DIY Cooling System Noise Reduction

If you want to solve the problem of noise in your computer or home appliance cooling system, but don't want to spend a lot of money, we'll provide a low-cost DIY soundproofing solution. We'll cover noise source analysis, material selection, and installation techniques, so you can use simple tools to achieve noise reduction without affecting heat dissipation.This is a great choice for those with limited budgets but who want a quiet and peaceful environment.

Before you start, first find the source of the noise.

Many people, as soon as they hear the whirring of a fan, rush to disassemble the computer and replace the part.In fact, the "villains" of noise pollution may be simpler than you imagine.For example, the fans may become unstable when dust accumulates, or the case may vibrate and produce a buzzing sound. Or the ventilation design may be unreasonable, causing air to flow in a disorderly fashion.If you shine a flashlight on the ventilation ports and see a gray, fuzzy substance, it's likely just dust.You don't need to rush out and buy a new fan. You can solve most of your problems with a soft-bristled brush.

A trick for cleaning fans.

Don't use a wet cloth to scrub the blades, as it may damage them. Instead, take an old toothbrush, dip it in alcohol, and gently scrub the blades along their grooves.If a fan makes an odd sound, a drop of sewing machine oil will be more effective than replacing the bearing.Remember to unplug the appliance before cleaning it. Don't ask me how I know.

Low-cost materials are no less effective than professional equipment.

The rubber dampers you can buy in a hardware store for NT $ 10 are much more effective than the "miracle soundproofing products" that are hyped on the Internet.They can be stuck to the screw holes of the fan or the contact surface of the case to reduce vibration noise by 80 %.If the budget is a little larger, adding sound-absorbing materials will have even more of an effect.But it is important to leave ventilation holes so that the equipment doesn't get "pressure cooked.

How to use sound insulation.

Choose fire-retardant, sound-absorbent foam with a self-adhesive back.The focus is on the sides and top of the case, which are the main sources of noise.I've seen people wrap their cases up like mummies, blocking all the ventilation openings.

Optimizing the airflow, the building is both quiet and cool.

The case is not a range hood, and if you install too many fans, they will fight with each other.The basic airflow is from front to back, leaving space for the graphics card and the CPU cooler.When he tried removing two of the fans, the temperature actually dropped 3 ° C, because the air was now free to flow unimpeded.Sometimes, doing subtraction is more effective than doing addition.

The golden balance point for fan speed.

I then went into the BIOS and set the fans to "silent mode." I then used temperature monitoring software to monitor the computer for half an hour.If the temperature is stable within the safe range, there is no need to pursue the maximum speed.If you are really concerned about heat dissipation, you can buy a speed control for around NT $ 100. When you are playing games, you can turn the speed up, and when you are watching movies, you can turn it down. This saves electricity and makes it quieter.

After you've made the upgrades, test the computer under extreme conditions. Run a large game or graphics program and observe the temperature and noise levels.If any abnormalities are detected, the plan is adjusted.Don't wait until the screen goes blue to regret not having done a stress test.