Replacement fan for PSU

[unknownmiscreant]

First up, please do not tell me about the dangers associated with opening PSUs. I know what I am doing, the dangers involved, and that I will have to modify the fan to be 2-pin compatible.

 

Anyway I am basically looking for a quiet 140mm fan with fairly decent static pressure to replace the rather noisy stock globe fan in my EVGA 850 G2 PSU.

 

Just to make it harder, because I live in the back end of the world, I can only purchase a very limited range of fans. Goto options like noise blockers and be quiet fans are unavailable. 

 

I can purchase corsair, ekwb, fractal, noctua, phenteks, nzxt and thermaltake fans.

 

What would you recommend?

Thanks in advance.

[Thermosman]

Noctua fans are good and are generally quiet enough. You could also get corsair maglev fans, which are very quiet also.

[MVPernula]

Do you consider it loud?

I have the same one and it's more quiet than the awkward silence you get in an elevator with a complete stranger

 

But anyways;
Noctuas fans are known for their performance and silence, highly recommended!

I put them on my radiators and everything is wisper quiet

[unknownmiscreant]

12 hours ago, Thermosman said:

Noctua fans are good and are generally quiet enough. You could also get corsair maglev fans, which are very quiet also.

I have often heard that noctua fans are good. My only gripes are the price and relatively suckful color scheme. Corsair ML fans are good, I have a couple of 120mm variants. They are quiet at low RPM, but get quite noisy at max. Since the fan control in the PSU basically goes 0v, 5v, 12v I would prefer something quieter at max.

 

Currently im looking at $40NZ for a noctua NF-A14

$30 for a fractal GP-14

$50 for 2x ML140 or $50 for 1x ML140pro

11 hours ago, MVPernula said:

Do you consider it loud?

I have the same one and it's more quiet than the awkward silence you get in an elevator with a complete stranger

 

But anyways;
Noctuas fans are known for their performance and silence, highly recommended!

I put them on my radiators and everything is wisper quiet

It is loud whenever the fan is running. Which is generally when I'm using it or trying to actually work on something. Its a watercooled machine, so the PSU fan is the loudest by far.

11 hours ago, Pangea2017 said:

Silent Wings 3. They are also used be be quiet it self for the expensiv PSUs.

NoiseBlocker, Noctua and other high end fans are also a good option.

 

You can order them from other contrys, this is not awful expensive. Where are you living that they are not sold where you live?

I live in New Zealand. So yes I can order from amazon etc, although I often wind up needing freight forwarding which sends the price through the roof. If I could get them at a reasonable price, NB or silent wings are what I would be going for.

[unknownmiscreant]

31 minutes ago, Pangea2017 said:

I am happy to live where noiseblocker and be quiet are designed and have good availability. I don't know about mightyape but they have SilentWings 3 for 39 nz dollar including shipping.  Noiseblocker seem to be more difficult to get.

https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/120mm-be-quiet-silent-wings-3-pwm/26164136

 

Noctua A14F are also good and for the Corsair ML140 go with them over the ML140 Pro ($5? get them ) the difference are only rubber corner.

Thats the 120mm variant. And I do not trust mightyape. They are a somewhat dodgy online retailer with quite a few very sketchy reviews. There are alot of those in NZ.

 

These are the places i have had good experience with in the past and I know honor warranties etc.

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/

http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/

https://www.elive.co.nz/

 

Its $50 for one ML140 pro... So I'm not doing that....

 

Think I might actually just get a pair of ML140 as they offer the best value... I could do something with the PWM to quiet them down a little. Although the fractal/noctua will be easier, so IDK.

[WoodenMarker]

1 hour ago, unknownmiscreant said:

Thats the 120mm variant. And I do not trust mightyape. They are a somewhat dodgy online retailer with quite a few very sketchy reviews. There are alot of those in NZ.

These are the places i have had good experience with in the past and I know honor warranties etc.

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/

http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/

https://www.elive.co.nz/

Its $50 for one ML140 pro... So I'm not doing that....

Think I might actually just get a pair of ML140 as they offer the best value... I could do something with the PWM to quiet them down a little. Although the fractal/noctua will be easier, so IDK.

Unless you're using pwm, avoid ML's. The magnetic levitation doesn't work without it. 

NF-P14S are good: https://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?r=p&partid=21905

Currently using a NF-P14 in my V850.

[unknownmiscreant]

11 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

Unless you're using pwm, avoid ML's. The magnetic levitation doesn't work without it. 

NF-P14S are good: https://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?r=p&partid=21905

Currently using a NF-P14 in my V850.

Hmmmm strange... Didn't know that. Thanks. Do you have any info/sources about this? Its not that I don't believe you, just want to see whats going on inside the fans.

 

I'll likely wind up putting a small pic micro controller in the PSU to quieten down the fans via PWM either way, as I don't want much more than 20dBA at full load. The noctua you linked definitely looks good. And a much more appealing price point, although I'll probably still run it on a 80% (ish) PWM signal to quieten it down a little.

 

[Stefan Payne]

13 hours ago, unknownmiscreant said:

First up, please do not tell me about the dangers associated with opening PSUs. I know what I am doing, the dangers involved, and that I will have to modify the fan to be 2-pin compatible.

We won't but you loose all certificates with the PSU and thus making it illegal to use.

