Which connector should I connect the cooler to? Proper cooling of the system unit. Selecting additional fans

Fan ( ) – a device that provides processor cooling. As a rule, the cooler is installed on top of the processor itself. There are different models of coolers for different sockets.

There are active and passive coolers. A passive cooler is called a regular radiator. This cooler consumes a minimum of electricity, is very cheap and makes virtually no noise. An active cooler is a radiator with a fan attached to it or one that emits cold (Peltier chips).

Active air coolers are the most widespread. This cooler is an active air cooler and consists of a metal radiator with a fan attached to it. Modern coolers are large in size and weight. Thanks to the use of coolers, computers are relatively small in size. The disadvantage of coolers is the additional acoustic noise they emit during operation.

The fan drives large volumes of air through the radiator fins and this ensures normal thermal conditions for the processor. To determine the direction of air flow, there is no need to connect the cooler to power. The impeller blades will be slightly concave on the side where the air flow exits. Sometimes the cooler body is marked with arrows indicating the rotation of the impeller and the direction of air flow. As with any mechanical device, the rubbing parts of the cooler (rolling and sliding bearings) must be lubricated with machine oil in a timely manner. It is prohibited to use vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, etc.) as a lubricant. After some time, this oil dries out, and it will become impossible to even disassemble the cooler.

You will learn about insufficient lubrication by gradually increasing acoustic noise from the cooler. If this prevention is not done in time, the bearings will wear out intensively, and a new cooler will need to be installed.

Let's look at the main components of the cooler

The radiator distributes the heat of the cooled object (processor) into the environment. Therefore, it must have direct physical contact with the object being cooled. For the process of heat transfer from the processor to the heatsink, the contact area should be as large as possible. The side of the radiator adjacent to the processor is called the sole (base). From the core, heat passes to the base, then is distributed over the entire area of the radiator and dissipated.

Various materials are used to make cooler radiators.

Aluminum has good thermal characteristics, is lightweight and is relatively inexpensive.
Copper conducts heat much better than aluminum , but it costs more and is heavy (such models weigh about 1 kg).
Some radiators are made by combining copper and aluminum plates.

Fans are divided into two types: radial and axial

Axial fans are the most common due to their small size and good performance/noise characteristics. An axial fan is a regular fan with a propeller. The air flow in it is directed along the axis of rotation.

In radial fans (blowers), the air flow is directed at an angle of 90 degrees to the motor axis. In radial fans, instead of a propeller with blades, drums (impellers) spin. This type of fan requires higher power motors. Therefore, blowers are larger in size and more expensive. But radial fans have their advantages. The air flow in them has greater speed, less turbulence and is more uniform.

Fans are also classified by connection method, bearing design and size.

The fan marking contains information about the bearings:

Sleeve – sliding bearing.

A plain bearing is simply a cushion of oil and sliding materials. These bearings wear out quickly. Their only advantage is their low cost.

Ball – rolling bearing.

Ball bearings are more reliable, durable, and therefore they are mainly used for modern coolers. These are bearings consisting of two radial rings with small balls between them.

The most common fan sizes are: 60x60x25, 50x50x10, 45x45x10.

Based on the connection method, fans are divided into SMART (connection via MOLEX Connector) and conventional (connection via PC-plug connector).

An important parameter of a fan is the noise level it produces. It must be indicated in the documentation for the cooler. For normal operation such noise should not be higher than 25 dB.

Another important characteristic fan is the power consumption. Typically it is 0.8 -1.6 W.

The rotation speed of the blades is also an important parameter. This parameter displays the number of revolutions per minute (RPM). The higher this parameter, the more air is distilled per minute, but the more noise is produced. The documentation indicates the amount of air moved per minute (CFM). All computer fans use DC current to power them.

Installing a cooler on the processor

The process of installing a cooler on a processor is very simple if everything is done carefully and without haste. It is advisable to install the cooler on the processor before installing the motherboard in the case. And for additional convenience and safety, it is recommended to install the cooler on a box of suitable sizes, for example, from the motherboard. If you bought a processor in a box (box version together with a cooler), then looking at the base of the cooler, you will see a thin layer of special material there - a thermal interface. It is installed by the cooler manufacturer.

When purchasing a cooler separately from the processor, you need to buy thermal paste (KPT-8, ALSIL). One tube of paste is enough for several cooler installations.

Let's consider installing a cooler for socket 754, 939, AM2

Turn the cooler over and see if it has the manufacturer's thermal interface on it. If yes, then you can go to point 3. If you have a cooler without a thermal interface and with protective film, then you need to remove it.

