Complete analysis of the final wind tunnel for fan testing

Ľubomír Samák

2 years ago

Introduction to fan testing

The introduction to this article has been rewritten several times. The original versions resorted to describing the adverse events that caused the long-announced fan testing to be so dramatically delayed. But the text was always dreadfully boring… the important thing is that everything managed to make it to the start. But before the starting gun, come take a thorough walk around the track where the measurements will take place.

One retrospective remark at the beginning is in order. Our magazine was once created to focus on cooling of computer components. And while that quickly proved to be utopistic and it was necessary to take on a slightly more comprehensive focus to survive, that doesn’t change our love of cooling. We believe that the work on fan test methodology, which we will discuss in detail in the following lines, is proof enough of this.

However, we must warn you right away that you will need to set aside more time for this article. If you don’t have half an hour now, that’s okay, you’ll find it later. Bookmark the article and then come back to it at your convenience. The typical pattern of behavior where most readers skip right to the final chapter won’t work here. To make sense, you have to read through everything. Because from the first chapter to the last, things will build on each other. It’s probably best to go through the tunnel (and the periphery around it) from entrance to exit. Every little detail is extremely important, and we’ll be happy if you understand everything we do perfectly. Such knowledge will also be key to reading the results you’ll be encountering for a long time on HWCooling.net.

Testing fans really accurately is an extremely difficult task. Without further context, this may sound like a cliché, but we believe that after reading the last sentence of the methodology, you will agree with this statement. The fan testing idea also came about because we could not find anything on the internet that even remotely resembled what we expect from fan testing.

Of course, there are quite a few tests of fans on heatsinks or in computer cases everywhere. But these mostly don’t actually go after the parameters that the fans have (that is mainly airflow and static pressure) and only deal with temperature comparisons within a cooling system. Measuring with which fan lower or higher CPU or GPU temperatures are achieved is indeed better than nothing, but it is always an emergency solution for a rough orientation. And sometimes even that rough orientation can be misleading.

In short, the variability of different coolers and different cases is so great that what is true in the configuration within test setup “A” may not be true for other test setup “B” components. In fact, the rest of the cooling system, which is the passive heatsink or the specific layout of the elements in the case, also contributes significantly to the result and the relative ratios that express higher or lower cooling performance. Differences when testing in a natural environment must therefore be taken with a grain of salt, and you must also take into account that everything may work slightly differently in your setup.

Therefore, it is always better, more accurate and more precise to test the fan separately. However, this requires a specialized set-up in which such measurements can be made. Typically some kind of tunnel that has an input and an output. You have probably already encountered some such units in various tests. We are aware of them too, but they are all missing something, and within their design, despite increased efforts, we can see many flaws and often untapped potential. That said, the tunnel is pretty decent, but one is not getting the most out of it. Pointing to any specific cases from here is not really appropriate, so let’s move straight on to what a test tunnel (a tunnel with the HWCooling logo!) should look like and a methodology that reveals everything about the fans.

You already know the prototype of the wind tunnel we are going to talk about from last year’s article. The difference is that over the last year we have fine-tuned it to the final form in which we will use it to test the fans. A year ago, we described how we would probably measure the different quantities. We’ll recap that now, but we’ll change the sequence a little bit. We’ll start not with the airflow measurements, but with how important the fan mounting itself is. So we’ll take it from the beginning (from the fan) all the way to the end of tunnel.

Basis of methodology, the wind tunnel

Before you start reading the methodology with all the details, take a look at the test tunnel as a whole. This is the heart of the whole system, to which other arteries are connected (manometer, vibrometer, powermeter, …). The only solid part of the tunnel from the measuring instruments is the anemometer.

The shape of the wind tunnel is inspired by the Venturi tube, which has long been used to measure the flow of liquids and gases. The Venturi effect for wind speed measuring is also known from the aerospace industry. However, the design for measuring computer fans has its own specificities, which this proposal of ours reflects.

The individual parameters of the HWC wind tunnel for fan tests are the result of physical simulations and practical debugging. All the details (folds, material or finish used) have a rationale behind them and are designed this way for a specific reason. We will discuss the individual design details in turn in the description of the sub-variable measurements.

