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I'm noticing that fans don't seem to (acoustically) like being in a pull configuration.

AnonymousGuy
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Posted

Rambling around a bit, but I've had a couple situations where fans being on the pull side of a radiator act weird.  The first being a 240mm low-and-thick radiator where having push-pull with the same fans on both sides...gets crazy loud when the pull fans are running full speed.  Like some weird harmonic happens.  The second being a giant high-FPI radiator where the fans almost seem to whistle on the pull side.  

 

I'm aware performance doesn't really care about push vs. pull but anyone else got similar experience?

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Both push and pull fans running at full speed? Otherwise you have a substantial pressure differential which will cause havoc. All fans must be in sync, otherwise you have one side forcing air through the other. Which will lead to turbulent air making noises for example. Even if they are running in sync, fan design can cause noise at certain rpm (or all the time). Push/pull config will amplify this.

 

The whistle noises are also most likely air being pulled in from the side, between the radiator and the fan. Or straight through the radiator. Again the fan design and radiator design will determine at what fan speed this happens (if at all).

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This is a common issue and fans are often mounted farther away when in pull on heatsinks and rad. 

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The fans on my rads are always in a push configuration due to this exact issue so you're not alone.

I've tried many different fans and they all seem to be louder or produce a more annoying sound.

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Yep, agreed. I think the LTT partyline of "Pull is better for cleaning dust and the performance is otherwise the same" has lead to may finding the system has bad acoustic properties.

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Sound comes from fans under a suction (or vacuum) load. You can try different fan blade pitches to help reduce the poor sound quality.

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