Might be out of my league

ces · **Posted:** Tue May 17, 2011 1:03 pm

fordprefect wrote:

Finally installed the Noctua U9B http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608016 and dropped temps about 3C but was dismayed to find the noise level not that much quieter than the AC alpine 64 it replaced.

That's a disappointment. It either sppeks poorly of the Noctua or highly or the AC alpine 64.

fordprefect · **Posted:** Tue May 17, 2011 2:25 pm

ces wrote:

fordprefect wrote:

Finally installed the Noctua U9B http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608016 and dropped temps about 3C but was dismayed to find the noise level not that much quieter than the AC alpine 64 it replaced.

That's a disappointment. It either sppeks poorly of the Noctua or highly or the AC alpine 64.

Thinking it might be my poor choice of case as much as anything else, will unplug, try to take a decent pic and post, maybe will be more obvious.

ces · **Posted:** Tue May 17, 2011 3:26 pm

fordprefect wrote:

Thinking it might be my poor choice of case as much as anything else, will unplug, try to take a decent pic and post, maybe will be more obvious.

Why don't you try reseating the Noctua cooler. Those results just don't seem quite right.

Try Arctic Silver Ceramique TIM paste (read the comments before using).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6835100009

fordprefect · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2011 9:00 am

Here's a pic of the case, haven't routed the cables yet. I have the HS fans blowing north to south. I don't think of the temps (38C tops atm) as a prob, but the noise level while less than the ac alp64 wasn't as dramatic a drop as I'd expected; possibly there's no provision to mount the HSF east/west.

Obviously I became aware of noise problems & how to address them AFTER I bought the case & components so literally doing it all backwards :oops:

D'oh!

-Anyway, thanks again for looking folks.

fumino · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2011 10:15 am

i would definitely suggest rotating the cooler 90 degrees so it blows front to back.

fordprefect · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2011 8:02 am

D'oh!

Thought it was too easy!

Just emailed Noctua for the adapter kit for mounting this sideways. will return with an update after I reinstall w/new kit.

fordprefect · **Posted:** Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:24 am

The 90 degree mounting kit arrived from Austria, just finished remounting.

Quieter now. 4C cooler right off the bat too.

Questions:

Do you think I really need both fans on the heatsink? Or indeed any HSF at all?

Applied the "grain of rice" dollop of thermal paste for the remount and noticed that the dollop from the prior mount hadn't completely covered the contact/surface areas. (To about the size of a US quarter.)
Any reason for concern?

Mr Spocko · **Posted:** Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:44 am

I would take one fan off the CPU cooler just keep the one on the right blowing out towards the rear case fan. With the thermal past as long as you have the main central area covered I would not be concerned. With heat pipe coolers I tend to "prime" the gaps in the pipes with paste then I use the 2 line method to ensure good coverage the single dot method works best for non heatpipe models but it will do ok on these as well.

fordprefect · **Posted:** Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:48 pm

Mr Spocko wrote:

I would take one fan off the CPU cooler just keep the one on the right blowing out towards the rear case fan. With the thermal past as long as you have the main central area covered I would not be concerned. With heat pipe coolers I tend to "prime" the gaps in the pipes with paste then I use the 2 line method to ensure good coverage the single dot method works best for non heatpipe models but it will do ok on these as well.

Exactly what I've been thinking lately Spocko. and thanks for the paste advice, going to refit soon and repost with results.

fordprefect · **Posted:** Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:53 pm

fordprefect wrote:

ces wrote:

fordprefect wrote:

Finally installed the Noctua U9B http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608016 and dropped temps about 3C but was dismayed to find the noise level not that much quieter than the AC alpine 64 it replaced.

That's a disappointment. It either sppeks poorly of the Noctua or highly or the AC alpine 64.

Thinking it might be my poor choice of case as much as anything else, will unplug, try to take a decent pic and post, maybe will be more obvious.

Ok well I'm back and it turns out my PSU fan started getting louder right around the time I installed the Noctua. ordered a new PSU, Corsair CX500 V2, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027&cm_sp=MyNewegg-_-Recmd-_-Pst03Descrip that should quiet things down considerably.

Obviously I've given up on silence and will be content to keeping it down to a dull roar--best considering my budgetary limitations.

Deucal · **Posted:** Mon Nov 07, 2011 12:21 am

On what speed are the HSFans running? In the link you gave they are specked for 1600RPM @100%, would think that HSF and case fan @50% would be enough to keep everything cool. And at 800RPM the HSF should be quiet.

Edit:
read you post again and saw you used the ULNA to put the HSF @1000rpm, I'd try to find a way to reduce that even more.
In my big computer I have quite a lot of Nexus 120mm 1000rpm fans connected to a good front bezel fan controller. When they run at full speed I hear a bit, which is why I run them on 50% for daily use.
It's only when I've been gaming for some time that I actually push up the fan speeds, never had to put them on 100% yet.

