First, I know that the Enermax 82+ series (I favor the 525W modular one) power supplies have a proprietary fan, so swapping isn't easy.
I have read that the 425W version is lousy, fan-wise, and other versions' fans become noisier after several months, so I want to be future-proof.
I plan to control the replacement fan with my Scythe Kaze Master, have it at about 500 rpm at low load and 700 rpm when gaming.
Due to the high efficiency of the Enermax and maximum load of about 220W (after I get an 4850 and put an S1 on it), 700 rpm should be fine.
But I don't know if the PSU would start if it can't detect it's own stock fan spinning. Someone can clarify this for me?
Also, in your opinion, which replacement fan would be the best choice: Slipstream 800 rpm (sleeve bearing) or S-Flex 1,200 rpm (FDB)?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Fan swap for Enermax 82+ questions
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee, Devonavar
I can't answer your first question, other than to say it sounds unlikely, but I can think of a couple of reasons for using an S-Flex over a Slipstream in a PSU.
First, the Slipstream fans don't cope with back pressure very well; any open air performance advantage is likely to be lost in a cramped PSU.
Second, the S-Flex has a five times longer MTBF than the Slipstream. I know which one I would bet on to outlast the power supply.
That is even without bringing up the whole "can you use sleeve bearing fans in horizontal position and/or in a hot environment?" discussion. When I modded my PSU I bought a Slipstream to use, but in the end decided not to risk it and used a ball-bearing fan instead.
First, the Slipstream fans don't cope with back pressure very well; any open air performance advantage is likely to be lost in a cramped PSU.
Second, the S-Flex has a five times longer MTBF than the Slipstream. I know which one I would bet on to outlast the power supply.
That is even without bringing up the whole "can you use sleeve bearing fans in horizontal position and/or in a hot environment?" discussion. When I modded my PSU I bought a Slipstream to use, but in the end decided not to risk it and used a ball-bearing fan instead.
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MikeC
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Re: Fan swap for Enermax 82+ questions
Where do you find such anecdotal info regarding the fans? I can only speak from my own experience: Of the 2 MOdu82+ PSUs I've used, a 625W and a 425W, both have had exactly the same quiet idle performance. I have not examined the fan in the 425W, but I'm quite sure it's the same model. Even if they weren't, there's no logical reason for the fan in the 425W to be somehow "worse" than the one in the 625W.Tzupy wrote:First, I know that the Enermax 82+ series (I favor the 525W modular one) power supplies have a proprietary fan, so swapping isn't easy.
I have read that the 425W version is lousy, fan-wise, and other versions' fans become noisier after several months, so I want to be future-proof.
I plan to control the replacement fan with my Scythe Kaze Master, have it at about 500 rpm at low load and 700 rpm when gaming.
Due to the high efficiency of the Enermax and maximum load of about 220W (after I get an 4850 and put an S1 on it), 700 rpm should be fine.
But I don't know if the PSU would start if it can't detect it's own stock fan spinning. Someone can clarify this for me?
Also, in your opinion, which replacement fan would be the best choice: Slipstream 800 rpm (sleeve bearing) or S-Flex 1,200 rpm (FDB)?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
The 625W model has been working nearly 24/7 for about 4 months in my main system. No change whatsoever in acoustics... which is exactly what I'd expect because the PSU fan hardly ever ramps up from its idle speed -- at such low rpm, the wear on the bearing is so low that it should last for years. This PC is at the threshold of my hearing / ambient until I get to less than 2' from it. I believe it would measure 15dba or better in the anechoic chamber.
There's no way I'd do a fan swap here. The fan + controller symbiosis is just too good to mess with. As soon as you stick any other type of fan, you lose that tight integration between the PSU, fan and controller -- I could not tell you how to use a 2- or 3- wire fan with the controller.
Now down the road if my fan got noisy, I'd ask Enermax for a replacement fan. Surely that would be covered under warranty.
Well, I just read the forums, being eager to replace my buzzing Seasonic with the *perfect PSU*, and here is one thread:
viewtopic.php?t=48416&sid=65c1c6906609f ... c4e2646800
Also, in the review thread page 3, people are complaining about the rather noisy fan (even at only 500 rpm):
viewtopic.php?t=46778&postdays=0&postor ... c4e2646800
I appreciate your answer, and it is somewhat reassuring. Maybe the first batches had QA issues regarding the fan and later ones are better?
Or is it just a lottery, like the buzzing issue for Seasonic built PSUs?
