Any suggestions on quietening a Shuttle SN45G

NeilF · 30 Jun 2007 at 08:46

It's quiet, but not particularly... The fan is already on ultra low. The noise seems to be a combination of the CPU fan and PSU etc.

The hard drive is a Samsung Spinpoint so that's about as quiet as it can get!

Anyone had any experience of quietening shuttles down?

bcjames · 30 Jun 2007 at 11:21

In my SN45G, I ran a silent fan, papst, or something similar, at about a medium speed. Seemed to give the best balance between noise/cooling, if I remember correctly. I had the SilenX PSU, so no problems there. The GFX was the hardest to sort out. Those little fans are a nightmare, especially within the confines of the older shuttle mobo layout.

NeilF · 30 Jun 2007 at 13:01

bcjames said:
In my SN45G, I ran a silent fan, papst, or something similar, at about a medium speed. Seemed to give the best balance between noise/cooling, if I remember correctly. I had the SilenX PSU, so no problems there. The GFX was the hardest to sort out. Those little fans are a nightmare, especially within the confines of the older shuttle mobo layout.

The PSU (I believe) is the original 200W one.

The cooler looks like the standard shuttle one.

The graphics card is an old GeForce 4 - So no fans on it

I've actually got the BIOS set to ultra-low fan speed, and even like that running a CPU test for 45 minutes I can't get the CPU above 58 degrees.

I think the noise is the high pitch PSU fan, with the low slowed running CPU fan.

I disconnect the CPU fan leaving just the PSU noise, and that, although not great, was better...

It's a shame the CPU fan can't be run slow, or even turned off when cool enough

Infact this article mentions the annoying tone of the Sunon fan used! And they replace it - http://www.silentpcreview.com/article179-page5.html

bcjames · 30 Jun 2007 at 15:43

If you get an 80-120mm adapter, you can externally mount a 120mm fan instead of the internal 80mm one. As for the PSU, its like a 40mm fan, that pitch is annoying. the Silent one helps.

NeilF · 30 Jun 2007 at 16:49

bcjames said:
If you get an 80-120mm adapter, you can externally mount a 120mm fan instead of the internal 80mm one. As for the PSU, its like a 40mm fan, that pitch is annoying. the Silent one helps.

Having read a few other articles I'm tempted to get some quieter fans and replace both the 80mm fan and the PSU 40mm fan with them!

Not sure one of those 80mm->120mm cadapters would fit OK!?

Steeps · 1 Jul 2007 at 12:47

efficient 80mm fan in the back and change the psu fan should have you all sorted, however when you silence them you will be able to hear the hard disk spin. got 2 samsungs in my sb75 and they are the loudest things in there

not sure what the 200w units are like, but in the 220/250w units the fans can be disconnected and replaced quite easily, just be careful if you plan to open up your psu.

bcjames · 1 Jul 2007 at 13:11

NeilFawcett said:
Having read a few other articles I'm tempted to get some quieter fans and replace both the 80mm fan and the PSU 40mm fan with them!

Not sure one of those 80mm->120mm cadapters would fit OK!?

I made one from a cornflakes box. Blue peter style! Anyway, mine mounted on the back without fouling on any connectors. And with a VGA or DVI connection on there, the depth of the unit is hardly changed. Its probably the single biggest mod I did in line with regular case air flow on my shuttle.

Also, the motherboard has a spare 3 pin header, which can be used to run on an alternating current like the stock HSF one. I used this to replace the fan on my MX440 in there with a more efficient and quiet one, but you may be able to use the same method for your PSU.

The spec in my shuttle was:

2500@3500
1gb pc3200
mx440
hdd
dvd

With that spec, and with the hsf and gfx set to the temp dependant setting in the BIOS, idle and net browing/word etc always had the shuttle on the lowest noise setting. It cranked it up for games, but then i'd have the speakers on then anyway.

NeilF · 1 Jul 2007 at 13:33

Steeps said:
efficient 80mm fan in the back and change the psu fan should have you all sorted, however when you silence them you will be able to hear the hard disk spin. got 2 samsungs in my sb75 and they are the loudest things in there

not sure what the 200w units are like, but in the 220/250w units the fans can be disconnected and replaced quite easily, just be careful if you plan to open up your psu.

