Front case fan replacements!

area51 · 4 Apr 2019 at 13:51

Hi have a pair of Coolermaster somethings? 120mm dark grey'ey/black with blue leds.
Was main stream few years ago and if can get inside will find model number out!

But there i think wonky/worn out as can be very noisey to just noisey like yesterday made a dam racket so looked deeper unplugged and Haaa peace prevailed!
But noise isn't always constant so makes me think time to give them another life!..........Frisbee!

So what would be decent pair of 120mm fans "Colourful" ones come to mind these run of a molex-three pin fan plug board but probably could run from elsewhere etc
Could get 38mm thick fans in there also as Lian li have kindly left room.

Minibiker · 4 Apr 2019 at 13:58

buy some nice quiet case fans and fit some phanteks Halo kits to them, I have them and are really impressive

area51 · 4 Apr 2019 at 22:09

Minibiker said:
buy some nice quiet case fans and fit some phanteks Halo kits to them, I have them and are really impressive

Only thing i have an issue with is that have filters and front layer of case in front of fans so they don't show that impressivly!
Can see them but more the lines where go from edge to motor if that makes sense?
Whats any good though in fans? Seem to remember while back was to avoid sleeve bearings go with ball but see there trying to push sleeve type on us!

area51 · 10 Apr 2019 at 18:10

Took the Coolermaster fans out as "Noisey" put factory stock Lian Li ones in "Quieter" for sure.

A12025-20RB-3BN-f1 DF1202512RFUN Arre they the Sickle ones?

What would be better? Did look at the noctura SB12 as front case fans not working on Rads so guess not needing high static pressures!

tamzzy · 10 Apr 2019 at 18:16

cheap value bundle: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/thre...-spectre-plain-black-120mm-fan-bu-054-bx.html

better quality pressure optimised fan: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/arctic-cooling-p12-pwm-pst-black-fan-120mm-fg-04h-ar.html

jack of all trades bundle: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/two-...120mm-fan-radiator-performance-bu-002-pt.html

doyll · 12 Apr 2019 at 17:06

Phanteks 2-pack PH-F120MP suggested by tamzzy above are very good and resonably priced and perform very well.

MartinPrince · 12 Apr 2019 at 20:17

doyll said:
Phanteks 2-pack PH-F120MP suggested by tamzzy above are very good and resonably priced and perform very well.

This. Though I like the Bitfenix ones as well and find them good value for money.

McstylisT · 1 May 2019 at 14:55

Is there a clear path of air into the case where your fans are positioned. ? As if there is a crowded area you may want to concentrate of static pressure fans to force air into the system.
I have just removed some Bitfenix spectres and replaced them with a mixture of Corsair ML and some Thermaltake Riing fans. Both more optimised towards pressure as i use mini itx systems now days. Very happy with them compared to the Bitfenix. Though they can be louder than most on stress testing high usage but i was aiming for cooling performance over anything. But I can only recommend them both.

area51 · 2 May 2019 at 18:22

McstylisT said:
Is there a clear path of air into the case where your fans are positioned. ? As if there is a crowded area you may want to concentrate of static pressure fans to force air into the system.
I have just removed some Bitfenix spectres and replaced them with a mixture of Corsair ML and some Thermaltake Riing fans. Both more optimised towards pressure as i use mini itx systems now days. Very happy with them compared to the Bitfenix. Though they can be louder than most on stress testing high usage but i was aiming for cooling performance over anything. But I can only recommend them both.

There are a pair of lian li funky square foam filters plus front panel which has a drilled mesh of around 2-2.5mm holes there is around 18mm from outside of front panel to front of filter grill and backside of filter near enough backs on to fans. so probably 30-35% ish restriction maybe less? Only caddy frame behind which can get a 38mm between caddy and internal front panel so 13mm space
Can't get light rings on fans unless they can fit with in front as fans screw to internal front panel.(maybe a thin shroud type that screws through?)

"Stop it your giving me bad idea's Dremmels coming to mind!" lol

McstylisT · 2 May 2019 at 21:28

area51 said:
There are a pair of lian li funky square foam filters plus front panel which has a drilled mesh of around 2-2.5mm holes there is around 18mm from outside of front panel to front of filter grill and backside of filter near enough backs on to fans. so probably 30-35% ish restriction maybe less? Only caddy frame behind which can get a 38mm between caddy and internal front panel so 13mm space
Can't get light rings on fans unless they can fit with in front as fans screw to internal front panel.(maybe a thin shroud type that screws through?)

"Stop it your giving me bad idea's Dremmels coming to mind!" lol

No please ,, no dremmels just yet.

I’d say look at some good static pressure fans. It’s a good starting point.

doyll · 3 May 2019 at 14:15

area51 said:
There are a pair of lian li funky square foam filters plus front panel which has a drilled mesh of around 2-2.5mm holes there is around 18mm from outside of front panel to front of filter grill and backside of filter near enough backs on to fans. so probably 30-35% ish restriction maybe less? Only caddy frame behind which can get a 38mm between caddy and internal front panel so 13mm space
Can't get light rings on fans unless they can fit with in front as fans screw to internal front panel.(maybe a thin shroud type that screws through?)