Now we will briefly elaborate on some things that do not fit thematically into the text of the following chapters. Namely, for example, that the skeleton of the wind tunnel is the work of a 3D printer (PLA). The rough print was, of course, then thoroughly machined by grinding, fusing, polishing and varnishing. Especially important is the smooth finish of the interior walls.

When joining the individual parts, the emphasis was on making sure that they fit together flawlessly, that they were sealed flawlessly (we will come back to this when we describe the test procedures for pressure measurement), but also that the joints were not loosened by use. Everything is disassemblable for servicing purposes, but it is ensured that the properties are maintained during use and, for example, even under the stress of vibration. The threads are secured with either lock nuts or thread-locking fluid. It depends on which is more suitable in which place.

When the wind tunnel is not in use, it is enclosed in a dust-tight chamber. In addition to the technical equipment and its correct storage, it is also important for objective outputs that all measuring instruments are calibrated according to the standard. Without this, it would be impossible to stand behind your results and rely on the manufacturers’ specifications. Calibration protocols are therefore an important part of the methodology. Testing is carried out at an ambient air temperature of 21–21.3 °C, humidity is approximately 45 % (± 2 %).

Fans come to us for testing in at least two pieces of the same model. If the deviations of any of the measured values are greater than 5 %, we also work with a third or fourth sample and the average value is formed by the results of the fans that came out the most similar and the differences between them fit under 5 %.

Mounting and vibration measurement

Naturally, each tested fan must first be properly mounted. With all that we want to measure, and with the kind of precision that is required for relevant measurements, even the smallest details matter. The whole mounting system is quite complex and we are happy to have fine-tuned it to maximum satisfaction. Even if it meant hundreds of hours of tinkering. What’s so complicated about it? There’s more.

The fans are installed to the multi-purpose bracket. The substrate is a 2 mm thick metal plate to which the fan is attached, or the fan is attached together with an obstacle (e.g. a filter, hexagonal grille or liquid cooler radiator).

Bracket for installing the fan and vibrometer sensor

For correct and always equal pressure, the fans are always tightened with the same force with a torque screwdriver. If this were not the case, joints and clearances in the assembly could arise, in short, uneven conditions with undesirable distortion. For example, also for vibration measurement. On top of the fan mount there is also a bracket for the three-axis vibrometer sensor. The latter is magnetically attached via a steel insert, on which the sensor exerts a force of one kilogram and, thanks to the stop, is also always in the same place and in the same contact with the rest of the structure. These are the basics in terms of repeatability of measurements.

In order to capture the intensity at the highest possible resolution, the tray of the holder cannot be too heavy and at the same time it must be strong enough not to twist. This would again cause various distortions. Therefore, we used a hard (H19) aluminium (AL99.5) plate for the construction of the holder, whose weight is just enough so that free movement is not significantly restricted.

To achieve the finest possible resolution for vibration measurement, soft rubber inserts are provided in the mounting holes through which the bracket is installed to the tunnel. And just behind these inserts are silent blocks with a very low hardness of 30 Shore. These are also used so that the vibrations of the fans don’t spread to the tunnel skeleton. If this were to happen, then for fans with more intense vibrations, this secondary noise component, which is not related to the aerodynamic sound of the fan, would also be reflected in the noise measurement results.

Sensitive mounting mechanism allows high-resolution vibration measurement while preventing vibrations from traversing to the wind tunnel skeleton

This is where it is good to have ideal conditions, even though they are unattainable in practice, because fan vibrations will always be transmitted to the case skeleton to some degree. But each cabinet will react differently to them, or rather the final noise level will depend on a number of factors, starting with the materials used. Therefore, it is a good idea to filter out this extra noise component in tests and in practice take into account the measured vibration intensities. The higher these vibrations are, the higher the noise addition has to be taken into account.

The silent blocks are naturally formatted to offset the bracket a bit from the rest of the tunnel, otherwise they wouldn’t make sense. This creates a gap that is sealed across the entire surface with a soft foam seal with closed cell structure (i.e., it’s airtight).