Take thermal paste. Gently squeeze out the paste to distribute it evenly across the entire processor pad. Consider the fact that when the cooler is installed, the pressure will spread the paste over the entire surface, and therefore there is no need to apply it in a thick layer. To allow the cooler to press more tightly to the contact pad of the processor, apply thermal paste in a very thin layer. A thick layer will impair heat dissipation (paste has worse thermal conductivity than metal).

Using a piece of plastic, spread the paste evenly over the entire surface. If a little gets on or behind the edges, it’s not a big deal.

Carefully install the cooler into the processor socket. It must be installed without distortions or shifts. When you place the cooler on the crystal, do not remove or tilt it, do not press or rotate it. Removing and moving the cooler on a crystal coated with paste can cause areas not filled with paste to appear. In the future, this can lead to system instability and local overheating. If you decide to remove the cooler after installation, be sure to redistribute the paste over the crystal.

When you install the cooler on the processor, you need to secure it.

First, hook the bracket onto the socket lip at the edge where there is no plastic lever. Then do this action from the edge where the lever is located.

Turn the lever and lock it.
Make sure there are no distortions and check that the fastening is secure. If you find any, then open the cooler mounting lever and eliminate the distortion. After this, secure the cooler again.
Connect the cooler's power connector to the power socket on motherboard. This connector is usually designated CPU_FAN. For the cooler to operate, voltage must be applied to its windings. direct current 12V.

In addition, there are other options for attaching the cooler.

Plug-in coolers

To install such coolers, you need to insert each cooler leg into the corresponding hole on the motherboard and press until it clicks.

When you turn the head of the leg counterclockwise ninety degrees, the spring is unlocked and the cooler is easily removed.

Screw fastening of coolers

Intel coolers have the problem of increased load applied to the four attachment points to the motherboard. Some manufacturers use a special mounting plate attached to the back of the motherboard to distribute the load. In this case, coolers have to be installed using screws.

Such coolers can only be installed before the board is secured in the case, since the mounting plate is installed on the back side of the motherboard. The plate must be installed with the correct side, otherwise the contacts can be short-circuited.

Example of installing a cooler on a processor:

Cooler selection

The coolers do not differ in their functional purpose; the only difference is in performance and the method of attachment to the radiator. Cooler performance directly depends on the rotation speed and diameter of the impeller. The rotation speed of all coolers varies little and is about 5000 rpm. Therefore, if you choose a cooler to replace, you can only rely on the diameter of the impeller. It should be the same or larger size.

Processors from different manufacturers heat up differently. For example, products from AMD will heat up more than products from Intel. Therefore, the hotter the processor gets, the more powerful the cooler is required to cool it.

For most processors, the included cooler is sufficient. In some cases, for example, if the processor has failed or was purchased without a fan, you will have to choose a cooler separately.

Let's highlight the basic requirements for what a processor cooler should be:

low thermal resistance and ensure sufficient cooling.
good cooler compatibility. It should be installed on as many types of processors as possible.
good cooler mount. It should be easy to install and easy to remove.
must provide sufficient cooling of the cache chips.
must be wear-resistant.
There should be no vibration during operation.
Large coolers should be sized to fit on all known motherboards.

In any case, a good cooler is one that does a good job of cooling the processor. The most well-known brands of coolers are: AAVID, Zalman, ElanVital, AVC, TennMax.

CPU coolers

Let's look at popular CPU coolers that are compatible with modern sockets.

Akasa Venom Voodoo

Two fans have been added to Venom Voodoo. You can control their speed using a PWM splitter via the motherboard connector. The cooler delivery set allows installation on earlier platforms. At the top of the Venom Voodoo cooler there is a mesh. It does not affect cooling, and is made simply by design.

Akasa Venom Voodoo

The Akasa cooler has a fairly efficient design. It has six heat pipes in a staggered pattern that quickly remove heat from the processor. The Akasa installation kit includes everything needed for installation on various platforms, from AMD AM2 socket to Intel LGA 2011.

Mounts for Akasa

Special Akasa standoffs screw into the built-in support bar located on the LGA 2011 socket. The installation process is quick and easy.

The intake fan is installed on the concave side of the radiator, and the exhaust fan is placed on the other side.

The best cooler

Arctic Cooling Freezer i30

AC company operates in the market of inexpensive equipment and supports only a few interfaces, which makes it possible to keep the price reasonable. The kit includes two mounting kits for LGA 2011 and LGA 1155/1156 sockets. There is also an optional mounting kit that allows you to screw the top bracket directly to the LGA 2011 interface.

Arctic Cooling Freezer i30

To reduce cost, this model uses only four heat pipes with one fan located on a large cooling radiator. The heat pipes are installed close to each other to increase the contact area and reduce gaps.

