Silent fan for overheating CPU

[pandaroso]

Have a desktop with an i7 4790K (not overclocked) with stock fan. My case is a Fractal Define R4 (www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r4-black-pearl).

The CPU overheats, so want to change the fan, but need it to remain silent. Tried a Noctua NH-D14 (www.amazon.com/Noctua-NH-D14-Heatpipe-Radiator-Bearing/dp/B002VKVZ1A). Had read excellent reviews regarding its cooling and how relatively silent it is

Problem is, it is too loud. Could hear it all the time running. The stock fan is inaudible. Any suggestions as to an alternative fan on the silent side? Does not need to be the best at cooling, just better than the stock fan.

Thank you!

 

[marksavio]

you can replace the fans on your coolers. the corsair sp120 is the most powerful and silent fan i know of.

 

[Paperdoc]

HMMM! Your CPU was overheating when using the stock fan. So you replaced it with what should have been a better fan, and that new one runs very fast always, although it appears from your post that you are less worried about overheating. Whoops! Just noted you did NOT replace merely the fan - the NH-D14 is a complete cooling system with heatsink, fan, mounting hardware and brackets, and new thermal paste. So, why does the CPU chip overheat? Not overclocked, you say. How was the heatsink mounted on the CPU chip? Did you remove any plastic protective film from it (if any) before installing? Did you follow instructions for thermal paste installation? Did tou clean off old paste properly? Is the CPU cooler system mounted securely and in solid contact with the CPU chip? I'm looking here for reasons why heat flow from chip to heatsink might not be adequate.

Also, how do you know it is overheating? What data are you seeing, and what did you expect to see?

 

[dudmont]

HMMM! Your CPU was overheating when using the stock fan. So you replaced it with what should have been a better fan, and that new one runs very fast always, although it appears from your post that you are less worried about overheating. Whoops! Just noted you did NOT replace merely the fan - the NH-D14 is a complete cooling system with heatsink, fan, mounting hardware and brackets, and new thermal paste. So, why does the CPU chip overheat? Not overclocked, you say. How was the heatsink mounted on the CPU chip? Did you remove any plastic protective film from it (if any) before installing? Did you follow instructions for thermal paste installation? Did tou clean off old paste properly? Is the CPU cooler system mounted securely and in solid contact with the CPU chip? I'm looking here for reasons why heat flow from chip to heatsink might not be adequate.

Also, how do you know it is overheating? What data are you seeing, and what did you expect to see?

I tend to have the same questions as you. I'm wondering how he was controlling the fan speeds on the D14. Did he have them running full blast? I have several A14s in my current system and they're very quiet so long as they're not running at max speed(1500rpm give or take). Yes the D14 doesn't use the A14, but the fans it does use aren't able to run as fast, so hence, should be pretty daggone quiet.
This is an interesting thread, in the sense that something smells a touch funny about it.....

 

[pandaroso]

Thanks very much guys. I'm aware of all of that. I'm simply looking for suggestions for a good yet very quiet CPU fan (not external fans), independently of the thermal paste (reapplied recently and correctly). Provided the Noctua NH-D14 as reference as it is lauded as a relatively quiet cooling system, as quiet as liquid cooling systems, yet it is too loud for me. Cheers.

 

[pandaroso]

HMMM! Your CPU was overheating when using the stock fan. So you replaced it with what should have been a better fan, and that new one runs very fast always, although it appears from your post that you are less worried about overheating. Whoops! Just noted you did NOT replace merely the fan - the NH-D14 is a complete cooling system with heatsink, fan, mounting hardware and brackets, and new thermal paste. So, why does the CPU chip overheat? Not overclocked, you say. How was the heatsink mounted on the CPU chip? Did you remove any plastic protective film from it (if any) before installing? Did you follow instructions for thermal paste installation? Did tou clean off old paste properly? Is the CPU cooler system mounted securely and in solid contact with the CPU chip? I'm looking here for reasons why heat flow from chip to heatsink might not be adequate.

Also, how do you know it is overheating? What data are you seeing, and what did you expect to see?

