Antec Twelve Hundred replacement 200mm "Big Boy"

[DarkPurity]

I've got an Antec Twelve Hundred case with a busted fan. One day, the 200mm "Big Boy" cooling fan at the top fell off of its mounting directly onto my video cards, which didn't do any damage but did successfully scare the hell out of me. I left the mounting in place at the time, as I have yet to find a replacement.

The "Big Boy" is available, but not with Blue LEDs. It's also not the standard "circle" shape, and has flat edges:



Honestly, I'd like to go with a fan from a different brand, as I've heard this fan was meant to be mounted vertically anyway, and thus gravity's role in fan cohesion is higher. The problem is that no brand seems to scream "Yes, I'm compatible", no matter what I look up. I've heard about people getting standard smaller fans and just screwing them into the fan grille, but I don't want to do that. I'm wondering if I can use a standard fan here (without cutting edges off) or if I can use something else?

Edit: By the "busted fan" I mean the actual fan blades and central hub fell off of the motor and landed on the cards. The mount and motor did not fall. This is why I'm trying to avoid the same fan .

 

[Alaric]

This has straight sides, but no LED. It's also pretty pricey. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAAES3ZK3585

 

[WhitehawkEQ]

I've got an Antec Twelve Hundred case with a busted fan. One day, the 200mm "Big Boy" cooling fan at the top fell off of its mounting directly onto my video cards, which didn't do any damage but did successfully scare the hell out of me. I left the mounting in place at the time, as I have yet to find a replacement.

How is the fan held in place? Is it screwed in? Post a pic so I can see how it's mounted in there.

 

[DarkPurity]

This has straight sides, but no LED. It's also pretty pricey. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAAES3ZK3585

I think that fan's housing is actually not the right physical fit; it would be larger and the screw holes don't line up the same way I don't think. I want the fan to fit properly without jury-rigging it to keep noise down, and I do want it to have the blue LEDs.

How is the fan held in place? Is it screwed in? Post a pic so I can see how it's mounted in there.

This is a pic of the fan in an empty case. It's much clearer than any photo I could take, and I can confirm it's the same mount.

 

[EarthDog]

Replace with another Antec BB is my advice.

 

[DarkPurity]

I found a better link to show the mounting here. From this, would any fan do so long as its dimensions are the same (regardless of shape)? I really don't want to put a black fan up there, and would rather not risk the Antec falling onto my cards again.

 

[EarthDog]

From that picture, I would really look at the big boy only personally... unless you can find the dimensions of the big boy and compare it directly with others.

I would also that think by looking that any fan you put up there is going to have to use the same mounting as the antec, no? Is there a reason you are not re-securing the original fan up there? I know you mentioned you didn't want it to fall, but, it likely fell because something wasn't right up there. Mount it again and you shouldn't have a worry...

 

[DarkPurity]

From that picture, I would really look at the big boy only personally... unless you can find the dimensions of the big boy and compare it directly with others.

I would also that think by looking that any fan you put up there is going to have to use the same mounting as the antec, no? Is there a reason you are not re-securing the original fan up there? I know you mentioned you didn't want it to fall, but, it likely fell because something wasn't right up there. Mount it again and you shouldn't have a worry...

It's actually a known design flaw in the Antec "Hundred" cases. The fan up there that ships with it, the Big Boy, is only rated for vertical mounting. As the fan is sleeve bearing, it can eventually "spin off" the motor if placed horizontally, and won't go back on. If used inverted (as some have bought the BB for other, even larger cases) then the fan clicks against its own mount and can break the blades. I was unable to reattach the fan to the motor, and actually broke one of the blades trying to do it.

 

[EarthDog]

So, to be clear with all of us, the fan BLADES fell off of it but the frame is still up there? I thought, by the original description in the first post, the whole thing fell.

 

[DarkPurity]

So, to be clear with all of us, the fan BLADES fell off of it but the frame is still up there? I thought, by the original description in the first post, the whole thing fell.

Correct. That is to say, by "fan" I mean the fan blades with the central hub as the single component. The motor and the frame remain. Again, this is apparently common with that exact fan, which is what I'm trying to avoid. If I'm forced to get it again, not only will it not have lights (that's only in the one that comes with), but it will remain a risk unless I mod the case to have its own support...which then risks that piece falling instead. I'd really rather have a fan that was made to not fall on things, and be mounted in the direction it is.

I'll amend my original post to be more clear on the fan.

 

[EarthDog]

This is the first I have heard of it. I have also owned the 1200 for YEARS and the fan was going strong after several years...

If you need the bling, get LED lights. I wouldn't worry about it personally.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Put this bladeside on your replacement fan.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5..._Fan_Grill_-_Antec_Big_Boy_Cooler_Master.html

Safety net.

 

[DarkPurity]

This is the first I have heard of it. I have also owned the 1200 for YEARS and the fan was going strong after several years...

If you need the bling, get LED lights. I wouldn't worry about it personally.

I found a UV led light strip I'll use no matter what, anyway. I'm hoping it will make the colors of the Noctua D15 less s*** brown and pus cream by reacting the lighter components. That puts any color or lack thereof of fan as an option, but having the blades land on what (at the time) was two 580 GTX's in SLi pretty much turned me off the Big Boy fans.

Put this bladeside on your replacement fan.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/53...er_Master.html

I thought about that, as I have some grilles in my workroom, but this fan slid back and forth on its mount a little and if inverted, clicked against the mount. I'd imagine a grille would just lead to the same noise and eventually snap a blade or wear the hub apart.

Surely there's a straight replacement available for this fan that isn't the Antec BB?

 

[EarthDog]

Put this bladeside on your replacement fan.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5..._Fan_Grill_-_Antec_Big_Boy_Cooler_Master.html

Safety net.

SOMEONE is using their head this morning!!!!

 

[Mr.Scott]

SOMEONE is using their head this morning!!!!

Lol. Days not over yet. I'm sure I'll say something stupid to **** somebody off.

- - - Updated - - -

Surely there's a straight replacement available for this fan that isn't the Antec BB?

Direct replacement, probably not. That fan is a one off for Antec.

 

[EarthDog]

Direct replacement, probably not. That fan is a one off for Antec.

+1...

As I said Dark, you will have to compare dimensions to find something. Otherwise, don't worry about it (what I would do) or get what Mr S said.

 

[LutaWicasa]

Would this work?

BTW....the Antec fan is now double ball and not sleeve bearing