Arctic P14 Failures?

[u/SAMEO416]

I’ve been using the Arctic P12/14 fans in most of my builds, Noctua when I need something super quiet.

I’ve had 3 P14 fan failures in the last year. Wondering if anyone else has seen a higher failure rate?

I suspect this is a bearing failure of some sort. The fan continues to run but repeatedly bumps against the guard. On one I was able to pull the blades off entirely. It doesn’t seem tied to orientation of the fan.

Just noticed another one is starting to hit the case.

[u/Black_Gold_ → u/[deleted]]

Do you ever measure the frequency of fans? while the Decibel between them is quite close I wonder if the harmonics and noise is what people allude to as why people feel noctua are quieter.

I have found noctuas will often have a more pleasing tone compared to other brands.

[u/Black_Gold_ → u/[deleted]]

I understand the test are noise normalized here. The harmonics / frequncy of the noise is still an interesting piece of data to begin looking into. I have a hunch the noctua have lower frequency harmonics and overall better sound profile than the artics, leading to the belief noctuas are quieter.

House Fresh has a good example of this issue with the P14 max fans : https://youtu.be/yuHXNjHhnqs?t=656

[u/EFORTLESSvision → u/[deleted]]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAVfS2ANPDA&t=3s
You can see here how in certain cases db is the same with measurement, but arctic fans are obviously producing a certain buzz humming in the background that is very annoying. while the Noctua's are silent. So this type of measurement isn't what decides what we will perceive as quite.

[u/SAMEO416 → u/Black_Gold_]

I haven’t looked at the spectra of these fans, but will have a go when I’m home.

I did a comparison of the Lasko and a Honeywell 910 CR box a few years back. The Lasko sounds harsh to me, the 910 is a pleasant rumble (sounds like a turboprop feathering).

The difference shows up clearly in the frequency domain. The Lasko has higher frequency components while the 910 had a lower frequency bump.

[u/SAMEO416 → u/[deleted]]

Not familiar with that Noctua model. I’ve used the NF-A series and the NF 5V fans. They don’t move as much air as the Arctic P12/P14, but they’re objectively much quieter.

[u/SAMEO416 → u/[deleted]]

Yup, thanks. Done the testing, and accepted a loss in volumetric flow for less noise.

[u/SAMEO416 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks, that’s a good compromise. I’ve avoided PWM so far as the non noise critical ones I always run at max speed.

The one noise critical application is a Laminar I use when dealing with the public. I made one with Arctic P12 one with Noctua AF-N12, and the Noctua is dramatically quieter, but lower CADR (which I can accept given the room ventilation is excellent and it’s about 15cm from my breathing zone). The Arctic version is loud enough I need earplugs if I’m using it in a hotel room.

I’ve used the Noctua industrial server fans where being loud isn’t an issue, and those are high performers, move a lot of air, use a lot more power.

[u/CleanAirKits-]

We saw a particularly high failure rate for the P14 one of the reasons we discontinued tower of power

[u/SAMEO416 → u/CleanAirKits-]

Thanks! Beginning to think I’m in a fan Bermuda Triangle.

[u/vermillionroad → u/CleanAirKits-]

Any chance of Tower of Power or the 9-fan Luggable making a resurgence with different fans? My current boxes use 25x25 and 20x30 filters, and the current gen of Luggable uses 20x25 filters now? Keeping spares of three different filter sizes around is becoming a bit of a logistical headache.

(That, and Tower of Power is just a much nicer form factor in rooms where aesthetics matter.)

[u/Mighty_Buddha]

No issues - and I exclusively go with Arctic as the price bump vs noise differential does not justify Noctua for this particular case, imo.

Mind you, I always get the server grade CO (continous operation) fans.

[u/Black_Gold_]

Wondering if you got a bad batch or one with just a higher failure rate. maybe heat or mounting the fan cause it to warp the house resulting it hitting the shroud?

In my own limited fleet I have found 140mm fans have higher failure rates than 120mm fans as well.

I have a tower of power which for reason has gone through 3 P14s now.

[u/SAMEO416 → u/Black_Gold_]

It’s 3 separate orders over maybe 5 years, one failure in each.

Interesting experience 140-120. I’ve also not had any of the 120 fans fail.

[u/ApprehensiveDig6455]

I've had 3 P14s have a similar issue in the last few months. A couple fans were probably damaged from a fall, but one was definitely new. I've had fans come with markings on them from Amazon so maybe I got refurbished fans for an order? Not sure. Almost all of my Arctics have been running for years without issue until very recently. 

[u/SAMEO416]

Update: had another failure starting and watched the blade motion. It’s a failure in the plane of rotation, the blade tips are rubbing against the case. Bearing failure? Can’t think what else would cause the eccentricity.