I tend to have the same questions as you. I'm wondering how he was controlling the fan speeds on the D14. Did he have them running full blast? I have several A14s in my current system and they're very quiet so long as they're not running at max speed(1500rpm give or take). Yes the D14 doesn't use the A14, but the fans it does use aren't able to run as fast, so hence, should be pretty daggone quiet.
This is an interesting thread, in the sense that something smells a touch funny about it.....

That's an excellent point I did not consider. I did not start up the Operating System with the D14. I simply connected the D14 to the power source, closed the case, and powered it on to gauge the noise. In other words, did not control the fan speeds.

You think it would have been running at full blast, and if I start up the OS and leave it idling it would be quieter?

 

[Paperdoc]

Well, you are right to ask for suggestions rather than going on a buying spree.

Clarify, " I simply connected the D14 to the power source, ....". What power source? Is it plugged into the mobo's CPU_FAN header, or somewhere else?

IF it is plugged into the CPU_FAN header, automatic control of its speed is NOT related to the OS. Automatic control by the CPU_FAN header is done entirely by the mobo itself. But I am intrigued how you managed to turn on the system without loading and running the OS.

Check in BIOS Setup for how the CPU_FAN header is configured. It should be in Automatic control profile, rather than something like Full Speed of Max Cooling. Now, check carefully the setting for the Mode of control. I see that the fans supplied with the NH-D14 cooler are of the 3-pin design, and it comes with a splitter to connect both of them to the single CPU_FAN header. To control the speed of 3-pin fans, a mobo header can NOT use PWM Mode. It MUST be in Voltage Control Mode (aka DC Mode) or, if that's not a choice, in Automatic Mode. (That latter mode is supposed to detect the fan type connected and configure itself to match.) A 3-pin fan connected to a header that uses PWM Mode will always run full speed.

 

[pandaroso]

Well, you are right to ask for suggestions rather than going on a buying spree.

Clarify, " I simply connected the D14 to the power source, ....". What power source? Is it plugged into the mobo's CPU_FAN header, or somewhere else?

IF it is plugged into the CPU_FAN header, automatic control of its speed is NOT related to the OS. Automatic control by the CPU_FAN header is done entirely by the mobo itself. But I am intrigued how you managed to turn on the system without loading and running the OS.

Check in BIOS Setup for how the CPU_FAN header is configured. It should be in Automatic control profile, rather than something like Full Speed of Max Cooling. Now, check carefully the setting for the Mode of control. I see that the fans supplied with the NH-D14 cooler are of the 3-pin design, and it comes with a splitter to connect both of them to the single CPU_FAN header. To control the speed of 3-pin fans, a mobo header can NOT use PWM Mode. It MUST be in Voltage Control Mode (aka DC Mode) or, if that's not a choice, in Automatic Mode. (That latter mode is supposed to detect the fan type connected and configure itself to match.) A 3-pin fan connected to a header that uses PWM Mode will always run full speed.

Plugged it to the mobo's CPU_FAN header. Then closed the case and turned it on. Have a boot level password so it didn't go beyond that. I'll give it a second try and look at what you pointed at.

If I understood correctly, I should be able to set PWM Mode / DC mode at bios level. If unable and forced to use PWM mode, then should then look for a 4-pin fan.

Thanks very much

 

[dudmont]

I run all my fans off my mobo's 4 pin pwm connectors. My bios has relatively easy to use interface for setting temp points where fan speeds rise, but I normally have them running at very low speeds(1100-1200rpms). At such low speeds they are virtually silent(there's a slight little bit of noise, but it's not unpleasant, as I have slept through it many times).
The trick is to figure out where in your bios the fan speed controls are and then how to get them set to a spot where they're both quiet during easy usage but ramped up when you're taxing the cpu. What brand of motherboard do you have?

 

[dudmont]

It looks like Paperdoc has this covered. Good luck and happy cooling.

 

[pandaroso]

The issue indeed was fan was running at full speed because it has a 3 pin connector and Bios fan control was in PWM mode. Changed to DC mode and all good. So no need for a quieter CPU fan. That said, notice that PWM has a considerably higher minimum speed (50%) vs DC mode. Thus may decide to ditch the Noctua and look for a CPU fan with a 4 pin connector. Thanks all.

 

[Paperdoc]

You're welcome, and thanks for Best Solution.