Install a Desktop Computer Fan

Computers are complex pieces of technology with many small components that need to run smoothly. Computer fans are an essential part of any computer, as they help keep cool air flowing over your components. If your computer is overheating, or you need to replace an existing fan, installing a new fan can help lower temperatures and even make your computer quieter.

Steps

Purchasing a Fan

  1. Check your case specifications. There are two main sizes for computer fans: 80 mm and 120 mm. Your computer may support other sizes, including 60 mm or 140 mm. If you're unsure, remove one of the fans that is currently installed and take it to your local computer retailer and ask about its size or measure it yourself.
    • Most modern cases use 120 mm fans.
    • If you are adding a new fan instead of replacing a burnt out one, you will need to look at how the fans interact with each other and whether they will circulate air over the components they are needed for, which is beyond the scope of this article. Items like video cards and processors tend to require individual cooling fans designed to draw air over heat exchangers or heat sinks attached to the individual devices, and some older video cards have fans attached to the device board.
  2. Look at your case. Find empty spots where fans can be installed. There are typically fan spots on the back, side, top and front of the tower. Each case has its own fan configuration and maximum number of fans.
  3. Pick larger fans, if you have an option. If your case supports multiple sizes of fans, larger fans will almost always be better than smaller ones. 120 mm fans are significantly quieter and also move much more air per spin, making them much more efficient.
  4. Compare different fans. Read spec sheets and reviews to compare different fans. Look for lower volume levels and high reliability. Fans are usually pretty inexpensive, and you may be able to get a good deal if you buy a pack of four. Some of the more popular manufacturers include:
    • Cooler Master
    • Evercool
    • Deep Cool
    • Corsair
    • Thermaltake
  5. Choose between LED or standard. If you want to add a little flair to your case, you can use LED fans. These will light up your case with different colors, but are a little more expensive.
  6. Make sure that you're choosing fans with the right power connector for your computer. If you're planning to connect the fan(s) to the power supply, open your PC's case and inspect the power cables coming from it to determine what kind of power connector your fan(s) should have. The most common connectors are molex, 3-pin, and 4-pin. Some power supplies will have multiple kinds of connectors which enables you to buy any kind of fan, but do this to be sure. If want to be able to control the fan's speed, you should connect the fan to your motherboard (unless you have a special feature of your PC that allows you to control the speed without the motherboard). Most motherboards provide 3 and/or 4 pin connectors for fans.

Opening the Case

  1. Unplug the computer. This step is self-explanatory.
  2. Discharge any remaining power in your computer. Hold the power button for at least ten seconds.
  3. Remove the side panel. You will need to remove the side panel of your computer opposite of the motherboard in order to access the inside. Remove any screws securing the side panel to the rest of your computer's case and pry it off. Some cases have side panels that swing.
    • The side panel opposite of the motherboard is usually on the left side.
    • There are dozens of panel configurations, some using the described screws, some with flipback latches, and others with latches you depress to unlock a panel.
  4. Ground yourself. Always ground yourself before working inside of a computer. Electrostatic discharge can seriously damage components. You can use an electrostatic wrist strap, or you can ground yourself by touching a metal object.
    • Continue to ground yourself while working on the computer to release any charge that has built up.
  5. Locate all of your vents. There are multiple vents in the case that can support fan installation. You can find the vents on the back, front, side, and top of the computer, depending on the case.
  6. Locate the power connectors on the motherboard. They may be scattered around, and there may only be a couple. Fan connectors are typically labeled CHA_FAN or SYS_FAN. Consult your motherboard's documentation if you are having difficulty finding the connectors.
    • If you have more fans than connectors, you can use Molex adapters to power your extra fans.

Configuring the Fans

  1. Understand how efficient air cooling works. The fans on your computer don't just blow air on your components. This is not the most efficient way to cool your computer. Instead, fans should move air through the computer, passing fresh air over your components.[1]
  2. Examine the fan. Fans move air in one direction, indicated by an arrow printed on the top of the fan enclosure. Look at your new case fan. On the top of the enclosure, you should see an arrow. This indicates which way the fan blows. If there is no arrow printed, you can examine the label on the fan mechanism. The air usually flows out of the side with the sticker.
  3. Set up your fans to create a wind tunnel. The wind tunnel is created by intake fans and exhaust fans. Generally you'll want more exhaust fans than intake fans, as this will help create a vacuum inside the case. When there is a vacuum effect, all of the cracks and small openings in your case will also be pulling cool air in.
    • Rear - The power supply on the back of your computer has one fan that pushes air out the back (exhaust). Set up another fan or two on the rear of the case configured to exhaust air as well.
    • Front - Install a fan on the front of your computer that sucks air in (intake). You may want to install a second front fan in the hard drive bay (if the case supports it).
    • Side - Side fans should be set up to exhaust air out the side as well. Most cases support one side fan.
    • Top - The top fan should be configured as another intake. It may seem natural to set is as an exhaust since the heat will build up at the top of the case, but this will usually lead to too much exhaust and not enough cool air intake.
  4. Install the fans. Screw the fan in using the four included screws. Make sure that the fan is secure so that it doesn't rattle. Hand-tighten the screws, but don't over-tighten in case you need to remove or replace the fan later.
    • Make sure that any cables, including the fan's own power cable, cannot get caught in the fan blades. Use cable ties to pull cables out of the way if necessary.
    • If you are having trouble holding the fan in place while you screw it in, use a few small pieces of masking tape to secure it until the screws are inserted. Make sure not to tape any components or circuitry.
  5. Connect the fans. Connect the fans to the fan connectors on your motherboard. If you have too many fans, or the fan cables will not reach the connectors, use the Molex adapter to connect the fans directly to your power supply.
    • If fans are plugged directly into the power supply, you will not be able to change the fan speed in the BIOS; they will always run at full speed.
  6. Close your case. Make sure to close up your case before testing your fans out. Cases and fans are designed with airflow in mind, and an open case will negate all the airflow benefits. Open cases will cool much less efficiently than a closed case.
  7. Monitor your fans. If your fans are connected to the motherboard, you can check that they are working by opening your BIOS. You can also use the BIOS to change the fan speed. Use a program like SpeedFan to monitor your fan speed in Windows.
    • Any fans plugged directly into your power supply will not be monitored.
  8. Monitor your computer's temperature. It's all well and good if your fans are spinning properly, but the end goal is to cool the computer's components. Download a temperature monitoring program (SpeedFan takes care of this as well). If your computer is still overheating, you may need to reconfigure your fan locations and directions, or consider more Build-a-Liquid-Cooling-System-for-Your-Computer.[2]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-install-pc-cooling-fan/
  2. ↑ http://www.brighthub.com/computing/hardware/articles/10105.aspx
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