Antec Smart Fan - how to quiet?

[mooseAndSquirrel]

I built a new rig and am delighted at how quiet it is. I now have the time to diagnose the older rig and figure out why it's so loud. It appears that the loudest component is the Antec Power PP-412X with "smart fan". The fan is very loud. I can't find any documentation on how to use the "smarts" and slow the thing down.

Anybody know how?

Thanks!

 

[BachelorNumber1]

I dont think theres a way to manually "use" the PS fan. The PS is connected to the motherboard, so I think any adjusting is done automatically based on the info the motherboard gives.

 

[Chang10is]

For a fan that can adjust its speed based on the info it gets from the mobo, you should probably just let it run it the speed that your computer thinks is necessary. Unless the device that adjusts its speed is broken, there should be a reason (in theory, at least) that it's spinning as fast it is.

 

[mooseAndSquirrel]

Maybe I don't have it connected correctly. There's a 3 pin connector like a CPU Fan. Where should I plug that into the mobo? Chassis fan?

 

[FlyingPenguin]

I just bought 3 of those Antec smart fans. They're anything but loud. Maybe yours is out of balance. They're only 34.5 dBa at their loudest which is pretty quiet.

There's no way to adjust them. The speed is controlled by the temp.

You should only use these fans as an exhaust fan - the temp sensor will be defeated if you use them as an intake (it'll only detect the cooler air being sucked in from outside).

I'm using one as a replacement for my PSU exhaust fan which was VERY loud. I'm also using one on my AX7 heatsink. They're definately quieter than what I had in there before, and they get even quieter when I put the system into sleep mode at night and it cools down.

You only need to connect the 4 pin connector to a HDD power cable. The 3 pin is just for sending RPM sensor data to the mobo using one of the mobo fan connectors, but you don't need to use it for it to work.

In the package that the fan came in is a chart that shows the RPM versus temperature. I have a copy posted HERE

 

[Kipper]

There is actually a mod you can do to replace the exhaust fan on the Antec, which will void your warranty. DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. There's a link posted somewhere on these forums, I think...I'll have to do some searching.

 

[mooseAndSquirrel]

Thanks. If there's a mod then I must not be the only one with this complaint. I'm moving over to another main rig, and this machine will become the file/print server in the house. So I figured it was worth the investment to make it as quiet as possible (the new P4 rig is virtually silent - with an enermax 431) so I ordered a PC Power and Cooling ultra-quiet power supply and some silencer fans.

 

[BachelorNumber1]

FlyingPenguin, I think you're confusing the SmartFan case fan with the SmartFan on the power supply. mooseAndSquirrel is asking about the latter.

 

[mooseAndSquirrel]

Originally posted by: BachelorNumber1
FlyingPenguin, I think you're confusing the SmartFan case fan with the SmartFan on the power supply. mooseAndSquirrel is asking about the latter.

Right. And for case fans, which I'm trying to keep to a minimum for noise reasons, I use a thermaltake which has a dial that you can set the speed manually as well as a temperature sensor for auto-settings. This seems to earn the name "smart" better than the Antec.

 

[BachelorNumber1]

Originally posted by: mooseAndSquirrel

Right. And for case fans, which I'm trying to keep to a minimum for noise reasons, I use a thermaltake which has a dial that you can set the speed manually as well as a temperature sensor for auto-settings. This seems to earn the name "smart" better than the Antec.

Actually, Antec also has a case fan similar to your Thermaltake. I'm still deciding which one to get. The Thermaltake can be quieter at its lowest setting, but is louder at its highest setting. How do you like yours?

 

[mooseAndSquirrel]

Originally posted by: BachelorNumber1

Originally posted by: mooseAndSquirrel

Right. And for case fans, which I'm trying to keep to a minimum for noise reasons, I use a thermaltake which has a dial that you can set the speed manually as well as a temperature sensor for auto-settings. This seems to earn the name "smart" better than the Antec.

Actually, Antec also has a case fan similar to your Thermaltake. I'm still deciding which one to get. The Thermaltake can be quieter at its lowest setting, but is louder at its highest setting. How do you like yours?

It's very loud at the highest setting. It's a cheesy orange. So I can't say I like it. I'm actually going with PC Power and Cooling's "Silencer", which doesn't move a lot of air but is virtually silent. And since I don't overclock, temperatures are just fine.

 

[BachelorNumber1]

Your Thermaltake fan at its lowest setting should be as quiet as the Silencer, so why bother buying a new fan? Also, does it really matter thats its orange? I guess you have a window on your case then?

In any case, I checked out the Silencer and its pretty good! Its even quieter than the Vantec Stealth. The only problem is I've never heard of them so they may not be in many stores, and probably not in Canada at all.

 

[mooseAndSquirrel]

I'm getting the PC Power and Cooling through mail order. They have a pretty poor website, but they've got great products. They're at http://www.pcpowerandcooling.com/home.htm. I've ordered in the past from them and the stuff came! I don't know about Canada, but that should be easy enough to find out.

The thermaltake is definitely louder than the silencer, even at it's lowest setting. At it's highest setting it sounds like a room fan!

Anyway, long enough thread on a fan! Lol, we're all so obsessive!