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iMac G4 fan replacement

P

potatis

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 9, 2006
840
291
I replaced the broken hard drive in my iMac G4 with an SSD, so now it runs more quiet, and I guess cooler too. But now I keep thinking the fan is too loud. As the SSD makes the machine cooler, I figure the fan is a bit overkill now.

I can't get programs like G4fancontrol to do anything, probably because there is no heat sensors in the iMac G4. So what I wonder is, can I replace the standard fan with another fan with less rpm or something, that makes less noise?
How much cooler might the iMac be with no mechanical drive, and what fan is therefore a suitable replacement?

I read that the fan should be 92mm, is it so? Will a 3-pin connector / 4-pin Molex connect? Would any of these suit?
http://www.clickok.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:2516657
http://www.mjmultimedia.se/products...m-1600-rpm-643-mh-17-dba-3-4-pin-adapter.aspx
 
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Hi,

A quick question here! I have an 800mhz 17" iMac G4 which I'd like to have an SSD in as well. Where did you get it?

As for the fan, I'd say it's better to keep the original one.
 
On the net, it was a 3.5" model so it was a bit expensive and not available anymore. You could buy any 2,5" IDE model and place in a 3,5" bracket, there should be some on the net, try eBay etc. Why is the original fan better?
 
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I don't know what model the fan is exactly, but it is very quiet and it does push more air out that the stock slotted fan. Plus i don't use the iMac on a regular basis since the graphics card is toast and i need a new logiboard replacement. But when i VNC'ed into it with my G5, i had it on for hours, and i didn't hear a thing. I felt alot of air coming through the top of the dome, so i know the fan is running.

I took out the white fan, installed a 92mm regular fan, using a 3 to 4 pin adapter connected to the hard drive power and that's how the fan runs.. So if there is a temperature sensor for the white fan, it won't read properly.
 
I don't know what fan it is exactly, and it just works.

As for the 3 to 4 pin adapter, yes, you will need one, since the iMac fan connection is in reverse. The fan has male pins on it, while regular fans have a female plug end.

As for the LED fan, if that shakes your boat i guess....
 
Would this work you think? http://www.clickok.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:923574
It looks a bit tangled, but I assume if I plug the fan into the 3-pin female, the signal goes to the 4-pin male that must plug into the computer hard drive cabling - is it 4-pin female on the iMac?
Or should I use this one?
http://www.clickok.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:923573
It looks like 3-pin female to 4-pin male, or am I wrong?
Or maybe one of these with both 3- and 4-pin at one end is better?
http://www.clickok.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:919302
http://www.clickok.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:919453
http://www.clickok.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:1294220
Not sure if the 3-pin connector is female on all of them though.
 
Well, did it at last. With the replacement fan from Arctic it sounds almost as quiet as a Mac mini. At first that is - after using the iMac for a while the fan slowly spins up and is slightly more noisier. I attached the temperature sensor behind the hard drive, but maybe there's a better place that is less hot and thus makes the fan spin less? First I had the sensor placed under the dvd drive, which obviously was wrong, since the fan went to maximum at once. Must've been hot since that's right above the logic board.
 
potatis said:
Well, did it at last. With the replacement fan from Arctic it sounds almost as quiet as a Mac mini. At first that is - after using the iMac for a while the fan slowly spins up and is slightly more noisier. I attached the temperature sensor behind the hard drive, but maybe there's a better place that is less hot and thus makes the fan spin less? First I had the sensor placed under the dvd drive, which obviously was wrong, since the fan went to maximum at once. Must've been hot since that's right above the logic board.
Click to expand...
@potatis - I know this is a long shot, asking you about your fan installation, a decade after your post, BUT, I'm in the same situation. Do you remember hpw you got the wires from the Arctic to successfully 'join' to the Mac's fan power input/output thing ? Any pictures or instructions would be great. Thanks.
 
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