[SOLVED] Is it okay to change out the default fans on a liquid radiator?

[BrandonFitzpatricc]

I'm replacing my Cooler Master ML240L with a Corsair H100i Pro. I want to keep using the fans on the ML240L instead of the ones that come with the H100i Pro, because they match the rest of my build and they've served me well. I don't see why that would be an issue, but I just want to confirm that it won't affect cooling performance at all

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

in a lot of instances you would be better off switching them out with something with higher air pressure, and possibly less noise.

a lot of CM fans nowadays are using proprietary connections.
make sure the CM fans are using a standard 4 pin PWM and a standard 3 pin aRGB connection.

unless the ML240L has malfunctioned,
why would you be switching it out for almost the exact same quality product?

 

[Phaaze88]

Yes and no.
1)The FPI(Fins Per Inch) across most AIO radiators is largely the same. FPI is pretty much how much air resistance is presented by the radiator.
2)On paper, the H100i's fans are stronger at 100%, but this is all made moot by your ears. They ultimately determine the performance you get.
3)Fan performance does not scale linearly, so it's impossible to tell which performs better/worse at a given speed below 100%. You'd have to test them side-by-side to figure it out.


TL;DR: Do it if you wish, and enjoy.

 

[BrandonFitzpatricc]

in a lot of instances you would be better off switching them out with something with higher air pressure, and possibly less noise.

a lot of CM fans nowadays are using proprietary connections.
make sure the CM fans are using a standard 4 pin PWM and a standard 3 pin aRGB connection.

unless the ML240L has malfunctioned,
why would you be switching it out for almost the exact same quality product?

It's mostly due to me being cautious of liquid coolers. I prefer them over air, but I've heard that if you use a radiator for too long, the hoses can become worn and potentially cause leaking. Not to mention it was dirt cheap compared to other radiators, and people generally say it's poor quality (it hasn't given me any performance issues, but I'm worried more about the durability). I bought it because I was on a much tighter budget than I am now.

I know that I'm probably being overly paranoid, but god forbid that the radiator leaks and Cooler Master refuses to replace the 3070 that I spent months trying to get at a reasonable price. I'm sure I could've used the ML240L longer without any issue, but I need to replace my motherboard anyway due to failing USB ports, so I figured that I'd do it all at once to save me the hassle. I feel much more confident about the durability of the H100i Pro, so I'm hoping to avoid upgrading anything for the next five years after this.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

I've heard that if you use a radiator for too long, the hoses can become worn and potentially cause leaking.

this is definitely not the norm.
you may find 1 out of every 1000 users commenting that this may have happened to them once over many builds, but i would doubt that many even.
maybe if you flex them constantly day by day and maneuver the tubing where it connects to pump and/or radiator too much, but regular usage would pose no threat to your system.

i'm on my 5th liquid cooled system now over the last 13 years and all but one of those AIOs are still in use and functioning as they should.
the one exception is an EVGA CLC280 who's pump just failed earlier this year but EVGA replaced it with no issue.

i've had a couple customers and run into a few threads where owners all had a similar issue;
that the way they had their radiator installed had caused clogged tubing where the temperatures would spike due to lack of liquid flow.
each time the issue was corrected by removing the pump & radiator and flexing, shaking, rotating them to free the blockage.
then reinstalling them in a better position would prevent the issue from reoccurring.