My comp:
http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac12 ... Mynd33.jpg
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=58961
Picture contains old PSU, got the new one in there now. And I have the 2nd 8800GTX installed. This computer when everything is on full is a power hog and a very nice room heater

.
Just saying that if I can get away with running everything at low speeds, you should be more than able to yourself.

fordprefect · **Posted:** Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:44 pm

Deucal wrote:

On what speed are the HSFans running? In the link you gave they are specked for 1600RPM @100%, would think that HSF and case fan @50% would be enough to keep everything cool. And at 800RPM the HSF should be quiet.

Edit:
read you post again and saw you used the ULNA to put the HSF @1000rpm, I'd try to find a way to reduce that even more.
In my big computer I have quite a lot of Nexus 120mm 1000rpm fans connected to a good front bezel fan controller. When they run at full speed I hear a bit, which is why I run them on 50% for daily use.
It's only when I've been gaming for some time that I actually push up the fan speeds, never had to put them on 100% yet.

My comp:
http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac12 ... Mynd33.jpg
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=58961
Picture contains old PSU, got the new one in there now. And I have the 2nd 8800GTX installed. This computer when everything is on full is a power hog and a very nice room heater

.
Just saying that if I can get away with running everything at low speeds, you should be more than able to yourself.

thx Deucal

any thoughts on the psu noise level? of course, they all say they're silent....
for the other fans I just bought a little 20w fan controller anticipating being able to tamp them down somewhat
.

Deucal · **Posted:** Mon Nov 07, 2011 5:35 pm

For myself I do have a slight (well more than slight) aversion to PSUs comboed with a case. They're ok, but will never be more than ok.
And a good quality PSU is something that will last you quite a while. With semi decent airflow in the case why not go for a fanless one?
The Seasonic X-400 fanless gets a raving review on SPCR. http://www.silentpcreview.com/Seasonic_ ... anless_PSU
Don't know your budget but it's currently at $105 with mail in rebate on newegg until the end of the month.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... ic%20x-400

Edit:
Can't seem to get a decent picture of the PSU included, but if you want to do it on the cheap you might consider changing out the stock fan on the PSU yourself.
I think there's an article on SPCR on how to do that.

quest_for_silence · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 3:12 am

fordprefect wrote:

any thoughts on the psu noise level? of course, they all say they're silent

Which PSU? And who are those "all"?

At anyway, these are PSU's acoustic performance tested by SPCR in the last years (hotbox values are the ones I would look at if your enclosure have a top mounting PSU, open-air values should be more similar to those ones you are likely to find when using a bottom mounting PSU case).

Code:

Testing in the hotbox
                 WATTS/DB                            Q4 2011 @
MODEL       90 150 200 250 300 400 500 6-700 850  NEWEGG PRICE
LZP-550    <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <10  22   --   --      160$
AX-850     <10 <10  12  15  18  25  35   38   39      190$
GX-700      15  15  18  20  25  32  35   36   --      180$
TP-750      12  12  14  14  18  33  40   40   --      140$
X-400FL    <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <10*  --   --      125$
MODU87+     11  11  11  11  14  20  23   --   --      140$ #
NX5000      11  11  12  14  22  24  25   --   --      100$ #
CX-400      19  26  32  35  35  35  --   --   --      ---$
ECO80+ II  <11  12  16  19  26  32  33   --   --      ---$
X-650      <10  11  12  14  16  31  31   32   --      140$
CP-850      12  12  12  14  14  26  40   44   45      115$
RX-8500     14  14  18  23  28  32  32   33   33      145$ #
M700W       14  14  18  21  25  27  30   34   --      130$
CP700M      15  15  15  15  17  30  34   34   --      ---$
VALUE430    11  11  16  18  18  19  --   --   --       60$ #
M12D850     14  14  14  14  14  24  37   42   42      148$ #
SG650       15  15  15  16  18  28  36   47   --      215$ #
DA700       18  18  18  28  23  32  35   41   --      120$ #
MODU82+ 425 13  13  14  15  16  26  --   --   --      125$ #
ECS7001     22  22  22  21  23  25  36   37   --      ---$
ZM1000HP    20  20  20  20  20  20  26   37   40  ±   250$ 
TX650W      21  21  21  21  23  38  43   44   --  ±   ---$ 
MODU82+ 625 13  13  14  15  16  26  36   37   --      130$ 
 
