Looking for a quieter CPU HS / fan

[sumdumbum]

Currently I'm running it with a thermaltake heatsink/fan similar to this one I got about two years ago. I keep the sink fairly clean of dust, but it doesn't cool well enough at acceptable volume levels. I run F@H on my computer, so it's constantly running at 100% CPU usage and when I try to put the fan at an acceptable speed, the temp goes up to 60*C or higher. I'm rather nervous about this, so I have to turn up the speed. I'd love to water cool this thing just for the volume reduction (and possibly a little OC'ing, though not necessary), but my case isn't very large and I'd have to hack the case up just to fit a single 120 cm radiator. Plus I don't want to spend that kind of money on a computer that's over 2 years old.

The way my motherboard/case is layed out, I have about 1.5 cm clearance between my PSU and my current heatsink. I'd rather not spend over $50 on this, but I'm open to any suggestions that may be slightly over that.

 

[RallyMaster]

Does your case have good cooling? If it doesn't have an intake fan and an exhaust fan, go get a case that does or if your case has places to put fans, you can buy a few fans that will improve the airflow.

Also try applying Arctic Silver 5 on that CPU if you haven't done so.

 

[sumdumbum]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
Does your case have good cooling? If it doesn't have an intake fan and an exhaust fan, go get a case that does or if your case has places to put fans, you can buy a few fans that will improve the airflow.

Also try applying Arctic Silver 5 on that CPU if you haven't done so.

Have fans in all positions available (2 in, 1 out, all 80 mm, plus the fan in the PSU) and applied AS5 when I put that sink on. The case is just a cheap generic one I bought when I built it. I don't think it even has the brand on it anywhere. How much would getting a new case help (cooling and volume)?

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

The stock fan on the HS really honks. 76cfm @ 55dBA. YIKES!

If the TIM is over two years old it just might be dried out.

What I would consider doing. Remove HS, with the fan off, clean well in hot soapy water,
dry very well, reinstall with fresh TIM.
Buy a plastic fan addapter 80 to 92mm, install good 92x38mm fan with sensor wire for MB controll.

If that's do able I can reccomend a VG cheap fan.

Solution two.......If there is room, up-grade to a SI-97.

Come back at me.

...Galvanized

 

[Spike]

I am in almost the same spot as you, my barton 2500+ @ 2.2ghz is getting very warm these days, ~50ish idle and 56-58 under load, and that is now when it is freaking cold in my house! I am replacing the Alpha PAL8045 I have on there with a Thermalright SI-97a and a panaflo M1A 92mm fan. The Alpha cools well but only with a high CFM/noise fan on it. I had a YS-Tech 80mm that kept the cpu very cool but it was really loud. My current cooler master fan is really quiet but does not cool nearly as well thus it is time for a new cooler.

I tried the fan adapters being suggested and with the Alpha it made things worse, not better. It is worth a shot as the adapters are only a few $$ but don't expect miracles.

-spike

 

[sumdumbum]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
The stock fan on the HS really honks. 76cfm @ 55dBA. YIKES!

If the TIM is over two years old it just might be dried out.

What I would consider doing. Remove HS, with the fan off, clean well in hot soapy water,
dry very well, reinstall with fresh TIM.
Buy a plastic fan addapter 80 to 92mm, install good 92x38mm fan with sensor wire for MB controll.

If that's do able I can reccomend a VG cheap fan.

Solution two.......If there is room, up-grade to a SI-97.

Come back at me.

...Galvanized

I didn't realize that stuff could dry out. Makes sense and I can see where that would have a negative effect on cooling. How often should one replace the TIM? Once a year?

As to the 92 mm thing - I cracked open the case and I know a 92mm adaptor/fan will fit but the 97 may be like <5mm too long according to the dimensions listed on thermalright's site. Any suggestions for quiet 92mm fans I could use? Even if the adaptor/fan doesn't work, I can still use that fan on a different sink.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

This is shooting from the hip as it is all IIRC, mmmkay No links and off the top of my head.

AS5 has a very high precentage of silver and very little carrier. Over time with many heating cycles there is what is called pumping action. This is because of the expansion and contraction of the disimilare materials that are in union. This will cause a drying out of the TIM. It is accepted that AS5 is one that dries out the quickest. How long does it take? Depends on too many variables to say.

I don't know how dust filled your HS fins are. I would do as I suggested. Using a long bristeled paint brush and hot soapy water, clean it and reapply TIM.

I looked at your link HS and the fan mounts with screws. Piece of cake to use an 80 to 92 addapter. I would seal the edge with narrow strips of foam, where the addapter meets the sink. Use shorter screws when installing it.

Do you use the thermistor that ThermalTake has on the stock fan??

EDIT: You logged out?

Go to sidewindercomputers.com > 92mm fans > bottom of the page. NMB 92x32.
I bought several of those to mod. The little blue dot is the thermistor. Cursh it, then scrap the ends, solder on the thermistor off of the ThermalTakes fan with it's long leads.
It would be best to pull the lable back and use some type of cooling on the PCB when soldering. A damped 4 layer piece of paper towel would work.