The installation kit for this model is very simple and does not support LGA 1366, only for LGA 2011 and LGA 1155/1156 sockets.

Before installing the two adapter brackets of the Freezer i30 cooler, install metal spacers on the bolt positions specially built into the support plate of the LGA 2011 socket. You need to screw the adapter strip onto the cross brackets using two short screws.

Arctic Cooling Freezer i30

To complete the cooler installation, you need to attach the fan to the radiator and connect the power.

Arctic Cooling Freezer

CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo

The Hyper 212 Evo cooler kit includes: a small tube of thermal paste, an LGA 2011 mounting bracket, and a cooler. The design of the Hyper 212 Evo includes four heat pipes.

Hyper 212 cooler

The heat pipes in contact with the processor are located as close to each other as possible. This technology is called Continuous Direct Contact. The base is well sanded. The installation bracket is foldable, which gives good access between the radiator fins and the base. The unfolded bracket simply needs to be screwed into the built-in plate of the LGA 2011. The cooler is fixed with a steel pin on the top plate.

Continuous Direct Contact

The fan is installed on the radiator and connected to the board.

Continuous Direct Contact

Coolink Corator DS

The cost of Corator DS allowed us to reduce the minimum installation kit, only for LGA 2011. But there are three holes on the installation brackets, which means the cooler can support smaller processor interfaces.

The fan is located in the middle of the cooler

The cooler has semi-flattened tubes located under a uniform piece of copper.

Radiator

When installing, you first need to screw the stand bolts into the support plate, and install cross mounting brackets on them and tighten them with nuts on top. The factory bracket is screwed onto the cross brackets from the kit.

The fan must be installed between two radiators and power must be connected from the board.

Installing a radiator on the motherboard

Corsair A70

This cooler uses two fans to create a push-pull system. Corsair added a splitter to connect them to one power connector on the board. The fans do not support PWM control and speed control is carried out through the firmware.

The Corsair A70's radiator is concave on one side to improve air outlet from the center. The heat pipes are separated by a layer of aluminum from which the base is made.

Installation for AMD interfaces uses a snap-on bracket. In this cooler, the mounting screws are screwed from the inside of the A70 base. The support panel and cooler bracket are secured using nuts and screws.

AMD interface

To complete the installation, you must install the fans and connect power.

AMD interface

Enermax ETS-T40

The ETS-T40 adds an aluminum strip to the fan. This is an advantage among coolers with equal performance.

The installation kit is designed for AMD and Intel platforms. The set of bolts does not require a support plate for the LGA 2011 socket. The radiator fins support the push-pull system of two fans; there is a second set of clamps for this. The ETS-T40 base is made using direct contact technology.

Gelid GX-7

The GX-7 supports two fans. Intel, AM2, AM3 and AM3+ interfaces from AMD are supported. You can choose the airflow direction yourself by turning the GX-7 cooler 90°.

The concave shape of the front side of the cooler directs air to the center of the radiator. The fan blades are illuminated with LEDs, although the frame itself is not transparent.

Mount for Gelid GX-7

To ensure optimal contact with the processor, the base was made in the form of a matte, carefully processed copper block.

To support two fans, the central part of the radiator was reduced, which reduced the cooling surface. I had to add a fifth heat pipe.

Cooler for Gelid GX-7

SilenX EFZ-120HA5

SilenX provides builders with the quietest cooling available. The installation kit provides support for AMD AM2/3 and Intel LGA sockets. The second set of screws allows you to install the LGA 1366 bracket on the LGA 2011 integrated support plate.

The presence of rubber mounting pins in the EFZ-120HA5 kit makes it possible to assemble a push-pull configuration using two fans. But the kit comes with only one fan with a diameter of 120 mm. Three heat pipes are arranged in a V-shape, which is necessary to remove more air through the center of the heatsink.

Heatsink for SilenX EFZ-120HA5

The SilenX installation kit contains a bracket that fits all popular sockets (AMD Socket 939 to AM3+, LGA 775 to 2011), a base plate that supports most common interfaces (except LGA 2011), and a set of installation screws for LGA 2011.

Cooler for SilenX EFZ-120HA5

The most difficult part of installing this model is the fan. First, four rubber T-shaped buttons are pushed into special holes on the fan located on the back side. Then you need the top of the button to slide into the grooves of the radiator.

Xigmatek Venus XP-SD1266

Xigmatek Venus provides support for all the latest interfaces Intel processors and AMD. This model has a slightly larger radiator and is equipped with a 120mm fan, providing high-performance cooling at an affordable price. This model on AMD platform creates the correct direction of air flow. The kit contains special bolts to support the LGA 2011 socket.

