Ok so I opened this thread so I wouldn't "hijack" other people's.
In my constant combat to become uber stealth, and 'cause my girlfriend some nights cannot sleep over the fan noise, I decided that I would invest in some top notch fan upgrades. But I would very much appreciate the solid knowledge if anyone out there has some to share
A brief search in to silent PC upgrades and parts, I have discovered that there is in fact "many" companies dedicated to producing virtually noiseless fans. One thing is marketing mumbo-jumbo, another is real life experience. I also know that certain fan design are not advised for vertical vs horizontal mount, but can't find a definite answer.
From what I have gathered, here are a couple different types of common PC fans. There is
ball bearing,
dual ball bearing,
sleeve bearing
fluid dynamic bearing (no actual ball bearings inside) - DFB
Here is a tidbit I copied
So what we're looking here are options into horizontal, low noise, high CFM units. I think maybe DFB might be best, but what do I know... ?
As soon as I feel brave enough I will crack open my LEDs to inspect the fans and try to find the CFM used in them.
Anyone welcome to jump in !!
In my constant combat to become uber stealth, and 'cause my girlfriend some nights cannot sleep over the fan noise, I decided that I would invest in some top notch fan upgrades. But I would very much appreciate the solid knowledge if anyone out there has some to share
A brief search in to silent PC upgrades and parts, I have discovered that there is in fact "many" companies dedicated to producing virtually noiseless fans. One thing is marketing mumbo-jumbo, another is real life experience. I also know that certain fan design are not advised for vertical vs horizontal mount, but can't find a definite answer.
From what I have gathered, here are a couple different types of common PC fans. There is
ball bearing,
dual ball bearing,
sleeve bearing
fluid dynamic bearing (no actual ball bearings inside) - DFB
Here is a tidbit I copied
Generally, picking up bits and pieces here and there, it seem the brand Noctua is very reputed for having a very low noise indeed. I remember someone in this forum noting that this is also due to a significant decrease in CFM. But their online chart speak otherwise... In any case, I'm sure there are other options out there to compare.* Sleeve bearings use two surfaces lubricated with oil or grease as a friction contact. They often use porous sintered sleeves to be self-lubricating, requiring only infrequent maintenance or replacement. Sleeve bearings are less durable at higher temperatures as the contact surfaces wear and the lubricant dries up, eventually leading to failure; however, lifetime is similar at relatively low ambient temperatures. Sleeve bearings may be more likely to fail at higher temperatures, and may perform poorly when mounted in any orientation other than horizontal. The lifespan of a sleeve-bearing fan may be around 40,000 hours at 50 �C. Fans that use sleeve bearings are generally cheaper than fans that use ball bearings, and are quieter at lower speeds early in their life, but can become noisy as they age.
* Rifle bearings are similar to sleeve bearings, but are quieter and have almost as much lifespan as ball bearings. The bearing has a spiral groove in it that pumps fluid from a reservoir. This allows them to be safely mounted with the shaft vertical (unlike sleeve bearings), since the fluid being pumped lubricates the top of the shaft. The pumping also ensures sufficient lubricant on the shaft, reducing noise, and increasing lifespan.
* Ball bearings: Though generally more expensive, ball bearing fans do not suffer the same orientation limitations as sleeve bearing fans, are more durable at higher temperatures, and are quieter than sleeve-bearing fans at higher rotation speeds. The lifespan of a ball bearing fan may be over 60,000 hours at 50 �C.
* Fluid bearings have the advantages of near-silent operation and high life expectancy (comparable to ball bearings), but tend to be the most expensive.
* Magnetic bearings or maglev bearings, in which the fan is repelled from the bearing by magnetism.
So what we're looking here are options into horizontal, low noise, high CFM units. I think maybe DFB might be best, but what do I know... ?
As soon as I feel brave enough I will crack open my LEDs to inspect the fans and try to find the CFM used in them.
Anyone welcome to jump in !!