The ultimate beginner's guide to PC FANS
- Thread starter ScrubNinja
- Start date
disfunktional
Member
I can tell people are non american by their spelling and wordplay alone :superstealthdetective: my money is on non-US. 
But regardless, always good to specify the country or ac voltage involved.
Dfunkettyfunkster, that looks like a decent fan although I had a bad experience with a similar thermaltake
It was the LED UFO I think and I don't know what they were smoking when they ran the cfm tests (or maybe I do) but it was a very crap fan. I pulled the grill off and even cut most of the directional fins out and it's still crap. Nowhere near what they said. So I won't be buying those design of fan again, personally and would think it might be a better idea to look for the traditional axial fan design without the air slots on the side. Plus if they are crap, they only come in half as useful for other stuff due to the one sided mounting.
Also, why have two fans when you can have one? This fan/s are going to be in the primo light zone and look at mine! I lose like 1/5th of my canopy by the time all is said and done.
Another thing I would warn you about is that fans will cancel each other out if blown against each other.
See when the door shuts the two black fans blow towards each other? Disregard the clear fans because I put them in without taking out the black fans - which cancelled each other out so the whole central area was dead air, despite not being aimed quite directly at each other. I will be honest, I wouldn't do it. Maybe if you had them on the correct angles, but again, it's in the primo zone. You want buds there, not excess fans.
But regardless, always good to specify the country or ac voltage involved. Dfunkettyfunkster, that looks like a decent fan although I had a bad experience with a similar thermaltake
It was the LED UFO I think and I don't know what they were smoking when they ran the cfm tests (or maybe I do) but it was a very crap fan. I pulled the grill off and even cut most of the directional fins out and it's still crap. Nowhere near what they said. So I won't be buying those design of fan again, personally and would think it might be a better idea to look for the traditional axial fan design without the air slots on the side. Plus if they are crap, they only come in half as useful for other stuff due to the one sided mounting.
Also, why have two fans when you can have one? This fan/s are going to be in the primo light zone and look at mine! I lose like 1/5th of my canopy by the time all is said and done.
Another thing I would warn you about is that fans will cancel each other out if blown against each other.
See when the door shuts the two black fans blow towards each other? Disregard the clear fans because I put them in without taking out the black fans - which cancelled each other out so the whole central area was dead air, despite not being aimed quite directly at each other. I will be honest, I wouldn't do it. Maybe if you had them on the correct angles, but again, it's in the primo zone. You want buds there, not excess fans.
Also, there is no way, I repeat absolute zero, not a single chance in hell that you will hear a SFII on low inside your fridge.
disfunktional
Member
ok SFII it is. im guesing that i can find all the info needed on that fan here in this thread? as far as where to get it and what not that is. im haveing the same problem you had in my thread, i cant give you any rep either. peace bro youve been a great help man.
No worries brah! I've gone on about them at length in various places. It's also what I use for the "my own fan" examples in the first post. They're the perfect fan for most micro applications in my stoned-off-my-ass opinion 
There are better fans around, but generally the thermaltake is right up there specwise for that many amps. (0.48). It covers everything from stealth to "probably a bit loud for most guys" and all without an adjustabe power supply. Seriously, you can dial this in exactly as loud as you need or as is required for stealth.
What really makes it for me is the speed control dial. And then you get the thermal control thrown in as well! Most Thermaltake fans seem to have this speed & thermal control included, but not many other brands do. And any I found didn't match the Thermaltakes. Also, they are just a common fan that's no problem to find at any modding place.
The colour is a bit shit but easy enough to paint.
By the way it's Thermaltake Smart Fan II (or some times "2"), in full. See ebay or any pc modding store. And please give a report back what you think! No fucker ever does that despite promising. *waves fist at everyone I've ever told to get a SF2* 
There are better fans around, but generally the thermaltake is right up there specwise for that many amps. (0.48). It covers everything from stealth to "probably a bit loud for most guys" and all without an adjustabe power supply. Seriously, you can dial this in exactly as loud as you need or as is required for stealth.What really makes it for me is the speed control dial. And then you get the thermal control thrown in as well! Most Thermaltake fans seem to have this speed & thermal control included, but not many other brands do. And any I found didn't match the Thermaltakes. Also, they are just a common fan that's no problem to find at any modding place.
The colour is a bit shit but easy enough to paint.
