Powermac G4 : Reducing Noise levels

Hi-

Would your machine be a MDD?
Replacing the fans in the PSU with Vantec Thermoflow TF6025 fans will reduce noise even if the old fan bearings are pristine.

If a MDD, using CHUD to allow Nap Mode is of definite benefit:
http://www.jcsenterprises.com/Japamacs_Page/Blog/567DFEE3-A0A8-4602-9722-FCFCD76 D8837.html

The Papst 4212H is 108 CFM fan at 49 dBA.
It is a noisy beast.

The CoolerMaster is only rated at 90 CFM.
I have one in a QS, and it isn't a bad fan.
I worry, though, that it has too little airflow for the MDD.

This Silver Stone has enough airflow, and wired to the logic board would provide for automatic speed control:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?mainpage=product_info&cPath=36_403&productsid=4633

Other options Here.

Fan kext mods may be of interest, as well as this users suggestions:
http://homepage.mac.com/paul74/MDDFanExtensionMod.htm

With the case open and the computer running, touch the metal frame to discharge any static electricity from your body and then unplug the Papst fan from the motherboard. A few seconds will not hurt anything. If the noise continues, plug it back in and do the same with the optical drive fan. If the noise continues, see if you can feel any vibrations coming from your hard drive.

You didn't waste money on those Vantecs. I can almost guarantee that once you figure out this particular problem, it will be even quieter than it was before.

A very handy tool to have around for this sort of thing is an automotive stethoscope (the kind with the diaphragm and metal rod):

http://www.toolking.com/grip-16110-mechanics-stethoscope

Just a word: Never, under any circumstances, let your spouse see you put a stethoscope to your Mac. You will never hear the end of it. Eighteen months later, she still asks me if it needs some chicken soup.

Eighteen months later, she still asks me if it needs some chicken soup.

Jealousy comes in many colors! 🙂
My better half makes snide comments about the attention that I give to my machines.
I just tell her that "It could be worse"......

With the case open and the computer running, touch the metal frame to discharge any static electricity from your body and then unplug the Papst fan from the motherboard.

Just to clarify, don't unplug your ATA/33 cable while the computer is running. You can slide a finger underneath the cable to release the tab on the fan connector. Or simply disconnect it before booting the computer.

Hi-

One needs to use the connector from the original fan and connect it to the Red and Black wires of the new fan.
Connecting to the logic board allows for OS X system kexts to control fan speed by voltage regulation.

This is essentially the same thing that a manual fan controller does (regulate voltage) but there is no automation.

Other fans that are rated at 12V can also be connected to the logic board in the same way.
If not, and if wired directly to a Molex connector via 3 pin adapter, the fan runs full speed all the time.
This has an undesired effect (high noise) as the fans run unnecessarily fast all the time.

Some type of fan speed regulation is needed.
Wiring to the logic board using the old connector is the best way to provide this regulation.

Huge improvement when replacing Papst fan by Silverstone 9.

Silence is golden, huh? 🙂

Does the fan controller reduce the noise further ?

Only in that using the fan controller, fan speed is manually controlled; meaning if you turned the fan down to minimum speed, it would be real quiet.
Problem is, the machine would overheat, which is why I recommend letting the system control the fan.

Japamac + Others,

Bottom line, I can't find Chud 3.5.2 on the Apple developers site.

I installed Chud 3.5.2 successfully on my MDD running Tiger several years ago and it reduced CPU temps like a champ.

Recently I installed Leopard on an additional internal drive and the average operating temps, browsing ect., are pretty high >59 C .

The problem is most of web links straight to Chud 3.5.2 are long dead, and I can't find a standalone package on the Apple Developer Site downloads page, and obviously I don't have the original installer package I used on my Tiger partition.

I tried installing Xcode 2.5 and 2.5.2, and to my suprise they had Chud 4.4.3 and 4.3.0, respectively, apparently NAP mode isn't available for those versions of CHUD.

Does anyone have a CHUD 3.5.2 installer package or know where this is hidden on the Apple Developer Site.

Many Thanks

Hi Isoetes, and a warm welcome to the forums! 🙂

I have Chud 4.1.0, 4.0.2, & 1.1.1

Hi-

Welcome to Discussions!

Click Here and you shall receive.

Does anyone know where one can find information about the noise level, in dBA, of the default fans in a G4 "Sawooth" AGP graphics model?