I had a quick look around at overclockers (UK) for some quieter fans to replace those on my Xserve's PSU. There is one fan at each end of it. I haven't measured them yet but they look like 40mm fans. They are however, double the depth of a standard 40mm GPU fan, though there is only one blade. The other 'half' has moulded blades which do not move.

These things are seriously noisy. Anyone who has ever heard a G4 Xserve running close up will know the noise I mean and these two little fans are almost entirely responsible for it. I want some quieter ones.

I only found one 400mm fan on overclockers:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_YS_Tech_60.html
(top one).

This is only single depth, is this likely to make much difference do we think?

The label on the stock fans reads as follows:

Sunon
Magnetic Levitation System
GM1204PQB1-8A
DC12V 2.6W

Not that it tells us much.

Does the above YS Tech fan look like a good replacement? Anyone know another?

You need to remember that the fans are noisey because they are small and have to cool a powerful power supply. Be very careful about changing fans. If you can cool it another way, go for it, but make sure if you do replace the fans that they more the same amount of air at the same rate.
-maestro

How can I find out how mcuh air these ones are moving? Doesn't seem to be marked anywhere.....

Take them out and find what brand they are. Go to the brands site and check it out.
-maestro

don't xserve owners get special tech support? Call up those guys and ask them

I built this one from an Apple spare parts kit I got on eBay. Doubt they'd help......

Post edited by: Waragainstsleep, at: 2005/12/23 11:23

I doubt they would help, lol. It is probably a Delta. Thats what they have used the past several years. Can you believe they have used Panaflos! Those are my favorite, the best. Try Sunon for replacements, they are very good and have many sizes.
-maestro

Try some lube on the fans frist. Try gun oil, I used gun oil a few times in the past and it seems to work on fans.

I think the reason they are so noisey is that they turn very fast are could be a more efficient design. Are you putting it in an xserve case? If not, change the cooling solution.

-maestro

The major question is what voltage are they using. Most fans use 5volts and not really loud but with 12volts they spin like the dickens and can be very loud and sound like a wind tunnel.