By the way it's Thermaltake Smart Fan II (or some times "2"), in full. See ebay or any pc modding store. And please give a report back what you think! No fucker ever does that despite promising. *waves fist at everyone I've ever told to get a SF2* Ninja are you a fan of the 120mm or the 80mm Smart Fan IIs? I have seen many people use the 120, although the 80mm has a higher rating of static and it was what I chose to use for my cabinet for that reason & space... I agree with you & I cannot hear these fans on low setting through 1/2" plyboard. Now I need to get my cab running to where the fans are on low setting...
Nice thread
Nice thread
Hi Helis. Thanks for that confirmation. I've only used the 120. I noticed the 80 is pretty impressive back pressure but it was also weaker in the other specs, but for an 80mm, not bad, and a good choice. I'll probably use the 80mm for my server case when I get that back online (with the thermostat feature)
Here is a good (but long) youtube showing thermaltakes system and speed control and thermostat etc etc. It's for the 80mm but same setup/operation as the 120. Oh by the way when he turns the speed up on the dial, the fan is resting on the floor, choked, so louder than normal.
Here is a good (but long) youtube showing thermaltakes system and speed control and thermostat etc etc. It's for the 80mm but same setup/operation as the 120. Oh by the way when he turns the speed up on the dial, the fan is resting on the floor, choked, so louder than normal.
Strangely
Member
Thanks for help gents. I'm not so good with the zappy white snake that bites those with wet hands.
Scrub is right on the 240v as I'm in sunny Blighty (UK) the sarcasm and apathy must have given me away! The 5amp limit is just on the lights, the plugs and stuff have more.
Thanks again all.
Scrub is right on the 240v as I'm in sunny Blighty (UK) the sarcasm and apathy must have given me away! The 5amp limit is just on the lights, the plugs and stuff have more.
Thanks again all.
Psh, I can't be bothered with apathy. Too much effort.
Did I tell the story about getting electrocuted yet? I got the full load of a large (extra large) bank of deep cycle batteries from a huge solar setup. It blew me several metres across the yard and felt like I stepped on an arc welder just as it made contact. The worst bit was that the whole container I was living in was actually live!!! I had stepped on a bit of the door where paint had flaked off the metal. F*cking dodgy as, man. Wierded me right out too, like shock, as in shock after a traffic accident etc. Bad juju.
Oh and why is there a 5A limit on the lights?
Did I tell the story about getting electrocuted yet? I got the full load of a large (extra large) bank of deep cycle batteries from a huge solar setup. It blew me several metres across the yard and felt like I stepped on an arc welder just as it made contact. The worst bit was that the whole container I was living in was actually live!!! I had stepped on a bit of the door where paint had flaked off the metal. F*cking dodgy as, man. Wierded me right out too, like shock, as in shock after a traffic accident etc. Bad juju.
Oh and why is there a 5A limit on the lights?
TexMex McDirt
Active member
This is a great post ScrubNinja. I didn't understand how tough ventalation would be in a stealth micro grow. This post really helped.
My grow space is the drawer side of an old desk (15$ at Goodwill, I cut the desktop off so just the drawer side if left, looks like a tall nightstand). It is 14 d x 20 w x 26 high useable interior space. It's about 1.8 sq ft, 4.2 cu ft.
Lights are CFL. 2 x 42w 2700k and 1 x 27w 5500k. So a total of 111w and 6900 lumens.
58 watts/sq ft, 3630 lumens/sq ft.
It has 2 x 4 inch passive intakes at the bottom, there are 2 80mm fans just for moving air in the cab.
I started it with a SilenX IXP-76-18 120mm Case Fan for exhaust. Rated at 90 CFM 18 dBA. I never could find a static pressure rating for this fan. With this fan my temps were into the 90's and into the 100's with my SugarBear style scrubber. no way in hell did that fan do 90 CFM, and it couldn't pull thru a scrubber to save it's life. I got it because it was the quitest I could find and still advertised high CFM. Load o' crap I say.
I moved that SilenX fan to blowing over the lights, which it does quite well. I got a Scythe Ultra Kaze 120mm and a Cooler Master R4-L2R 120mm. The Scythe is great, moves a ton of air, but is just too loud for my circumstances. So I installed the Cooler Master last night. It is rated at 90 CFM, 19 dBA and static pressure of 3.04 mm/H20. All quite respectable I thought. And it lives up to it too. I would say it runs higher than 19 dBA at 12v, but not much and it is certainly acceptable for my stealth requirements, plus I can lower the v's when the lights are off during the day. It moves a lot of air too. Installed with my scrubber it is keeping temps in the mid 80's, which works for me.
My summary? Ventalation is extremely important and quite challenging in a stealth micro grow. Much more challenging than I had anticipated. But thanks to some trial and error and a lot more reading here I have solved the problem.