Xigmatek uses a transparent frame with LEDs that illuminate the case well. You can adjust the degree of illumination. The cooler uses six heat pipes.

Heatsink for Xigmatek Venus XP-SD1266

The combination of small size and good thermal capacity is an excellent option for small systems. In the Xigmatek installation kit, the brackets are labeled for Intel and AMD. Although the AMD brackets also have holes for the Intel interface. For the fan, Xigmatek uses rubber buttons as fasteners.

Cooler for Xigmatek Venus XP-SD1266

It's no secret that when a computer is running, all its electronic components heat up. Some elements heat up quite noticeably. Processor, video card, northern and south bridges motherboard - the hottest elements system unit. Overheating is generally dangerous and leads to an emergency shutdown of the computer.

Therefore, the main problem of the entire electronic part of computer technology is proper cooling and effective heat removal. The vast majority of computers, both industrial and home, use heat removalair cooling. It gained its popularity due to its simplicity and low cost. The principle of this type of cooling is as follows. All the heat from the heated elements is transferred to the surrounding air, and the hot air, in turn, is removed from the system unit case using fans. To increase heat transfer and cooling efficiency, the hottest components are equipped with copper or aluminum radiators with fans installed on them.

But the fact that heat removal occurs due to air movement does not mean at all that the more fans are installed, the better the cooling will be overall. Several incorrectly installed fans can do much more harm than solve the problem of overheating, when one correctly installed fan will solve this problem very effectively.

Selecting additional fans.

Before purchasing and installing additional fans, carefully examine your computer. Open the case cover, count and find out the dimensions of the mounting locations for additional case coolers. Look carefully at the motherboard to see what connectors it has for connecting additional fans.

You need to choose the fans yourself big size, which will suit you. For standard cases this size is 80x80mm. But quite often (especially recently) fans of sizes 92x92 and 120x120 mm can be installed in cases. With the same electrical characteristics, a large fan will operate much quieter.

Try to buy fans from big amount blades - they are also quieter. Pay attention to the stickers - they indicate the noise level. If the motherboard has 4-pin connectors for powering coolers, then buy four-wire fans. They are very quiet, and their automatic speed control range is quite wide.

Between fans receiving power from the power supply throughMolex connectorand running from the motherboard, definitely choose the second option.

There are fans on sale with real ball bearings - these are best option in terms of durability.

Installation of additional fans.

Let's look at the main points correct installation case fans for most system units. Here we will provide advice specifically for standard cases, since non-standard cases have such a varied fan arrangement that it makes no sense to describe them - everything is individual. Moreover, in non-standard cases, fan sizes can reach 30cm in diameter.

There are no additional fans in the case.

This is the standard layout for almost all computers sold in stores. All the hot air rises to the top of the computer and is exhausted outside by the fan in the power supply.

The big disadvantage of this type of cooling is that all the heated air passes through the power supply, heating it even more. And therefore, it is the power supply of such computers that most often breaks down. Also, all the cold air is not sucked in in a controlled manner, but from all the cracks of the housing, which only reduces the efficiency of heat transfer. Another disadvantage is the thin air produced by this type of cooling, which leads to the accumulation of dust inside the case. But still, it's better than incorrect installation additional fans.

One fan on the rear wall of the case.

This method is used more out of desperation, since the case has only one place to install an additional cooler - on the back wall under the power supply. In order to reduce the amount of hot air passing through the power supply, install one fan that works to “blow” out of the case.

Most of the heated air comes from the motherboard, processor, video card, hard drives comes out through an additional fan. And the power supply heats up significantly less. Also, the overall flow of moving air increases. But the rarefaction increases, so dust will accumulate even more.

Additional front fan in the case.

When the case has only one seat on the front of the case, or there is no possibility of turning on two fans at once (there is nowhere to connect), then this is the most ideal option for you. It is necessary to install one fan on the front part of the case.

The fan must be installed opposite the hard drives. It would be more correct to write that the hard drives should be placed opposite the fan. This way, the cold incoming air will immediately blow over them. This installation is much more effective than the previous one. A directed air flow is created. The vacuum inside the computer decreases - dust does not linger. When additional coolers are powered from the motherboard, the overall noise is reduced as the fan speeds are reduced.

Installing two fans in the case.

Most effective method installing fans for additional cooling of the system unit. A fan is installed on the front wall of the case for “blowing”, and on the rear wall – for “blowing”:

A powerful, constant air flow is created. The power supply operates without overheating, since heated air is removed by a fan installed underneath it. If a power supply with adjustable fan speed is installed, the overall noise will be noticeably reduced, and more importantly, the pressure inside the case will be equalized. Dust will not settle.

