Replacement Fans for H100

Slade2

Slade2

Slade2

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I recently installed a new H100 in my system (5/6 months ago) - Over the last few days at least one of the fans on the res has started to sound really bad when it runs, annoying loud if i`m honest. I am currently running the system in a pull config with the fans mounted on the outside of the case and the res on the inside, this was to make it easier to just clean the inside of the res to get the dust off. Now, I know I should take my pc apart and give it a nice clean out from the inside but I think for the cost I should look to replace the fans on the H100 at the same time because I am sure one of them is defective. So, OCUK what are the best set of fans for this CPU cooler that you people recommend to use in a pull config?

Thanks,

Slade2
 
I dont see temps above 50 with my current fans. I think the issue is to do with the fan speed they seem to make more noise when I am using the PC more for gaming after that they slow down and the noise is less, could I just have some faulty fans?
 
Slade2 said:
I dont see temps above 50 with my current fans. I think the issue is to do with the fan speed they seem to make more noise when I am using the PC more for gaming after that they slow down and the noise is less, could I just have some faulty fans?
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Not faulty, they adjust their RPM as the CPU is under load, you can make a custom fan profile in the Corsair link software to make them quieter at the expense of higher temps.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I could run it in push of course its just makes cleaning the damn thing a lot harder but to be honest for that price I could just get new fans every 6 months. what do other people do? I am running with pull simply because its easier to clean the inside of the rad than take the fans off to clean it all
 
MrMD said:
For radiators you almost always get better performance by using fans in push rather than just pull.
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Several high profile reviewers (the likes of Linus TechTips, et al) have debunked this with a load of tests.
Their findings have been that there is no significant performance from either push or pull. Having fans in push generally traps about 3-4 times more dust and gumph between fan and rad than having fans in pull over the same time period. That is the only difference.
Having fans in push-pull does increase performance, however.

As to the OP's question - Yep, fan revs (and thus noise) increases to match CPU load, with the H100's supplied fans kicking out 39dB at their maximum 2500rpm. They shift 156 m³/h and generate 7.7 mm/H2O, but they're bloody noisy on top.
I repurposed mine to simply relay air inside the case, so they're rarely on and even then only at a whisper-quiet sub-1000rpm, but on full chat they make my PC sound like an F14 taking off!!

For my H100 I use a pair of Noctua NF-F12 120mm fans in pull.
They're pretty quiet even on full chat, despite exhausting through the top grille and you have to listen closely to hear them through the noise of the H100 pump.
I find Noctuas aren't the absolute performance chart toppers, but they remain pretty high while offering the greatest reduction in noise.
 
Thanks ttmasmaster, I think I shall do exactly as you have and will order a couple of Noctua`s to replace the stock fans.

I have given the fans a good clean out and I think the original issue was the fan vibration was somehow transferring to the case and increasing the noise, this stopped for a bit after cleaning but has now returned again. I think it's rather a faulty or noisy fan (its only 1 fan that is making the noise and not the other one) as this is a new noise and not something I`m used to so I will look to replace with the noctua's
 
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gentle typhoons were considered the best rad fans a few years back don't know if that still stands but might do
 
C64 said:
gentle typhoons were considered the best rad fans a few years back don't know if that still stands but might do
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If you can find them...
They've been discontinued for a while and apparently go for a fair bit of scratch, these days.

Slade2 said:
I have given the fans a good clean out and I think the original issue was the fan vibration was somehow transferring to the case and increasing the noise, this stopped for a bit after cleaning but has now returned again.
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Unfortunately, rubber mounting points don't usually work on rad fans.
You can get rubber grommets to go between the fan and mounting point, which help reduce vibration. I personally dislike these, as it opens up the space between fan and rad - In push the airflow leaks out, and in pull the airflow coming through the rad is reduced as it's also intaking from the side.

Depending on your case and mounting options, sometimes even the case mounting point can create enough space to reduce efficiency. However, you can seal the gap with Sugru or similar! ;)

You'll always get some kind of noise from fans, even if it's the sound of airflow or resonance from within the case. But if only one fan of the twin set has started sounding bad then it's almost certainly the fan that's knackered. It could be one of the fans' bearing has been damaged by dust and grit. That happened to one of my ill-fated Enermaxes.
 
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