Adding fans
From TheBestCaseScenario
[edit] Installing fans
Lets face it, fans rock! Well, at least when they are used when needed and if needed. The bigger, the better! Variable speeds, with or without LEDs, the list goes on and on. We love them all. Some might go the fanless, absolute silence way, but they still respect the power of the fan!
Part tutorial, part historical review (if you will), this article’s scope is not to determine where you put the fan or why; but will rather cover the all important step of how.
[edit] Shapes and sizes
We have different shapes and sizes for fans, but we modders use the standard ones mainly: 40~60mm fans for really tight spots, 80>92>120mm fans for cooling anything and maybe something bigger if we are really obsessed. With some exceptions, they are all meant for screw mounting. Fan sizes are up to 250 mm. There are so many out there, that it has been difficult to select a few.. So long-time forum member dgrmkrp did a random selection from his fan pics and came up with the following:
[edit] 40mm fan
| Great for cooling small spots: small chips, mice, even hard drives in case you mount them in your 5.25" bay area. Still, airflow is very extremely low and noise is not. | 
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[edit] 40mm + LEDs fan
| Just like the 40mm normal fan, but this has a bit of bling to it. Again, really nice for modding in small places. | 
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[edit] 60mm fan
| 60mm fans are good in tight spaces and may offer good cooling, but at the expense of noise. Because they are still small, they have to rev up to cool good. Useful when you want airflow and have that much space only. | 
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[edit] 60mm + LEDs fan
| Although rare, you can use these to brighten your case. They are sometimes used in HDD cooling, because they are more silent than 50mm fans, which are oddly absent from this list. | 
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[edit] 70mm fan
| You won't find these for cases usually. 70mm fans were (and still are) used in CPU cooling for some time by OEMs and after market cooling. Still, rare or not, you may need/have one. | 
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[edit] 80mm fans
| These were once very common and still are.
This size is very versatile and manages to pack quietness and power in a small foot-print. The grayish black is common and has many uses. Variations on the plastic and shape exist and flourish. | 
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[edit] 80mm thin fan
| 80mm square and 15mm in depth vs 25 mm normal thickness? Rare, mainly used in PSUs with double fan configurations, or where depth(space) is at a premium. Still, very useful. Think cooling in awkward places, laptops, thin spots. | 
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[edit] 80mm clear fan
| This is the realm of case fans with windows and nice "guts". Acting like the normal medium or silent 80mm black fan, but with clear plastics, these are very popular. Also, they are a stepping stone in the evolution of fans. | 
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[edit] 80mm UV fan
| If they could make clear fans, why not spice things up and put something in the plastic? Well, UV pigments are here! With same motors and efficiency, they get a boost from UV lights. | 
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[edit] 80mm + LEDs fan
| Nowadays, this is what you're most likely to buy and use. They are a compromise between noise and airflow, but are still efficient. Their major advantage is their 3 or 4(or more) LEDs. Lots of colors, patterns and possibilities! And cool! | 
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[edit] 80mm special open frame fan
| Different from fans which have slits in their frame, AC3 fans are really open. And as such, they can be mounted one way only. Usually, they are used for heat exhaust in a very low noise way. Of course, with some ingenuity, they can be used as intakes too. These are very silent fans and move as much air as normal black/led 80mm fans, but are slightly larger and more prone to wires or other things entering their blade-space. | 
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[edit] 92mm fan
| These fans are more powerful than 80mm ones (more blade area, bigger motors) and can be more quite too. From heatsinks to cases, when you have room for a bigger fan, they can be used! There are models with really high output and models with better db/cfm ratios than 80mm fans, so they are a plus! | 
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[edit] 92mm LED fan
| Why not? Any fan that can be made.. can have LEDs too, right? Same aesthetic principles apply as with other models. | 
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[edit] 92mm special open frame fan
| From another manufacturer, a different kind of open frame. Same idea (less noise), same application, different package. | 
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[edit] 120mm fan
| From total silence to hair-blowing winds, these bad boys can do it all. They do take some space, but they are more efficient than anything up till now. New computer standards make extensive use of them, and this number (120) is all over the watercooling arena. | 
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[edit] 120mm + LEDs fan
| Again, we take the medium and silent end of the 120mm fan arena and add some lighting to it. More bling for the buck! | 
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[edit] 130 mm fan
| Open frame, bigger size, 130mm package? Nice idea, quiet and attracting design. Recommended as a CPU fan, why not use it as you desire? |
[edit] 140mm fan
| Okay, with or without LEDs, at this size up, it doesn't matter anymore. Most of the big fans are made for quiet cooling, because big dimensions are harder to make stable at high RPMs. Still, if you look at monster fans out there (150mm delta, for instance), the output of these is stellar! Fair warning, these beasts are not quiet, so for niche users only. | 
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[edit] 200mm fan
| These are rare fans, used in newer cases (antec 900), that have more puff and lower revs. Very uncommon in size, but reports show that these fans are quite good. Some may come with their own speed controller (tricool fans) and they usually have a molex connector, because of their higher power draw. | 
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[edit] 250mm fan
| These are also rare fans, but because of their gargantuan size more and more case manufacturers use them. Sold by a few on-line shops by themselves, they usually have a switch to change air flow direction and maybe even leds. Because of their size, they don't need to go beyond 1000 rpm and produce lower amounts of noise. | 
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[edit] 360mm fan
| These are perhaps the least common of all mainstream computer fan sizes, being available only in selected computer cases, including the XClio A380 Plus and Tagan CS-El Diablo. |
This list is by no means complete, as fan manufacturers seem to come up with new combinations of features on a somewhat regular basis. And as you can see, some are for performance, some have that extra bling factor, and quite a few models adhere to both mindsets.