This article here:-
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article179-page5.html
suggests simply changing the rear 80mm fan for a Nexus 80mm "Real Silent Fan"...

But any suggestions - preferably from experience - of the 80mm and/or 40mm fans to put in would be most appreciated.

My concern with the 40mm one is ensuring I don't sacrifice cooling such that the PSU burns out! So if someone has had first hand experience thatwould be most appreciated!

alexakasloth · 1 Jul 2007 at 19:06

You could replace the case of the PSU with mesh, I was thinking of doing that if I built a SFF case and used these PSU's (though 40mm = :mad:

)

Steeps · 1 Jul 2007 at 21:24

with the sb75 it already has mesh sides, and this actually makes it louder compared to the other chassis. the 80mm fan is easy to change. i'd recommend something that is silent at 7v so if needed it can be on full to aid cooling.

i have a 250w psu which has what i believe are 40mm adda fans, hardly push any air, completely silent and gets rather warm, but has been reliable so far for 4 months. not sure how it will work with a 200w unit as they only have the one fan, wheras the others use a push-pull system.

sorry misread the mesh part, i've not tried a mesh psu case before.

Arc · 2 Jul 2007 at 15:43

Change the stock 80mm CPU cooling fan for a quieter one then cut out the rear fan grill with a dremel or some snips. The fan grill is far too restrictive and tbh it isnt needed (like all fan grills they need to be binned when your trying to silence a machine

).

As for the PSU, you would probably be quicker getting the SilenX 250W model. Its got twin fans in it compared to the originals one and should be far quieter.

I did the same mods, plus a few more on my SN41G2 and it dramatically reduced the noise output

.

bcjames said:
Also, the motherboard has a spare 3 pin header, which can be used to run on an alternating current like the stock HSF one.

Step away from the electronic terminology, its dangerous in the wrong hands

.

bcjames · 2 Jul 2007 at 15:48

Arc said:
Step away from the electronic terminology, its dangerous in the wrong hands .

I thought afterwards that I didnt mean AC, but figured you guys would know what I meant

Variable?

NeilF · 2 Jul 2007 at 15:55

Arc said:
Change the stock 80mm CPU cooling fan for a quieter one then cut out the rear fan grill with a dremel or some snips. The fan grill is far too restrictive and tbh it isnt needed (like all fan grills they need to be binned when your trying to silence a machine ).

As for the PSU, you would probably be quicker getting the SilenX 250W model. Its got twin fans in it compared to the originals one and should be far quieter.

I did the same mods, plus a few more on my SN41G2 and it dramatically reduced the noise output .

Step away from the electronic terminology, its dangerous in the wrong hands .

Regarding the rear grill, temp is no issue - I ran a CPU test for several mins and couldn't even get the CPU above 58 degrees with the fan set to ultra-quiet

- So I'd rather not cut it out...

I've ordered a Nexus silent fan and will fit that and see where I get to...

I listed to the unit again last night and I think its the slow low droning of the Sunon fan that's bloody annoying!

If the PSU still proves to be annoying I'll get a quieter 40mm fan and change it out. From what I can see I won't even have to disconnect the PSU itself within the case. Hopefully I can just open it up and rewire it while it's still otherwise still wired inside the case

I'll post my thoughts on the Nexus fan's improvement to the system...

bcjames · 2 Jul 2007 at 16:01

I think the issue with the rear grill is the noise of the air rushing by it, as well as the airflow it physically stops.

NeilF · 2 Jul 2007 at 16:16

bcjames said:
I think the issue with the rear grill is the noise of the air rushing by it, as well as the airflow it physically stops.

Ah! Gotcha! Well I actually ran the system with no rear fan at all and it was fine... However, I'm sure if I pushed it hard for a while it wouldn't be...

I'm hoping the new Nexus will be inaudable as its quieter and pushes less air.

TBF I can't be hassled to remove everything out of the shuttle to cut out the rear grill...

NeilF · 4 Jul 2007 at 18:25

All I can say is you'd to be mad not to consider spending £5-6 getting a Nexus Silent Case fan for this system...

The case is now much quieter and more importantly the horrible 'drone' of the Sunon fan is gone!

Now... I might consider changing the PSU fan