A more silent computer

[The JoJo]

I just got myself an SLK-800 cooler to replace my Swiftech MC462. I'm using a 19db 26cfm Papst 80mm cooler on it. Seems to cool very well, a little better than the swiftech.

The change is partly due to the fact that I wanted a little better performing cooler with a little easier retention mechanism. When I changed the processor a while back it was a lot of hassle to take everything out of the computer so that I could remove the motherboard, then the cooler (swiftech) and finally the old processor.

I'm using an Antech 1240 case. When I installed the cooler I put 2 80mm Papst 12db 19cfm fans in the HD bays to cools the cheetach and other HD's. I also put one 12db Papst in the back of the case to draw hot air out of the case.
And the PS has a new fan in it, a Papst 19db (see above). I didn't dare to put the 12db fan in it, just in case it would get too hot.

Next on the list is to buy a used SCSI controller and put the 36LZX in another computer. That should make my main computer even more silent.

Almost forgot, I put some noise dampening material in my case earlier this year. It works quite well, but I haven't insulated the case as much as I could. Maybe later.

So after all this, the computer does seem a lot more silent compared to what it was before. Before would be no noise dampening material, and about 6 fans >26db.

Worth it? I think so.

Comments anyone?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Ask Will (NRG/Rocco) about the matter... he knows where the holy grail is... :wink:

 

[NRG = mc²]

Yep, just ordered another load of stuff to get it quieter!

What noise insulation material are you using?

Right now I've got my XP1800 running at stock speed, with a Zalman copper flower on it, fan at the lowest speed, an 80Gb Barracuda and a 40gb D740X, just ordered a WD800JB to replace the latter, also, lined the case using Akasa Paxmate foam and waiting for a second pack to come in so I can make a thicker layer and put some more foam in places where the first pack was not sufficient. I'va also changed the front case (Lian Li)fans with Antec blue LED ones that shine through the grille at the front. These are nice and quiet at 7v with none of the whine that the older YSTechs I had in there would make. I'm still thinking of what fan to put on the back of my case... I dont have one right now and almost caused melt down yesterday when I turned off the front case fans by mistake - the enermax PSU was the only thing cooling the case and is wasn't enough - CPU temperature rose to 75C and case temp to almost 40... :-?

 

[Mercutio]

You live in Finland. Put your PC in a garbage bag, cut holes where the cables go, and set it out a window.




(Yes, I know it can be nice and warm in Finland, but you live in a country with wild Reindeer.)

 

[Sol]

I'm thinking about changing all my 120mm fans to low noise ones to try to get my PC nois level down (2x120mm sunnons and a 120mm enermax), I might do the 80mms at the same time but then I'd really have to do the PSU as well... Quiet can be so expensive...

 

[Prof.Wizard]

You live in Finland. Put your PC in a garbage bag, cut holes where the cables go, and set it out a window.

Tell me about it. I have to pee on my PC in summers to make it run cooler here in Rome... :lol:

 

[The JoJo]

I did think about putting the PC outside my window, but the neighbours would deffinitely object.

It is much more quiet now. I think the 36lzx is the one making the most noise in the computer. Could anyone comment on this?

Almost forgot, I removed the fan from the heatsink on the motherboard. I'm running an FSB of 141, and the heatsink on the A7V266 felt cool to the touch, so I think I'm ok.

I'm using 1cm thick general noise insulating/dampening material. I don't have any of it at the front of the case which probably should be the next place to put it. That should remarkably lower the noise level from the current one. I've just been too lazy to unscrew the Antec plastic front.

This quiet business is deffinitely expensive. Or atleast the quiet and fast.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Well, if you have some €600 to spend you could always get yourself a VapoChill and kiss your problems goodbye...

I was always a little bit worried about the compressor noise but they say it's really quiet now. Oh, and then you can truly O/C your CPU to unprecedented levels... 8)

 

[NRG = mc²]

On my A7V266 I removed the heatsink and fan and used Arctic Silver epoxy glue to stick a couple of Thermaltake's blue RAM sinks to the northbridge. Check out the photo:

www.rotting-energy.net/Forums/interior.jpg
www.rotting-energy.net/Forums/tt.jpg

(Ignore the credit card - I always have it handy 8) )

 

[Buck]

(Ignore the credit card - I always have it handy 8) )

Along with the lighter.

 

[NRG = mc²]

Yes well... only half pack a day.

 

[Tea]

Hey! I can't read the first six digits.

(mumbles under breath)

 

[NRG = mc²]

Dream on!

 

[Buck]

Hey! I can't read the first six digits.

