Nervous about swapping fans on H100i

Moleyman

Moleyman

Moleyman

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29 Mar 2015
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Norwich, Norfolk
Hi everyone,

I'm new here, so apologies if I have put this in the wrong forum.

I have a H100i mounted in the top of my Define R4 case and I am getting fed up with the noisy stock fans.

So, after doing some googling and youtubing, I have purchased a pair of Noctua NF-F12 PWM fans with the hope of swapping them on to the H100i; I am hoping to swap them over this coming weekend.

From what I have seen on youtube, it looks like just unscrewing the existing fans and unplugging them from the fan Y-splitter cable on the H100i block/pump and then connecting the new F12s back on to the Y splitter cable and screwing them back on the the radiator. I think.

But I am still somewhat nervous. I'm worried about shorting something out, static etc - although I intend to do this on a wooden table with a ceramic tiled floor so I don't think I'd build up too much static. When my PC was built everything has been cable-tied together really neatly but it makes getting to things just that bit trickier, I find.

There also doesn't look that much room to get the right-hand fan out, so I'll have to pop the RAM out as well but one of the release latches looks like it is under the fan I want to take out.

One other question that I do have is - do I have to "calibrate" the new fans once they are installed as they are only around 1500rpm fans and the stock are somewhere around 2500rpm, I believe.

in case it helps, my motherboard is a Gigabyte Z87X-OC

If anyone has any tips, advice or any "gotchas" to look out for I would really appreciate it a lot.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.

All the best,

Moley
 
Hello, and welcome!

It is literally as easy as you said, unplug and unscrew the old ones, then i'd screw in then plug in the new ones, makes it easier to route the cable as you don't have a heavy fan attached!

I've never encountered a problem with static working on a wooden table with wooden floor, you'll be fine. You could buy an anti-static band if you were really that worried but that's up to you.

You should have to calibrate them, only change the speed of the fans through the corsair software, but this may not be needed it depends on noise levels at the end of the day and like you said the fan RPM.

Make sure you don't cut any cables when cutting the cable ties, done this a few times and having to take it all out to re-solder them is a pain to say the least.

It's really easy to do!
 
Agree with the whole thing being easy but I can understand being a bit nervous. I was actually messing around putting my H100i in another case today and changing the fans really is a doddle.

If you decide to unplug the whole y-splitter cable, you might have a bit of trouble disconnecting/reconnecting it from the pump, especially if it's a tight squeeze in your case. The connector is quite small and it can be difficult to see the port on the topside of the pump, especially if your mobo has meaty heatsinks.

I rediscovered that today. Just take your time and if you have a small torch, use it.
 
Unscrew one fan then put the new Noctua fan in then unscrew the other and put the other Noctua fan in, this means the radiator will stay in place and makes it much easier than if the radiator comes loose and you have to realign the holes and screw in at the same time.
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for both the warm welcome and for the advice & encouragement.

Guess it is just a confidence thing; who knows, maybe next weekend I'll be throwing a whole new machine together. Or not.

If anyone thinks of anything else before the weekend, please feel free to chime in.

All the best and thanks again,

Moley
 
Hi everyone,

Just a quick thought on this... is it likely that I will have to unmount the radiator from my case to be able to do this, or will I be able to unscrew the fans in situ?

Thank again,

Moley
 
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