P4 stock fan too slow?
 

I've noticed that my stock CPU fan runs at 2350+, but to me, this seems a bit slow, and, considering I know its capable of running faster safely, and I do need some extra speed, since my CPU, as you know, is a tad bit hot. Is this typical for a stock cooler? I don't want to invest in a new cooler right now, so I want to up the speed on my fan, and see if it helps. Sound isn't an issue for me, but I do like it quiet.

Is there a way I can get it to up the speed, safely? Is that speed a bit low? It seems so to me.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Well, my stock P4 cooler runs at around ~3500RPM, although I have seen it drop down into the high 2000's on occasion. If you're worried, try getting a third party CPU cooler, like a Zalman, or try water cooling.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

I cannot afford a new fan at this point, so I need to work with what I've got. I'll try everything, until I'm absolutely positive there is nothing more I can do, before I buy a different cooler. Already put new thermal paste on, dropped my temp a bit, but still not down in the 40's (Idles about 50+, lowest 49). Hits 60+ in games, so its imperative that I get this dealt with now. I've looked everywhere, and had no luck boosting the speed. Any help, aside from the aforementioned new cooler?

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

2300+ rpm is normal. My cpu fan runs at that aswell. As long as your CPU isn't getting toooo hot, then it shouldn't be a problem. :)

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

But it does. It idles at 50-55, then runs in games at anywhere from 60-70, at which point, it throttles, and shuts down the CPU to avoid heat damage. Its extremely important that I find a way. Got any cheap, but good fan controllers (That will work for my CPU fan as well as chassis, but more particularly, I am focusing on my CPU fan)

Last night, it was extremely cold outside (30-40F) so I ripped open my window, took the side off my case, and set a high-velocity floor fan, to suck the air outta my case all night, and it worked fairly well, however, I cannot continue this, due to health, as well as practicality reasons. It dropped the idle temp to 42-44, and in games, I think it hit about 55, MAYBE 60. 63 was the highest, I believe.


(All temps are Celsius, unless otherwise stated)

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

30-40F extremely cold?? Be glad you don't live here, it got down to 16-18F last night!

For now you could try just taking the side off the case and setting your floor fan right up to it, that would probably keep it from getting hot enough to throttle down until you can get some better cooling. Also get some Arctic Silver thermal paste on there if you didn't already.

How much would you be willing to spend? for a fan controller or new heatsink and fan?

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

I already did. Hence the extremely cold. Thats just the indoor temperature. Ther was SOME heat in my room, so it was significantly warmer than outside. Plus, factor in I'm wearing 3 layers of clothing, a blanket, as well. The fan is blowing out the side, if I remember correctly, thats the most effective way to set up an external fan source. Correct me if I'm wrong.


Cheap. I make a rather lame amount a month, so I cannot afford much at all (I work 4 days a month, not including the holidays I work) I need something thats good, but very very very affordable. Preferably easy to use, as well. My mobo doesn't support fan speed control, which explains SpeedFan's inability to speed up the fan. I know its capable of faster, and sound doesn't matter much to me.

I'm not gonna buy a new heatsink/fan till I know that what I have now is not cutting it. Plus, seeing as how my mobo lacks fan control, it makes sense to get a fan controller first anyways. If it doesn't help, then I'll be looking into a new fan/heatsink kit. Note I'm running a Intel P4 Prescott 3.20E Ghz 478pin CPU, so if you have any cooling solution suggestions, take that into consideration.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

OKAY! I was about to ask this and you posted it. Now, according to Intel's site the Prescotts maximum room temperature is 38c, but I've never reached 30 for mine and it maxes at about 63c.

Your fan is slow for a P4e, most definately because of the lack of motherboard speed control - mine runs at 2700rpm idle, and if the temp gets higher it can reach 5200rpm, but thats when I turn off the pc in case the blades snap off!

You should be able to find a fan controller for <$15. Get one FAST! I recommend running it at 3000rpm once you have one.

Int. also tells us that "thermally approved" cases for precotts are ones with a blowhole in the side. I found this out when i got a celeronD (got P4e now though), and I have cheapo case so i just went out the garaged and haxx0red a hole in the side right above where the cooler is, and got a 90mm PVC sewer pipe to guide the air into it.

I used to have same trouble as you but since I did this mod I idle about 42c and max at 55.

The S775 prescotts have a much better heatsink which is much quieter and much more efficient, I'm not entirely sure why Intel didn't use a similar design on the 478 pressies - all they needed to do is make a suitable mounting bracket.

The Zalman 7000-B-Alcu is $39 at newegg i think, it weighs a bit but it shoud be fine as long as you're not rough with your pc :P. I'm going to get one eventually but I don't like to spend money on extra stuff that shouldn't be needed anyway.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Alright, do you have any good recommendations for a fan controller? I'm not exactly sure what I should be looking for in a controller, so you'll have to help me out here.

