26 120mm Fans Tested and Compared

[Vapor]

Yeah, and at the time I needed replies for input....I don't really any longer, so I can restick it I guess...

[Gautam]

So...you're saying you'd rather people not read this thread now?

[xenoasd]

i like this thread.. the reason i bought yate loon fans becuase of this :P

[GameGuru]

Speaking of Yate Loons, I just purchased a Stacker 832 and when trying to make a decision on 7 120mm fans it just made sense to go with Yates because of the price point. So my question is, with that many fans what model of Yates would one go with for optimal air flow and noise or would it make sense to put them all on a fan controller? Please help me decide as I just can't justify paying $15-$20 a piece for other models.

[Vapor]

If you want blingy LEDs, get Petra's D12SL-12 w/ LEDs. Otherwise, just get the regular SLs, SMs, or SHs depending on your noise preferences.

[GameGuru]

If you want blingy LEDs, get Petra's D12SL-12 w/ LEDs. Otherwise, just get the regular SLs, SMs, or SHs depending on your noise preferences.

Vapor, just want to say thanks for all your hard work for all of us here on the Xtreme, it's much appreciated.

One last question though, with that many fans running, say I'm using the SL's, how loud do you think it would be? Do you think I should put them on a fan controller? I guess I'm just trying to get an idea of how loud this thing is going to be once I get it all up and running and having the option to run that many fans seems like it could get pretty noisy.

Thanks again

[Vapor]

Well, running 7 of then would be nearly 9dBA higher than just 1 (regardless of which fan you choose, it'd be 9dBA higher). So 7 SLs will sound like 1 SH (or there abouts). This is past my tolerance for noise...but some people can take it (and then some).

7 SHs would sound loud...lol.

As for whether or not you want to put them on a fan controller, or in what groupings (I don't know of a fan controller that can do 7 individual channels). Again, that's up to you. I think fan controllers are great since your system won't be at full load 24/7 (unless you crunch and have no GPU....and in that case 7 fans may be excessive anyway, lol), so why keep your fans a full speed 24/7.

[GameGuru]

As for whether or not you want to put them on a fan controller, or in what groupings (I don't know of a fan controller that can do 7 individual channels). Again, that's up to you. I think fan controllers are great since your system won't be at full load 24/7 (unless you crunch and have no GPU....and in that case 7 fans may be excessive anyway, lol), so why keep your fans a full speed 24/7.

I've been doing a little digging around and came up with a fan controller that does control 6 fans although it's not adjustable via a rotary dial (being able to fully control the rpm's) just switch's that go from 12v, 7v and off. http://www.frozencpu.com/products/98...17&id=v7qNg76q

Maybe this would work?

[Vapor]

I was going to make one a lot like that tbh....well, with more than 8W of load (wtf actually....what kind of switches are they using that are so weak?! must be something else in the design), so yeah, that would work very well.

EDIT: well, damn....that design sucks. Rather than switching from 12V/ground (12V operating voltage) to a 12V/5V (7V operating voltage) to a 12V/open (off) setup, they have a semi-pwm setup :-/ Guess I'm still making my own (that will have nearly as much load handling as my PSU can...just simple switches, no crazy circuitry).

[GameGuru]

I was going to make one a lot like that tbh....well, with more than 8W of load (wtf actually....what kind of switches are they using that are so weak?! must be something else in the design), so yeah, that would work very well.

EDIT: well, damn....that design sucks. Rather than switching from 12V/ground to a 12V/5V to a 12V/- setup, they have a semi-pwm setup :-/ Guess I'm still making my own (that will have nearly as much load handling as my PSU can...just simple switches, no crazy circuitry).

Sorry, what do you mean by the switches being weak?

[GameGuru]

Well damn that sucks, I thought I found something good, looks like I'll keep looking around unless you know of something else or a better controller?

[Vapor]

It'll do the job for sure....BUT, the one I've been planning to make will have 12V/7V/off and be able to do ~250W per channel (technically it'll be limited by the PSU and wires). Just an extremely simple setup, no circuitry really, just a few wires and switches

[GameGuru]

I just found this http://www.sunbeamtech.com/index-2.html
looked at a bunch of reviews which were are all great and there only about $12
I guess I could run two of them.

What do you think?

[Vapor]

Yeah, that Sunbeam is what a lot of us use....very good controller, though it wears over time when pushed with high-draw fans.

[GameGuru]

Vapor,

Thanks a lot for all your help, I think you've helped me make my decision. For only $12.95 for the controller and about $3.50 for the YL I think I'm in business.

You rock

[_G_]

@Vapor,

Have you tried stacking the open framed AC fan(it spins the opposite way)
on top of any other fans? (say an undervolted 3 blade delta)

[Vapor]

I tried that in the beginning with just two 45CFM fans (Yate and the Scythe IIRC)....works well. I haven't tried with two counter-rotating fans (the Delta Triblade and the AC12 both spin in the wrong direction). I'll try the Delta Triblade LE and another similar fan....see what I can pull.

