While the obvious answer is "its there for a reason, don't mess with it" I was still wondering how bad of an idea it would be to disable/remove the 60mm fan from the Seasonic M12 PSUs.
I'm considering using one of 700 models for a higher end gaming machine (Quad Core/8800GTX SLI) in a P180. I was hoping that perhaps with the P180s superior cooling the 60mm fan would be alright to remove.
Any thoughts?
Thx
Taking out 60mm fan in M12s
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee, Devonavar
Yes I do. However just because its not dead silent, doesn't mean it can't be quiet enough for me. With my previus 2 machines I've found anything smaller than a 92mm fan to be annoying. Yes I can still hear my current machine, but at least its a low level hum instead of a high pitched whirl. THAT is why I would want to disable the 60.Redzo wrote:So you vill be using high power 700W Psu in high power computer that will most likely be really loud anyways but are bothered by 60mm fan in your Psu ? Not to mention that you will have sound on when playing...
Do you get my irony...
That is what I am trying to figure out. Will it NEED the 60mm with a 120 in the lower chamber blowing directly at where the 60 USED to be if I remove it (figure I'd just leave the fan guard in place allowing the 120 to blow into the PSU more easily).Tzupy wrote:I believe the M12 will NEED the 60 mm fan to cool some components
If you are going to effectively "replace" the 60mm with an external 120mm there shouldn't be any thermal repercussions; in fact it may offer slightly improved cooling at high loads. You will of course void your warranty.Will it NEED the 60mm with a 120 in the lower chamber blowing directly at where the 60 USED to be
Well it wont be an EXACT replacement. The 120mm in the P180 base blowing at the PSU is set back a bit, but if I was to remove the 60mm fan (leaving just a finger guard in its place) I think it would do allright. Just looking for a couple of educated voices to back it up with.[/list]jaganath wrote:If you are going to effectively "replace" the 60mm with an external 120mm there shouldn't be any thermal repercussions; in fact it may offer slightly improved cooling at high loads. You will of course void your warranty.Will it NEED the 60mm with a 120 in the lower chamber blowing directly at where the 60 USED to be
If you subscribe to the thinking that 2 fans in series move the same amount of air as one fan, then you can just duct the 60mm hole to the bottom part of the 120mm intake fan, and it will move as much air whether it's on or not.Lazaredz wrote:Well it wont be an EXACT replacement. The 120mm in the P180 base blowing at the PSU is set back a bit, but if I was to remove the 60mm fan (leaving just a finger guard in its place) I think it would do allright. Just looking for a couple of educated voices to back it up with.[/list]
Disclaimer: This thinking is obviously unapplicable in real life where pressure difference does cause a difference in CFM.
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Tibors
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If you just remove the 60mm fan, that leaves you with a 120mm fan that blows air in the general direction of that hole from the front of the case AND another 120mm fan inside the PSU that blows air in the general direction of that same hole too, but from the other side. So how much air will pass through the whole and in what direction it will flow will be dependant on the speeds of those fans.
Of one thing you can be sure, this unfocused airflow will be less good at spot cooling than the flow caused by the 60mm fan. The question still remains if that less optimal cooling is a real problem.
What I would do in your case, is test assemble your system and see if the small fan really turns on with loads that are normal for you. And listen how loud it is then. Since the PSU in the bottom chamber of a P180 basically gets room temp air, that test assembly wouldn't necessarily have to be done inside the case.
Of one thing you can be sure, this unfocused airflow will be less good at spot cooling than the flow caused by the 60mm fan. The question still remains if that less optimal cooling is a real problem.
What I would do in your case, is test assemble your system and see if the small fan really turns on with loads that are normal for you. And listen how loud it is then. Since the PSU in the bottom chamber of a P180 basically gets room temp air, that test assembly wouldn't necessarily have to be done inside the case.
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BillyBuerger
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I would definitely try it first before removing the fan. If the 60mm turns on, then see if the noise is noticeable. I think that by the time it kicks in, there will be enough other noise that it won't be a problem.
Although larger fans have a better noise/cfm ratio, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll cool better or that they are the most quiet. An 80mm fan has the ability to be much more quiet than a 120mm fan. It just won't be able to blow as much air. But the air it does blow is more directed.
In my current PC, I have an 80mm panaflo L1, 92mm Scythe DFS902512L and a 120mm Yate Loon D12SL-12 all at the lowest level on my fan controller. It's hard to tell exactly, but I would put the Panaflo as the quietest, followed by the Yate Loon and last the Scythe. I would rather test them outside the case as my PSU modded with a panaflo L1 is the noisiest thing drowning out most other noises. It's an old thing that needs the higher speeds to keep cool.
It was already pointed out that the 60mm is there for "spot cooling" of an area that probably gets particularly warm at high loads. Even if the external 120 mm fan is blow more air than the little 60mm fan would, it probably will not be moving as much directly across the area that needs it.
As Tibors mentioned, I would be concerned about PSU fan wanting to push air out of that hole and the external fan trying to push air in. Leaving you with no airflow at all.
Although larger fans have a better noise/cfm ratio, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll cool better or that they are the most quiet. An 80mm fan has the ability to be much more quiet than a 120mm fan. It just won't be able to blow as much air. But the air it does blow is more directed.
In my current PC, I have an 80mm panaflo L1, 92mm Scythe DFS902512L and a 120mm Yate Loon D12SL-12 all at the lowest level on my fan controller. It's hard to tell exactly, but I would put the Panaflo as the quietest, followed by the Yate Loon and last the Scythe. I would rather test them outside the case as my PSU modded with a panaflo L1 is the noisiest thing drowning out most other noises. It's an old thing that needs the higher speeds to keep cool.
It was already pointed out that the 60mm is there for "spot cooling" of an area that probably gets particularly warm at high loads. Even if the external 120 mm fan is blow more air than the little 60mm fan would, it probably will not be moving as much directly across the area that needs it.
As Tibors mentioned, I would be concerned about PSU fan wanting to push air out of that hole and the external fan trying to push air in. Leaving you with no airflow at all.
There was an article with a C2D system with SLi 8800GTX. The system didn't even draw 450W at full load. With your 700W PSU don't even worry about that fan. You could probably take it out no problem. Plus the P180 has a fan in the PSU chamber so really, you could take out the 120 MM fan that comes with the PSU too.