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kupan787 · May 23, 2003, 12:44 AM

I would like to quiet my quicksilver tower. I am unsure what size fans I need, and how many are replaceable. I figured out how to access the one "main large fan". But are there others that I could replace?

Also what are some recommendations for fans?

Robitussin · May 23, 2003, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by kupan787:
I would like to quiet my quicksilver tower. I am unsure what size fans I need, and how many are replaceable. I figured out how to access the one "main large fan". But are there others that I could replace?

Also what are some recommendations for fans?

Go to Directron.com and look up...

Papst 120mm 4212fgl fan
12 to 7 volt converter
60mm thermaltake cpu coolers (remove fans from coolers)

Hook the converter to the Papst fan.

kupan787 · May 23, 2003, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by Robitussin:
Go to Directron.com and look up...

Papst 120mm 4212fgl fan
12 to 7 volt converter
60mm thermaltake cpu coolers (remove fans from coolers)

Hook the converter to the Papst fan.

So that will repace the big fan (behind the hard drives) and the little fan on the processor, right? Are there any other fans that I can get at (thre is one in the power supply, but is it something I can replace/worth replacing)?

kupan787 · 05:09 PM

Originally posted by Robitussin:
Papst 120mm 4212fgl fan
12 to 7 volt converter

Ok, the fan in the computer now has a "2" connector, but the volt convertor is a "3" connector. I looked at the volt converter, and it has a 3 pin connector, but only two are hooked. So I tried just plugging in those two, but the fan didn't work. So I ditched the volt convertor and hooked the fan up to the spare power plug I had (that would be sed to connect a zip dirve). the fan is running now fine.

60mm thermaltake cpu coolers (remove fans from coolers)

How do I put this one in? It looks like it was a heatsink+fan. I am assuming I just want the fan, right? So do I remove it and replace my little fan or what? Also it is a "3" pin connector, while the logicboard only has a "2" pin connector. So I am assuming I need to buy some kind of a convertor?

And also, after doign this messing around, it sounds like my GeForce 3's fan is making a lot of noise. Is there anythign I can do about that (disbale it?).

D'Espice · Jun 2, 2003, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by kupan787:
And also, after doign this messing around, it sounds like my GeForce 3's fan is making a lot of noise. Is there anythign I can do about that (disbale it?).

You could but it would certainly kill your GeForce3 and I'm pretty sure that's not what you want to achieve

However you can replace that fan with a quieter one, you have to check PC websites for replacements. Apple doesn't offer any but I've seen modded GeForce3 video cards with no fan at all - just a huge heatsink. That may require some work but in terms of noise it's definitely worth it. That's exactly what I did with my GeForce2 MX video card: Removed the fan and heatsink and replaced it with a large heatsink. If you don't want to do that then keep looking for a replacement fan, they're pretty cheap and may be a lot quieter than your current GPU fan.

About the power supply: You could replace it but I wouldn't do it, mainly because if you're not careful enough it could kill you. And even if you would succeed in replacing it without getting fried your power supply may overheat and cause some serious damage.

kupan787 · Jun 2, 2003, 06:16 PM

Originally posted by D'Espice:
You could but it would certainly kill your GeForce3 and I'm pretty sure that's not what you want to achieve
However you can replace that fan with a quieter one, you have to check PC websites for replacements.

Ya, I started looking around, and found the following:

http://www.plycon.com/fans/deltaslim.htm
RPM: 4800
Air Flow: 21.9 CFM
Noise Level: 36.5 dBA

http://www.plycon.com/fans/vanstealth60.htm
RPM: 2600
Air Flow: 12 CFM
Noise Level: 20 dBA

I read a website, and it mentioend the current fan on the GeForce3 was 60x60x10, but since I don't have any other PCI cards, I think the 60x60x25 fan would be just fine (or am I way off in thinking that?) Is the 12 CFM fan enough, or do you think I need to go with the 21.9 CFM fan? There is a lot of dBA difference, so I would love to go quieter if it didn't screw things up...

Apple doesn't offer any but I've seen modded GeForce3 video cards with no fan at all - just a huge heatsink. That may require some work but in terms of noise it's definitely worth it. That's exactly what I did with my GeForce2 MX video card: Removed the fan and heatsink and replaced it with a large heatsink. If you don't want to do that then keep looking for a replacement fan, they're pretty cheap and may be a lot quieter than your current GPU fan.

