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Quiet SE
- Thread starter equant
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You should be able to replace the case fan with pretty much any model that's the same size. I'd be willing to bet that pretty much ANY new fan will be quieter than the current model, but there are plenty of fans that are especially designed to be ultra quiet. Take a look at these:
http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products/casefans
http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products/casefans
IIRC, the SE's fan runs off the mains, which means that its rotation speed is tied to the mains frequency. If that's the case, then you can't practically slow it down.
I don't recommend taking the fan out altogether (although I've done that); you're just asking for trouble, even if it seems to work at first.
Best to get one of the quiet fans that ~tl talked about.
I've seen two common fans in the SE. One is the DC Pico Ace 25. These are good fans and run much quieter than the "rat cage" ones in the earliest SEs. The other is the Elima-Fan, which seems to be more common in later SEs. This one is quieter.
The Pico Ace 25 is pretty easy to find, I've seen other computers from the late 1980s using them. Note that the Elima Fan is made for many different models--if you find one in an LC don't try using it in the SE.
You will need to do a little soldering, if I recall, to replace an SE fan. It sits on the analogue board.
The Pico Ace 25 is pretty easy to find, I've seen other computers from the late 1980s using them. Note that the Elima Fan is made for many different models--if you find one in an LC don't try using it in the SE.
You will need to do a little soldering, if I recall, to replace an SE fan. It sits on the analogue board.
Even if the original fan is mains powered, it would be easy enough just to remove it completely and rig up a new, quieter, fan from any 12v source inside the case. Does a dual-floppy SE have a spare hard drive power connector in the case or pin headers for one on the motherboard? If it does, then that'd be the easiest place to take it from I'd say. Even if it doesn't, it shouldn't be too hard to find 12v on the motherboard somewhere.
Unless that dual floppy SE has been modified to use a hard drive, there should be an open 50-pin SCSI connector on the logic board and the appropriate power connector on the analog board.
Last year, I installed a Silenx IXP-34-16 60x25mm fan in my SE/30. This 60mm fan is rated at 18cfm (at 2000rpm). The fan I removed from the SE/30 is an ELINA model# HDF6025L-12MB-1 (made by Inaba Denki). From what I've Googled, the ELINA is rated at 19CFM (3000rpm).
Of course, I checked the ELINA fan spec prior to ordering the Silenx 60mm. Because Silenx advertises the 60mm to be the same CFM as the ELINA but with a quieter operation, I decided that this Silenx 60mm fan would be the ideal replacement. And after buying it, I found the Silenx 60mm is very, very quiet -- almost inaudible. BUT, when comparing side by side with the ELINA, the ELINA moves (to my hand anyway) about twice as much air as the Silenx. So either the information I've googled about the ELINA being 19CFM is way off, or Silenx' claim of 18CFM is bogus.
So what I can say from this is, if you want a quiet 60mm fan that moves "a decent amount of air" then the Silenx IXP-34-16 is an excellent choice. But if you need it to move a lot of air (as much or more than a stock ELINA), you'd better select another fan brand.
All said, my SE/30 is very happy with the Silenx fan, as are my ears!
Of course, I checked the ELINA fan spec prior to ordering the Silenx 60mm. Because Silenx advertises the 60mm to be the same CFM as the ELINA but with a quieter operation, I decided that this Silenx 60mm fan would be the ideal replacement. And after buying it, I found the Silenx 60mm is very, very quiet -- almost inaudible. BUT, when comparing side by side with the ELINA, the ELINA moves (to my hand anyway) about twice as much air as the Silenx. So either the information I've googled about the ELINA being 19CFM is way off, or Silenx' claim of 18CFM is bogus.
So what I can say from this is, if you want a quiet 60mm fan that moves "a decent amount of air" then the Silenx IXP-34-16 is an excellent choice. But if you need it to move a lot of air (as much or more than a stock ELINA), you'd better select another fan brand.
All said, my SE/30 is very happy with the Silenx fan, as are my ears!
Sorry to unearth this thread, but would it ruin my SE to disable the fan if it was only going to be running HappyPlusClock?
However, the Plus also has ventilation on the top of the case (which no SE model has).
You're best off hunting for one of the Elima Fans I mentioned in an above post from April 2007, they run pretty quietly.
You're best off hunting for one of the Elima Fans I mentioned in an above post from April 2007, they run pretty quietly.
Are they simple(ish) to install? I'm really going for silent.
If one replaced the mains powered fan by a DC powered fan, a type with thermal control could be chosen. The 12 Volt DC power could be tapped with an Y shaped cable without modification to the board. With an appropriate adjusted controller such fan would pump exactly the amount of air needed. Because the stock fan is designed to keep the machine working under worst environmental condition, usually less cfm and less noise than the stock fan delivers will be required.
Thermal control units for DC powered fans can be obtained separately, allowing to place the temperature sensor near a hot spot. In case you want to upgrade a fan without integrated controller, be sure to get value for your money: Better units have some electronics inside, not just a resistor, and they should have controls to set the minimum voltage to let the fan rev up under any condition (unless they sense the revolution speed) and to throttle the maximum voltage, also. I modified a Q800 and a beige G3 with thermal control electronics for their fans - it's quiet a difference.
However, JDW's suggestion seems to be a solution that is secure, convenient to bolt on and, best of all, tested to be working in the given setup.
Thermal control units for DC powered fans can be obtained separately, allowing to place the temperature sensor near a hot spot. In case you want to upgrade a fan without integrated controller, be sure to get value for your money: Better units have some electronics inside, not just a resistor, and they should have controls to set the minimum voltage to let the fan rev up under any condition (unless they sense the revolution speed) and to throttle the maximum voltage, also. I modified a Q800 and a beige G3 with thermal control electronics for their fans - it's quiet a difference.
However, JDW's suggestion seems to be a solution that is secure, convenient to bolt on and, best of all, tested to be working in the given setup.
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