So you've picked out your new fan, ordered it (or went to a brick and mortar store), and now you're wondering "just where should I put my new treasure" right? Read on, young padawan, and learn the mysteries of fan mounting.
[edit] Installing: Methods of mounting
[edit] Cage mounts
| When you have a case and a fan, you might find that there is something weird in the way. The purple thing is a cage for the fan to mount into. Tool-less installation philosophy at its finest! However, some are reported to conduct and amplify vibrations, but it is a very reliable and fast mounting option. | 
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[edit] Screws
| Maybe you want to install a fan on a heatsink? OK, then you need these little things. | 
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[edit] Push pins
| AS easy as pushing a pin! Most of the time anyways; some of the more rubbery ones are tough to align and place, but these babies can be used for most installs. Manufacturers also claim these push pins reduce vibration. If your fan did not come with these, don't fret, there are other ways to achieve dampening. | 
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[edit] Wire mounting
| Only few heatsinks use this method. IF you have one, it's easy to put together. | 
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[edit] Self-tapping screws
| These come with all fans. Useful and nice, they can be painted, chromed, well, you get the idea. Very handy when you need to install most fans, but they require tools and some force. | 
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[edit] Nuts&Bolts
| The easiest way out. Very versatile, sometimes used as a last resort when you are fed up with the other methods and can't use others. This approach can take some engineering sometimes, but usually, it's easier than with screws. | 
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As can be seen above, there are several ways of doing the same task. Usually, a fan comes equipped with 4 self-tapping screws that take some time to screw in at first. If you ever installed them, you probably hate them (or not). Just a bit maybe? Why? Because you have to turn the screw driver really hard and imagine you do this for several fans one after the other, blisters and boredom could set in. Sure, an electric screwdriver helps, but too much force can lead to a busted fan, or a stripped screw head. And you don't want that.
[edit] Other Ways Of Mounting Fans
[edit] Wires
This method is usually used in some older heat sinks, small ones and/or with a design that calls for no holes for classic mounting. Still, if by chance you need to do this, they just clip on. You either start from pushing the wire in the fan or the other way round. In the end, you just move the wire in such a way it clips the fan on the heat sink. Do it slowly, one side first and the fan will clip nicely and firmly. Silicon strips may be used in between to dampen vibrations. I've seen this method used in heat-sinks that don't have any points to mount screws or rubber pins, either because wire clips are cheaper or because there is no other way.
[edit] Cages
These are as simple/tricky as wires. You have to slide the fan in the cage and then force it, but gently, until it rests its holes over some small pins. The important thing to note is that if you break them, you can make some holes either with a drill or in the stress relieving way of poking a hole with a nail or a punch, and use screws/nuts and bolts. If it’s your first time, be careful not to use too much force, but some is needed. And just looking at the problem for a while may actually help in this case.
[edit] The process
OK, now that you have the fan and you can see the way it mounts, let us discuss how to mount it. If you use the normal ATX alignment, then you will have fans blowing from the front to the upper-back. Locate the arrow on the fan or empirically discover the way air blows through. Fan blades are made that they move air efficiently in one way only. Usually, if they have a frame, they have one arrow pointing in the spin direction and one in the direction air blows. These are obviously perpendicular to each other for an axial fan. If you mount a blower fan, you can skip this part, as they have a clear structure. They blow air from the side out... After you figured out how you will mount the fan (blowing in or out of the case), take your screws and... Install it! Some pictures for different case:
[edit] Normal?
One thing you should consider is what normal airflow means and does in a case.. If you are not very experienced or don't have that many custom systems under your belt, you should consider the normal ATX flow, with cold air coming from the front and hot air exhausted to the back. Variations are cold entering side, hot leaving side and hot leaving top. What is important is that the fan is placed like you want it and how it should: look for the arrows and use them. If there are no arrows on the side of the fan, them 90% of fans will have the air forced out the section with the struts. But 99% of the time you can guess the airflow direction by the tips of the blades: the part that is more "pointy" is trying to "leave" from the center of the fan. So, by mentally drawing a curve from the center of the fan to the point of the edge you can "see" the normal rotation of that particular fan. Where the "edge" of the blade is, there air is forced in the fan.. and it exits the other way :) So, no matter how weird an axial fan is, this rule is 99% guaranteed!
pic: normal fans and an open frame one
The open frame design allows air to be sucked in from around the fan too, but usually the performance is kinda the same. They can't move more air if they don't have a faster motor, larger blades, or a combination of other factors. Usually, they are more silent than deadly!
