[sci.electronics] MAC-II fan noise

ge@phoibos.UUCP (Ge Weijers) (01/16/89)

The MAC-II is a nice machine, but it is too noisy, especially for colleagues
in the same room. Does anyone know how to reduce the noise, e.g. by replacing
the built-in fan with a silent type that is powerful enough to keep the
temperatures low? I tried a (Swiss-made) MICRONEL F70EB 012BN CB-
but temperatures run too high using this fan. For a machine priced this
high one would expect a little less noise.
(P.S. although there are 'no user-servicealble parts' in the power supply,
I'm willing to open it and have done so in the past).

Any suggestions are welcome.

Ge' Weijers
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Nijmegen University
the Netherlands

UUCP: ge@sci.kun.nl -or- ge@phoibos.uucp -or- uunet.uu.net!phoibos.uucp!ge
(the last address seems to work most of the time)

capener@mips.COM (Christopher L. Capener) (01/18/89)

In article <494@phoibos.UUCP> ge@phoibos.UUCP (Ge Weijers) writes:
>The MAC-II is a nice machine, but it is too noisy, especially for colleagues
>in the same room. Does anyone know how to reduce the noise,....?
>
>Any suggestions are welcome.
>

Most dealers install the video card next to power supply (and the fan).
Moving it to a slot in the middle of the bus reduces the fan noise somewhat.

You might also try a thermostatically controlled variable-speed fan.


-- 
Chris Capener                          capener@MIPS.COM
MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.            {ames,decwrl,prls}!mips!capener
930 Arques Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA  94086-3650

kaufman@polya.Stanford.EDU (Marc T. Kaufman) (01/19/89)

In article <494@phoibos.UUCP> ge@phoibos.UUCP (Ge Weijers) writes:

>              ... Does anyone know how to reduce the noise, e.g. by replacing
>the built-in fan with a silent type that is powerful enough to keep the
>temperatures low?...

Replace the power supply fan with one from Radio Shack (part no. 273-243,
$14.95).  Instructions for doing this were posted on the net some time ago,
but even without instructions it is obvious once you open the power supply
case.  The RS fan is 27 cfm as opposed to the original 32 cfm, but is so
quiet that you think something is wrong -- because you can hear the disk arm
positioning.

Marc Kaufman (kaufman@polya.stanford.edu)

chn@a.lanl.gov (Charles Neil) (01/19/89)

In article <6186@polya.Stanford.EDU>, kaufman@polya.Stanford.EDU (Marc T. Kaufman) writes:
] In article <494@phoibos.UUCP> ge@phoibos.UUCP (Ge Weijers) writes:
] 
] >              ... Does anyone know how to reduce the noise, e.g. by replacing
] >the built-in fan with a silent type that is powerful enough to keep the
] >temperatures low?...
] 
] Replace the power supply fan with one from Radio Shack (part no. 273-243,
] $14.95).  Instructions for doing this were posted on the net some time ago,
] but even without instructions it is obvious once you open the power supply
] case.  The RS fan is 27 cfm as opposed to the original 32 cfm, but is so
] quiet that you think something is wrong -- because you can hear the disk arm
] positioning.
] 
] Marc Kaufman (kaufman@polya.stanford.edu)

I replaced my fan with the RS fan referred to above.  I didn't know about 
instructions at the time which is just as well because the instructions I
finally *did* see after finishing the project referred to a different 
power supply manufacturer than the one in my Mac.  Anyway, it was easy 
compared to rebuilding my F150's 360 cu. in. V8 (the intake manifold is
a lot lighter :-) ), and now things are much quieter.  The noisiest thing
is the good old 80SC.  Anyone have a part number for a quiet fan for hard
disks?


-- 
 
Charlie Neil (chn@lanl.gov)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (505) 665-0978