Should I get the Modu 625W one, in order to minimize the risk of a noisy fan? It's 40 euros more than the 525W, but that's not an issue.
I wish Enermax would have opted for an 'expensive' PWM FDB fan, instead of this bi-voltage one. The AF12025 PWM could have been great.
viewtopic.php?t=48416&sid=65c1c6906609f ... c4e2646800
Also, in the review thread page 3, people are complaining about the rather noisy fan (even at only 500 rpm):
viewtopic.php?t=46778&postdays=0&postor ... c4e2646800
I appreciate your answer, and it is somewhat reassuring. Maybe the first batches had QA issues regarding the fan and later ones are better?
Or is it just a lottery, like the buzzing issue for Seasonic built PSUs?
Should I get the Modu 625W one, in order to minimize the risk of a noisy fan? It's 40 euros more than the 525W, but that's not an issue.
I wish Enermax would have opted for an 'expensive' PWM FDB fan, instead of this bi-voltage one. The AF12025 PWM could have been great.
Fried my enermax
Iv'e been scouring forums seeking advice. Only 7 days ago I bought modu 82+ for my case to be used as my cases only exhaust. Only now do I realize I made a poor choice. This PSU would not exceed 900 rpm's even after my cpu was being stress tested. My PSU sits ontop of my cpu passive heatsink. The CPU heatsinks temp fried my new enermax in short order. Now It's fan won't spin. It took me a while to realize this untill I started to smell acrid overheating engine smell and finally realized my E8400 cpu was in trouble and had climbed to 90c without having an exhaust fan. This PSU fan does not spin fast enough for my purposes. If only I had read silent pc review first I would have known this. I'm afraid I don't have the option of returning this PSU. I want to know if I contact enermax and get a replacement, will I be able to make the fan exceed 900 rpm's? Unless my PSU was defective, it appears in order to exceed 900rpm's on this PSU; more load has to be drawn off of PSU. Is there a way to fool the PSU into thinking it has more load than it does so I can increase rpm's? If not I will have to sell my 625w enermax used after I get it repaired. Unless someone can recommend/advise me about somehow replacing my PSU fan.
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MikeC
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leiff --
Where to begin!!??
1. Using the PSU as your only exhaust is a sure fire way of losing control over fan speed/noise and increasing the thermal load of the PSU unnecessarily. It's strongly discouraged here.
2. Use at least one exhaust fan on the back panel. A slow spinning 120mm fan of good quality will do the job fine and will be less audible than a single PSU fan than spins faster.
3. Check the recommended cases section on the main site for how air should flow in a quiet PC.
Finally I have the same Enermax PSU in a system with an Intel E8500 directly under it, but with a tower cooler on the CPU, w/a 120mm fan blowing towards the back, where there is another 120mm fan exhausting the air out. It runs so quietly that it's inaudible almost all the time -- unless you stick your head under the desk.
RMA the PSU, set up your system as I've done.
Even if you don't care about having a quiet PC, you should set it up as above -- and run your fans as fast as you like. Your components will run cooler and last longer.
Where to begin!!??
1. Using the PSU as your only exhaust is a sure fire way of losing control over fan speed/noise and increasing the thermal load of the PSU unnecessarily. It's strongly discouraged here.
2. Use at least one exhaust fan on the back panel. A slow spinning 120mm fan of good quality will do the job fine and will be less audible than a single PSU fan than spins faster.
3. Check the recommended cases section on the main site for how air should flow in a quiet PC.
Finally I have the same Enermax PSU in a system with an Intel E8500 directly under it, but with a tower cooler on the CPU, w/a 120mm fan blowing towards the back, where there is another 120mm fan exhausting the air out. It runs so quietly that it's inaudible almost all the time -- unless you stick your head under the desk.
RMA the PSU, set up your system as I've done.
Even if you don't care about having a quiet PC, you should set it up as above -- and run your fans as fast as you like. Your components will run cooler and last longer.
Mike,
I've been trying to help Leiff over at AVSForums for a few days.
One of the things he left out was that he is using a Silverstone SG02 case, which is a SFF case using 2-80mm fans for the only intake/exhaust for the system. The heatsink he has (NT06E) is a top/down cooler that nestles right up to the grill on the PSU. He mentioned elsewhere that he didn't think he had the HSF secured properly the first time, but I don't know if that's the case.
I strongly urged him not to go this route, but some of the others at AVS seemed to have the same case and made it work with other PSUs. However, none of them mentioned what mobo/CPU they were using either.
