Panaflo: how much quieter?
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Devonavar
Panaflo: how much quieter?
I've just got my quiet PC and I love it... but like many of you on here, I'd like to make it quieter if I can.
My case came with a single "generic" case fan. I was thinking of replacing it with a panaflo, but I'm wondering how much quieter it will be. Can anyone tell the difference between a panaflo and a generic case fan from a distance of a few feet?
Is it ok to stick my finger in to stop the fan to hear the difference and noise it produces?
My case came with a single "generic" case fan. I was thinking of replacing it with a panaflo, but I'm wondering how much quieter it will be. Can anyone tell the difference between a panaflo and a generic case fan from a distance of a few feet?
Is it ok to stick my finger in to stop the fan to hear the difference and noise it produces?
Re: Panaflo: how much quieter?
Without knowing the specs of your generic case fan, the answer is "probably". The 80mm L1A has lower airflow than most fans, and is quieter than most fans at the same airflow.Vegita wrote:My case came with a single "generic" case fan. I was thinking of replacing it with a panaflo, but I'm wondering how much quieter it will be. Can anyone tell the difference between a panaflo and a generic case fan from a distance of a few feet?
Does your case has restrictive grills? Getting rid of them would also result in much improvement. The typical stamped grills not only reduce airflow, they also create turbulence.
Might be safer to use something soft like a piece of packing foam (so as not to damage fan blade or finger). Or you can press on the hub.Vegita wrote:Is it ok to stick my finger in to stop the fan to hear the difference and noise it produces?
-
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2003 6:21 pm
- Location: Great Britain
-
- Patron of SPCR
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 2:38 pm
- Location: California, US
- Contact:
I did it once with a Thermaltake Dragon Orb. It's called eXtreme Silencing, and it's awesome.engseng wrote:Are you people actually crazy enough to put your finger between the blades??!
@Vegita: before you go out and buy a new fan, first try cutting out the restrictive grills like lenny suggested, then try under-volting the fan you already have. You should only spend money on something as a last resort.
Actually, if you approach the blades very slowly, buzz them a bit, and then stop them, its about the least jarring method I've found of stopping fans. The couple times I managed to nick my finger I was working in the computer while it was on, and my fingers 'found' the spinning fan blades.engseng wrote:Are you people actually crazy enough to put your finger between the blades??!
Haven't learned too much, I'll still poke around sometimes while the computer is on.
I'm not sure how good of a job I'd do at this, and how ugly the case would be afterwards... so I'm not sure. I think the fan isn't too expensive anyways.SometimesWarrior wrote:I did it once with a Thermaltake Dragon Orb. It's called eXtreme Silencing, and it's awesome.engseng wrote:Are you people actually crazy enough to put your finger between the blades??!
@Vegita: before you go out and buy a new fan, first try cutting out the restrictive grills like lenny suggested, then try under-volting the fan you already have. You should only spend money on something as a last resort.
And on a good note, I enabled the acoustic management on my Maxtor, and the loud ripping-velcro seek noise has no resided into a soft a... can't find an adjective, but it's much, much, much softer.
-
- Patron of SPCR
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 2:38 pm
- Location: California, US
- Contact:
True, it does take a bit of work to make a clean cut. You have to pull all the electronics out of the case, cut carefully, file, and vacuum thoroughly, which can take hours. The result is nice, though: take a look at Katana's Mean Machine. Removing the fan grills will improve both the noise and the airflow, no matter what fan you're using, so it can be a worthwhile project.Vegita wrote:I'm not sure how good of a job I'd do at this, and how ugly the case would be afterwards... so I'm not sure. I think the fan isn't too expensive anyways.
I have to be honest; I removed my fan grills by yanking on them with needlenose pliers, since I'm way too impatient to do a good job. The snarled remains of the fan grill protrude like gruesomely misaligned teeth. My case is ugly and dangerous. It bites anyone that tries to pick it up. Except me, of course: it loves me.
LOL!And on a good note, I enabled the acoustic management on my Maxtor, and the loud ripping-velcro seek noise has no resided into a soft a... can't find an adjective, but it's much, much, much softer.
OMG. After some careful testing (with my finger), the case fan was not found to be the loudest remaining source of noise. IT'S THE RADEON 9800 PRO!!!
I stopped the fan for a couple of seconds, and it is indeed, by a huge factor, the largest source of noise.
I might need to look into purchasing the Zalman heatpipe and fan for it...
I stopped the fan for a couple of seconds, and it is indeed, by a huge factor, the largest source of noise.
I might need to look into purchasing the Zalman heatpipe and fan for it...
And the cycle continues.Vegita wrote:OMG. After some careful testing (with my finger), the case fan was not found to be the loudest remaining source of noise. IT'S THE RADEON 9800 PRO!!!
I stopped the fan for a couple of seconds, and it is indeed, by a huge factor, the largest source of noise.
I might need to look into purchasing the Zalman heatpipe and fan for it...
-
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 4:04 pm
Ha ha i did the same thing with the pliers and stuff...i didn't take out any of my components and just twisted those grills on my case and psu until they fell off. Don't know if it produced any shavings but my comp still works!!!SometimesWarrior wrote:True, it does take a bit of work to make a clean cut. You have to pull all the electronics out of the case, cut carefully, file, and vacuum thoroughly, which can take hours. The result is nice, though: take a look at Katana's Mean Machine. Removing the fan grills will improve both the noise and the airflow, no matter what fan you're using, so it can be a worthwhile project.Vegita wrote:I'm not sure how good of a job I'd do at this, and how ugly the case would be afterwards... so I'm not sure. I think the fan isn't too expensive anyways.
I have to be honest; I removed my fan grills by yanking on them with needlenose pliers, since I'm way too impatient to do a good job. The snarled remains of the fan grill protrude like gruesomely misaligned teeth. My case is ugly and dangerous. It bites anyone that tries to pick it up. Except me, of course: it loves me.
LOL!And on a good note, I enabled the acoustic management on my Maxtor, and the loud ripping-velcro seek noise has no resided into a soft a... can't find an adjective, but it's much, much, much softer.
-
- Posts: 587
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2003 10:45 pm
- Location: North Billerica, MA, USA
- Contact:
If you have existing fan grills, it is possible to remove them without dis-assembling the case if you can just use a pair of diagonal cutters, or a tin snip to cut the bits of metal around the outer edge. However, as noted it does leave ugliness.
A tinsnip carefully used probably wouldn't be to bad though, and it certainly saves work.
It is of course best to remove grilles before doing the rest of the build so that you can use a file or emery to clean up the cuts without endangering the electronics.
Gooserider
A tinsnip carefully used probably wouldn't be to bad though, and it certainly saves work.
It is of course best to remove grilles before doing the rest of the build so that you can use a file or emery to clean up the cuts without endangering the electronics.
Gooserider
Sounds (pun unintended) like a job for the Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer... it may not be silent, but it's quiet and should cool better than the heatpipe.Vegita wrote:OMG. After some careful testing (with my finger), the case fan was not found to be the loudest remaining source of noise. IT'S THE RADEON 9800 PRO!!!
I came to the same conclusion and ordered it.
Any guidelines for me, this being the first heatsink to be installed myself.
Check this thread:
http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=9123
Thanks.
Any guidelines for me, this being the first heatsink to be installed myself.
Check this thread:
http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=9123
Thanks.