Nexus or Acoustifan?? What do you think?

Control: management of fans, temp/rpm monitoring via soft/hardware

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Which fan to cool hard drive on front of BQE???

120mm Nexus
4
44%
92mm Nexus
1
11%
92mm Acoustifan
0
No votes
Other (please state)
4
44%
 
Total votes: 9

Scooby
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 12:37 pm

Nexus or Acoustifan?? What do you think?

Post by Scooby » Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:57 am

I've just ordered a 120mm nexus fan for the back of my BQE case. I'm not sure what to order for the front..either:

another 120mm nexus or
a 92mm nexus or
a 92mm acoustifan

I normally would buy panaflo (currently using an 80L on my heatsink and its class) but the last 92mm L1-BX I had ticked at any voltages and vibrated horribly.

zuperdee
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2004 8:24 pm

Post by zuperdee » Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:20 am

Yeah--from what I've heard, it sounds like Panaflo quality has pretty much gone downhill since they shifted production to China.

I think you should get another Nexus fan, because in general, I think temperature sensors are not usually well suited to intake fans.

Scooby
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 12:37 pm

Post by Scooby » Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:35 am

I agree with your panaflo comment regarding the 92's but the last few 80L's have been fine. I just wish the acoustifans weren't temp controlled.

Sooty
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Location: UK

Post by Sooty » Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:44 am

zuperdee wrote:because in general, I think temperature sensors are not usually well suited to intake fans.
Why not? Afaik, the AcoustiFan's sensor, being on a length of wire, can be placed anywhere in the case. Exhaust fan and intake fan sensors can be located in the same place, so, in theory, they get the same rpm.

mond
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Location: Europe
Contact:

Post by mond » Thu Apr 01, 2004 3:19 am

the 92mm panaflo has a radically different motor design from the 80mm i'm told, and that is the cause of the terrible clicking, not manufacturing. from a cooling point of view they all have nice properties and the 120mm is apparenty quiet highly regardet in the oc community. but for quiet opeation only the 80mm is relevant. sorry to be OT btw.

RaNDoMMAI
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:12 am

Post by RaNDoMMAI » Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:01 am

I have a BQE case and i tryed a evercool 120mm and 92panaflo in the front, for some reason the panaflo cools just about the same as the evercool if not better!

I have the panaflo set to 5V and it doesnt bother me.

Ralf has the same thing and he likes it too i think.

~RaNDoM

vortex222
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Location: nanaimo BC Canada

Post by vortex222 » Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:55 am

L1a 80MM all the way

dasman
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Post by dasman » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:05 am

FWIW, Acoustifan has a fixed speed version of the 120mm -- available at QuietPC.

Dave

al bundy
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Location: Chicago, IL

Post by al bundy » Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:58 pm

dasman wrote:FWIW, Acoustifan has a fixed speed version of the 120mm -- available at QuietPC.

Dave
Hey, I hadn't noticed that until you mentioned it. Here is a link to quietpcusa to the specific item.

Thanks Dave!

8)

Magic
Posts: 82
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:58 pm

Post by Magic » Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:34 am

Why do you need a fan up front at all? I have four computers in BQE cases now, and none of them use a frontal fan.

zuperdee
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2004 8:24 pm

Post by zuperdee » Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:35 am

I have found after repeated scientific testing that front fans usually make practically no difference whatsoever to the case temperature, and in some cases, they may even RAISE the temperature, if the case is badly designed, and doesn't have decent airflow at the front. I would NOT generally recommend using a fan at the front of a case--all it will do is increase the noise, for no gain in coolness.

That being said, there is one exception: if you have hot hard drives in the front that you can place directly behind the front fan, and that you know for certain can be cooled effectively that way. It still won't decrease your case temperature, but it will cool the hard drives, which is equally important if they are hot running (10,000+ RPM). I suspect the cooling effect of the fan could be further increased when used together with something like the Zalman ZM-2HC1 hard drive heatpipe cooler.

dasman
*Lifetime Patron*
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Post by dasman » Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:32 pm

al bundy wrote:
dasman wrote:FWIW, Acoustifan has a fixed speed version of the 120mm -- available at QuietPC.

Dave
Hey, I hadn't noticed that until you mentioned it. Here is a link to quietpcusa to the specific item.

Thanks Dave!

8)
Mine got here today, going to give it a try tonight... (compare it to a Papst 4412 & a Nexus 120mm and pick 2 out of three). I'm betting the Nexus will end up being the odd fan out...

Dave

Talz
Posts: 223
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 9:29 pm

Post by Talz » Fri Apr 02, 2004 7:40 pm

zuperdee wrote:I have found after repeated scientific testing that front fans usually make practically no difference whatsoever to the case temperature, and in some cases, they may even RAISE the temperature, if the case is badly designed, and doesn't have decent airflow at the front. I would NOT generally recommend using a fan at the front of a case--all it will do is increase the noise, for no gain in coolness.

That being said, there is one exception: if you have hot hard drives in the front that you can place directly behind the front fan, and that you know for certain can be cooled effectively that way. It still won't decrease your case temperature, but it will cool the hard drives, which is equally important if they are hot running (10,000+ RPM). I suspect the cooling effect of the fan could be further increased when used together with something like the Zalman ZM-2HC1 hard drive heatpipe cooler.
It just depends on the case, and the airflow levels. Most cases have terrible intake mountings though and really don't do much except help cool your hard drives as you've mentioned. And several 7200 rpm drives will run hotter than a 10k rpm raptor, so don't be to quick to dismiss the importance of cooling them. And filtered intakes can help reduce dust build up better than relying on purely negative pressure, which is a nice benefit imo!

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