What fans do you guys use?

[Silent Buddha]

I'm trying to decide what fans to use for my W/C setup. Obviously, I am deciding on airflow, pressure, and noise level. I was going to get the Evercool Aluminum 120mm fan but I thought it would not make as much static pressure as a thicker fan like the Panaflo 120mm.

What do you guys use? Any recommendations? No recommendations like Pabst and SilenX that are like $50 a fan.

[zip22]

i've got the thick panaflo. i think its the M one. i have it at 7 volts and it does great, and i like knowing i can switch it up if i want to.

[RoD]

Thermaltake.

[vonkaar]

Comair, EBM, Nidec, Papst, Sanyo and ... I'm missing an obvious one. I only use the brands that are trusted in the industry for $100k pieces of equipment.

[brisk]

I use the enermax 120mm adjustable fans. Its great for me and 94cfm at 30dba.

[Arcsylver]

In Current system Enermax adjustibles

In in progress sytem a 19" Rackmount dual Squirrel cage blower

[will_maltby]

I've found, counter to what you might think, that more expensive ball bearing fans tend to be louder than dirt cheap brushless fans (when running at really low speeds).

The ball bearing fans tend to make a rumbling drone due to the bearings whereas the brushless ones are silent in this respect.


If you run your fans so low that the sound of air rushing isnt the loudest component of the fan's noise, then go for a cheap brushless fan. If you will run your fans reasonably high, then go for a quality ball bearing fan.


I can't recommend panaflo's anymore since I bought 2 120mm ones and they were just annoying droners even at 5 volts. Ys-tech are louder than average. papst are the same.


Frankly I'd go for evercool fans. Dirty cheap, simple design, and quiet.


That's just my experience anyway, hope it helps.

[jamesavery22]

I have all deltas in my case right now. Not because I actively choose Deltas over anything else its just they are very very easy to find very very cheap. Deltas 12v fans tend to be put in a lot of hardware and overstocked a lot of places.

On a rheostat the 120s I have (5 120x25s and 1 120x38) can be very quiet. But I have so many fans in my bedroom Im deaf so it doesnt matter.

[Silent Buddha]

I guess I'll go with the 120mm Evercool aluminum fan then. Any of you use 120mm Vantec Stealths? Lately I've been hearing they are crappy.

[JoT]

Bam, Torin blowers :D

[felinusz]

AOC Evercool ALuminums are what I use - I've got 8 of them in my case, and I'm very happy with them. At 7-9 volts they're extremely quiet, but still seem effective enough to yield decent temperatures. They aren't too expensive as to be unnafordable, although they aren't the cheapest fan out there either - I think the price is a little on the expensive side.

I wouldn't buy them if I didn't mind noise, didn't want a quiet system, and wanted more power as the tradeoff.

[Joe Camel]

ya, IF you have the room and want TOP performance with almost NO NOISE, a Torin @ 12V (24V a LITTLE more noise) is THE way to go.

GOOD LUCK

[sandman001]

I use some cheap ass 72cfm fans from SVC.

They seem to be working well.

[johan851]

The ball bearing fans tend to make a rumbling drone due to the bearings whereas the brushless ones are silent in this respect....I can't recommend panaflo's anymore since I bought 2 120mm ones and they were just annoying droners even at 5 volts.
I have a Panaflo U1A that does this, and you're right, it's pretty annoying. My Panaflo H1A doesn't though, so it's a keeper. I also use two Nidec Beta 120x38mm's. It's always better to go with the 38mm thickness - it's quieter, gives more CFM/RPM, and has much higher static pressure.

[Soja]

I'm running 2 120x38mm M1A panaflos @ 7v on my HC which are fairly quiet and bearable. I have this brushless T&T 120x25mm I use as an exhaust that is very quiet and pushes a lot more air than the panaflos. If I had 2 of these suckers they would be on my core right now.

[slater3333uk]

Ive got some cheapy Evercool 120s. Im dam sure they are exactly the same as the alu ones just plastic. There the cheapest i could find (only £5!! in comparison to £20 for a panaflow or simlar)

http://www.thecoolingshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=16

They are loud and flow good air on 12v are about average at 7v and silent at 5v

also have some good 120mm Deltas ( the quiet ones not the 200cfm ones;)

I just wish my case was a few mm wider so i could fit 2x38mm insted of these 25mms in:)

[Sterculus]

Comair rotron :)

[fletch]

2x 92mm Panaflos I looted from somewhere...

[Unoid]

I use an evercool for my rad. Although I really wanna get a Silverstone tek 120mm to review for geekextreme.com

I think it'll be a great fan for use on a radiator or any intake.

[dvandervelde]

2 120mm Panaflo Mediums in push/pull. I have them on a fan conroller, so I can have dead silent or with higher airflow.

[mikbridge]

Antec 120 Red LED clear.... the amount of air it pushes is ok but you could do better, I got it just for looks

[rogerdugans]

Hmm...., Let's see:

Evercool aluminum 120s
Panaflo M1a 120mmx38mm
Enermax adjustable 120
Mechatronics 120mm
Comair Rotron 172mm 24 volt fans (Not in use currently.)

For a NO noise rig, the Mechatronics are THE best things going- my mATX system has two 120s @12 volts on the rad (exhausts through case side) and 2 80s for intake- quieter than anything besides OFF.

For Performance, the Comair Rotrons are amazing, even at 12 voltsproblem is that mine have developed bad noise and oiling would not fix it. At 10.5 volts or so they were pretty quiet and flowed as well as the Panaflo 120x38s.

The Panaflos are wonderful: some noise at 12 volts but not horrible. At 7ish volts they are quiet and still perform decently.

The Evercools are pretty good, they seem to keep temps about as well as the Panaflos at a slightly louder volume.

Overall, I think the Panaflos are the way to go.

[Silent Buddha]

Ok, I will either get the Evercool or Panaflo. It will depend on the space in my new case after the heatercore and shrouds are set up. If space is limiting I will go with the 25mm thick Evercools but if I have plenty then I will get the 38mm thick Panaflos. I just hope I won't get an annoying droning Panaflo.

[Korndog]

Originally posted by JoT
Bam, Torin blowers :D

heh, me too
'I loves my torin, .. loves' - bowling for columbine cartoon

[RoD]

Originally posted by Silent Buddha
I guess I'll go with the 120mm Evercool aluminum fan then. Any of you use 120mm Vantec Stealths? Lately I've been hearing they are crappy.

Thats what im getting for my heater core.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Lesse, used to use a Panaflo L1A 120mm on my rad.

Now I use dual 150cfm Delta FFB1212VHE. :attn:

[Xenocide]

2x120mm AOC Aluminum fans with a switch that does 7v/12v

[enduro]

Vantec Tornado all the way baby. Use a controller and Tornado's are all you'll ever need.:attn:

[TinyTim]

I'm using two of these 120mm in push-pull: http://www.enermax.com.tw/uc-8fab.htm

I only hear it if I turn them up all the way, and even then, I'm hearing the air blowing over the fins of the heater core and out the cardboard box I have it setup in, not the fans themselves.