Thanks Scrub, for taking the time to post so many helpful tips. Static pressure? Who woulda thunk it was so important.
My grow space is the drawer side of an old desk (15$ at Goodwill, I cut the desktop off so just the drawer side if left, looks like a tall nightstand). It is 14 d x 20 w x 26 high useable interior space. It's about 1.8 sq ft, 4.2 cu ft.
Lights are CFL. 2 x 42w 2700k and 1 x 27w 5500k. So a total of 111w and 6900 lumens.
58 watts/sq ft, 3630 lumens/sq ft.
It has 2 x 4 inch passive intakes at the bottom, there are 2 80mm fans just for moving air in the cab.
I started it with a SilenX IXP-76-18 120mm Case Fan for exhaust. Rated at 90 CFM 18 dBA. I never could find a static pressure rating for this fan. With this fan my temps were into the 90's and into the 100's with my SugarBear style scrubber. no way in hell did that fan do 90 CFM, and it couldn't pull thru a scrubber to save it's life. I got it because it was the quitest I could find and still advertised high CFM. Load o' crap I say.
I moved that SilenX fan to blowing over the lights, which it does quite well. I got a Scythe Ultra Kaze 120mm and a Cooler Master R4-L2R 120mm. The Scythe is great, moves a ton of air, but is just too loud for my circumstances. So I installed the Cooler Master last night. It is rated at 90 CFM, 19 dBA and static pressure of 3.04 mm/H20. All quite respectable I thought. And it lives up to it too. I would say it runs higher than 19 dBA at 12v, but not much and it is certainly acceptable for my stealth requirements, plus I can lower the v's when the lights are off during the day. It moves a lot of air too. Installed with my scrubber it is keeping temps in the mid 80's, which works for me.
My summary? Ventalation is extremely important and quite challenging in a stealth micro grow. Much more challenging than I had anticipated. But thanks to some trial and error and a lot more reading here I have solved the problem.
Thanks Scrub, for taking the time to post so many helpful tips. Static pressure? Who woulda thunk it was so important.
Hey tex! Sounds like a great cab bro, glad I could help! I hear ya on the pressure. I was reading a random fan review and they mentioned the pressure rating and blowing through restrictions like PC radiators and my brain went 
That cooler master sounds great. I have 2 of these similar ones, I use one at the moment.
Cooler Master Long Life Silent Fan
* 0.35 Amps (0.37 on sticker)
* 69.69 CFM
* 2.94 mm-h2o
* 19 dBA
It's a good fan for light duties. You can't see it but it's on the left of the light, blowing along the bulbs to the right.
And here's a bud shot - I'm feeling the vibe today!
That cooler master sounds great. I have 2 of these similar ones, I use one at the moment.
Cooler Master Long Life Silent Fan
* 0.35 Amps (0.37 on sticker)
* 69.69 CFM
* 2.94 mm-h2o
* 19 dBA
It's a good fan for light duties. You can't see it but it's on the left of the light, blowing along the bulbs to the right.
And here's a bud shot - I'm feeling the vibe today!
timetochill
New member
thanks for all the great info and pics im gonna be using a thermaltake with speed control for my grow and carbon filter.
Great thread! Just removed all of the fans from my Mac G5 PPC: 9 fans of different sizes, voltages and types. Lots to work with here!!
Thick? Not sure what you mean. Here are the measurements:
The larger fans (3 blades) are composed of heavy plastic. They are 3.75 inch diameter, and 1.5 inches along the barrel (thickness). Sticker on the side says (DC 12V 0.63 A). The other two fans with 6 blades have the same measurements.
The medium sized fan is about 3.5 inch diameter, same thickness as above, rated about the same.
The smaller squirrel cage is very light with a 1 x 1.5 inch outlet. It is rated DC12V 0.36A
The two small black fans are about 2.5 inch diameter with an 1 inch barrel. They are rated at DC12V 0.22A.
Thanks all, great to see your pics and setups instead of my waffle all the time! Funk, that's a lot of fans in one computer! If I ever quit growin' I'll have a pimpin' desktop.
Funk, that's a lot of fans in one computer! If I ever quit growin' I'll have a pimpin' desktop.
disfunktional
Member
will do Scrub. il look around for 1 this weekend and get it heading this way.
disfunktional
Member
alritey Scrub just purchased the thermaltake sfII fan off of e bay. not sure if it was the 100mm or 80mm as there wasnt a description but for 4.99 usd i figured its worth a try. got my fingers crossed for the 100mm .
.
Lol, do they give a serial number like TT-1050 or something.
