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What makes a good cooling fan?

Posted by David J 
What makes a good cooling fan?
March 01, 2016 11:28AM
My 2 printers have been getting through a few cooling fans over time. I think I have bought about 3 replacement 30mm fans for my E3D v6's so far. I've also had a couple of bigger fans fail while working in fairly benign conditions, and although the E3D fans get shaken around a bit, they are constantly pulling cool air through so don't get too hot. Now a 60mm fan cooling my Duet board has started to complain when I start the printer, and that one is pushing cool air with no back pressure. The failed fans have had either sleeve bearings or ball bearings, with no apparent difference in reliability.

Starting with the premise that most of this kind of fan comes from China and, in general, they are cheap, nasty and unreliable - what makes a good fan? When I go looking for a new 24v 60mm fan, what should I be looking for?
Re: What makes a good cooling fan?
March 01, 2016 11:40AM
Noctua, they are ugly but awesome and quiet

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2016 11:42AM by DaGameFace.
Re: What makes a good cooling fan?
March 01, 2016 04:54PM
Go bigger and slower if possible. Less noise and more durability.

Or if you find from dumpster some 1U rack computer, they have good fans. I have several 40mm fans from 1998 and they have been running 24/7 over twenty years. Not at full power but spinning all the time. I thought I just throw them to my automation box and change bigger but there hasn't been need for it.
Re: What makes a good cooling fan?
March 01, 2016 05:06PM
I've been wondering the same thing - I have a pretty poor success rate with fans. At some point I'm going to have to see if paying more $$$ gives a more reliable result.
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