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Thread: Case cooling...

  1. #1
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    Case cooling...

    Is one 120mm fan better than two 80mm fans at the back end of the case?

  2. #2
    Guest leprechaun_40's Avatar
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    Well, it'll be quieter. How many CFM does the 120mm move as opposed to the 80mm (x2)?

  3. #3
    Member dexmax's Avatar
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    depends on the fan specs.

    really depends much on the fan speed.

    for example:
    Vantec tornado TD8038H 80mm, 5700rpm = 84.1cfm ==== 55.2dBA
    Vantec stealth SF12025L 120mm, 1500rpm = 53cfm ===== 28 dBA
    Last edited by dexmax; 12-23-2005 at 10:46 AM.

  4. #4
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    I just built a computer for my daughter. I got an antec case and it came with the larger fan. I was impressed with the air that the larger fan put out (and very quiet).
    My system has 5 80mm fans.

    I am sure you can argue the fan type, how fast etc. I kind of think the poster bringing up the cfm is the real way to judge.

    That said, my next system will have the larger fans in it. Man, they are quiet, seem to push plenty of air--and hey, the big fans are manly lol.

    I am also impressed with my larger panafo cpu heatsink fan (I think 105mm). If you consider the small and larger fans being of decent quality, I think the larger fans are the way to go--easy on the ears!

  5. #5
    Member onelook's Avatar
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    Well,I think two 80mm fans will do good,even if it produces a little more sound.Becoz exhausting will be more effective if the heat comes out through more than one outlet.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Happy Joe's Avatar
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    Actually, having 2 fans versus one fan of the same flow rate (Cubic Feet per Minute) should give similar cooling (given similar fan placement). Of course you need the same amount of air freely entering the case as is being exhausted (or the flow rate will drop).
    Internal circulation within the case can also have a large effect on the case temp.
    Noise wise, two fans are not greatly noisier than a single fan (often, better flow rates can be had, at a given noise level, using 2 much quieter fans that each have good flow rates at low noise levels rather than one very noisy high flow rate fan. (i.e. two 40 db fans do not emit 80 db of percieved sound) this is due to the logrithmic response of the human ear to sound pressue levels).
    Slower moving larger fans typically are quieter at a given flow rate than a faster moving smaller fans.
    Is one better than the other? ... depends on how much noise bothers you.
    Enjoy!

  7. #7
    Guest leprechaun_40's Avatar
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    If you are really into quiet, try these fans LINK

    They are really really quiet, built my wifes machine using some, while mine sounds like a plane on take off, hers is virtually silent.

  8. #8
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    Hey Lep

    Which fans did you use?

    The starter of this thread just asked which was better? That is impossible to answer. Air is air. If it cools, then it did its job.

    However, I would like the best of both worlds, cool air and quiet.

    I built my daughters a computer recently. It was with a cheaper model Antec case. It had the larger exhaust fan and front fan (probably 105mm or 120mm, I did not measure). Antec appears to be putting quality fans in both their cases and power supplies, because it turned out to be a very quiet system). The case also had rubber mounts for the disc drive mounts.

    I also have a case with 80mm fans @ $20 a pop. They are supposed to be of qood quality, but they seem loud compared to the larger fans in my daughters system

    On my system, the cpu heatsink is a good example. I started out with a spark7 I think it is called. I could hear that thing over the 5 80mm case fans. Same with another fan I tried (I think the heatsink fans were all 70mm). I read about a fan called a Panaflo. I got it in 105mm (I think, larger then the 80mm). That thing is quiet. It keeps the very large heatsink cool, over laps to cool my chipset heatsink, and also the excess blows on top of my video card. The side 80mm case fan blows on the bottom of the video card.

    They all work and blow air. I "Prefer" a quality fan, as large as I can fit into the application.

  9. #9
    Guest leprechaun_40's Avatar
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    I used the orange one that is shown there, don't remember the name, nice and quiet

  10. #10
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    That look like a real nice choice:
    Model D12SL-12
    Power Connector 4-pin & 3-pin
    Dimensions 120x120x25mm
    Rated Voltage 12 Volts
    Operation Voltage 6.5 ~ 13.8 Volts
    Input Current 0.30 Amp Max
    Input Power 1.8 Watts Max
    Rotation Speed 1000 RPM
    Acoustic Noise 22.8 dB(A)
    Airflow 36.87 CFM
    Operation Temperature -10 to +65 C
    Storage Temperature -40 to +70 C
    Manufacturer's Warranty 3 Years

    36.87 cfm @1000 rpm ! Must be a great design. I am going to file that site away under by bookmarks.

  11. #11
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    It's easier to control noise and airflow with a 120.

    The top-tier case builders are all moving to 120's where space permits.

    Lian-Li, for example has recently re-designed an older model with the addition of 120mm fans and the removal of the original 80mm fans.
    Last edited by jflan; 01-07-2006 at 04:44 PM.

  12. #12
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    My case (P160W) came with one 120mm fan to install. It's all i'm using now, and my old case had 3 80mm's on it.

    My pc is about 4dec C cooler now with only 1 fan, also much much quieter.

    Go low speed 120mm!! Cut a hole in your case if you have to!!!

  13. #13
    Ultimate Member Strawbs's Avatar
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    If you have more fans exhausting that intaking you'll end up sucking in dust through openings around the optical drives and any gaps in the case's structure! Aim for an equal balance - whichever size you decide on.

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