Incorrect installation of fans.

Below are examples of unacceptable installation of additional coolers in a PC case.

One rear fan is set to "injection".

A closed air ring is created between the power supply and the additional fan. Some of the hot air from the power supply is immediately sucked back inside. At the same time, there is no air movement in the lower part of the system unit, and therefore cooling is ineffective.

One front fan is set to “exhaust”.

If you install only one front cooler and it works as a blower, then you end up with very low pressure inside the case and ineffective cooling of the computer. Moreover, due to the reduced pressure, the fans themselves will be overloaded, since they will have to overcome the back pressure of the air. The computer components will heat up, resulting in increased operating noise as the fan speeds increase.

The rear fan is for “blowing”, and the front fan is for “blowing”.

Air is created short circuit between the power supply and the rear fan. The air in the area of the central processor works in a circle.

The front fan tries to “lower” the hot air against the natural convection rise, working under increased load and creating a vacuum in the case.

Two additional coolers are set to “blowing”.

An air short circuit is created in the upper part of the housing.

In this case, the effect of the incoming cold air is felt only for the hard drives, since it then enters the oncoming flow from the rear fan. Excessive pressure is created inside the case, which complicates the operation of additional fans.

Two additional coolers operate as a blower.

The most severe operating mode of the cooling system.

There is reduced air pressure inside the case; all case fans and inside the power supply operate under reverse suction pressure. There is not enough air movement inside the air, and, therefore, all components work overheating.

These are, in principle, all the main points that will help you in organizing the correct ventilation system for your personal computer. If there is a special plastic corrugation on the side cover of the case, use it to supply cold air to the central processor. All other installation issues are resolved depending on the structure of the case.

A fan for cooling the internal space of a computer or central processor is called a cooler. On particularly powerful PCs, installing an additional cooler is simply necessary. Elevated temperatures may affect the overall stability of the system. The temperature inside the case is higher than the ambient temperature, and a cooler is used to circulate air.

You will need a cooler, it comes in different sizes - from 4 to 12 and even 25 cm! But if you have a simple Personal Computer, two standard sizes are suitable - 8 or 12 cm. This depends on your goals. Disconnect your computer from the network. Open side cover system unit, on the back wall there is a place for mounting a cooler. Using bolts, attach the fan. At the end of the cooler, arrows indicate the direction of rotation of the impeller and flow movement. Set it to achieve the desired effect - drawing in or pulling out air. Now you need to connect it for it to work. To do this, determine what to connect it to. Depending on which connector you bought the cooler with, connect directly to the power supply or to the motherboard. Recently, coolers have been sold with adapters for 2 types of connectors. The plug has protrusions or cut edges, this is done so that the installation is correct, without short circuits. Connect directly to the plug from the power supply via the PC plug connector. This connector is used to connect hard disks, DVD-ROM, etc. If there is an adapter or a hybrid connector, the cooler is connected in the sequential order: Device – Cooler – Power supply. There is also a MOLEX connector for connecting to the motherboard; it looks like a small block with 2-4 wires. The different number of wires depends on the functions of the cooler. Two-wire, the most simple circuit– black minus (in all variants black indicates minus) and red plus. Three-wire – minus, plus and speed sensor. Four-wire – minus, plus, speed sensor and speed control. The latter connection scheme is used mainly for coolers installed on central processing units. They are expensive and have a narrow specialization. We need a two- or three-wire cooler, with a constant speed. Connecting the cooler directly to the motherboard has its advantages; the rotation speed is controlled automatically, depending on the internal temperature. There are free connectors on the motherboard, they are labeled: SYS_FAN, CPU_FAN or CHA_FAN1. The inscription may differ, but the designation FAN (cooler) will be required. We attach a narrow fan block to this connector. We connect, observing polarity. This is where the shaped protrusions and truncated corners on the connectors come in handy. Be careful not to move other plugs. The inlet and outlet openings of the fan must not be blocked or touched by anything.

Temperature directly affects the quality and duration of operation of computer components. That is why it is important to monitor the proper operation of the cooling system. Dust should not accumulate in it; all computer fans must operate in normal mode, increasing speed if necessary during heavy loads.

Most users work at the computer in standard mode, without loading components in productive games and applications. In this case, the coolers on the computer may not be configured, and in such a situation they will operate at maximum or close to maximum speed. To reduce noise when the computer is running, you need to adjust the operation of the coolers by reducing the rotation speed of their fans.

How can you regulate the speed of computer coolers?

