Fan through a frame?
Due to the atypical spacing of the mounting holes for its format, the new Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fans cannot be installed in 140mm positions as standard. You need a conversion frame for that, and one such frame was designed, made and sent to us by an HWCooling reader. So, we were able to simulate and test one of the most anticipated fans of recent years (NF-A14x25 G2 PWM) already now.<!–more→
So we have the results of the NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fan with the DIY frame through the obstacles. It is important to emphasize “with the DIY frame”. As tempting as it may be to assume similar results to the square fan variant, it should be pointed out that the tested frame never came into contact with this fan during the design process and no optimizations were made to achieve the best possible results.
With frames like the Noctua NA-IS1, if the NF-A14x25r fan was supported, more favorable results would certainly be achieved. To what extent is hard to estimate, and we won’t even tell you now how much more favorable the results would have been without this frame – with a completely Noctua-directed solution. This will soon be represented by fan variants with circular bezels with the standard spacing that 140 mm fans normally have.
What we can state right away is, also in light of the current circumstances of the non-optimized DIY frame, the top-notch airflow through the radiator. Of the fans tested, only the Thermaltake Toughfan 14 Pro achieves higher airflow at comparable noise levels. Always, across the entire speed spectrum.
At lower speeds and therefore lower noise, the NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fan with our frame usually finishes in second place. It drops a rank or two with higher speeds, but most users will probably be interested in the lower and very low noise levels. In those, as you know, the TT Toughfan 14 Pro can also be disqualified by its higher tolerances on quality characteristics, where some pieces somewhat… “rattle”, which we also pointed out in our standard analysis. With the Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM, similar concerns are most likely out of the question, and you probably won’t have to rummage through these fans to get to “quieter” pieces. We’ll confirm (or disprove) this assumption later in a comparison of several pieces in a higher-than-standard quantity.
Worrying about how to mount the Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM on a radiator doesn’t make much sense at the moment (even if you have the 3D model of the frame available that you can just print out), but that’s only because the release of the square frame variant is a matter of the next weeks or days. And mounting it in a case for system cooling? Preliminary results with the plastic filter don’t look that great, but again – the DIY frame may be spoiling it for the Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fan due to its properties.
On the grille, the situation is considerably more favourable. The Noctua fan returns again to the second place, which it doesn’t let go even at relatively higher speeds. In this case, the main rival is not the Thermaltake fan (the grille is a weak discipline for the Toughfan 14 Pro), but the Arctic P14 PWM PST. The differences are very small and you probably can’t rule out the NF-A14x25 G2 PWM fan (i.e. the variant with its own square frame) erasing them. But it also might not, and our combination could theoretically achieve better results. This is because of the greater separation of the impeller from the grille, which is given by the thickness of the conversion frame.
So, for now, like this, partially. As far as fans are concerned, the soonest we will hopefully meet is a complete analysis of the variant (NF-A14x25 G2 PWM), to which we won’t have to add anything to mount it on the obstacles.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
- Contents
- Fan through a frame?
- Results: Airflow through a plastic filter
- Results: Airflow through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Airflow through a thinner radiator
- What we have arrived at
Hmm, a supposedly top fan performing so poorly on plastic filter with a spacer… A possible explanation is that the adaptor seems a bit leaky on both sides, and the fact that the gap (between the fan and the adapter) is spaced away from the obstacle might have introduced a significant path of least resistance. This issue is less apparent on obstacles with less impedance (radiator and hex grill).
To validate whether the adaptor is working as intended, I would suggest testing the adapter on one or two other fans with anti-vibration pads (perhaps Noctua A14), at one or two noise levels, to see how much impact the adaptor will makes. Of course, if time allows.
There are more of those little leaks. They are also on the rounded sides (between the fan and the frame) and then also between the frame and the obstacle. Fiberflex 40D is a very elastic material and the shape of the frame is also shaped by the force with which it is attached to the fan or to the obstacle. A more rigid material with higher hardness would not be as pliable, would not flex as much, and the results might be better. It is hard to say by how much. We will be able to speculate on that after we know the results of the NF-A14x25.
Among 140mm fans, the airflow of the Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM with the DIY frame through the filter is below average, but still always higher than the NF-A12x25. Note that the Toughfan 14 Pro is not much better and on the grille the Thermaltake fan is already lagging behind. Well, we’ll see, we’ll get to a proper conclusion in September. 🙂
The model already supports fan sizes ranging from 200 mm to 92 mm. Just keep in mind that it may perform slightly better without anti-vibration pads. Please take the code with a grain of salt, as I’m not a professional programmer. I would gladly accept your suggestions. Of course, you are welcome to modify and improve the code as you see fit.
Thanks for the follow-up.
A combination of a stronger material that would be less subject to deformation due to the screws (to keep the flexing of the frame as small as possible) and a hair larger hole (to accommodate the Noctua SID) would probably lead to better results. The question is by how much, it would probably only be to a negligible degree. I suppose the biggest improvement would be better sealing of the frame from both sides, as each gap reduces static pressure, but I wouldn’t see even that as dramatic in this case. The key to functioning on a radiator in my opinion is that there is a good amount of sealing at the corners. With these we already have an idea of what effect they can have on the airflow from the tests of different corners on the BeQuiet! Silent Wings Pro 4.
I was concerned about the strength of the narrowest point by the central opening. The cross-sectional thickness in this area is 3.5 mm, which I believe is a reasonable minimum (though the model allows shrinking this dimension to 3 mm). I didn’t want to exceed the standard fan size format, but increasing the main dimensions could provide greater strength. As for the material, it might be better to use something with a 60D hardness, which could also be a better option from a printing perspective.
Here’s a direct link to the archive containing the model for English-speaking readers.