Vewlix rear fan replacement

[ikefc]

Hello!

I want to replace the stock rear fan in my Vewlix L as it is very louder,so I´ve found this thread: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/how-can-i-replace-loud-vewlix-fans.10207/ with a reference to a Noctua fan that seems very good for the change:

However I´d like to know if I need to do something with the connector on the cabinet original electric hardware or this Noctua fan has the same kind of connector and is a simple remove and plug&play connector.

Seems that it comes with a 3-Pin connector:

And also in the accessories tab appears this:

Perhaps is a dumb question but I´m not very good with electrics stuff,so any detailed help will be very appreciated.

 

[muffman]

Here is a copy pasta from a post I made a while back that might help. It will help you make the wire harness adapter to hook up to the stock connectors in your Vewlix. You basically just cut off the two pin connector off of the wire adapter from Amazon, and replace it with the connector I linked from ebay. It's just wire cutting and installing pins on the wires to connect to the the connector from Ebay. The links below and a nice wire cutting tool should be all you need to make the wire harness adapter.

"I made a wire harness adapter so my Noctua fans would be plug and play and I could leave the original fans and wiring intact and just simply unhook them. I also installed a Noctua fan controller to control the speed and loudness of the fans.

Noctua Parts:

Noctua NF-F12 iPPC-2000 PWM, Heavy Duty Cooling Fan, 4-Pin, 2000 RPM (120mm, Black)​

Noctua NA-FC1, 4-Pin PWM Fan Controller (Black)​

Parts to make harness:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/182393301207
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-2-Pin-Female-Adapter-2-Pack/dp/B083CRN5L6

Pic of wire harness adapter:

"

 

[ikefc]

Here is a copy pasta from a post I made a while back that might help. It will help you make the wire harness adapter to hook up to the stock connectors in your Vewlix. You basically just cut off the two pin connector off of the wire adapter from Amazon, and replace it with the connector I linked from ebay. It's just wire cutting and installing pins on the wires to connect to the the connector from Ebay. The links below and a nice wire cutting tool should be all you need to make the wire harness adapter.

"I made a wire harness adapter so my Noctua fans would be plug and play and I could leave the original fans and wiring intact and just simply unhook them. I also installed a Noctua fan controller to control the speed and loudness of the fans.

Noctua Parts:

Noctua NF-F12 iPPC-2000 PWM, Heavy Duty Cooling Fan, 4-Pin, 2000 RPM (120mm, Black)​

Noctua NA-FC1, 4-Pin PWM Fan Controller (Black)​

Parts to make harness:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/182393301207
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-2-Pin-Female-Adapter-2-Pack/dp/B083CRN5L6

Pic of wire harness adapter:

"

Awesome! Many thanks,I´ll check all and try, it doesn't seem very complicated now.

Just one question more...what about rpm´s? As is detailed in the product specs,it works at 2000 rpm at max,but usually these products are designed to plug in a PC where you can control the fan speed through software. As I understand this is not possible here as it is directly connected to the DC so it will work at fix speed,isn´t it?

 

[muffman]

Off of the top of my head, so I may be wrong, yes it will work at a fixed speed. Where I'm fuzzy is I think some fans have a way of choosing another fixed speed manually without software. Like low or high. Or you could just do what I did and get the Noctua fans compatible with the Noctua fan controller. This is a physical external fan controller Noctua makes that lets you control the speeds of the fans without the use of software, perfect in my opinion for Vewlix's.

 

[ikefc]

Off of the top of my head, so I may be wrong, yes it will work at a fixed speed. Where I'm fuzzy is I think some fans have a way of choosing another fixed speed manually without software. Like low or high. Or you could just do what I did and get the Noctua fans compatible with the Noctua fan controller. This is a physical external fan controller Noctua makes that lets you control the speeds of the fans without the use of software, perfect in my opinion for Vewlix's.

Great,many thanks for all this information,much appreciated.

 

[fuzzbuddy]

@muffman , those adapters look great! I don't suppose you can make and sell some of these to some of us here?

 

[muffman]

I really think if there was enough interest in these this seems something better suited for @Lemony Vengeance. He's the man when it comes to wiring. Maybe he could whip something up.

If he isn't interested though, or this is not enough interest in these fan adapters, then I'll see what I can do.

 

[notsonic]

3 pin fans, when sent their rated voltage, will run at max speed. The signals are power, ground, and a tachometer output for monitoring. You only need to hook up power and ground. Running a pc fan (especially a Noctua) at max is not a problem and wont be too loud in the back of a Vewlix.