The rotation speed of computer cooling fans is initially set at the motherboard level. It is determined in the BIOS, and quite often the automatically set settings turn out to be incorrect. In most cases, the rotation speed of coolers is set to maximum, which is why the computer makes a lot of noise during operation, but does not need such serious cooling.

There are 3 main ways to adjust the rotation speed of computer coolers:

Within the framework of this article, we will consider the third option for software adjustment of the rotation speed of computer coolers.

How to adjust the rotation speed of computer coolers

There are hundreds of applications that allow you to adjust the rotation speed of your computer's coolers. However, some programs allow you to regulate only the fan speed of certain components.

One of the most convenient and simple programs for adjusting the rotation speed of computer coolers is SpeedFan. The application is free and can be downloaded from the developers' website or from other trusted sources on the Internet. After downloading the program, you will need to install it and then run it. When you launch SpeedFan for the first time, an informational message may appear that you will need to close.

Checking the rotation speed of coolers

Next comes a block of indicators of the rotation speed of coolers (measured in RPM - revolutions per minute) and the temperature of computer components. Let's figure out what each of the indicators means:

It is worth noting that all the above designations are conditional and they may vary. Not every motherboard provides information about the name of a particular connector for connecting a cooler on it. For example, on some motherboards in SpeedFan you can see a picture like the image below, that is, all coolers will be connected to Fan1 – Fan5 connectors, without an exact definition of the purpose of each of them.

It is also important to note that the SpeedFan program only allows you to control coolers that are connected to the motherboard. The fact is that the 3-pin connector from the fan can be powered from the motherboard or from the power supply directly. If it is powered from a power supply, then it will not be possible to regulate its rotation speed. It is recommended to connect all coolers to the motherboard.

To the right of the cooler rotation speed symbols there is a block with information about the temperature of the computer components. It is worth noting that SpeedFan is not the most accurate diagnostic tool in this regard, and it does not always determine the temperature accurately. If you have doubts about one or more indicators, it is recommended to download more professional temperature monitoring software, for example, AIDA64 or HWMonitor.

Setting the rotation speed of coolers

As you can understand, in the top window of the SpeedFan program there are blocks with information about the operation of coolers. Below are the tools for adjusting the intensity of fan rotation in the computer. They can be designated Pwm1 – Pwm3 or, for example, Speed01 – Speed06. There is not much difference, since it is impossible to determine by such names which of the coolers this or that adjustment is responsible for.

To reduce or increase the fan rotation speed, you need to press the corresponding up and down buttons in the columns with the fan rotation intensity. When pressed, you should observe the reaction of the coolers in the diagnostic information above. This way it will be possible to determine which fan is responsible for which setting.

Important: When reducing the fan speed to reduce the noise level when the computer is running, do not forget to monitor the temperature of the system unit components to avoid overheating.

All active components of a computer generate heat. Especially a lot of heat is generated by the processor, video card, RAM and power supply. Natural air circulation does not always allow the heat generated to be removed until the temperature of the elements drops below the maximum permissible value, which should not exceed 80˚C.

Optimal heating temperature for operation semiconductor devices lies in the range up to 60˚С. This issue is especially relevant in the summer, when the ambient temperature reaches 30˚C. When the processor overheats, it starts to slow down, crashes and causes the computer to freeze. It rarely fails, since there is a thermal protection circuit.

Program for measuring processor temperature

In order to be able to find out and control the temperature of the computer processors and video cards during computer operation, sensors are installed in their cores. IN modern computers The CPU temperature can be found by going into the BIOS. But rebooting the computer while working on it is inconvenient, and during the reboot the load on the processors will decrease and the measured temperature will be lower than it was during the maximum load of the processors.

But this issue is easily resolved with the help of the program. All you need to do is run the utility and you can monitor the temperature of your computer’s CPU. Programs, as a rule, provide a lot of additional information on the operation of the computer.

I bring to your attention two that I have tested simple programs for monitoring the temperature of processors, which can be downloaded directly from my website. These utilities do not need to be installed; you just need to run them and immediately see the CPU temperature and many other computer parameters in the pop-up window.

Depending on the type of cooler, the connectors are two, three or four pin. The supply voltage is supplied to the two-pin connector by a wire black red wire (+12 V).

The supply voltage is supplied to the three-pin connector in the same way as to the two-pin connector, using a wire black colors (–12 V, first pin) and red wire (+12 V). But one more conductor has been added yellow color through which a signal is transmitted from the Hall cooler rotation speed sensor to the motherboard. This conductor does not take part in the operation of the cooler, since it is informational and allows you to control the rotation speed on the monitor. Connect yellow The wire is not necessary; without it the cooler will work just as successfully.

