Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Kimbie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 6, 2010
175
24
UK
I am thinking of getting a Mac Pro, and was wondering if the fans can be replaced with aftermarket ones? Maybe some RGB ones?

Thanks

Kimbie
 

mikeboss

macrumors 68000
Aug 13, 2009
1,544
860
switzerland
with enough time and money on the hands, almost anything is possible. but the fans in the MacPro4,1 and 5,1 are specially tailored models, I would not want to replace these with aftermarket models because I'd expect a lot of obstacles to overcome...
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
with enough time and money on the hands, almost anything is possible. but the fans in the MacPro4,1 and 5,1 are specially tailored models, I would not want to replace these with aftermarket models because I'd expect a lot of obstacles to overcome...

May be he is talking about the 6,1:p
 

itdk92

macrumors 6502a
Nov 14, 2016
504
180
Copenhagen, Denmark
Replaced some of the fans recently. It all went well.

Edit: can’t control the fan speed, so they run at full speed, but it’s not an issue, because they are the most noiseless fans on the market.
 
  • Like
Reactions: owbp

owbp

macrumors 6502a
Jan 28, 2016
719
245
Belgrade, Serbia
Replaced some of the fans recently. It all went well.

Edit: can’t control the fan speed, so they run at full speed, but it’s not an issue, because they are the most noiseless fans on the market.
You won't get out that easy out of it! :D

What fans did you replace? What are the replacements?
I get that the fans are silent, but what amount of noise is produced by the air flow?

I can hear the bad bearing on one of my fans (still can't figure out which one) so I'm looking at replacing them.
Torn between low RPM, high quality ones (which i can't control but will be silent aside air flow) from 2018 or original replacements...
 

itdk92

macrumors 6502a
Nov 14, 2016
504
180
Copenhagen, Denmark
You won't get out that easy out of it! :D

What fans did you replace? What are the replacements?
I get that the fans are silent, but what amount of noise is produced by the air flow?

I can hear the bad bearing on one of my fans (still can't figure out which one) so I'm looking at replacing them.
Torn between low RPM, high quality ones (which i can't control but will be silent aside air flow) from 2018 or original replacements...
You won't get out that easy out of it! :D

What fans did you replace? What are the replacements?
I get that the fans are silent, but what amount of noise is produced by the air flow?

I can hear the bad bearing on one of my fans (still can't figure out which one) so I'm looking at replacing them.
Torn between low RPM, high quality ones (which i can't control but will be silent aside air flow) from 2018 or original replacements...

Haha could imagine ;)

• Noctua

• for now only INTAKE and EXHAUST, will check the PSU fan tomorrow

• low RPM, good quality is def what you want
 

owbp

macrumors 6502a
Jan 28, 2016
719
245
Belgrade, Serbia
Haha could imagine ;)

• Noctua

• for now only INTAKE and EXHAUST, will check the PSU fan tomorrow

• low RPM, good quality is def what you want

Thanks!
Wasn't that hard and means the world to me :p

Love Noctua line, best overkill there is (especially their CPU heatsinks).
 

bobpensik

macrumors regular
Aug 21, 2003
153
11
Calgary, AB
Haha could imagine ;)

• Noctua

• for now only INTAKE and EXHAUST, will check the PSU fan tomorrow

• low RPM, good quality is def what you want

I am looking to replace the Intake and Exhaust fans on my 4,1 as well due to some annoying rattling I am experiencing.

Was it hard to swap out the fans? Did you encounter any issues? What specific Noctua fans did you use?
 
Last edited:

macstatic

macrumors 68020
Oct 21, 2005
2,024
164
Norway
with enough time and money on the hands, almost anything is possible. but the fans in the MacPro4,1 and 5,1 are specially tailored models, I would not want to replace these with aftermarket models because I'd expect a lot of obstacles to overcome...

So original replacements are much preferred then (if you want the original functionality of speed control).

Where can the original parts be bought from? My Mac Pro 5,1 (mid-2010) power supply fan is noisy. I don't know if I can somehow open it up and clean it (dust inside?) or if the ball-bearings are worn out, but it would be nice to have a replacement option as well.
 

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,613
6,909
So original replacements are much preferred then (if you want the original functionality of speed control).

Where can the original parts be bought from? My Mac Pro 5,1 (mid-2010) power supply fan is noisy. I don't know if I can somehow open it up and clean it (dust inside?) or if the ball-bearings are worn out, but it would be nice to have a replacement option as well.

