Wise to replace stock Supermicro fans with Noctua

[weust]

Recently I bought a second hand Supermicro server, and it has noisy fans. Even at energy saving mode in the BIOS.
So, when looking around I came to some nice Noctua fans, but a bit unsure it would be wise.

The chassis is the 813MTQ-350CB and the motherboard is the X8STi-F with a Intel Core i7-950 CPU.
Fan wise, there are four FAN-0065L4 in the chassis, rated at 13K rpm, 23.1 CFM and 52.5 dBA max.

The Noctua fan I am looking at is the NF-A4x20-PWM, rated at 5K rpm, 5.52 CFM and 14.9 dBA.

So, a lot less noisy but also a whole lot less CFM wise.
Max rating wise, that's not good. But how would you guys/girls figure it would be if I set it to Performance or Balanced more in the BIOS?

Ideally, I would add five of the Noctua fans, because I want to add a 10GbE NIC as well.

I tried searching on the forums, but I can find replacement topics, but specifically with these small fans I've not come a across a topic.


BTW: The CPU is a Socket 1366 model, so probably not too efficient, but for some testing it's fine.
Might use the chassis with another motherboard in the future.

 

[i386]

No.

The noctuas (especially the non-industrial fans) don't have the power to force the air through the fins of the heatsink, the air would simply move around the heatsink.

 

[weust]

Thanks. Hadn't considered that.
Makes sense, more CFM needed to push air through the dense fins pf the heatsink.

 

[Aestr]

Agreed with @i386. 2U Supermicro are a lot easier to lower noise on. Also when you're looking at specs on fans it's not CFM, but static pressure that measures the ability to move the air through the heatsink rather than around it. Often as one goes up so does the other, but I figured I'd pass it along.

 

[weust]

Good to know. Too bad the spec sheet from Supermicro doesn't mention the static pressure.
So I can't compare that to the Noctua one.

I was able to buy this server with 12GB RAM and a 1TB HDD for 130 Euro's, including shipping.
Even if I won't actually use the motherboard/CPU, I might always put a Atom in, and toy with that.
Will see.

 

[StevenDTX]

Yes, they do list pressure.

Super Micro Computer, Inc. - Support | System Fan Matrix


You can also google the actual part number on the fan for that info. Not the part number on the fan shroud.

 

[weust]

Oddly the specifications page for the fan, as I linked in my opening post, does not mention the pressure data.
That matrix, indeed, does. Weird.

Anyway, FAN-0065L4 has a value of 1.07 inch H2O, where the Noctua NF-A4x20-PWM has a value of 2.26 mm H20, or 0.89 inch H2O (rounded off).
Doesn't look like that much of a difference, but they are both max values. Which neither will run at all the time.

 

[Kybber]

Nonono, 2.26mm is 0.089 inches! That's a factor of 12 off of the Supermicro spec.

 

[weust]

Correct, slip of the finger. My bad.

 

[funkywizard]

Recently I bought a second hand Supermicro server, and it has noisy fans. Even at energy saving mode in the BIOS.
So, when looking around I came to some nice Noctua fans, but a bit unsure it would be wise.

The chassis is the 813MTQ-350CB and the motherboard is the X8STi-F with a Intel Core i7-950 CPU.
Fan wise, there are four FAN-0065L4 in the chassis, rated at 13K rpm, 23.1 CFM and 52.5 dBA max.

The Noctua fan I am looking at is the NF-A4x20-PWM, rated at 5K rpm, 5.52 CFM and 14.9 dBA.

So, a lot less noisy but also a whole lot less CFM wise.
Max rating wise, that's not good. But how would you guys/girls figure it would be if I set it to Performance or Balanced more in the BIOS?

Ideally, I would add five of the Noctua fans, because I want to add a 10GbE NIC as well.

I tried searching on the forums, but I can find replacement topics, but specifically with these small fans I've not come a across a topic.