For four-pin coolers, the wire colors are different. Black– -12 V, yellow– +12 V, green– rotation speed sensor, and blue– to supply a rotation speed control signal from the motherboard. On the motherboard, next to the connector for connecting the processor cooler, there is usually a CPU_FAN marking, as in the photo below.

In addition to the connector for connecting the processor cooler, the motherboard usually has several more connectors. They are all the same type and easy to find. One three-pin slave is designed to connect a cooler installed in the system side housing. Next to it there is usually the inscription SYS_FAN. Another one or two are also three-pin without inscriptions. They are usually free and you can, if necessary, connect one or two additional coolers.

Four-wire coolers are rarely used. Typically, the rotation speed of the cooler is regulated by changing the supply voltage, which varies depending on the heating temperature of the processor.

The work must be carried out very carefully, making sure that the tool does not accidentally slip or hit the motherboard. Sometimes it is difficult to get to the latches and it can be easier to remove the entire radiator and then remove the cooler. But here you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to apply a thin layer of heat-conducting paste to the surface of the radiator and processor, instead of the dried one.

It is possible to replace such a cooler with a standard one. It is enough to make a few fasteners. By technical specifications A cooler from a computer power supply is a good replacement. Sometimes, a cooler of this size is installed in the system unit case for additional cooling.

From the broken plugs from the system unit, from the place for installing additional cards, I made 2 strips. I screwed them to the cooler with the 4 screws that were removed when dismantling it. I cut off the supply wires from the noisy cooler and connected them with the conductors of the new one using shift technology. The red wire (+12 V) is connected to the red, the black (-12 V, common) to the black. Even if you accidentally connect it incorrectly, nothing will happen, the cooler just won’t work. The yellow wire, through which the speed signal is transmitted from the cooler, was not connected. I don’t like it when the rotation speed of the cooler impeller constantly changes with a “howl.” Therefore the lack feedback It doesn't bother me.

Using 2 self-tapping screws, I screwed the cooler to the processor radiator through the gaps in the impeller. Self-tapping screws must be selected with such a diameter to ensure reliable fixation. If a self-tapping screw accidentally gets on the motherboard while the computer is running, it can damage it.

Tests, after replacing the cooler, showed quiet operation of the computer and sufficient cooling of the processor at an ambient temperature of more than 30˚C. The processor temperature at full load, according to the BIOS, did not exceed 60˚C.

Replacing a video card cooler

All video cards have coolers of original designs, and it is almost impossible to purchase exactly the same one, especially if the card has worked for many years.

Replacing the cooler with a standard fan

The cooler on the video card began to make unbearable noise. I decided to lubricate the bearing, took it apart and found that the plastic base of the impeller was cracked.

In this case, lubricant will no longer help; the cooler needs to be replaced with a new one. I selected the cooler according to the diameter of the impeller and found one with a larger size. This means it will cool even better than the existing original cooler.

When selecting a new cooler, you need to take into account the size of the radiator fins, so as not to make additional fasteners and screw the screws directly into the grooves between its fins. I secured it with two self-tapping screws, which turned out to be quite enough, since the radiator fins turned out to be quite rigid. It can also be secured with four self-tapping screws. If you don’t want to fasten it with self-tapping screws, you can successfully tie the cooler by the mounting holes with a thick thread to the radiator fins on two opposite sides. They will hold up no worse.

The supply voltage was supplied to the standard video card cooler through a two-pin connector. The new one had three contacts. In order not to do additional work, I installed the video card in the slot and connected the cooler to the motherboard. They almost always have free three-pin connectors for connecting additional coolers. The cooler that was previously installed on the video card did not have a label and it is quite possible that it was designed for a supply voltage of 5 V. Therefore, if you connect the cooler to the connector on the video card when replacing it, pay attention to the correspondence of the supply voltages.

The test showed quiet operation and sufficient cooling of the video processor.

Modification of a standard cooler for installation in a video card

The computer began to freeze; when opening it, it was discovered that the cooler impeller installed on the video card did not rotate.

After removing the cooler, it became obvious that it could not be repaired. The microcircuit regulating the rotation speed of the cooler burned out, as a result of which the stator winding was charred, and the cooler fell into pieces due to overheating.

It was possible to screw a standard cooler to the radiator with self-tapping screws, as in the previous case, but I wanted to do everything professionally.

A standard cooler was selected for replacement suitable size for a voltage of 12 V (the burnt one was also designed for a voltage of 12 V) and the housing ring was removed from it using a hacksaw for metal, as shown in the photograph.

