Silencing 660W Enermax (Whisper series)

PSUs: The source of DC power for all components in the PC & often a big noise source.

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ky
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Silencing 660W Enermax (Whisper series)

Post by ky » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:27 pm

I've narrowed down most of the noise in my watercooled SLi rig to my "Whisper" 660W PSU from Enermax.

Here's a NewEgg link:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817103438

Anyone had experience with this PSU or silencing it?

frankgehry
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Post by frankgehry » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:06 pm

I didn't know that enermax made psu's with push/pull 80mm fans, but I've never looked for a +600w psu. Anyway, no I don't have any experience with that model, but I know what you have to do.

Make sure that the psu only has to cool itself by using a duct like the one in the antec p180 case reviewed here the other day. If the psu is getting warm air from the case, the fans are going to ramp up faster than they would otherwise. Maybe case heat is not really a factor in an H20 system.

Then, since the psu is only cooling itself, it doesn't take much air flow to cool a small volume like a psu case. My enermax noisetaker fans are ~ 2700rpm fans. Yours should be replaced with low speed models with about 1800 - 2000rpm. So at max. voltage the fan would only run at <= 2000rpm, not 2700rpm. I would not use a sleeve bearing fan as they are not the best for raised temp. environments. Since the enermax outputs fan speed to the motherboard at least one fan needs a tach (3 wire fan). You could also use a medium spd. panaflo as the intake fan (2450rpm) and not have an exhaust fan. Since the intake fan is inside the case, the noise won't escape to the outside of the case like the exhaust fan noise will.

The other thing you can consider is relocating the thermisor to a cooler location in the psu. The fans won't get as much voltage and will run slower. There is an article about this in the power supply section.

I would prefer two low speed fans for redundancy rather than one at the intake location.

Adda makes a double ball bearing 2100rpm 80mm fan at www.mouser.com
bi-sonic would be one to consider, also at www.mouser.com
panaflos are widely available. Panaflos are ok for high temp environments.

If the whisper uses the same kind of connectors as the noisetaker I can tell you where to get them. - FG

Also you could buy a tbalancer (www.mcubed-tech.com) fan controller that would allow you to create your own temp./rpm curve for your existing fans. The fan controller approach would allow you to monitor psu temps and fan speeds, pump speeds, etc.

Be extremely careful if you are going to take the psu case apart.

ky
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Post by ky » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:10 pm

The case is similar to the Lian Li 1100/1200 series where the PSU is in its own compartment w/ no other vents inside the case other than the exhaust in the rear and a little vent underneath the PSU where I assume the intake fan is receiving cool air to cool the PSU.

It's a good observation that in a watercooled system, the PSU only has to cool itself, not the rest of the case, really; so I can probably get away with a lower RPM fan.

Outside of modding the PSU directly, would it make any sense to disable the 80mm exhaust fan and attach a quiet 120mm fan outside the fan grill in the rear?

frankgehry
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Post by frankgehry » Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:40 pm

I can't quite picture it, but I don't think a 120 outside would help much. If the exhaust air is staying cool as it is I would disable the exhaust and see what happens.

If you disable the exhaust fan does that mean the motherboard no longer gets the psu fan speed signal. On my noisetaker the fan speed is taken off the exhaust fan.

ky
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Post by ky » Fri Jul 01, 2005 3:11 pm

Hmmm, it's possible that the power supplying the dual Opteron 252s + the dual 6800 Ultras is causing the PSU to heat up because the exhausted air is certainly not cool, it's kind of warm but not hot.

Disabling the fan might be a "Bad Thing(tm)". I'm not averse to turning off the 80mm noisy fan and replacing w/ a silent 120mm fan outside the case though.

frankgehry
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Post by frankgehry » Fri Jul 01, 2005 5:13 pm

OK, sounds good. Definitely use your judgement here. - FG

hightower
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Post by hightower » Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:50 am

I would never modify a psu. Too risky and you'll loose your guarantee. Sell it instead, and get a 600w enermax noisetaker SLI.

Freelancer77
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Post by Freelancer77 » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:00 am

hightower wrote:I would never modify a psu. Too risky and you'll loose your guarantee. Sell it instead, and get a 600w enermax noisetaker SLI.
I agree that with your rig, and the power it is demanding, you'll be better off getting a PSU that is quieter to start with. But I'd recommend the Seasonic S12-500 or 600. It is quieter and much more efficient (80%+), and it runs on a single 120mm fan on the bottom (intake). In a case that isolates the PSU there's one worry, that the bottom fan is not blocked off somehow, and beyond that it makes good airflow with no noise. I was very close to buying an Enermax until I started reading all the new reviews of the Seasonic S12 series.

hightower
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Post by hightower » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:18 am

You'll need the S12-600 or Enermax noisetaker 600w if you want it to be Nvidia SLI certified. http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build.html . I'll vote for the Enermax noisetaker, I'm very pleased with my unit. 8)

ky
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Post by ky » Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:42 pm

Tyan recommends an EPS12 rated PSU for this motherboard. But I'm not sure if they made that recommendation with use of SCSI drives in mind. I have the non-SCSI version and use only SATA drives.

There is a vent on the bottom of the part of the case where the PSU would go but it's a similar venting design to that of the Lian Li 1x00 case series which is a bunch of drilled holes rather than larger openings.

Is there such a thing as an EPS12 rated silent (SPCR standard) PSU?

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