how to reduce fan noise?

[glaze]

I have a JBJ formosa hood and the fan makes a racket. It's the replacement hood, since the first one crapped out in less than 2 months. Both hoods took less than a week to start sounding like a WWI prop plane with the fans on.

Anyone know of a fix or modification? Thanks.

 

[danmhippo]

Not familiar with the hood, but you can measure the diameter of the fan including the blade, and buy another one at radio shack or other electronics store. Or simply take them off and ask the store clerk. Many PC stores carries these fan too. Just make sure the one's you get plugs directly to the wall outlet. Many PC fans only accepts 12V. Some store can let you test them out and you can choose whichever one's with lowest noise level.

 

[seahawkjohnny]

Glaze....

its the design of the hood, you can keep replacing the fans, they will keep going out on you....When I was searching for a PC light system, it was one I looked into, and 2 different LFS's used to carry them, and they showed me some units that had been returned to them in rather poor shape, and they no longer carry the JBJ...I ended up going to Hellolights.com, and buying a retofit from them, I couldnt be any happier

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
How about turning it off?!?

Sorry. Seriously, Danm's suggestion is good. You can also try to put some rubber grumets between the hood and the fan to see if that help. But for the price that they charges JBJ, you should get a much better hood.

 

[glaze]

Well, ignoring everyone's advice I tried to fix the one I have. I noticed that the noise was associated mostly with just one of the twin fans. I'm not sure but maybe the propeller is held in place magnetically and any slight dislodgement or warping makes the plastic-on-plastic noise from hell. I tried to manipulate the blade but just made things worse.

If anybody out there has used JBJ hoods please let me know what your experiences have been.

Although I haven't acted on it yet, I very much appreciate all your advice and welcome any more thoughts.

 

[suckair]

I had that same problem. I use AC 120mm fans on my system. FIrst I purchased lows noise ac fans and they all used bushing bearings and would fail after about 8 months. THey would still work but would become loud. The ball bearing fans were just too loud until I made a small modification. I added a celing AC fan speed control to them. I was able to run the AC ball bearing fans at 70% power and the sound was all but gone. The air they moved was higher volume than the other bushing 120mm fans but they were quiet. Now I can have the reliable ball bearing high volume fan without the noise. In a emergency I can power them up to hurricane power and put up with the sound if needed

You have to use a AC fan speed control unit avi at most hardware stores for 10-20 dollars. I am very happy with the solution.