(mumbles under breath)

Getting low on bananas again and Tannin won't buy any? The first digit is a 4. Oooh, and it's a debit card too. :mrgrn:

 

[NRG = mc²]

Its 10 digits, not 6....

And yes, of course the first digit is a 4...

 

[NRG = mc²]

And, by trying to recognse which bank issues the card then you can find another two digits and then you still need another 7 and the valid to and from dates and the code on the back.... go on, give it your best shot!

 

[Pradeep]

And, by trying to recognse which bank issues the card then you can find another two digits and then you still need another 7 and the valid to and from dates and the code on the back.... go on, give it your best shot!

There's plenty of etailers that don't ask for the verification code on the back. Plus Tony could just plug the number straight into his POS machine. Not that I would ever suggest he would be morally capable of such a crime. But that hussy chimp of his .....

 

[flagreen]

Here's what I have in my Lite-on FS120 case - http://www.pcmods.com/details.asp?ProdID=4
It's not cheap but it works great. Up to 17 watts per channel. I use it with three 120mm fans which are very quiet when slowed down yet still move a lot of air. The fourth channel has my cpu fans wired to it.

 

[Handruin]

Here's what I have in my Lite-on FS120 case - http://www.pcmods.com/details.asp?ProdID=4
It's not cheap but it works great. Up to 17 watts per channel. I use it with three 120mm fans which are very quiet when slowed down yet still move a lot of air. The fourth channel has my cpu fans wired to it.

Would you happen to have any pics of your case with it? I think that's a nice little mod for the case, I'd be interested in seeing how it looks integrated.

Do the LED's change brightness depending on the level of power applied to the fan? For example, low power would make the LED less bright.

 

[flagreen]

Yes the lights dim in sync with fan speed. I'll see if I can take a picture with this crumby logitech web cam I have. If a fan fails the light goes out all together.

 

[flagreen]

This as good as a picture gets with $49.00 camera -

 

[The JoJo]

Nice pics.

Too bad those vapochill and similar systems cost so much.

 

[flagreen]

I would think they would be reasonably priced where you are JoJo. They look like they are noisy to me though. Have you ever seen one?

 

[Handruin]

Thanks for sharing the picture. It's good to know that the light will go out if/when a fan dies. Can you actually shut a fan off with those dials, or just adjust the speed?

I thinking about trying something like this for my next PC. I'd like to know if a fan has gone bad by visual indicator so that I do not have to open the darn case every once in a while to check.

Can you by chance wire more then one fan to a dial?

 

[flagreen]

My fans do not turn off all the way at the lowest setting. Other fans might, I don't know. You can connect as many fans as you wish to each channel as long as you don't exceed a total of 17 watts.

Both of my cpu fans are connected to my #4 channel. At full speed they run at 4750 RPM and at the lowest setting 2050 RPM. I believe they are 5000 RPM fans.

The nice thing is that even though I don't need to, I can turn up the fans when I'm doing some rendering that uses 100% cpu usage. It just makes me feel more secure to turn them up. That's why I didn't go with just the in-line type rheostats even though they were cheaper.

 

[The JoJo]

Uhh...

Now the 36LZX deffinitely sounds too loud for my computer...

Gotta get rid of that HD. The fans can't be a problem anymore, as they are rated at 12db and the processor and PS fans at 19db. I've even cut the fan grills from the case.

As Handruin is displaying in the other thread (GREAT PICS! ) , this Antec 1240 is really roomy. Gotta love it.

 

[NRG = mc²]

www.rotting-energy.net/Forums/silent1.jpg
www.rotting-energy.net/Forums/silent2.jpg
www.rotting-energy.net/Forums/silent3.jpg
www.rotting-energy.net/Forums/silent4.jpg

 

[NRG = mc²]

Put double layers of Akasa Paxmate insulation (lame name), replaced the front fans with quieter LED ones at 5v, and almost got rid of the noisy D740X - I say almost because by mistake I ordered a WD800BB rather than JB so thats going back and hopefully tommorow I'll have a JB.

I tried the machine without the D740 and boy is it quiet! Excessively quiet I would say.

CPU temperatures are reported around 63C and 29C case temperature with the window open, pretty cool in the room, full load temperatures from the A7V266 (which over-reports them in relation to other mobos)

 

[Handruin]

That's a sweet setup you got over there, nice job! That's an interesting project for silencing a PC, I like the pics.

 

[NRG = mc²]

Thanks. Still didn't have enough paxmate stuff to totally fill in the area around the 5.25 bays on the sides but I wont bother getting any more as it wont make much difference.

Now that the room is warmer my CPU temperature is at 68C and case temperature at 32C...

I have to install a rear fan tommorow....