Leiff, are you saying the only thing that seems to be affected is the PSU? Is the rest of your system running fine with another PSU? How have you positioned your fans in the case (both intake, both exhaust, one of each)?
I've been trying to help Leiff over at AVSForums for a few days.
One of the things he left out was that he is using a Silverstone SG02 case, which is a SFF case using 2-80mm fans for the only intake/exhaust for the system. The heatsink he has (NT06E) is a top/down cooler that nestles right up to the grill on the PSU. He mentioned elsewhere that he didn't think he had the HSF secured properly the first time, but I don't know if that's the case.
I strongly urged him not to go this route, but some of the others at AVS seemed to have the same case and made it work with other PSUs. However, none of them mentioned what mobo/CPU they were using either.
Leiff, are you saying the only thing that seems to be affected is the PSU? Is the rest of your system running fine with another PSU? How have you positioned your fans in the case (both intake, both exhaust, one of each)?
Hello jhhoffma. Small world. Both members at AVS forrums with my setup actually share my P5Q-EM MB and E8400 cpu. The feller with my heatsink claims the design only makes sense to use chasis fan's as air intake as he claims to be doing with all 3 of his case fans. Since there is no way to monitor PSU temperature, I wonder if he is right. Both case fan mounts are located on the same side of the case; That is in the oposite side of case that PSU/CPU sit in. So I't seems to have one of these blow in and the other one blow out would not do much to cool system. This case also has wide open grills on both sides of case adding allot of ventilation. Using my apevia PSU all my cpu/motherboard temperatures are fine. Honestly, I hadn't considered PSU failing as something I had to worry about. Now I see the enermax is only rated for 40c. I'll be getting my 80mm fans later this week. The only fan in my case is in my HDD cage blowing air over drives. Pherhaps if I had waited to get my 80mm case fan's before installing my enermax; it wouldn't have failed. But I'm doubtful. With my apevia PSU in system now, it's not hot at all. Another solution may be to repair the enermax and attach a fan on the underside of my nt06-E fins blowing air into PSU. Actually I don't think this is a good idea.
"EDIT" I just heard back from my vendor "antonline.com through an ebay listing" and they do not allow RMA of computer parts. So I guess I'm contacting enermax directly. Should I try to make this enermax replacement work? Back to my original question. Can I increase It's RPM's to something like 1,200 instead of it's 900 cap it places on my system.
"EDIT" I just heard back from my vendor "antonline.com through an ebay listing" and they do not allow RMA of computer parts. So I guess I'm contacting enermax directly. Should I try to make this enermax replacement work? Back to my original question. Can I increase It's RPM's to something like 1,200 instead of it's 900 cap it places on my system.
Not without doing a fanswap and controlling the fan manually.
The problem with this case is the fact that it has small space, lots of vent, but no real room for directed airflow. There are probably a lot of short-circuits in the airflow with all of those vents.
I would suggest running one fan as an intake (for your HDDs) and one as an exhaust. Any slight imbalance in airflow from the PSU will suck in air from the remaining perforated vents. Another option is to use both case fans as exhaust, but this will suck in a lot of dust if the area is dirty.
You'll be lucky if you can get an RMA covered by Enermax. Ebay sales aren't usually covered by warranty as most OEMs have a list of certified resellers to prevent the illegal sale of goods.
The problem with this case is the fact that it has small space, lots of vent, but no real room for directed airflow. There are probably a lot of short-circuits in the airflow with all of those vents.
I would suggest running one fan as an intake (for your HDDs) and one as an exhaust. Any slight imbalance in airflow from the PSU will suck in air from the remaining perforated vents. Another option is to use both case fans as exhaust, but this will suck in a lot of dust if the area is dirty.
You'll be lucky if you can get an RMA covered by Enermax. Ebay sales aren't usually covered by warranty as most OEMs have a list of certified resellers to prevent the illegal sale of goods.
Well, my 2 year old S12 decided it had enough of my quest for a new PSU and died of broken heart, blowing the fuses but apparently nothing inside the PC.
I just installed an Enermax Modu82+ 525W, and I can confirm it's very quiet, much quieter than the S12. But from very close the quality of the noise isn't good.
To me it sounds like a humm, not a buzz or whine, so I suppose it's fan related. I can't hear it from 1 m, so for now I'm fine with it.
I just installed an Enermax Modu82+ 525W, and I can confirm it's very quiet, much quieter than the S12. But from very close the quality of the noise isn't good.
To me it sounds like a humm, not a buzz or whine, so I suppose it's fan related. I can't hear it from 1 m, so for now I'm fine with it.