[edit] Putting Them In
Once you have your desired airflow direction set, you can "take" your fan and its mating surface and ponder some more: Is your fan mountable? Cause some fans have the holes so big that a screw can go from one side only.. These are some open-frame ones and are usually only for exhaust purposes. Some modding can make them universal again, but this is not the place to discuss that.
Normal fan and the way it is installed to be an intake. Air comes from the other side, passes through the fan and gets accelerated, then exists in your case. Good for cooling hard drives, video adapters or any other hot spots.
Normal fan as an exhaust. Air is forced out of the case, as the blades of the fan "cut" pieces of air and force them out. Good for top of the case, side of your PCI area or exhausting hot air from where it accumulates.
Open-frame as an exhaust. This is just the same as the above, but looks different. And it can normally be used only as an exhaust.
[edit] DANGER
You should spot the difference in screw length.. It is very important not only for aesthetics but also for water-cooling fixtures to use screws long enough, but not longer! If you were to use too long a screw, you could pierce through the radiator core and have leaks on your hands and case! So, be careful! If you have normal self-threading screws and use them frequently, you might notice that they "erode" and after several installs you get useless screws. Also, forcing a different thread screw in a hole may result in damage to both and maybe even the impossibility to dismantle the assembly.
[edit] Power issues
If this is your first fan, we're gonna be easy on you: you have 4 ways of installing it.
A2-pin (+ wire and - wire... that's all) connector, like on older video-boards. Just plug it in, as it fits one way only.
A 3-pin connector, very very popular with motherboards and fan controllers, which involves almost no care from the user part (manufacturers should take care and use this connector only for small wattage applications, where the motherboard can supply that particular voltage and current). You have 3 wires because this method gives you more information: rpm or rotations per minute. It’s nice for normal people and control freaks.
A 4-pin, non-molex connector, also associated with PWM (pulse width modulation). The forth wire gives the fan information about its need to power up or down ;) Looks like the last one, but has one more pin/connector hole. This is very good for on board fan management, as it allows controlling the speed and output of the fan. Used in new motherboards and with just a few fan models(CPU coolers mainly, some video boards). Still, this will replace fan controllers eventually().. And make it easier for the end user.
A 4-pin molex connector. This is used for hi-powered fans and for arrangements of fans that take more than, oh, let’s say, 0.3~0.4A on their own or together. Or just by sloppy manufacturers or good engineers which thought out the advantages and disadvantages of more interfaces. This method offers no control/monitoring capabilities on its own.
When buying a fan, look for ones with rpm monitoring and a spare pass through molex connector... at least! If you need some control, models with integrated control functionality are available for your modding pleasure. Remember: it is your build. Anything will do, as long as it meets the requirements!
[edit] More fans!
Adding several fans to a system will add noise to say the least, so think about it and see if you can live (sleep) with it. A nice and efficient heat sink might profit from the airflow from one carefully positioned fan and negate the necessity for more fans, and noise. Also bear in mind that more fans equals more power consumption. If you have a high quality PSU, no stress. If you have a old PSU that goes wacky on you sometimes, be careful on adding too many fans. It will lower overclocking potential and system stability by using up precious voltage needed for more important components that ironically need better cooling. So, take care!
Remember: a good fan is best in combination with a good heatsink. And another thing to note is that you can always go 'so far' with one cooling method. Most circuits have graphics with curves on them that can tell you their cooling needs and their limits, but this doesn't usually apply to computer parts. So, by trial and error, an enthusiast user can find what fan can 'drive' a certain heatsink to it's fullest capability: if you add more CFM, there will come a point where no more improvement in temperature occurs. This way, you can avoid overkill and stay as silent as possible in best thermal conditions.
[edit] Ghetto style installs
Let's say you don't want to be conventional. Or you don't have screws, or any of the above mentioned items. As long as you have some wires or zip ties handy, use them. Even threads used for sewing are good. Also, think of mounting a fan in mid-air, in the place where there was a side panel, but you don't care about it anymore and would like more cooling power. At this point, you show your creative side, because as long as it stays put and works without things sticking in the blades, you have installed the fan!
So, let's talk more concrete actions and situations:
[edit] Zip ties
There are some places where a fan can stay put using the nifty little zip tie. Wherever a grill (maybe stamped) or a heatsink with some holes in it are available, you can use a zip tie or two to mount a fan. Simply put the tie in a hole, then in the fan, then tighten it.
[edit] Thread
Using 4 holes in the case and the 4 holes in the fan can give you a nice and 2-axis adjustable installations. Let's say your sound card overheats. Highly unlikely, but possible. And you want spot cooling right on the card itself, but there isn't anything there to mount the fan on. It's Sunday night, you have no side panel. Then take some wire/thread and do a nice loop for each pair of holes. Take length and tension into consideration and tie everything down. Connect power and there you have your floating, mechanically decoupled fan.
[edit] Glue
Why not? Duct tape, double sided tape, Superglue: if it will hold, you can use it. If you are happy with it and it works! Altough this is a quick fix and not very noise friendly, it is creative and leaves room for improvement.