To prevent vibrations from passing through to the wind tunnel structure, there is a small gap between the fan bracket and the leading edge of the tunnel, which is sealed by a soft foam collar

To properly center the fan rotor in relation to the other elements, the bracket includes a protruding frame that follows the inner contour of the seal. And to make matters even more complicated, the frame with the tested fan is pressed against this seal by a small force of compression springs, which in turn is set with the highest possible resolution for vibration measurement in mind and at the same time so that sufficient pressure is generated to maintain a flawless seal.

Vibration is measured with a Landtek VM-6380 vibration meter. It records the vibration speed (in mm) per second in all axes (X, Y, Z). For quick orientation, we calculate a 3D vector from the measured values and graph the “total” vibration intensity. But you can also find your results if you are only interested in a specific axis.

The most complicated part of the tunnel is behind us, and we’ll move on in the next chapter. But we will still stay at the beginning of the tunnel, we will just turn to the peripheries on the sides.

Initial warm-up…

Before we even start measuring anything, we let the fans run “idle” for a few minutes after plugging them in. This is because immediately after a cold start the fans reach different parameters than after a certain amount of short-term operation.

Until the operating temperature of the lubricant is stabilized, a typically lower maximum performance is achieved. This is because at lower temperatures the lubricant is denser, which is associated with higher friction. Therefore, the fans do not reach maximum speed immediately, but only after the first few seconds. Before the first measurements, we therefore leave the fans running for at least 300 seconds at 12 V, or 100 % PWM intensity.

…and speed recording

The speed of the fans is monitored using a laser tachometer, which reads the number of revolutions from a reflective sticker on the rotor. For this purpose, we use the UNI-T UT372 device, which also allows real-time averaging of samples. Thus, we do not record the peak value in the graphs, but the average speed value from a 30-second time period.

However, the speed itself is a relatively unimportant parameter that is often given more attention than is appropriate. This is the case even in many fan or cooler tests, where speed is used to normalize the different modes in which other variables are measured.

We monitor the speed of the fans with a laser tachometer

However, hyper-focusing on a specific speed is a rather unfortunate decision if only because the fans don’t gain any commonality. At the same speed all other variables are different, there is no intersection. It can be noted that a better normalization would have been by any other variable, whether it be static pressure, flow or noise level, which wins in our case. But more on that in the next chapter.

We only measure the speed so that you can associate a particular parameter (such as the amount of static pressure or some noise level) with something according to which you can adjust the fan yourself. Perhaps for that alone, the information about the achieved speed is useful. As part of the fan analysis, we will also indicate what the fans’ starting and minimum speeds are. Start-up speeds tend to be higher than minimum speeds because more force is required to get the rotor moving than once the fan rotor is spinning, and a minimum power intensity is sought at which the fan does not stall.

Base 7 equal noise levels

There are several options by which to normalize the test modes for fans. In the previous chapter, we wrote that perhaps the least appropriate option is equal speed.

Settings according to the same static pressure or flow are for consideration, but we find it most sensible in the long term to normalize the measurement modes according to the same noise levels. Firstly because decibels are a logarithmic unit and all others scale linearly, but mainly because you can orientate fastest by the same noise levels. The easiest way to compare the efficiency of fans is just by how they perform at the same sound pressure level. Of all the options, this is the one that most people can best imagine and bounce off of when considering other variables.

The individual noise level modes are adjusted from low levels continuously to higher levels. All users will find their results in the tests, regardless of whether they prefer very quiet operation at the limit of audibility or whether high performance is paramount.

The quietest mode corresponds to 31.5 dBA, followed by 33 dBA, and for each additional mode we add 3 dBA, which always doubles the noise level (36, 39, 42 and 45 dBA). Finally, we measure the fans at maximum power. Here, each one already has a slightly different noise level, which we also report. If there are missing measurements between the results for any of the fans, this means that it was not possible to set the target noise level. Either because its minimum speed exceeds the quietest mode of 31.5 dBA or vice versa because the fan is quieter than 45 dBA at maximum power.

