Suitable fans for bottom intake?

doveman · Post by **doveman** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 5:52 am

I know that fluid dynamic and ball bearings fans are recommended for PSU fan replacements, but I imagine that's partly because of the heat in the PSU, which won't be an issue for my intake fan.

So the main thing is to get a fan that works well (and lasts) when used horizontally. Perhaps that still means getting a fluid dynamic or ball bearing one, but I wanted to ask whether there are cheaper options that will do the job, as I don't want to spend Â£13 on a fan when I can get a suitable one for half that.

Redzo · Post by **Redzo** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:02 am

Scythe Gentle Typhoon is a great and very cheap (at least here in Sweden it is) fan that will do the job.

kuzzia · Post by **kuzzia** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:44 am

Scythe Slipstream 120 mm 1200 rpm. Much recommended by SPCR:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article832-page3.html

Otherwise somewhere else on SPCR, the Scythe S-Flex 120 mm is recommended too. Have I turned into a Scythe fanboy?

themaster1 · Post by **themaster1** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:08 am

0.41 A for the slipstream !? Are they even serious to recommend such a fan ?

For a gaming, ultra performing system maybe but for a random computer i doubt it, let alone a htpc.

I just changed my psu fan today cause i found it noisy and i made some tests, it indeed was noisy, not only whining but also vibrating (this is the worst part) The fan in question was an Adda (came with the psu unit) (rpm unknown but probably around 2000) , 0.33 A. I've swapped it with my, non used, Lian Li fan (1200 rpm / 0.27 A) i can tell the difference.

I've also tested my previous psu fan which is a yate loon (2000 rpm / 0.30 A, it vibrates a lot too.Less then the add but still....

Redzo · Post by **Redzo** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:35 am

themaster1 wrote:0.41 A for the slipstream !? Are they even serious to recommend such a fan ?

For a gaming, ultra performing system maybe but for a random computer i doubt it, let alone a htpc.

I just changed my psu fan today cause i found it noisy and i made some tests, it indeed was noisy, not only whining but also vibrating (this is the worst part) The fan in question was an Adda (came with the psu unit) (rpm unknown but probably around 2000) , 0.33 A. I've swapped it with my, non used, Lian Li fan (1200 rpm / 0.27 A) i can tell the difference.

I've also tested my previous psu fan which is a yate loon (2000 rpm / 0.30 A, it vibrates a lot too.Less then the add but still....

You seem to think that higher amp use=higher RPM thus noisier and that is just wrong because higher amp use does not have to mean that the fan will spin faster.

themaster1 · Post by **themaster1** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:14 am

Nope that's not what i think at all but more along the line: more amps = more noise

fumino · Post by **fumino** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:16 pm

themaster1 wrote:more amps = more noise

different motor designs aren't directly comparable based on a single metric like that.

just look at two 7-blade 120x25mm fans, the Nexus 120 and the San Ace 9G1212H4011:

nexus: .30A; 22.8dB
San Ace: .31A; 40dB

unless you had amperage confused with amplifier...idk.

doveman · Post by **doveman** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:41 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. It seems Scythe is the way to go

The Scythe Kaze Jyuni are the only ones I'd consider cheap here in the UK (about Â£7), whereas the others are more like Â£12-Â£14, but the Jyuni seem to be sleeve bearing, so probably not suitable for horizontal mounting.

Redzo · Post by **Redzo** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:43 pm

themaster1 wrote:Nope that's not what i think at all but more along the line: more amps = more noise

as fumino said that is wrong too. amps tells about how much current fan motor needs, it has absolutely nothing to do with noise at all.

doveman wrote:Jyuni seem to be sleeve bearing, so probably not suitable for horizontal mounting.

stay away from sleeve bearings and horizontal mounting

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:15 am

Redzo wrote:
doveman wrote:Jyuni seem to be sleeve bearing, so probably not suitable for horizontal mounting.
stay away from sleeve bearings and horizontal mounting

So they keep saying, yet my 1000RPM 140mm Yate-Loon sleevebearing variant @7v without problems so far as top exhaust...

Tetreb · Post by **Tetreb** » Wed Sep 29, 2010 10:07 am

Noctua fans are a choice too. They are expensive but the bearing should last a long time.

doveman · Post by **doveman** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:16 pm

Well I'm going to order a Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus to stick on my CPU and I'll buy a Scythe Kaze Jyuni (basically a re-branded Slipstream) at the same time, either to stick on the 212 if I don't like the supplied fan, or use as a front/rear intake/exhaust fan, as they're only Â£7 and they're meant to be pretty quiet. I think the 1200RPM is probably the one to go for.

As for my bottom intake fans, I'm not sure whether to get the S-Flex or the Gentle Typhoon. Scan has the 1150RPM GT for Â£12.80, or the S-FLEX SFF21E 1200RPM for Â£14.09, which seems a bit of a rip-off when the other S-Flex models, both lower and higher RPM, are priced at just over Â£12, but I guess they might be trying to offload the less popular models at reduced prices. So I'll probably get the cheaper Gentle Typhoon, as long as the 1150RPM model is a good choice for a bottom intake.