Hmm...interesting. http://www.overclockers.com/tips858/index.asp talks about moding a Geforce3 with a new fan (two actually), but he also discusses adding a heatsink. If I could find one to fit (where does one look for these kinds of things), I might give it a try. Again since I have no other PCI cards, it is pretty open in there.

Ok, the fan in the computer now has a "2" connector, but the volt convertor is a "3" connector. I looked at the volt converter, and it has a 3 pin connector, but only two are hooked. So I tried just plugging in those two, but the fan didn't work. So I ditched the volt convertor and hooked the fan up to the spare power plug I had (that would be sed to connect a zip dirve). the fan is running now fine.

Yes, quoteing myself

But anyways, I did some messing around, and I got the thing hooked up and running now. but I have a few questions. The volt converter has one end with a 3 plug connector, and then two "power" conenctors coming out (they look like what plugs into a HD or CD drive). If I plug one into the fax, it runs fine. If I plug both in, the fan doesn't work. So I am left with two "loose" plugs now, but the fan is running. What did I do wrong, or shoudl there be these loose plugs? If you are unsure what volt converter I am talking about, I ordered http://www.directron.com/12to7.html, but what I got looks a little different...

D'Espice · Jun 2, 2003, 06:19 PM

Originally posted by kupan787:
Ya, I started looking around, and found the following:

http://www.plycon.com/fans/deltaslim.htm
RPM: 4800
Air Flow: 21.9 CFM
Noise Level: 36.5 dBA

http://www.plycon.com/fans/vanstealth60.htm
RPM: 2600
Air Flow: 12 CFM
Noise Level: 20 dBA

I read a website, and it mentioend the current fan on the GeForce3 was 60x60x10, but since I don't have any other PCI cards, I think the 60x60x25 fan would be just fine (or am I way off in thinking that?) Is the 12 CFM fan enough, or do you think I need to go with the 21.9 CFM fan? There is a lot of dBA difference, so I would love to go quieter if it didn't screw things up...

Tough one... you'd have to find out what fan you have right now and whether 12CFM would be enough. 20 dB(A) is pretty good for such a small fan, 36 db(A) is almost four times as loud as that which means it'll probably be worse then before.

kupan787 · 06:49 PM

Originally posted by D'Espice:
Tough one... you'd have to find out what fan you have right now and whether 12CFM would be enough. 20 dB(A) is pretty good for such a small fan, 36 db(A) is almost four times as loud as that which means it'll probably be worse then before.

Well the fan says NV 1017 on it. It is the GeForce3 apple shipped with machines (so whatever type that is). If you have any idea of where to go to find info about the fan, that would be great!

Also you mentioend you replaced your GeFroce2's fan with a large heatsink. Where did you get the heatsink from? What size is a good size to get?

[edit]: Ok, I found this fan: http://www.thermaltake.com/products/...crystalOrb.htm which was mentioned by another as a good replacement for the GeForce 3 fan. That pushes 12.4CFM, so my 12CFM/20dBA fan looks like it might work! I would still love to hear about the fanless option however.

D'Espice · Jun 2, 2003, 06:59 PM

Originally posted by kupan787:
Also you mentioend you replaced your GeFroce2's fan with a large heatsink. Where did you get the heatsink from? What size is a good size to get?

I got mine for free, I simply took an old 80486 heatsink and made it fit with a metal saw and a rasp. Took me about twenty minutes.

P · Jun 3, 2003, 01:13 AM

Originally posted by kupan787:
Well the fan says NV 1017 on it. It is the GeForce3 apple shipped with machines (so whatever type that is). If you have any idea of where to go to find info about the fan, that would be great!

That's NVidia's codenames. NV 10 is the old Geforce256 chip, NV15 is Geforce2 (and Geforce 2MX), NV20 is Geforce3, NV25 is Geforce4, NV17 is Geforce4 MX. I didn't follow them too much after that, but NV30 should be the Geforce FX 5800 and NV35 the Geforce FX 5900

kupan787 · Jun 3, 2003, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by P:
That's NVidia's codenames. NV 10 is the old Geforce256 chip, NV15 is Geforce2 (and Geforce 2MX), NV20 is Geforce3, NV25 is Geforce4, NV17 is Geforce4 MX. I didn't follow them too much after that, but NV30 should be the Geforce FX 5800 and NV35 the Geforce FX 5900

Um... well when I bough this mac, 2 years ago, the geforce4 MX wasn't even out, the geforce 3 was the high end at the Apple store. So I doubt I have a geforce 4 mx in my box (plus checking apple system profiler reveals it as a geforce 3). So perhaps the NV 1017 on the fan means something else?