Very Noisy Computer Fan.

Atomic_guy

Hi, What to do with noisy computer fans. Are there any tricks
or tweeks can be applied to reduce the noise fans make inside
the base tower?

I was thinking of getting fan speed regulator?

Any advice would be appreciated.

leemoss

You can buy quieter fans, they are very easy to replace.
Also some BIOS have settings to reduce the fan speed, remember to keep an eye on the core temperature if you do this though.

HappyMJ

Replacement... As above... Keep the CPU temperature low.

santer_2

Speedfan lets you adjust the speed without entering BIOS set up

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

Check the fan you have is free of dirt

SteveJH200

Depends what fan is noisy. With the computer running stick a pencil momentarily in each fan to identify which fans are causing excess noise. As mentioned above, clean the fan of dust to see if it makes any difference. I use a company called 'Quiet PC' as everything they supply reduces noise levels. They are extremely helpful and their tech guy, Andy, will always reply and give very sound advice. They are not the cheapest on parts but their expertise makes up for it.

Dave_C_2

Past experience has shown that a noisy fan is a sign of immanent failure.

If you stick a pencil in the fan at the back of the case cover and the noise stops then it's the PSU fan. If this fails then you get the familiar smell of hot electronics before the thermal fuse/ cutout kicks in. It's just as cheap to replace the whole PSU> My last one was only £15.

Otherwise it's probably the processor cooler fan, then replace it straight away.

Dave

scheming_gypsy

First step is to make sure that the fan is clear. Pop the lip off the PC and make sure there are no wires in the fan as very often a noisy fan is actually the fan clipping a wire as it spins.

InsideInsurance

Wouldn't go sticking pencils or anything else in either the PSU or CPU fans.

As others have said, ensure all fans are clean and work out which fans are making the offending noise. If it is a case fan then clean then and possibly replace them with a lower noise version.

If it is the PSU then replace the PSU with a quieter model.

If it is the CPU then carefully clean it and if that doesnt work consider replacing the heatsink and fan (remember to use thermal paste). If the case allows you can buy much larger heat sinks that require much less airflow and so operate much quieter.

VividReality

easiest thing would be to replace the fan, you can just measure the size of the one currently installed (measured in mm) and then go buy one from a majority of online stores.

Fan regulators are nice but they create so much wire clutter inside your case, without proper cable tidying, you'll be obstructing airflow.

Speedfan doesnt work for all models

Finally if you find the noise is coming from the PSU, don't stick anything into pencils into that, or attempt to replace the fan on it. Buy a new one, its a simple case of unplugging all its connectors, unscrew and find the wattage on the side of the PSU. Then go buy one.

SteveJH200

Okay - the minimum amount of fans a computer has is two - one built into the PSU and the other on the CPU. Then up to three extra fans can be installed on most cases although generally there is one at the front and one at the rear. Larger fans produce less noise than the smaller ones. Cheaper fans tend to be more noisy than those costing a more. Depending on the age of the computer a 2 pin CPU fan will run at its full speed but Zalman make an inexpensive regulator that fits on the outside of the case and you can turn the speed down but you will need to monitor the temperature of the CPU. Later motherboards from socket 775 onwards will use a 3 pin PWR CPU fan that is regulated automatically according to how hot the CPU gets. Some motherboards come with overclocking software where you can adjust the fan speed.

So, if the noise from your computer fan/s is causing you to go insane then you need to find out what fans are making the noise. It is perfectly okay to briefly stop the fan with a pencil or plastic pen so you can determine what fan/s are giving you grief. Cheaper PSU's with 80mm fans will generally be noisy whether they are dusty or not. CPU and case fans are worth cleaning to see if it reduces noise. If not then go to the Quiet PC website and check out their products. PSU's with 120/130mm fans are very quiet and they don't break the bank. If your case fans need replacing then consider fitting larger ones if the case size allows it.

You could also buy a case with soundproofing as well as quieter fans - the world is your oyster!!

Atomic_guy

Thank you all. I got 3 fans in my case, on top of the PSU fan and CPU Fan.

I been reading a bit on the internet. Found some guys managed to get the

fan speed down and quieten it down by sticking a resistor on the positive

wire of the fan to get the voltage to about 7.5V.

Do you think this is a good idea?