Testing out of the hotbox
                 WATTS/DB                            Q4 2011 @
MODEL       90 150 200 250 300 400 500 6-700 850  NEWEGG PRICE
STR-500    <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <13   --   --      160$
X-460FL    <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <11 <13*  --   --      140$ 
ST50NF      11  11  11  11  15  15  16   --   --      200$
LZP-550    <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <10  16   --   --      160$
AX-850     <10 <10 <10 11~13 12 13  17   24   35      190$
GX-700      15  15  15  17  21  25  35   35   --      180$
TP-750      12  12  12  14  15  27  31   40   --      140$
X-400FL    <10 <10 <10 <10 <10 <11 <10*  --   --      125$ 
MODU87+     11  11  11  11  11  11  18   --   --      140$ #
NX5000      11  11  12  12 12.5 14  19   --   --      100$ #
CX-400      19  19  24  30  35  35  --   --   --      ---$
ECO80+ II  <11 <11  12  16  20  23  28   --   --      ---$
X-650      <10 <10 <10 <10 <10  16  27   32   --      140$
CP-850      12  12  12  12  12  14  20   24   40      115$

* = overload
# = price not from NewEgg 
@ = MIRs are not taken into account
± = not tested in the anechoic chamber 

So you may cross check your presumed power draw figures (90-100W at most) with the above tables, in order to find out your own trade-off.

fordprefect wrote:

for the other fans I just bought a little 20w fan controller anticipating being able to tamp them down somewhat.

If your 3-pin fans don't work with your mobo, then more probably that not you would just need 4-pins PWM fans to let the BIOS control work. An Akasa PWM splitter also could help.
However, why didn't you buy the Scythe Kaze Server I've adviced you for? It's the best second thing quieting fans after SpeedFan (or a properly working BIOS), money-wise.
Another alternative may be to daisy chain both the voltage adapters (IIRC the Noctua fans come with two LNA/ULNA adapters).

Eventually, about the CPU heatsink, it's certain that you won't need both the fans with that modest 245e, and it's even possible that you can get rid of the exhaust fan (providing you would accept some increase in temps), as long as you're running off the IGP (personally I have a 785G with just an 80mm exhaust and this latter is pretty useless).

fordprefect · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 7:54 am

quest_for_silence wrote:

fordprefect wrote:

any thoughts on the psu noise level? of course, they all say they're silent

Which PSU? And who are those "all"?

Point taken, will refrain from useless generalizations henceforth.
Already have the Corsair CX500V2 in hand, and a Sunbeam fan controller--budgetary concerns trump sonic purity issues for me.

fordprefect wrote:

for the other fans I just bought a little 20w fan controller anticipating being able to tamp them down somewhat.

If your 3-pin fans don't work with your mobo, then more probably that not you would just need 4-pins PWM fans to let the BIOS control work. An Akasa PWM splitter also could help.
However, why didn't you buy the Scythe Kaze Server I've adviced you for? It's the best second thing quieting fans after SpeedFan (or a properly working BIOS), money-wise.
Another alternative may be to daisy chain both the voltage adapters (IIRC the Noctua fans come with two LNA/ULNA adapters).

Eventually, about the CPU heatsink, it's certain that you won't need both the fans with that modest 245e, and it's even possible that you can get rid of the exhaust fan (providing you would accept some increase in temps), as long as you're running off the IGP (personally I have a 785G with just an 80mm exhaust and this latter is pretty useless).

Recently installed a powercolor 5450 fanless so no more IGP. It seems to run very cool and not tax the psu very much.

May well not need the fan controller, may be able to simply quiet the original psu fans down.

Will return with observations/results of the PSU experiment.

Thanks for the help all.

quest_for_silence · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 8:30 am

fordprefect wrote:

Already have the Corsair CX500V2 in hand

That PSU is a fairly low end CWT unit: a cheap power supply with above average regulation and ripple suppression, and a mediocre noise signature (as Corsair requires from CWT). Personally I wouldn't call it silent or even quiet, but if you like it, then we are happy anyway.

fordprefect wrote:

Recently installed a powercolor 5450 fanless so no more IGP. It seems to run very cool and not tax the psu very much.

It's a ~10 watts card so, if you can monitor its temp, you may think to do a FurMark test without the exhaust in order to know if you might get rid of this fan (even if, as it isn't near to the card, I guess actually it doesn't bias so much the graphics temp).

fordprefect · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 10:38 am

quest_for_silence wrote:

fordprefect wrote:

Already have the Corsair CX500V2 in hand

That PSU is a fairly low end CWT unit: a cheap power supply with above average regulation and ripple suppression, and a mediocre noise signature (as Corsair requires from CWT). Personally I wouldn't call it silent or even quiet, but if you like it, then we are happy anyway.

Low end, that's me all right.
-Hey, it's in, can barely hear it at all (the old PSU resembled nothing so much as a hair dryer) and it may not take much, but hell I'm happy!

Thanks for all your help folks, love this forum.

Can mark as solved? if so, how?

quest_for_silence · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:34 pm

fordprefect wrote:

Can mark as solved? if so, how?

AFAIK there's no a "solved" or "close" mark on SPCR. :wink:

Deucal · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 4:43 pm

Great it's all done and quiet enough for now

. Enjoy quiet computing!

Might be out of my league

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