"Stop it your giving me bad idea's Dremmels coming to mind!" lol

With front door closed giving fron intakes the vent strips down each side into front and punched round hole vent with fans behind them is very restictive, so high pressure rated fans are needed. You probably don't need any rear exhaust fans if you remove all PCIe back slot covers to improve vent area around GPU and thus better front to back airflow to flow GPU heated exhaust back and out of case. As already suggest PH-F120MP are rated up to 1.72mm H2O @ 1600rpm and 25dB of noise are only £14.99 for a 2-pack.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/two-...120mm-fan-radiator-performance-bu-002-pt.html

But 2x 120mm intakes wil not supply as much a case airflow as a CPU cooler with 120mm fan and GPU with 2-3 80 / 90mm fans .. in fact they will only supply about 1/2 of case airflow you need.

area51 · 3 May 2019 at 18:03

doyll said:
With front door closed giving fron intakes the vent strips down each side into front and punched round hole vent with fans behind them is very restictive, so high pressure rated fans are needed. You probably don't need any rear exhaust fans if you remove all PCIe back slot covers to improve vent area around GPU and thus better front to back airflow to flow GPU heated exhaust back and out of case. As already suggest PH-F120MP are rated up to 1.72mm H2O @ 1600rpm and 25dB of noise are only £14.99 for a 2-pack.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/two-...120mm-fan-radiator-performance-bu-002-pt.html

But 2x 120mm intakes wil not supply as much a case airflow as a CPU cooler with 120mm fan and GPU with 2-3 80 / 90mm fans .. in fact they will only supply about 1/2 of case airflow you need.

Hi there isn't any door on the front that went west long time ago stripped bits of front that held it.
Ive a 360 rad in top of case running three noctura NF Think P? there the ones for rads with bigger motor hub.
Slats/slots in back are already slotted type plus has a strip down side of it thats slotted where can run a Lian li cooling fan system that sucks air in for Gpu.
Atmo have pair of Lian li stock fans installed there ok but don't move that much air? and at the rear a Lian Li blue led fan which isn't too bad on flow.
Do have a 120mm 38mm Delta fan fitted to plate/bracket that fixes behind H'D cage at base run off a Zalman pwm mate box mind which runs backwards as Delta runs pwm in reverse! up goes down!
Have it ready to go in but thinking of changing to put led fan instead and run delta on a thick 120x60mm rad fixed to outside case to delta on inside bolted through back panel.

What would be the best Lit fans to buy? could be blue or maybe RGB?

Many thanks

area51 · 3 May 2019 at 18:07

McstylisT said:
No please ,, no dremmels just yet.

I’d say look at some good static pressure fans. It’s a good starting point.

My Favourite is the Fein multi tool! mind had jig saw out other day and modded tray so have grommets now for cables.

Thinking of if don't go with plain fans to have led/rgb type so wondering which ones tick the most boxes?
There are some Lian Li ones i found on OC.

doyll · 4 May 2019 at 13:25

area51 said:
Hi there isn't any door on the front that went west long time ago stripped bits of front that held it.
Ive a 360 rad in top of case running three noctura NF Think P? there the ones for rads with bigger motor hub.
Slats/slots in back are already slotted type plus has a strip down side of it thats slotted where can run a Lian li cooling fan system that sucks air in for Gpu.
Atmo have pair of Lian li stock fans installed there ok but don't move that much air? and at the rear a Lian Li blue led fan which isn't too bad on flow.
Do have a 120mm 38mm Delta fan fitted to plate/bracket that fixes behind H'D cage at base run off a Zalman pwm mate box mind which runs backwards as Delta runs pwm in reverse! up goes down!
Have it ready to go in but thinking of changing to put led fan instead and run delta on a thick 120x60mm rad fixed to outside case to delta on inside bolted through back panel.

What would be the best Lit fans to buy? could be blue or maybe RGB?

Many thanks

I don't use lit fans so don't know any. I would probably use Phanteks Halos on PH-F120MP fans.

area51 · 4 May 2019 at 21:32

doyll said:
I don't use lit fans so don't know any. I would probably use Phanteks Halos on PH-F120MP fans.

Thought about them but fans sit flush to front internal panel unless can get a shroud halo so fix fans through them.

doyll · 5 May 2019 at 11:57

Phanteks Halos can be mounted between fan and case or on fan. While they are only 6mm thick, some fan screws might not be long enough to mount them with fan, but most will. Also having the added 6mm between fan and wha it's mounted to often lowers noise levels.

area51 · 5 May 2019 at 13:02

doyll said:
Phanteks Halos can be mounted between fan and case or on fan. While they are only 6mm thick, some fan screws might not be long enough to mount them with fan, but most will. Also having the added 6mm between fan and wha it's mounted to often lowers noise levels.

Hi will have a looksy at them cheers just that led fans liven front up a bit? mind got a 20 watt led cob chip which lights whole street up let alone case was sitting inside below res as it's an EK spin fully clear one i wired it up but unpluuged atmo. ive some blue and UV leds in there as came to two plumbed into holes in rear plus have to tubes that screw in that leds push into but still have one hole in back which thinking of modding H'D action led into?