To accurately drill holes, an old cooler was used as a jig. To do this, the coolers were connected to each other using a thread, as in the photo. After drilling the first hole, to accurately obtain the next ones, a self-tapping screw was immediately inserted into it.

Since the connector for supplying power voltage on the old cooler was different in design, we had to unsolder the wires from the connector from the board of the burnt one and solder them, observing the color coding, to the board of the new cooler.

The mounting tabs of the new cooler turned out to be thicker than those of the burnt one. Therefore, I had to use longer self-tapping screws for fastening. As you can see in the photo, after modification the cooler fits perfectly into the shape of the video card radiator.

Before installing the video card into the computer, supply voltage was applied to the cooler connector. It worked quietly and blew the radiator fins well. Checking the heating temperature of the radiator after installing the video card in the computer showed good performance of the new cooler.

Repeated video card repair due to failure of the replaced cooler

Six months later, in the summer, the video card processor began to overheat. Analysis showed that the newly installed cooler stopped working. The impeller did not rotate; it was difficult to turn by hand.

It became obvious that the cooler burned out due to imperfect design of the cooling system. It fit tightly to the radiator with its base, as a result, it not only worsened the heat removal from the hottest surface of the radiator, but also heated up to a high temperature.

Therefore, when replacing a failed cooler with a new one, it was decided to secure it in such a way that the cooler would blow air not only on the radiator, but also on itself.

To replace it, we took a used brand-name Pentium processor cooler of a suitable size, which had served for many years but was in excellent condition. Before installation, it was disassembled and the bearing was lubricated with graphite grease.

The cooler from the processor had a three-pin connector, and the video card had a two-pin connector. There were two options for connecting the cooler to the power circuit. To the motherboard without re-soldering the wires, or to the video card board, with re-soldering.

Any motherboard has a pair of connectors, one of which is shown in the photo, for connecting coolers that are installed in the computer system unit case. If the length of the wire allows, you can install the video card and connect the cooler connector to one of these connectors. This connection method will additionally allow you to systematically control the rotation speed of the impeller.

But in my case, the length of the wire was not enough and therefore I decided to resolder the wires from the faulty one to the new cooler. To operate the cooler, you only need to supply power voltage.

The cooler was secured to the radiator using four self-tapping screws screwed between its ribs, as shown in the photo. The outer diameter of the screw should be slightly larger than the distance between the radiator fins.

More than two years have passed since then, the cooler is working stably. Thanks to the change in the way the cooler is installed, the cooling efficiency of the video processor has increased, and the cooler, by blowing air around itself, began to work in lighter conditions.

Replacing the cooler in the power supply

In order to do Maintenance or replace the cooler in the computer power supply, you still need to get to it. After removing the side cover of the system unit, you need to unscrew the four screws securing the power supply, which are located on the wall where all the connectors are located. In this case, the system unit must be positioned in such a way that the power supply released from its mounting does not fall onto the motherboard.

The power supply is removed from the system unit. From the power supply to all devices and the motherboard there are conductors with plugs at the ends supplying the supply voltage. If the wires are of sufficient length, then the connectors can not be disconnected, or only those from which the wires are stretched can be removed.

Having placed the power supply on the corner of the system unit, you need to unscrew the four screws marked in pink in the photo and remove the cover. Sometimes the screws are covered with paper labels and in order to unscrew them, you must first find them. The cover is removed by sliding upwards. You will be surprised by the amount of dust on the power supply elements. It must be completely removed with a brush and vacuum cleaner.

Next, the screws marked in yellow in the photo are unscrewed and the cooler is removed. There are two wires coming from the cooler, red and black. Red wire (+12 V), black (-12 V). For ease of maintenance of the cooler, it is better to unscrew the power supply board and unsolder these wires, but this is not necessary; if it is enough to restore normal operation of the cooler, just lubricate it.

Reducing cooler speed

If the performance of the cooler after replacement has become more than necessary, you can reduce the speed by reducing the supply voltage supplied to it. It is enough to connect one diode of any type, or several in series, into the gap of the red wire, with the cathode (it is usually marked with a strip on the case) towards the cooler. If the marking of the diode is not clear, then you can turn it on, as necessary, if the cooler does not rotate, swap the ends of the diode connection.

One diode will reduce the supply voltage by 0.8 V, or to 11.2 V. Connecting five diodes in series, for example, will reduce the cooler supply voltage by 4 V, it will become equal to 8 V.

By reducing the speed, you need to make sure that the processor does not overheat when running at full load. For this purpose, there are tools that allow you to control the rotation speed of the cooler and the heating temperature of the processor without leaving operating system. Operating the processor in severe thermal conditions leads to a slowdown in its performance, and the computer may malfunction and even freeze.