quietpc's dBa is less than 27 dBa but it is also undervolted where as Zalman's is pretty high from the tests below.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=24&page=2

 

[Batistuta]

Or for the extrme - go for a watercooled machine, with a watercooled PSU!

Watercooled PSU

I know, the page is in danish. The price is ~400 $ US !!! And that's the psu alone.

B.

 

[hcarlson]

Another vote for the Antec TRUE series, I have a 430w and love how quiet it is

 

[Jhhnn]

Nice price on the zalmans at nexfan....

 

[Timmyotule]

I just ordered thisSeasonic 300W power supply from Silicon Acoustics. It's only $44 and quieter then the Zalman.

Decided to order it instead of the Zalman after reading the recommendations at Silent PC. They also have full reviews of both units.

Soon it will be silent....

 

[sundog29]

I got a Seasonic 400 to run a 8INXP and its much quiter than the Vantec 520A.

 

[Gerbil333]

I have Enermax power supplies in both my machines. They're silent. In fact, the fans are so slow and quiet, it's very difficult to feel any air moving when I put my hand behind them. If they're still too loud (I don't see how they could be since I can't hear them), then replace the fans. It's easy. I've opened several ps's and haven't killed myself or the units

Plus, Enermax and Antec make the finest PSU's you can get IMHO.

 

[treemonkey]

Originally posted by: Timmyotule
I just ordered thisSeasonic 300W power supply from Silicon Acoustics. It's only $44 and quieter then the Zalman.

Decided to order it instead of the Zalman after reading the recommendations at Silent PC. They also have full reviews of both units.

Soon it will be silent....

The one you bought wasn't the one in the review. They reveiwed the model with APFC. The $44 one says in it's description that they saved on costs by not implementing PFC at all.

 

[Timmyotule]

Yah, I saw that it doesn't have the PFC so there is a switch to chang between 110 & 220 and there is no power switch also cutting back on costs. The sound level and power specs are all the same for both though. Not having PFC isn't going to make it any louder will it? Now that I've been thinking about it it may be a bit less efficient causing it to run the fan at a higher voltage and thus be a bit louder.

Anyone know (or care to guess) at how much of a difference it could make?

 

[Gretzky]

has anyone tried thermaltake silent powersupplies?

They seem very cheap, 45 bucks for a 350watt psu