It is important to add that our noise level measurements are incomparable to the values quoted by the fan manufacturers in their specifications. One of the reasons is because we use a parabola-shaped collar around the sensor of the noise meter, which increases sensitivity. This is important in order to distinguish and set to the same noise level even modes at very low speeds, especially 31.5 dBA.

The noise meter next to the fan is quite close for sufficient resolution. The distance between the frame and the sensor is 15 centimeters. The sensor is positioned in such a way that there is no distortion or that the noise level measurements are not affected by airflow. Therefore, the noise meter is centered perpendicularly to the frame that defines the depth of the fan. Everything is always at the same angle and at the same distance. We use an inclinometer and markers to set the distances precisely and always the same.

The noise meter sensor is positioned relative to the position of the fan from the profile. It is centered to the depth of the frame both vertically and horizontally.

We use a Reed R8080 noise meter to measure noise levels. This allows real-time averaging of samples, which is important for fine-tuning individual modes. We tune the fans until the specified noise level is reached to two decimal places, for example 31.50 dBA. The noise meter is the only instrument we calibrate inside our testlab. The other instruments have been calibrated by the relevant technical institutes. However, in the case of the noise meter, calibration is required before each test and we therefore have our own calibrator. This is already calibrated externally according to the standard.

33 dBA or 33 dBA

The noise level, given as a single dBA value, is good for quick reference, but it doesn’t give you an idea of exactly what the sound sounds like. That’s because it averages a mix of noise levels of all frequencies of sound. One fan may disturb you more than the other, even though they both reach exactly the same dBA, yet each is characterized by different dominant (louder) frequencies. To analyze thoroughly with an idea of the “color” of the sound, it is essential to record and assess noise levels across the entire spectrum of frequencies that we perceive.

Spectrograph with noise levels at individual sound frequencies

We already do this in graphics card tests, and we’ll do it for fans too, where it makes even more sense. Using the UMIK-1 miniDSP microphone and TrueRTA’s mode-specific, fixed dBA application, we also measure which frequencies contribute more and which contribute less to the sound. The monitored frequency range is 20-20,000 Hz, which we’ll work with at a fine resolution of 1/24 octave. In it, noise levels from 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz are captured at up to 240 frequencies.

The information captured in the spectrograph is a bit more than we will need for clear fan comparisons. While you’ll always find a complete spectrograph in the tests, we’ll only work with the dominant frequencies (and their noise intensities) in the low, mid, and high bands in the comparison tables and charts. The low frequency band is represented by 20–200 Hz, the medium by 201–2000 Hz and the high by 2001–20 000 Hz. From each of these three bands, we select the dominant frequency, i.e. the loudest one, which contributes most to the composition of the sound.

To the dominant frequency we also give the intensity of its noise. However, in this case it is in a different decibel scale than those you are used to from noise meter measurements. Instead of dBA, we have dBu. This is a finer scale, which is additionally expressed negatively. Be careful of this when studying the results – a noise intensity of -70 dBu is higher than -75 dBu. We discussed this in more detail in the article Get familiar with measuring the frequency response of sound.

Strict acoustic safeguards are required to ensure that these measurements can be carried out with satisfactory repeatability at all. We use acoustic panels to measure the same values at all frequencies across repeated measurements. These ensure that the sound is always reflected equally to the microphone regardless of the distribution of other objects we have in the testlab. The baseline noise level before each measurement is also naturally the same. The room in which we measure is soundproofed.

To accurately measure the frequency characteristics of sound, it is important to maintain acoustic conditions at all times. We use a set of acoustic panels to create these.

Like the noise meter, the microphone has a parabolic collar to increase resolution. The latter is specially in this case not only to amplify but also to filter out the noises that occur whether we want them or not behind the microphone. We are talking about the physical activity of the user (tester). Without this addition, human breathing, for example, would also be picked up by the spectrograph. However, this is successfully reflected off the microphone sensor by the back (convex) side of the collar. As a result, the spectrogram only contains information about the sound emitted by the fan itself.

