K
kony
Hey Kony, since you seem to know so much about fans... what the hell is the
deal with those chipset coolers that have flakey fans? Some of them spin
at >7Krpm and last 6 months max. Is it even possible to make such small
fans move enough air and still last?
They're off-brand/low-quality, small diameter, thin, higher
RPM... essentially all the things that make for shorter
lifespan.
It's possible to make higher quality small fans but it'd
cost more. Even better would be reduction in necessary flow
by having a better hunk of metal under the fan, combined
with a 15-20mm thick fan of at least 50mm diameter.
Manufacturers aren't interested in lifespan beyond the
warranty period in most cases though, so the best course is
to replace whole 'sink-fan assembly or relube the fan (if a
sleeve bearing type) before it begins making noise so the
bearingway isn't chewed up and enlarged (so then whatever
lube is added, is even less likely to stay where it should.
Also once a fan has worn some a thicker lube will help keep
it in the bearing.
They're usually "buried frame" type and easily replaced but impossible to
find, even from distributors. I've been able to find a 45mm diameter
"bury-frame" fan for my GPU cooler at Directron but the 30mm versions
usually used on chipset coolers are just not available anywhere. Do you
know why?
Nope, beyond that the manufacturers of these low-end
products don't want to offer only a fan, instead a more
costly alternative.
Any ideas on where I might find a "quality" version?... or do
the mfrs prefer to sell with a hunk of metal for the extra $$?
I'd just replace the whole 'sink, or in some cases you can
put a normal full-framed fan on if you use longer screws.
It's a bit more difficult if the video card doesnt' have
clearance under it, but I always advise to leave an empty
slot under the video card anyway so there's less heat
buildup and/or better air intake->exhaust in cases where the
card exhausts out the rear through the mounting slot
bracket.
Ultimately the best solution depends on available space and
amount of heat that needs removed. I'd not try to use
another recessed fan if there wasn't a space constraint
requiring it.