BTW: The CPU is a Socket 1366 model, so probably not too efficient, but for some testing it's fine.
Might use the chassis with another motherboard in the future.

FAN-0065L4 -- is a Delta FFB0412SHN -- yes, these are not quiet. At full speed, they are very loud. At full speed they pull down about 6w each.

The Delta FFB0412VHN is one step down from that, easily available on ebay, at a maximum power use of 2w and 9000 rpm, it should be quieter and still work fine. You might also consider the similar FAN-0100L4. At a maximum of 8,500 rpm, if the system really needs cooling, the system should be able to spin these up enough to do the job, and will likely be much quieter / lower power at normal operating speeds.

I wouldn't suggest anything weaker than either of these. As others said, you need enough static pressure to get the air to flow --through-- the heatsink (and other parts), not just around them.

edit: you want spec sheets? I've got your spec sheets -- http://www.delta.com.tw/product/cp/dcfans/download/pdf/FFB/FFB40x40x28mm.pdf

 

[weust]

Sorry for the late reply.

Thanks for the information. Will keep it in mind.

 

[funkywizard]

One thing I may not have mentioned. Watch out for 3-pin vs 4-pin fans. The Delta FFB0412VHN has a lower max-rpm than the Delta FFB0412SHN for example, but the former is 3-pin -- meaning no PWM for speed control, whereas the latter typically has a 4-pin connector and so can run at varying speeds based on CPU temperatures. This means the SHN will ordinarily be slower / quieter than the "slower" VHN fan, as it would be unusual for a server motherboard to run the fans at 100%.

I had been using both sets of fans in scenarios without PWM control, so this consideration slipped my mind.

 

[weust]

Almost a year later
The server still isn't in use. Too much noise.
I should sell it again.

I wouldn't want anything other then 4 pin for servers.

 

[funkywizard]

Almost a year later
The server still isn't in use. Too much noise.
I should sell it again.

I wouldn't want anything other then 4 pin for servers.

Lol, I got a thread notification for some reason, so replied.

 

[weust]

This forum's notification system is weird...

 

[nthu9280]

For homelab use anything less than 3U severs will be noisy unless you have an enclosed space away from living areas.

 

[weust]

I have a seperate room I use for my stuff.
Recently I bought a Dell T230. That one is very quiet as well once it's past POST.
Plus some minor tweaking in the BIOS/UEFI for the fan to be at 20% to start with.

 

[gigatexal]

FAN-0065L4 -- is a Delta FFB0412SHN -- yes, these are not quiet. At full speed, they are very loud. At full speed they pull down about 6w each.

The Delta FFB0412VHN is one step down from that, easily available on ebay, at a maximum power use of 2w and 9000 rpm, it should be quieter and still work fine. You might also consider the similar FAN-0100L4. At a maximum of 8,500 rpm, if the system really needs cooling, the system should be able to spin these up enough to do the job, and will likely be much quieter / lower power at normal operating speeds.

I wouldn't suggest anything weaker than either of these. As others said, you need enough static pressure to get the air to flow --through-- the heatsink (and other parts), not just around them.

edit: you want spec sheets? I've got your spec sheets -- http://www.delta.com.tw/product/cp/dcfans/download/pdf/FFB/FFB40x40x28mm.pdf

Quieter Deltas? Is it April fools? I jest. Yeah probably best to not risk components overheating. Can you put the server in another room or even a garage?

 

[nthu9280]

I have a seperate room I use for my stuff.
Recently I bought a Dell T230. That one is very quiet as well once it's past POST.
Plus some minor tweaking in the BIOS/UEFI for the fan to be at 20% to start with.

You are comparing almost current Dell R230 to a 10 year old LGA 1366 / 1356 space heater generation which require lot more cooling.

 

[weust]

Haha OK, I get your point
Plus, companies like Dell optimize their motherboard/chassis/airflow in totallity.
Supermicro is cool, but you buy seperate items that are not optimized.
At least, that is how I look at it.