Vantec Tornado on Akasa AK-913?

[Anjow]

I'm got an Akasa AK-913 (http://www.sww.nl/product_images\product_-1694711907.jpg) and I was thinking I might like to put a Vantec Tornado fan on it instead of the current Akasa one.

However, I had a couple of questions about the whole affair first:

1. The current Akasa fan on there is 25mm thick. The Tornado is 38mm thick. The current fan is attached by some bolts that came with the heatsink. Would I need a new set of bolts to connect it? Or would I have to find a workaround for it? Basically how can I fit the Tornado onto the heatsink.

2. The Akasa fan comes through a speed controller which came with the heatsink situated in a PCI slot. Would it be possible to run the Tornado through this speed controller? I know Tornados need a speed controller, so would this one do? It is powered by a 4 pin molex, not off the motherboard.

Any info you could give me would be very helpful, thanks.

 

[HousERaT]

I would not try to run the tornado through the stock speed controller (too many watts). You will need longer bolts as the stock bolts will not be long enough.

 

[Anjow]

Do you know if these bolts will be easy to get hold of from a computing shop?

When I add in the price of the fan, these extra bolts and another controller it is getting to the point where I'm spending so much that I might as well get an SI-120...

 

[techun]

im pretty sure they're 6-32 bolts, any place will have them, home depot, etc

 

[flamerail]

im pretty sure they're 6-32 bolts, any place will have them, home depot, etc

Yeap!!

 

[b1029384756]

I use a Tornado and it is a good fan...you might want to consider a Delta TFB0912UHE if you can find one, though. Also, Tornados (and any other fan) absolutely do not neccassarily need a fan controller. I don't use one with mine. You can go without one to not only save money but also free up a PCI slot. As for bolts, yes, Home Depot or Lowes should do the trick for a buck or two. If you can't find the exact length you need, buy them long and cut them down.

 

[Theorie]

This looks similar to my setup. I have a ThermalTake Tower112 with a 92mm Vantec Tornado...

Without a controller, it is SO EFFING LOUD! You can't run it off the mobo either. I had it hooked up to a Sunbeam Theta Software based controller, but the lowest I could run the fan was 50%. At that speed, I was still getting great cooling, but it was even still a little loud.

Right now I have a Sunbeam 4 Channel Rheobus on it's way. Each channel will do 0-100% so I think it will be a better controller for the Tornado. I'm thinking 40% power will be a good balance of CFM and db.

Summary: The Tornado is a great fan, but dont get it unless you have a great fan controller to partner with it.



Also, to attach it to the heatsink, you can use some standard motherboard screws (the size thread that also works with 3.5" drives). Check out this pic:

Where the heatsink mounts up to the fan, I just used 4 of those screws to attach it. The duct is attached on the other side using 4 nuts & bolts. I would reccomend using the http://www.frozencpu.com/scan/se=Noise%20Dampening/se=Fan%20Silencers/mp=menu_search.html]fan vibration reducing adapters too. They really help out with keeping the fan nice and tight to the heatsink while reducing vibration (and noise).

 

[Anjow]

Theorie, did you have a different fan before getting a tornado? If so, did it make a significant difference?

With regards to noise, I'd say I could tolerate up to maybe 45-50 dB - I'm not really bothered so long as it isn't an annoying wail. As it is my bed is right next to my machine and the current fan which is around 45dB - it helps me sleep now.

Did you have any trouble tightening the motherboard screws? From your picture it looks like it would be impossible to get a screwdriver in that space.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Anjow]

So would one of these be adequate for adjusting the fanspeed of a delta or tornado?

http://www.akasa.co.uk/akasa_english/spec_page/control_panels/spec_ak_fc_06bk.htm

 

[b1029384756]

So would one of these be adequate for adjusting the fanspeed of a delta or tornado?

http://www.akasa.co.uk/akasa_english/spec_page/control_panels/spec_ak_fc_06bk.htm

A Tornado, maybe, though you'd be taking a risk as the controller is rated for 10W and the Tornado is 12.5W. It would probably work, though. A high speed 80mm Delta draws 22W, so that definitely won't work. Vantec made a fan controller that fits in a 3½" bay and handles 18W per channel, so if you can find that, it'd be an option. Do you not have any 5¼" bays to give up? If you do, you can easily find something that will handle 18-20W per channel for relatively little money.

Edit: Whoops, the 80mm Tornado is 9W. You'll be fine with that fan controller. For some reason I was thinking of the 92mm Tornado, probably because I use one.

 

[techun]

the sunbeam rheobus has 20 watts per channel, i'd use that one

 

[Anjow]

I do have 2 5.25 bays to spare, but that akasa one was the cheapest