Static pressure measurement…

Finally, it is time to move further down the tunnel a bit. Just behind the fan is a static pressure sensing probe. Its position has been chosen with maximum measurement efficiency in mind. In other words, the sensors are placed at the points of highest pressure (although this is virtually the same everywhere in the unconstrained part of the tunnel).

The Fieldpiece ASP2, which is connected to the Fieldpiece SDMN5 manometer, is used to measure the static pressure in the tunnel. The latter also allows measurements in millimetres of water column, but we measure in millibars. This is a more finely resolved base unit for this meter. And only from there we convert the measured values into mm H₂O to allow easy comparison with what the manufacturers state.

Internal part of the probe to measure the static pressure inside the tunnel…

The difference in cross-section at the intake and exhaust (where the exhaust in this case is considered to be the anemometer) is related to the fact that the pressure increases in the narrowed part and with it the airflow. In order to avoid distortion at this level and to prevent the airflow from being stated as higher than it actually is, the Bernoulli equation must be applied to the measured values to compensate for the difference between the intake and exhaust cross-section (it also takes into account the motor housings). After this, it is again possible to confront our results with the paper parameters.

… and the external part leading to the manometer

The greater the difference between the manufacturer’s claimed values and ours, the less the specifications correspond to reality. If the claimed values are significantly higher, it is certainly an intention to artificially give an advantage to the fans on the market. However, if the manufacturer quotes a lower pressure value than we do, it points to something else. Namely, a weaker tightness of the measuring environment. The less tight the tunnel is, the lower the pressure you naturally measure. This is one of the things we tuned for an extremely long time, but in the end we ironed out all the weak spots. Whether it’s the passage for the probe itself, the flanges around the anemometer, even the anemometer frame itself, which is made up of two parts, needed to be sealed in the middle. Finally, the flap at the tunnel outlet must also be perfectly tight. That’s because static pressure has to be measured in zero airflow.

The furthest part from the fan – cap for static pressure measurements

But there is one thing that often lowers the pressure of the fans a bit. And that’s protruding anti-vibration pads in the corners or otherwise protruding corners. In other words, when the fan doesn’t fit perfectly to the mounting frame at the inlet, and there are small gaps around the perimeter, that also affects what you measure. But we have not gone into this because it is already a quality feature of the fan. In the same way, it will “stand out” and perform a bit weaker than it has the potential to do with better workmanship, even after application by the end user.

… and airflow

With airflow measurements, we can well explain why the test tunnel is shaped the way it is. It doesn’t consist of two parts just so that the “exhaust” can be conveniently clogged for pressure measurements. The anemometer (i.e. the wind speed measuring instrument) is held together by two parts, two formations, through the flanges.

The front part, at the beginning of which the fan is mounted, becomes steadily narrower and from about two thirds of the way through the cross-section is smaller than that of a 120 mm fan. The reason for this is that the cross-section of the anemometer is always smaller than that of the fans tested. The taper towards the anemometer fan is as smooth as could be chosen and the tunnel walls are smooth. This has minimized the occurrence of unnatural turbulence.

The difference between the cross section at the intake (fan under test) and at the constriction point (anemometer) also means a difference in dynamic pressure, the principles of the Venturi effect apply here. In order to avoid distortion at this level and to ensure that the fan airflow is not different from what it actually is, the Bernoulli equation must be applied to the measured values (for maximum accuracy, the calculation also takes into account the internal cross-sectional area of the anemometer, i.e. its inactive part ). After all this, it is again possible to confront our results with the paper parameters.

We use an Extech AN300 anemometer with a large 100 mm fan for the measurements. Its big advantage over other anemometers is that it is made for bidirectional sensing. This allows tests at different fan orientations. However, the “pull” position is more suitable or accurate for measurements, even though it may not seem so at first glance, but we’ll explain. Here, we get to the second part of the tunnel, the part behind the anemometer. It is part of the whole device, mainly to allow a laminar flow of air to arrive at the rotor of the anemometer. Otherwise, uncontrolled side whirls would be reflected in the results, which are inconsistent with accurate measurements. Therefore, we will test the flow in the pull position. If anyone would like us to elaborate more on this topic, we can elaborate further at any time in the discussion below the article. Ask away.