I would try to clean it with compressed air first.

The power supply fan is inside the power supply assembly. I'm not sure it is a user replaceable part. Also it is likely that there are capacitors in there that can hurt you even after power is disconnected.
 

macstatic

macrumors 68020
Oct 21, 2005
2,024
164
Norway
Yes, it's probably a good idea to have it unplugged for a couple of days just to discharge the capacitors.

I suppose the fan eventually dies at some stage -what do Mac Pro users do when that happens when there are doesn't appear to be any 3rd party compatible replacements and the original part isn't anywhere to be found? Is a constant speed fan the only option left?
 

Razzerman

macrumors 6502
Sep 11, 2007
276
172
• for now only INTAKE and EXHAUST, will check the PSU fan tomorrow

Did you get round to checking the PSU fan? One of my mac pro's psu fan goes full tilt when booted, and I have to use macsfancontrol with a custom value to get control of the noisy blighter, and was wondering what could cause this.
 

macstatic

macrumors 68020
Oct 21, 2005
2,024
164
Norway
I'm wondering about the same thing -my PSU fan (mounted in front of the PSU; I couldn't find any fan inside the actual power supply unit) appears to create a tiring "humming" sound.
I did manage to clean it with compressed air, but it made no difference (after a lot of trouble I found out the I could indeed take out the fan and flip it round (so as to get easier access to it) by pushing it through that flexible plastic "flap" closer to the power supply). I didn't completely dismount it though as that would mean having to remove the entire motherboard (the fan cable goes underneath it).

I was in a store where they sold lots of fans today and suggested the Noctua brand (as others in this thread have also suggested), and was told that Noctua do indeed sell PWM regulated fans -isn't this what the Mac Pro uses?
To those who say an aftermarket fan will just work at full speed -are you referring to "standard" (+12V/GND wired) fans or does the Mac Pro 5,1 use some very unique form of PWM which other computers don't?
 

abdyfranco

macrumors regular
Dec 4, 2017
127
121
The factory fans of the Mac Pro are quite decent, if you only want to add RGB to your Mac, you can install an LED strip that has a SATA connection and RF remote control to change the color of the strip. You can get power from the SATA cable of the second optical drive bay, and if you happen to have both bays used you can use a Y cable.

I installed this LED stripe in my Mac Pro and works well. https://www.amazon.com/Excellux-RGB...TF8&qid=1510594222&sr=8-8&keywords=pc+rgb+kit
 

hideinmask

macrumors newbie
May 18, 2018
1
0
any update folks? I got hard time to open the PSU.. anyone successfully replace for the PSU fan with 3rtd party ones? looking for some suggestions.
 

terminatermule

macrumors newbie
May 22, 2018
5
0
Mackay, QLD Australia
Hi all,

Many times I have visited theses pages and never posted, fixing that now.

Yes I too would be keen to see an update on this from anyone that has done this. I have searched around a little bit but so far all the answers always seem to say use the stock apple fans. Good as they are, they are only quiet whilst at very low speeds, there are many PC aftermarket fans that are far quieter under load.

i remember reading something ages ago about someone who was modding a Mac Pro and installed aftermarket silent 120 fans but I don't recall if there were any issues with this noted at the time. Also I am assuming that the 5.1 and earlier share the same fans? Found this thread looking to see if fans from a 5.1 would make the 1.1 quieter under load.

Cheers Glenn
 

misanthrophy

Suspended
Aug 16, 2018
165
43
Replaced some of the fans recently. It all went well.

Edit: can’t control the fan speed, so they run at full speed, but it’s not an issue, because they are the most noiseless fans on the market.

Which fans did you use? You just ordered the fans, or were you in touch with Noctua to see which one will work?

Was someone able to replace the fans which are working with MacsFanControl form Noctua?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andrey Andrey

Matty_TypeR

macrumors 6502a
Oct 1, 2016
641
555
UK
what are the standard Mac Pro 4.1 and 5.1 fan sizes dimensions, they are all 4 pin PWM fans but I am sure you can find replacement fans which are quite and can also push more air. fan sizes we need?
 

handheldgames

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2009
1,943
1,170
Pacific NW, USA
Keep the fans. Install your own custom LED lighting. You can easily splice into the cd-rom bay power cable to illuminate the interior behind the cheese-grater.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.