If a fan controller itself doesn't do the job well enough, then I'll get a new cooling kit for my CPU, and then hopefully I'll be able to play with smooth framerates once again.

EDIT: Also, my case DOES have a side fan on the door, its a ThermalTake TsunamiDream. Its a great case, but I can imagine that it does heat up, seeing as how my motherboard isn't ramping up the fan speed on the CPU.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

If you don't care about noise, the most cost-effective thing to do is get a cheap ($10 too much?) high-speed fan and mount it at the very top of you're case exhausing the air upward and out. This will lower you're internal case temps quite a bit, and consiquentally your CPU temps.

I once had a full ATX tower case with 2 case fans at the back and the power supply fan. My 6800GT, which was located almost at the bottom of the case, idled at about 60C. I placed a 30CFM fan at the top of the case, pushing air up and out. This one fan alone brought my case temps down by about 4C, and my 6800GT temps down by about 3C.

The way I see it, there's no point in speeding up your processors fan at the moment. The heat will be removed from you're processor, but it will just linger in your case. You'll just be recycling the same hot air. A case fan at the top (if you don't have a place to mount one on the top, it's probably worth cutting one) will do an excellent job of removing heat from the case (heat rises).

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

True, it would, however the setup of the case, if you've seen it, doesn't allow for a top fan mounting, even if I haxx0r my case.

Currently, my best option, from what I've seen, is to just get a better HSF unit, and just call it done. I can handle removing the side from my case, its no big deal to me, but that alone can't cut it, so I gotta get a new fan.

EDIT: Thinking about it, this isn't exactly practical, but would it hurt to try setting my case on its side and just letting it run? I'm not sure if that'll have adverse effects on anything in my PC, though, such as the HDD, or anythin else. Just a thought.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

No, it won't hurt anything. Nor will it really help anything.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Damn... figured it would help the heat rise out of the case :(

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

turn off Qfan an should max out ther RPMs or plug in the Case fan plug insted of the CPU fan(on the motherboard)

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

In theory, that does happen. In practice, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference, though.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

How can I plug in a case fan instead of my CPU fan... that would mean my CPU fan would not be running at all.

I'm confused, what are you on about, Lewr....


EDIT: I can't change any RPMs at all. Not by software, not via BIOS. My motherboard, again, DOES NOT support changing of fanspeeds. Coulda sworn I mentioned that before....

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Well, if your heatsink supports the size, get a Tornado. That is the single loudest fan I have ever encountered... But let me tell you, 5000 RPMs of significant power and a CFM rating of 83 which is HUUUGGGEE. My fairly nice case fans put out 30-50 CFM and My temp NEVER goes above 55C when the room is an oven.


There always needs to be a fan and heatsink over the CPU. Always.. You can replace the fan ona heatsink though.. I'd say get the 10-15 dollar Tornado, 3 dollar ear plugs, and enjoy.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

BAD EVIL AEG! :D

Fortunately for Flakpanzer, a stock heatsink won't accept either Tornado (there's a 92mm version that moves 120CFM). If you want to blow out your eardrums, there's always the option of a Thermalright XP-120 and a Delta TFB1212UHE, which pushes 234CFM at a mere 67.5dBA.

But I digress.

@Flakpanzer~ I believe what lewr was suggesting was not unplugging the CPU fan entirely, but rather converting the 3-pin connector it has on it into a four-pin Molex, and then plugging that straight into your PSU. That'll force the CPU fan to run at a full 12V or so, at top speed. Don't worry; you'll hate the sound ;)
If you do that however, you'll want to go into the BIOS and disable fan speed reporting (or at least any warnings associated with it), otherwise you'll get this godawful alarm whenever you boot up, because your motherboard will think that you haven't got a CPU fan installed.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Hmm... sounds a bit too complicated for my tastes. I'm not exactly feeling the need to be assembling/disassembling preassembled assemblies....

It could work, I suppose, but, seeming as I always muck up tedious things like that, I'm not sure I wanna be cutting wires. Unless, of course, there is an actual 3pin to Molex adapter cable, in which case, it could work.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Just so.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

So, there is indeed a converter cable then. Does it have a specific name, so I'm not just flailing my browser around in the dark?

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Uhhh... 3-to-4-pin case fan adapter? Say that around anyone who has a lick of knowledge about working on a computer and they'll know what you're talking about.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

lol, figured it was that simple. Actually, as a matter of fact, I think I have one left over that I never removed from the molex connectors that was used for my old 5600. Hmm... lemme tinker around and see. I'll update you shortly. Just stick my head in the side of my PC, one sec...

Edit: Just occured to me I need a 3 pin with... PINS for that to work. The CPU 3 pin is the female one, so is the video card one... DUH

EDIT AGAIN: This the right one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835999104

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

:bows: What is your bidding, my master? :bows:


I'll have to look into that fan. hehe.

Re: P4 stock fan too slow?
 

Yeah, that's the right one (or at least one that will work).

@Aeg~ You're crazy, man ;)