Install new very good, super undervoltable, ball bearing, thermally controlled fan.

If you don't want to use the thermistor. Crush it, clean the ends, solder a jumper across the two metal prongs. Then just use your controller.

Sidewinder states that they are not sure the sensor wire will work properly on all motherboards but with a little effort that could be worked out with MBM or whatever your using.

It's not super cheap but it is VG. While at sidewinder, look at the Delta Triple Blade in 92x38, 57cfm. It has a tach/sensor wire as all the DTBs do. It will start/run at 3.5V. I have two in use. The DTB 92x38 in 79cfm will quiet down to silence but is not as sweet as the 57cfm fan. The whole series of these fans is just super. I have a 120x38 for case intake duty. Aside from some Sanyo Denki I have these are the best I've come across.



...Galvanized

 

[Shadowknight]

http://silentpcreview.com/article271-page1.html WAAAAAAAAY a the bottom of the page, under the table listing compatible socket types, it says that the Scythe Katana should be compatible with socket A.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Shadowknight
http://silentpcreview.com/article271-page1.html WAAAAAAAAY a the bottom of the page, under the table listing compatible socket types, it says that the Scythe Katana should be compatible with socket A.

Great call! But if you read the thread you would realise he has a PSU clearance issue.

OP, get your solutions over at spcr as they rule this forum, or you can

PM me if you wish to discuss what I've posted. I will not post in this thread again.


...Galvanized

 

[Jhhnn]

First, run the computer with the sidepanel off to check temps- if they go down substantially, then a better-cooling case or mods to your current case may solve your problem. The fangrilles and airways on many older lowend boxes are entirely deficient in terms of cooling.

Your reference to psu clearance issues is unclear- is the psu mounted horizontally above the mobo, or vertically to the left of the mobo? If it's the latter, you definitely need a more modern case.

CPU temps in the low 60's are entirely acceptable at max load, which folding does... not optimal, but definitely acceptable, given that the max rated temp is 90C...

You can eliminate TIM issues by using these-

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/akshintherin.html

Install it once, then forget it entirely. They never dry out or creep away, they only improve with age.

With the hsf referenced, I'd be suspicious that it's clogged with dust and lint, way down inside where you can't see it unless you remove the fan and check it very carefully with a flashlight- the narrow fin spacing on that kind of copper cooler makes for a lot of misery in that respect...

 

[sumdumbum]

Okay, took off the side panel and the CPU temp went up about 1 or 2 C, ambient temp went down about 3 or 4 C. To clarify the PSU thing (as I may have been unclear with it), it's a midtower case with the PSU in the standard place/orientation. I'm going to order some more thermal paste (as I'll need it for any route I go with) and wash the current heatsink as suggested and see how that works. If that doesn't help much, I'm going to get an adaptor to fit a 92mm fan on my current heatsink and see how that works. If that doesn't work well enough, I'll get some kind of heatsink for a 92mm fan (which I'll already have). Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, there was a lot said here I wouldn't have thought of.

 

[sumdumbum]

Originally posted by: Jhhnn
With the hsf referenced, I'd be suspicious that it's clogged with dust and lint, way down inside where you can't see it unless you remove the fan and check it very carefully with a flashlight- the narrow fin spacing on that kind of copper cooler makes for a lot of misery in that respect...

You're very right on this - I have a very strong suspicion there's dust hiding near the base of the fins where I can't clean well. Hopefully when I take it out I can wash down there.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

I have three Barton XP's running here. The XP 3000 in an Asus A7N8X-X is always reporting 50 Celcius at idle, lower 60's running "full tilt". But the HSF's base is cool to the touch at "50" with the Vantec Aerocool TMD on it. It's a very quiet, high efficiency HSF; when Asus' sensor is giving 60 Celcius readings, the HSF base is still merely luke warm. The 2800 has that attractive Gigabyte "Neon 7" HSF, and is on a DFI Lanparty NFii that reports 32 Celcius at idle, 39 running full out (it has a 90 mm fan, and is very quiet). The 2600 is on an NF-7, and has a rather ordinary HSF on it, probably the Retail unit that originally came with the 3000, but upgraded from a noisy 60 mm to an 80 mm.

Adapters for other fan sizes aren't easy to come by; I found some at one time, but the bookmark (I use Mozilla, so it's not a "Favorite") is on my "regular" Inet surfing PC, not on this one -- I was getting updates for this, the Asus PC, which is primarly gaming-oriented. If you have trouble with the 92 mm size upgrade, holler back in this thread and I'll check for the bookmark!

 

[chocoruacal]

Thermalright SI-97A (Sidewinder computers = cheap shipping) plus whatever 92mm fan you're comfortable with. Personally, I think 99.9% of fans at 12v are too loud, so I 5 volt every fan I use. A very simple procedure with a fan that uses a 4 pin connection.

 

[OfficeLinebacker]

Hmm, interesting. Can you tell us more about undervolting fans?