According to Dave Akin, engineering is done with numbers. Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.. What if we apply this rule to solve an issue:
Does it make sense to replace a stock HP Microserver Gen 8 fan?
Let’s figure it out!.
Let’s get some numbers, which represent the current state of the things.
Stock fan is a Delta AFB1212SH, specs are available here. In short, it’s a 120 mm fan for 12V.
If we look for the same size fan from the leading vendor, e.g. Noctua - the best option would be NF-F12-iPPC-3000-PWM. Let’s compare them:
| Parameter | Delta AFB1212SH | Noctua NF-F12-iPPC-3000-PWM |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Airflow | 192.18 m3/h | 186.7 m3/h |
| Noise Level | 46,5 dBA | 43,5 dBA |
Maximum Airflow: 113CFM Noise Level: 46.5 dB
from datasheet: https://www.onlinecomponents.com/datasheet/afb1212sh-11251396/ Airflow = 3.203 m^3/min = 192.18 m^3/h
The best Noctua FANs: https://noctua.at/en/nf-f12-industrialppc-3000-pwm/specification Airflow = 186.7 m^3/h Acoustical noise 43,5 dB(A)
Price: $26 @ https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-F12-iPPC-3000-PWM/dp/B00KFCRATC
About twenty years ago JobsSteve Jobs, legendary founder of Apple. and Wozniak, the founders of Apple, came up with the very strange idea of selling information processing machines for use in the home.
It doesn’t make sense to replace a fan in HP Microserver Gen 8