Also, the AC12 seems to be completely incompatible with my testbed. Either that or it sucks. Open framed Thermaltake worked okay and the reverse-spin Deltas were okay....but the AC12 just blows.

Just tried the Delta LE Triblade (72CFM) on top of a Sharkoon 2000....both at 12V. 103.7CFM, 40.7dBA, and 85.3CFM on the radiator (only a 17.8% drop!).

For comparison....the San Ace does 100.5CFM at 40.7dBA and only 71.8CFM on the radiator at that voltage (10V).

When the Sharkoon is placed on top of the Delta....both at 12V: 108.6CFM, 40.9dBA (higher pitched though), and 90.5CFM on the radiator (16.7% drop!)

[Spanki]

Also, the AC12 seems to be completely incompatible with my testbed. Either that or it sucks. Open framed Thermaltake worked okay and the reverse-spin Deltas were okay....but the AC12 just blows.

Sucking and Blowing is what fans are s'posed to do .

Seriously though... that's odd. Maybe the turbulence pattern is just more defined with that one? Have you tried adding any kind of air-straighteners?

[Spanki]

Just tried the Delta LE Triblade (72CFM) on top of a Sharkoon 2000....both at 12V. 103.7CFM, 40.7dBA, and 85.3CFM on the radiator (only a 17.8% drop!).

For comparison....the San Ace does 100.5CFM at 40.7dBA and only 71.8CFM on the radiator at that voltage (10V).

When the Sharkoon is placed on top of the Delta....both at 12V: 108.6CFM, 40.9dBA (higher pitched though), and 90.5CFM on the radiator (16.7% drop!)

Hehe.. I was just going to suggest that you see if reversing the order made any difference and as I was typing that in, I noticed the quoted text had already been updated with the info. Interesting results!

[Vapor]

Sucking and Blowing is what fans are s'posed to do .

Seriously though... that's odd. Maybe the turbulence pattern is just more defined with that one? Have you tried adding any kind of air-straighteners?

I tried hand-ducting (putting my hands around it to make it a closed frame)....didn't help. May be turbulence....but then I'd expect the radiator tests to be 'normal' and they weren't. The spinning turbulence is A LOT weaker than the Delta's. Deltas get negative CFM readings in push...heh, this one got positive readings, and up near ~15CFM (for a fan that spins the wrong way, that's really high, means very little turbulence).

I don't want to spend a lot of time on the fan as it makes weird vibrational noises when mounted (even with silicone 'screws')....anybody who has one knows the weird way they mount the fan onto the frame....IMO, it's bogus since in my hands, it's a nearly-normal sounding fan...but on a case, it isn't at all. I've tried just placing it on the case, a loose mount, a TIGHT mount and silicone screws...all have this weird vibration noise.

[Spanki]

Hmmm.. now we just need to see a 3-fan monster, with a Sharkoon-Delta-Sharkoon sandwich setup .

[Vapor]

Hmmm.. now we just need to see a 3-fan monster, with a Sharkoon-Delta-Sharkoon sandwich setup .

How about a Delta-Delta? GFB (76mm counter-rotating) on top of a TFB

Anyway, enough fun...gotta get going to work

[Spanki]

I don't want to spend a lot of time on the fan as it makes weird vibrational noises when mounted (even with silicone 'screws')....anybody who has one knows the weird way they mount the fan onto the frame....IMO, it's bogus since in my hands, it's a nearly-normal sounding fan...but on a case, it isn't at all. I've tried just placing it on the case, a loose mount, a TIGHT mount and silicone screws...all have this weird vibration noise.

Ahh. You know, you're not the first person to report that about the vibration issue with that fan/mount design... isn't it ironic that a design intended to reduce vibration actually causes it? (<-- golf clap for the AC engineer for that one... maybe needs to take some more night-classes).

[Vapor]

Hmmm.. now we just need to see a 3-fan monster, with a Sharkoon-Delta-Sharkoon sandwich setup .

How about a Delta-Delta? GFB (76mm counter-rotating) on top of a TFB

Anyway, enough fun...gotta get going to work

Ahh. You know, you're not the first person to report that about the vibration issue with that fan/mount design... isn't it ironic that a design intended to reduce vibration actually causes it? (<-- golf clap for the AC engineer for that one... maybe needs to take some more night-classes).

Interesting....

[mbake5]

Vapor...I would like to see a comparison of Yate Loon D12SM-12s @ 12v vs. Sharkoon Golfball 2000 @ 7v...if possible. I am trying to decide which to use with my PA 120.3. Thanks for all your work!