Chipset cooling

MR.B · 24 Feb 2006 at 08:42

The chipset fan on my DFI SLI-DR has started making a proper loud noise after months of being fine, is there anything quiet i can replace it with?? it's well annoying.
the problem is that it's right under the end PCB of my graphics card, so whatever cooling i use it cant be any bigger in height than the standard fan or it wont fit.

farooqm · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:13

Zalman ZM-NB47J and a dremel grinder should do the trick, no more noise either

Tezzla · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:54

damn i swear this is EXACTLY the same problem i had... except that my fan has gone from unbelievably noisy to not working anymore...

the bios doesnt load up anymore, i just get a blank screen till windows appears...in green/black only...

what do you need the dremel grinder for? is there any way for you to fit one of these cooling fans without using a grinder?

thanks,

Terry

cavemanoc · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:03

Anyone know if the new Magnetic levitation thingies on the new expert are any good - might be worth trying to source one of those!

Dutch Guy · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:21

cavemanoc said:
Anyone know if the new Magnetic levitation thingies on the new expert are any good - might be worth trying to source one of those!

My DFI mobo has a magnetic levitation chipset fan and it's ace, it runs at 4000rpm but isn't noisier than my Enermax Noisetaker PSU or Zalman VF700-CU@7V

It is thermally controlled by the fan header.

It doesn't rattle like other 40mm fans and so far I haven't thought about replacing it with a passive one, maybe in the summer when the casetemp gets higher and it starts spinning faster but now it's fine.

Or something like this: http://www.hardwarexl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1431&Itemid=41&lang=en

Raikiri · 24 Feb 2006 at 13:57

Dutch Guy said:
Or something like this: http://www.hardwarexl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1431&Itemid=41&lang=en

Thanks I had been looking for that review

Now if only OCuk would get them in stock

Dutch Guy · 24 Feb 2006 at 14:05

A vantec iceberq4 fits with a bit of bodging: http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44088

MR.B · 24 Feb 2006 at 14:16

farooqm said:
Zalman ZM-NB47J and a dremel grinder should do the trick, no more noise either

You mean use a grinder because of the height of the Zalman? Would that ruin the cooling because looking at pics of the ZM-NB47J it seems i'd have to cut quite a bit off.. and i think it would be too puny after so the chipset could get too hot...

I like the looks of that cooler Dutch Guy linked but cant find a place that has them...

cavemanoc · 24 Feb 2006 at 15:01

You shouldn't have to cut off too many fins - most can simply be bent out of the way - little loss!

MR.B · 24 Feb 2006 at 18:17

Think i'll get the Zalman and try bending the fins and that, hope it cools ok because it's pretty hot in my case being as i keep it under the desk in a cabinet. My chipset is already 50c idle

Oh one more question, would i have to remove the motherboard to install the Zalman?

cavemanoc · 24 Feb 2006 at 20:41

Unfortunately yes - the old fan has those push in fittings that have to be released from behind the board - you can install the new one without lifting the board, but well... bit late by then

- Personally I've started cutting access holes behind the processor and chipset for just this reason

farooqm · 25 Feb 2006 at 00:14

Check this out for what I meant bu using Dremel... Piccy of Zalman halfway down thread... Looks like the guy ended up using Vantec Iceberq 4 GPU cooler in the end though......

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85920

Vanteq might be better option BUT getting hold of it will be a challenge and would cost more... Zalman you can pick up for £4ish..

gamesaregood · 25 Feb 2006 at 02:07

Hello,

I have the same problem, well with a DFI SLI-D

This fan keeps speeding up / making noise, then being ok for a few minutes and then off it goes again

I have been looking at the Akasa AK-210 Blue LED Chipset one, does anyone know if this would fit the SLI-D? Is it any good?

I can't see me clocking the chipset too much but it would be nice to have a little headroom.

My Main concerns are if it will fit under my graphics card ok, preform a good job and fit!

Thanks,

Michael

MR.B · 25 Feb 2006 at 02:56

farooqm said:
Check this out for what I meant bu using Dremel... Piccy of Zalman halfway down thread... Looks like the guy ended up using Vantec Iceberq 4 GPU cooler in the end though......

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85920

Vanteq might be better option BUT getting hold of it will be a challenge and would cost more... Zalman you can pick up for £4ish..

I just remembered i had the Iceberq 4 years ago on my 9700pro... and it's not quiet enough really, although i think it would deffinately do a good job cooling the chipset. But i'm getting water cooling soon and half of the reason is because i want a quiet PC so the Zalman would be better for this.

gamesaregood - thats exactly what my chipset fan does! When i take it off i'm smashing the crap out of it with a hammer... just to make me feel better

I think the Iceberq 4 would be best for you if you dont mind some noise and a bit of dremel work, it will cool well and it's not any louder than the standard fan (when it's working properly) and if you like blue LEDs it also has them.

Dutch Guy · 25 Feb 2006 at 17:47

MR.B said:
But i'm getting water cooling soon and half of the reason is because i want a quiet PC so the Zalman would be better for this.

Have you seen this:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Mips/DFIFreezer/

MR.B · 25 Feb 2006 at 18:32

Dutch Guy said:
Have you seen this:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Mips/DFIFreezer/

Thats perfect, will be very hard to find one though...
I'm getting the Swiftech H20-220 water cooling kit and i'm not sure if the 7/16" tubing would fit that or if i'd have to get something to connect the tubing to it?