Mac Pro 5.1 Replace Fans

[newtech1]

FTR the mac pro PSU has no internal fan, the so called PSU fan sits between the optical sled and the PSU

 

[TheSkywalker77]

Ok sounds like will go with LED strips then inside the case

I'll call you Linus from LTT. I can see him adding RGB to a Mac Pro just for the fun of it.

 

[two-mac-jack]

Thank you for your kind words, I can almost walk semi-normally as of today. May 31st. should see me at 90%.

I have no idea re: the Noctua NF-F12 PWM but with the low-noise cable it .. " should " be OK.

Try one to replace the PSU fan but don't forget to re-route the fan power cable as shown in this thread,

cMP 4,1 & 5,1 120mm Noctua PSU fan with Noctua NA-FC1 PWN speed controller- both working.

I have replaced my cMP 4,1>5,1 Apple standard 120mm PSU fan with the Noctua NF A12x25 120mm PWN fan and have also installed The Noctua NF-FC1 PWN Fan speed controller. I am happy to report that both the Noctua fan and the fan speed controller are working perfectly. EDIT : I cleaned up the...

forums.macrumors.com

You will only have to re-route it once and then changing the PSU fan becomes much easier.

In this case the LOW NOISE cable attaches to the backplane PSU fan power socket.
View attachment 916679

I had a lot of trouble removing the old PSU fan, so I wanted to share how I did it WITHOUT removing the motherboard.

TL/DR: cut the old fan's cable and pull it through from the connector side, then route the new cable and connector through the SATA hole as shown in this photo.

My 2010 cMP5,1 had developed a lot of loud rattling fan noise, and TG Pro said it thought 2 of the fans were failing. So I bought a full set of 4 original cMP fans on eBay for $22 and replaced them all. The machine is now quieter, rattling is gone, the temps are cooler, and TG Pro reports that all is well.

I spent hours searching for some type of guide, post, or video on how to remove the PSU fan -- with no luck. Several people in this forum said they had replaced their PSU fan, but gave no info on how they removed the old one. And there is NO information about this in the Apple Technician's Guide.

The fan is attached to a large metal plate behind a circular "grille" cutout, using 4 little black rubbery grommets, similar to the brown ones that ship with Noctua fans but much shorter. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to remove that metal plate with no luck. There are two Phillips screws that go into the "floor" of the PSU compartment, you have to use a VERY short-handled screwdriver, but there are many other fasteners too. There are 4 hex nuts that attach the metal plate to the "ceiling" of the PSU compartment, but they are mostly obstructed by the fan, and even if you remove them (I managed to get one off) it still leaves the end of the screw protruding through the plate.

Finally I was able to get the fan separated from the plate by just pulling it away with my fingers, using slow steady pressure, first on the front side (one corner at a time) and then the back side (one corner at a time). Surprisingly, all the grommets survived! On the back side bottom, the cable connection is VERY tight, you don't have much room to pull the fan free, but it is possible.

After I got the fan separated from the plate, I cut the cable near the fan, and then was able to pull the cable through from the connector side, WITHOUT having to remove the motherboard.

Then it was easy to route the new fan cable and connector through the SATA cable hole as shown in this photo by @MIKX. The cable is long enough to fit this way, no idea why Apple chose to go behind the motherboard.

It was also difficult getting the old fan out and the new one in. This is because a flexible metal tab on the ceiling of the case is in the way, but if you bend that toward the rear of the case with one hand while pushing the fan down or pulling it up with the other hand, you can just barely get it to clear. You may want to use a glove on the hand that bends the sharp metal tab.

For mounting the new fan to the plate, it was easy to get the original 2 front grommets mounted -- stick the point through the hole on the fan case, and pull it the rest of the way with needle-nose pliers. However, I couldn't find a way to get the rear 2 grommets attached. I have hemostats and curved-nose pliers, but you can't see the back side fan case holes (except maybe with a pocket mirror), so I gave up. My new fan now sits at a slight angle with only the front grommets attached, but I think this is OK, the fan is in a little recessed slot just in front of the PSU so there is already extra space reserved for it and it doesn't vibrate against the PSU.

 

[MIKX]

Look at Post #3

Noctua NF-A12x25 PSU fan for 4,1 & 5,1 cMP

Today I did a test install of the Noctua NFaA12x25 120mm fan for my 4,1>5,1's PSU. The fan comes with a "low noise / LOWER RPM" adapter cable connected to the original PSU fan socket on the motherboard, NOTE 1 : I had to shave off one of this cable's 'raised locater guides" to allow the Nocuta...

forums.macrumors.com

I only had to remove the backplane/motherboard ONCE now that I have re-routed the PSU fan cable.

I now also have installed Noctua's NA-FC1 PWN fan speed controller.
Post #1

cMP 4,1 & 5,1 120mm Noctua PSU fan with Noctua NA-FC1 PWN speed controller- both working.

I have replaced my cMP 4,1>5,1 Apple standard 120mm PSU fan with the Noctua NF A12x25 120mm PWN fan and have also installed The Noctua NF-FC1 PWN Fan speed controller. I am happy to report that both the Noctua fan and the fan speed controller are working perfectly. EDIT : I cleaned up the...

forums.macrumors.com

Ans as a bonus I now have TWO working 4,1>5,1 PSU fans - including the original Apple PSU fan which has become a 'spare'.


Removing the 4,1 / 5,1 PSU fan removal involves only 4 Torx screws & the PSU power cable.
Since re-routing the PSU fan cable I can change to another 120mm 4 pin PSU fan in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

 

[KeesMacPro]

There are different approaches and options.
For people that would like to maintain the advantages of the SMC with aftermarket fans :


https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...rket-fans-with-automatic-smc-control.2232167/

 

[slamjack]

I am going to have two additional HDDs in optical bay and i want to mount an additional fan for them. How it can be powered?