The rear of the tunnel ensures, among other things, that the air supply to the anemometer fan is laminar

In connection with the anemometer, we will return a little more to the noise measurements and to the setting of modes according to fixed noise levels. It may have occurred to you as you were reading that the anemometer fan is also a source of sound that needs to be filtered out when testing fans. For this reason, we insert a belay pad between the frame and the anemometer fan before each measurement and mode setting according to the fixed noise level.

Everything changes with obstacles

So far, we have described how static pressure and airflow measurements are made under conditions where the fan has no obstacles in its path. In practice, however, fans do not usually blow into an empty space, but have a filter, grille or radiator in front of or behind them, the fins of which need to be pushed through as efficiently as possible.

A set of practical obstacles with which we measure the effect on airflow, static pressure, but also noise

We will also measure both airflow and pressure through practical obstacles for the reasons stated above. These include two types of filters that are usually used in PC cases. One fine – nylon and the other plastic with a thinner mesh. One other obstacle is the hexagonal grille perforated at 50%, on which the vast majority of fans – intake and exhaust – are installed. In some cases, we measure the effect of the obstacles on the results at positions (behind or in front of the rotor) that are used in practice. All obstacles are both pushed through to detect pressure drops, but also pulled through, which in turn speaks to the impact on airflow.

We use two radiators that differ in thickness and fin density. The EK CoolStream SE120/140 is 28 mm thick and the FPI is 22, the Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 v2 is thicker (45 mm) but with less FPI. CoolStream’s fin disposition is also similar in parameters to AIOs. The results on the NexXxoS will again be attractive for those who build their own water cooling loops, where the fans should work well even at low speeds – hence the lower fin density.

These obstacles and especially the radiators, but also the grilles, increase the mechanical resistance in front of the fan, resulting in higher noise levels. However, we will still tune the fan speeds to the specified noise levels of 31.5 to 45 dBA. Naturally, the speeds will always be lower than when testing without obstructions, but we will maintain the noise levels for clarity. The different noise levels with and without obstacles will only be at maximum power. In this mode it will also be nice to see how the fan design works with the obstacle and in which case the noise level increases more and in which less.

How we measure power draw…

Is it worth addressing the power draw of fans? If you have seven of them in your computer (three on the radiator of the cooler and four for system cooling in the case) and they are also backlit, the power draw starts at tens of watts. This makes it worth dealing with.

All fans are powered by Gophert CPS-3205 II laboratory power supply. It is passive and virtually noiseless, so it does not distort our noise level measurements. However, for the PWM fans, a Noctua NA-FC1 controller is connected through which the fans are regulated. We also have a shunt between the power supply and the Noctua controller. On it, we read the voltage drop, from which we then calculate the current. However, the voltage on the power supply is set so that 12 V goes to the Noctua NA-FC1. We then also set the exact 12 V to measure the maximum power of the 3-pin linear power supply fans.

In the power draw tests, we will be interested in the power draw in fixed noise level modes in addition to the maximum power consumption at 12 V or 100% PWM. That is, at those settings at which we also measure other parameters. Finally, in the graphs you will also find the power consumption corresponding to the start-up and minimum speeds. The difference between these two settings is that at start-up speed you need to overcome the frictional forces, so the power draw is always higher than at minimum speed. At these, the fan is already running and just reduces power to just before a level where it stops.

These start-up and minimum power draw data are a substitute for the start-up and minimum voltage information. You often encounter this when reading about fans, but with PWM fans there is no point in dealing with it. And although it is possible to power a PWM fan linearly, it will always perform better with PWM control – lower starting and minimum speeds. Therefore, it would be unfair to compare these parameters for all fans using linear control. That way, fans with PWM would be disadvantaged and the results distorted.

…and motor power

In addition to power draw, it is important to consider one more parameter that is related to the power supply – the power of the motor. This is usually listed on the back on a label and is often mistaken for power draw. However, the voltage and current indication here is usually not about power draw, but about the power of the motor. The latter must always be well above the operating power draw. The more, the longer the life expectancy of the fan.

