Gutted fans? Spacers?

OLMI · May 22, 2004

I read in another thread that if you add a spacer between your fan and cpu, it can lower temps by 3-7 C. Someone said a spacer was a gutted fan, does that just mean it's a fan with the blades taken out? Has anyone else seen that kind of temp improvement from using one?

fac_29 · May 22, 2004

Yeah its just a fan with its innards ripped from it. For best results use the most expensive fan you can find

j/k
It eliminates the deadspot by lifting your fan slightly off the heatsink. Ppl have had mixed results using this method.

I dont know about 7°C drop, dont know if i believe that. Maybe 1 or 2, 3°C at the very most. Now if you make a duct you could knock 7°C off...

I'm gonna try it myself until i can get around to finding the parts i need to make a good duct.

OLMI · May 22, 2004

Ohh coooool. Do you think I would get double the results if I made a duct AND put a spacer in between?

Is ducting just when you put an intake on the back and connect it to the cpu fan?

fac_29 · May 22, 2004

Yeah it sure is.
What i'm gonna do is use 2 fans of the same cfm with one on my heatsink, one on the side of my case and both on intake, and run some drier duct(or something similar) between them.
So it will end up something like this. See example at the bottom of the page...
http://www.jab-tech.com/customer/product.php?productid=1915&cat=39&page=1

I may even buy that kit if i find it hard to find anything else thats suitable. I dont want it looking all ghetto.

You could use a spacer between your fan and heatsink too yeah but you wouldnt get double the cooling, it doesnt work like that(actually if you dropped 2°C from the spacer and 2°C from the duct i suppose you would...).

There are a few different ways of doing ducts.

Anyway, if you try using a spacer(or duct) dont forget to post your results for us all

johan851 · May 22, 2004

What i'm gonna do is use 2 fans of the same cfm with one on my heatsink, one on the side of my case and both on intake, and run some drier duct(or something similar) between them.

Ducts work because they get rid of the dead spot. A space does this as well, it's just not long enough to totally remove the dead spot. To use a duct and then a fan on the heatsink would still create a dead spot and be kinda pointless, aside from bringing in fresh air. I would guess you'd be better off just having a single fan as a duct intake, and nothing on the heatsink.

sJetski · May 22, 2004

johan851 said:
Ducts work because they get rid of the dead spot. A space does this as well, it's just not long enough to totally remove the dead spot. To use a duct and then a fan on the heatsink would still create a dead spot and be kinda pointless, aside from bringing in fresh air. I would guess you'd be better off just having a single fan as a duct intake, and nothing on the heatsink.

I recently installed the Sunbeam duct kit that fac_29 linked and it works because cooler room air is being blown onto the hsf. It works better with two fans and not one as you had proposed (tried it).

I've lowered my cpu temps 5-7C with that duct kit in an already well ventilated case + slk800 + two smartfan II's. SVC sells it really cheap and i highly recommend it. I'm glad i now longer have to worry about the summertime temp blues !

OLMI · May 22, 2004

Well, I gutted a 80mm fan and put it between my smartfan2. The temps after I put the spacer in were even worse

Is it because it's an 80mm fan?

a c i d.f l y · May 22, 2004

Gutted fan effect is only good if you have a powerful fan. Weak fans, it just causes more air to be kicked back up instead of forced through the fins... look at the tornado, it has its own spacer with air flow direction correction.

-Frank

OLMI · May 22, 2004

OOh! I see! hmm... Does anyone know at about what CFM a spacer is better? I don't want anything too loud...

fac_29 · May 22, 2004

Lol. Told ya ppl had got mixed results.
Hmmm, yeah it could be. I think it would work better for peeps with larger fans because they generate a larger dead spot

Well sod the spacer and go straight for the duct, get fresh air from outside your case straight to your HSF. To get an idea of how it would work for you try running with the side off and see what temps you get. My case temps stay around the same, maybe rising 1°C but my cpu temp drops bout 3°C by doing this. So i imagine if i do a duct i'll get the cpu drop without the case temp rise...

Originally Posted By Johan
I would guess you'd be better off just having a single fan as a duct intake, and nothing on the heatsink.

Hmmm i dont know bout that. I was considering doing that but i'm gonna be ducting a fair way from my HSF so i doubt that would be very wise.

OLMI · May 22, 2004

Hmm... I guess I'll try to see what my temps are like with the window off while I'm priming. Thanks a lot.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN 80mm FAN, DON'T USE A SPACER!

lol

dehinson · May 22, 2004

I am currently modding my case and will use a 120mm to 80mm adapter with a spacer. I think this will give me good temps and great air flow. But I wholly agree with the earlier post, you need some decent CFMs to pull it off.

Will let you know how it turns out in the near future.

Just my 2 cents.

OLMI · May 22, 2004

Hey, that sounds like it will work really well... A 120mm fan will push a lot of air, but do you think it will be enough air to need the spacer? Are you going to use a 120mm adapter, and then connect that to a gutted 80mm?

indimint · May 22, 2004

OLMI said:
Hmm... I guess I'll try to see what my temps are like with the window off while I'm priming. Thanks a lot.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN 80mm FAN, DON'T USE A SPACER!

lol

Yeah that sounds like a good plan!

OLMI · May 22, 2004

indimint said:
Yeah that sounds like a good plan!

thanks, and

WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!

clocker2 · May 22, 2004

dehinson said:
I am currently modding my case and will use a 120mm to 80mm adapter with a spacer. I think this will give me good temps and great air flow.

Will let you know how it turns out in the near future.

Please do let us know.
I have tried that in the past and gotten terrible results.

I have come to the conclusion that there is a definite sweet spot when it comes to CFM through the heatsink.
Exceed the optimal airflow and you just get backpressure and the fan has to work harder and is less efficient.

More is not always better.

indimint · May 22, 2004

Thank YOU

fac_29 · May 22, 2004

a c i d.f l y said:
Gutted fan effect is only good if you have a powerful fan. Weak fans, it just causes more air to be kicked back up instead of forced through the fins... look at the tornado, it has its own spacer with air flow direction correction.

-Frank

The Smartfan II is hardly a weak fan though is it.

OLMI · May 22, 2004

Well, I run it at a pretty low rpm. I'm not sure what rpm it's at, but it's not very loud, so it can't be very close to 5000 or whatever the max is. Again, does anyone know at what CFM a spacer would make a difference?

Dukemurmur · May 22, 2004

well i would say just as a WILD guess over 50cfm maybe? also it isn't really the CFM's but the pressure that the fan can put out.

Gutted fans? Spacers?

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