• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

airflow CFM ....that important for system??

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Killa-AMD

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2004
I"ve got a xp-120 ordered for my s754 A64 3000+ and my tsunami case has room for 2 120mms and 1 side 90mm. You think going for high volume will make a big difference or should i try and keep my ears? I think the CPU cooler is prolly most important. Also, with dBA....does it compound? ie 2 45dba = 60 dba? or whatever....

Thanks
 
I'm not a believer in high volume case fans. Go for the ears for the case fans. I really recommend the globe 120mm case fans, which can be purchased at mnpctech.com or coolcases.com under specials. They have a thermistor on it which controls the speed based on temps but if I were you, like I did, I would cut it off, and short the two wires together. This makes them run at full speed. These are identical to the acoustifan 120mm fans which are like $25, ouch. Anyways, they are $8 each with specs of 34dba and 67.

However, I found this the other day...

http://www.so-trickcomputers.com/Me...een=PROD&Product_Code=EU1FBC&Category_Code=FF

2 dba more but like 20 cfm more. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if that fan was made by globe as well. The labels, the clear blades and the blade shape look identical. Hope this helped.

Edit: So that's what I'd do with the 120mm case fans. With the side 92mm intake fan, I wouldn't get something very beefy. Maybe a panaflo m1a or l1a. My side intake fan is just as effective half speed as it is full blast. For the xp-120 though, You'll want something with good static pressure, like a sanyo denki or something.
 
Thanks for link, i might check those out. On the xp-120 i got a enermax 120mm....95 cfm, 45 dba but hell I might just order another one of those on link. Thats good cfm/dba.
 
I may need some help when it comes to air flow, physiatric help that is.

Me personally I use the biggest fan I could find on my XP-120. But it is controlled by using this. I keep it running around 3000 RPM generally which is roughly about 45 Dba or so however If I'm doing some serious CPU cycles then I put on the headset and turn it all the way up. at lower speed it performs better then any other fan on the market and I can turn it all the way down to 1800 RPM and leave it there for sleep mode. (That is sleep mode for me). The Deltas are well built and I can even powerup my rig at this setting and the fan will not stall. I say buy what you want you can always turn it down if it is too much. :burn:

There is no such thing as keeping your CPU too cool.
 
I like those Globe fans too. I'm using two for my case and one for my XP-120.
 
Panaflo

Those fans don't look all that hot to me. I'd recommend going with Panaflo 120mm Medium Output instead. It's one decibel more (35) but it moves 83 cfm of air.

Also, rather than that Enermax I'd have gone for the Panaflo 120mm High Output. It moves 103 cfm at 45 decibels (personally, I'd be wary of getting a fan that's 45 decibels, but if you can handle it, great).

Panaflo can be a little pricy but they consistently move the highest volume of air at the lowest noise volume. Even comparing Panaflo fans with those of an equal decibel rating, the Panaflos seem to be quieter. They are just a high quality product.
 
My suggestions were for case fans. For case fans I'd recommend 25mm thick fans which rule out the panaflo's. A lot of 38mm thick fans won't fit in the cases. If you can fit them, wonderful, but a lot of people can't.
 
mribnik said:
My suggestions were for case fans. For case fans I'd recommend 25mm thick fans which rule out the panaflo's. A lot of 38mm thick fans won't fit in the cases. If you can fit them, wonderful, but a lot of people can't.

The fans you suggested are ok. I didn't actually check the one at the link, that looks like a pretty good cfm rating. That's actually a damn good price for that fan (much better than the 67 cfm one).

I didn't realize that people had problems with mounting a 38mm thick fan on their case. :confused: But then again, I also just but cheapo cases and cut holes in them to put fans how and where I want. ;)
 
A lot of the cases come with the fan retention clips that will accomodate a 25mm fan only. However they can be easily removed and with a few holes in there place you can put any fan on you want.
 
Panaflow's are nice, however I dont erally want to spend 25 bucks a fan. Thats a little outrageous. However, you do get what you pay for. Keep the comments coming
 
Would deffinately reccomend 120's or 92's for case fans - to keep the air circulating.

For CPU, go for the one with the largest amount of pressure. Tornados work. Like EC said, Tornado with a fan controller/rheostat is the win.
 
My old JIUHB I sold *Cries* did 2.45 ghz w/ tornado and SLK. I miss that proc. I might go tornado again..........
 
Killa-AMD said:
I"ve got a xp-120 ordered for my s754 A64 3000+ and my tsunami case has room for 2 120mms and 1 side 90mm. You think going for high volume will make a big difference or should i try and keep my ears? I think the CPU cooler is prolly most important. Also, with dBA....does it compound? ie 2 45dba = 60 dba? or whatever....

Thanks

Temp rise of case [exhaust] should be 1.685/CFM * Watts.

So if you had 200 watts power consumption in your case, temp rise with 100 CFM should be about 3 or 3.5 C. You double your CFM, the case temp rise will be half as much. But for me at least, case temp 3 or 4C above ambient would be just fine.

2x 45 dB = 48 dB. Double the sources and the sound volume rises by 3 dB.

By the way, 10 dB rise sounds "twice as loud". So 8x <whatever sound source> would sound nearly "twice as loud".

the wesson
 
Last edited:
Back