Over time and with wear, fan friction increases (through loss, hardening of the lubricant, dust contamination or abrasion of the bearings, etc.). However, a more powerful motor will overcome the deteriorating condition of the fan to some extent, albeit at a higher power draw, but somehow it will cope. However, if the difference between the motor power and the operating power draw of the new fan is small, it may no longer be able to exert sufficient force to turn the rotor under increased friction due to adverse circumstances.

The label detail often does not talk about power draw, but about the maximum power of the motor

To test the power of the motor, we set the fan to full power (12 V/100 % PWM) and increase the mechanical resistance by braking the rotor in the middle. This is a higher load for the motor, with which the power draw naturally increases. But this is only up to a point, until the rotor stops. The power of the motor in our tests corresponds to the highest achieved power draw that we observed when the fan was being braked.

We use the Keysight U1231A high sample rate precision multimeters to analyse motor performance (as well as normal operating power draw). In addition, the individual samples are recorded in a spreadsheet, from which we then graph the maximum. The final value is the average of three measurements (three maximums).

Measuring the intensity (and power draw) of lighting

Modern fans often include lighting. This is no longer a “cooling” parameter, but for some users the presence of (A)RGB LEDs is important. Therefore, we also measure how intense this lighting is in our tests. These tests are the only ones that take place externally, outside the wind tunnel.

We record the luminosity of the fans in a chamber with reflective walls. This internal arrangement is important to increase the resolution for us to measure anything at all with lower luminosity fans. But also so that the readings do not blend together and it is obvious which fan is emitting more light and which one less.

Fan in the light chamber to measure the intensity of (A)RGB LEDs

The illumination intensity is measured in the horizontal position of the fan, above which is the lux meter sensor (UNI-T UT383S). This is centered on the illumination intensity sensing chamber.

The illumination is controlled via an IR controller and the hue is set to RGB level 255, 255, 255 (white). We record the brightness at maximum and minimum intensity. According to this, you can easily see if the brightness is high enough, but conversely also if the lower level is low enough for you.

In addition to the brightness intensity, we also measure the power draw that it requires. This is again through the shunt, which is between the Gophert CPS-3205 power supply and the (A)RGB LED driver. After this we get a reading of the lighting power draw. In the graphs we show it separately, but also in sum with the motor power draw as the total maximum fan power.

8 “basics” to start off…

And we are at the end of the elaboration. Thanks to all the readers who have chewed through the whole text from the beginning to the very end. You now have a pretty good idea of how we test fans. And also that for a relevant evaluation of all parameters it is necessary to prepare properly.

The hardest phase is over, we are all set to start transforming HWcooling into HWCooling. Don’t worry, we remember well our original intentions, when the name of the game was pure cooling issues. However, it very quickly became apparent that this focus alone was not going to be enough for the magazine to survive. Therefore, the original topics started to be pushed out by various other, often simpler, less tedious ones.

BoMan’s comment about dissatisfaction with the direction of HWC still robs me of sleep to this day. But the biggest difficulties are hopefully behind us now, and good ground is finally being made for in-depth cooling tests. And don’t worry, it won’t just be about fans. This is just the beginning, and we already have many at least as interesting topics in the pipeline. But prospectively, we’ll start fan tests, set up some sustainable regularity, and gradually pack in some new stuff as well. For example, we have a unique setup for testing heat conductive pastes and heat conductive pads, although only on paper so far.

We’ll have a dust filter test coming up next, followed closely by a larger fan comparison test. We will include eight models that are from the cheaper category or those that are not even sold anymore and thus few people would look for their “solo” tests. But as a reference point from which to base evaluations of newer or more attractive fans, they will serve well. So tune in thematically, here we go!

And one more thing. I’ve been thinking about my outcry on Friday. Please don’t hold it against me, but if our work on fan testing is to be overshadowed by something weaker and it should claim otherwise, I’ll comment and set the record straight. It’s not about ego, it’s about being able to continue to function and do an honest job. That is the whole point. But I trust that no unpleasant confrontation will be necessary. In a gravy time, where facts often take a beating, one needs to show their horns every now and then. 🙂

English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš

Continue: Basis of methodology, the wind tunnel