And thus if something happens, you have a big problem!

 

The ~400V of the primary capacitor are the least of your worrys. That might just kill you while the other stuff might harm others...

 

Anyway:
What is the problem you are having right now? 

If the fan makes noise it shouldn't you have 7 or 10 years warranty with EVGA, well if you registred the unit....

 

If it is to loud: Why not sell it and get another one that is silent?
Giving the Name, you could exchange it against a 750W Corsair RMx wich should be way better than this unit. 

Well, if you didn't open it yet of course...

 

The Original Fan seems to be a RL4Z B1402512HH from Globe fan wich translates to 1800rpm/12V and 135.74CFM 3.01mmH²O 0.12inH²O 36.7dB(A)...

You must NOT choose a fan with lower spec than this!

Because that is a fire Hazard and changes the specification of the PSU!!

[unknownmiscreant]

3 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

We won't but you loose all certificates with the PSU and thus making it illegal to use.

And thus if something happens, you have a big problem!

Eh if they are gonna come after me, I think they'd have an easier time busting me for making my own power supplies for the sound system I built, rather than replacing a fan in a certified PSU.

Also, as long as I don't fiddle with anything else in the PSU, how exactly is replacing a fan gonna harm others?

 

400V isn't that bad, I've dealt with worse. Yeah it'll still kill you, but only if you touch the terminals.

7 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

If the fan makes noise it shouldn't you have 7 or 10 years warranty with EVGA, well if you registred the unit....

Its a generic problem with all EVGA 850 G2 units. Mainly bc they use an ultra crap fan. Getting a replacement won't help. It won't be loud enough for most people to care, but I run all my fans below 1000RPM until things start overheating.

9 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

If it is to loud: Why not sell it and get another one that is silent?
Giving the Name, you could exchange it against a 750W Corsair RMx wich should be way better than this unit. 

Well, if you didn't open it yet of course...

A: I have custom cables for it, and the corsair units suck for that with double wires, resistors and capacitors etc in the cables which are required for operation.

B: Its coming up 1year old, so waltzing into the shop and saying "huh, I don't like this one anymore" isn't really an option.

C: I do not wish to sell it bc used PC parts do not sell well in my area. It'll mean I basically wind up buying another PSU and sorting out my cables rather than buying a 140mm fan.

I have not opened it.

[WoodenMarker]

45 minutes ago, unknownmiscreant said:

Hmmmm strange... Didn't know that. Thanks. Do you have any info/sources about this? Its not that I don't believe you, just want to see whats going on inside the fans.

I'll likely wind up putting a small pic micro controller in the PSU to quieten down the fans via PWM either way, as I don't want much more than 20dBA at full load. The noctua you linked definitely looks good. And a much more appealing price point, although I'll probably still run it on a 80% (ish) PWM signal to quieten it down a little.

I don't remember the specific articles but you can get the same info from contacting Corsair. https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/corsair-ml-pro-led-fans.224786/

[unknownmiscreant]

1 minute ago, WoodenMarker said:

I don't remember the specific articles but you can get the same info from contacting Corsair. https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/corsair-ml-pro-led-fans.224786/

Oh it'll be bc the maglev is run direct off VCC for the fan. When using 3-pin control, VCC is lowered, so there isn't enough voltage to sustain the magnetic fields required for levitation.

 

PWM gets round that by always providing 12v and using a digital signal to change fan speed.

Thanks for the info.

[Bcat00]

You are out of luck if you want to buy a 2 pin 140mm fan. As far i know not many of the good companies out there make 2 pins and any that does are garbage or loud.

 

I changed my PSU fan out with a noctua A14 and drilled a hole on the side so i can plug the wire into my fan hub.

If you try to plug the 3/4 pin fan wires into the PSU 2 pin it won't start so have fun.

[unknownmiscreant]

10 minutes ago, Bcat00 said:

You are out of luck if you want to buy a 2 pin 140mm fan. As far i know not many of the good companies out there make 2 pins and any that does are garbage or loud.

 

I changed my PSU fan out with a noctua A14 and drilled a hole on the side so i can plug the wire into my fan hub.

If you try to plug the 3/4 pin fan wires into the PSU 2 pin it won't start so have fun.

Thats why you learn to solder. Although if you plugged a 3/4pin fan into a 2-pin header right it would spin.

[Bcat00]

1 hour ago, unknownmiscreant said:

Thats why you learn to solder. Although if you plugged a 3/4pin fan into a 2-pin header right it would spin.

you are assuming everyone has a soldering tool. i doubt many do.

[unknownmiscreant]

11 minutes ago, Bcat00 said:

you are assuming everyone has a soldering tool. i doubt many do.

Well taking apart a PSU is not something I would recommend, especially not here. However I have a decent amount of electronics experience, and a rather large array of electronics tools and parts, including a few soldering irons, mainly because electronics is a fairly large part of my job. Also, learning to solder is not that hard. I started learning when I was 8.

 

Since I was asking about recommendations for a fan, not the actual mechanics of how to take apart the PSU/hook the fan up this is rather superflous. However your point about running the fan lead out to a external controller is a good one. In fact I'm probably going to run the fan off load level monitoring on my UPS. As thats a fairly direct way of measuring the load on the PSU without having to modify anything.