A pc would control the fan by lowering the voltage of or low frequency pulsing the power line.

There's another kind of fan, PWM, which is 4 pins. You don't want one of those for this kind of application.

 

[Kidkaos]

I'm in for a set of these made for an L, if they get made

 

[muffman]

There's another kind of fan, PWM, which is 4 pins. You don't want one of those for this kind of application.

Noctua's fan controller only comes in 4-pin, so I bought 4-pin fans to make certain there were no issues and in case I wanted to repurpose them later. But yes I agree, unless you plan to use an external fan controller, just get a 3 pin fan.

 

[Kidkaos]

Anyone have a link for drop in replacement 3 pin fans? The size needed??

 

[muffman]

Anyone have a link for drop in replacement 3 pin fans? The size needed??

Size is 120mm. Link depends on brand of fan, but most agree Noctua is the best brand. You can buy Noctua fans most places. Amazon, Noctua direct, Newegg,etc...

 

[astro_zombie138]

I have Noctuas in pretty much everything from PC, CPS2, TTX3, Vpin cab, etc etc but found them to be surprisingly too loud for my taste in my Vewlix L. Not sure what it is exactly. I grabbed one of these instead and while not as much airflow(still enough) the noise is almost non-existent.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X3XVHKL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Kidkaos]

I have Noctuas in pretty much everything from PC, CPS2, TTX3, Vpin cab, etc etc but found them to be surprisingly too loud for my taste in my Vewlix L. Not sure what it is exactly. I grabbed one of these instead and while not as much airflow(still enough) the noise is almost non-existent.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X3XVHKL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

These are 4pin?

 

[Aurich]

I grabbed one of these instead and while not as much airflow(still enough) the noise is almost non-existent.

You really don't need a lot of fan movement, unless you're truly running your machines day and night all week long like a commercial arcade.

 

[astro_zombie138]

Yes, but doesn't matter if you only use power and ground.

 

[Aurich]

Just to add more data to the thread, was taking apart one of my Blue Diamonds to work on it yesterday and spotted one of the fans I replaced. Looked it up, was this Arctic:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037AQLLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn't bother with a connector, I just clipped the old fan, clipped off the PWM wire, and crimped butt connectors onto the the power and ground. Quiet, works great, no fuss.

 

[FrancoB]

I just recently put some Arctic F12 in my Diamond Blues. There's a few pics etc in this post [here]. There a link to a video at the bottom of the post with a comparison between the stock and upgraded fans.

They're much quieter but not silent.

You really don't need a lot of fan movement, unless you're truly running your machines day and night all week long like a commercial arcade.

I agree, especially when you a) live in the (generally) cold UK like me and b) rarely get chance to turn the cabs on anyway

 

[cadecadecade]

I'm also running some Arctic F12's @1350 in a Diamond Black - it's about half the noise as the base fans, though definitely still very noticeable. It's workable, but I'm wondering if I can get away with a lower rpm to try and really bring the decibels down. Any thoughts on minimum required airflow? I'm not a commercial arcade, obviously, so it's not like I'm leaving the system on for 24 hours straight (or even 4 hours straight).

I didn't bother with a connector, I just clipped the old fan, clipped off the PWM wire, and crimped butt connectors onto the the power and ground. Quiet, works great, no fuss.

This is the way. Very easy to do with some closed-end crimp terminals and a crimping tool. Amazon sells these things for pretty cheap, prime gets them to you next day typically. Ground to ground (look up your fan's manual to be sure, but typically marked with a "1" on the connector, and normally a black wire within the Vewlix), hot to hot (again, see manual, but normally right next to the ground on the connector, and normally a yellow wire within the Vewlix), any other wires can be sheathed in their own separate nut/terminal. Takes like 10 minutes for the underfan, though the upper fan requires monitor removal (not hard, just a little extra time).

 

[FrAshi]

Just to add more data to the thread, was taking apart one of my Blue Diamonds to work on it yesterday and spotted one of the fans I replaced. Looked it up, was this Arctic:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037AQLLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn't bother with a connector, I just clipped the old fan, clipped off the PWM wire, and crimped butt connectors onto the the power and ground. Quiet, works great, no fuss.

Just did the exact same thing in my vews after reading through this thread a while back. Super easy install, no adapters needed, quiet. WEIRDLY QUIET lol. Thanks!