For NZXT CRYO LX Fans...

I bought my NZXT CRYO LX for my 17.3" HP. I love it! I'll never use a different laptop cooler for this laptop.

My question is: I wanted to swap the fans out for LED fans. Can anyone help me by explaining how to do it or giving me a link?

Thank you!

 

check this thread out. there should be enough info in there to at least get u started. good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

Ok thanks! I've seen this thread before. The author didn't really explain how he did it, the pictures kinda helped and so did the replies.

I also read that people had problems when they connected the AC and the USB to USB. I never had any problems when doing this. Did anyone else?

I'm thinking about trying this fan. How is it?
http://www.frys.com/product/4763999?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

Whether people have issues with it depends on how much power your USB can put out (Powered USB or not). Most Gaming laptops should be fine.

 

yea, it's pretty self explanatory when it comes to disassembly. the parts are pretty exposed.

me and alot of guys use the AC & USB to USB without any problems. u can't forget the cryo LX also has 4 USB ports, so we usually connect both to make sure there's more than adequate power. plus, on my cryo LX, the fans spin faster when i use the USB to USB cord. so i've been usin both connections for a while now.

as for the fans, u might want to ask a more knowledgeable member about those. there was somethin about havin to use a certain type of fan cuz it'll be operatin horizontally instead of vertically in a desktop.

 

Just ensure that if you're pumping 12V through the LX; dont use the USB ports or else your pendrive etc. will fry.

LX disassembly is real easy. I just used the pictures detailed in the afore-mentioned thread as a guide to take mine apart and replace the stock fans with Scythe S-flex ones.

S-flex fans used a patented magnetic ball bearing system that ensure optimal performance either in a vertical or horizontal position. This means that there is no "extra" wear and tear and as such, the fans actually last for their specificed lifespan. Other fans use a standard bearing which is detrimental to performance when placed in the horizontal position as it increases wear and tear.

This is why I opted to go with S-flex fans in the end; had to change my order at the last minute after i found this out!

 

Took my question straight from the thread you posted above:

I bought myself a CyroLX a few months ago and I really like the original poster's LED idea so I'm thinking about doing it myself. I vaguely remember reading something about the fans can have odd placement or what not, so I was wondering if I got three of these (link below) would they work properly or not. They look similar to the OP's but I was looking at the S-Flexs on Newegg and they were a different model even though they looked the same. Thanks for any help.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835209011

 

The link isn't working for me. The main thing is to buy a fan that works when it's horizontal. Google tells me that at least one guy thinks they're fine:
http://www.scythe-eu.com/forum/s-flex-series/1017-fan-best-horizontal-mounting.html

 

My apologizes, I didn't copy the link correctly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209011

I was searching google and I couldn't find a consensus on my particular model so I wasn't sure. =]

 

This is the same fan i am looking at. Does anyone know if these are good for a horizontal mount?

 

Put the three Antec LEDs in, had alittle trouble with some of the screws. It seems like the Manufacturer of the Cryo forced some in when they werent even lined up.. made it crooked and damn near impossible to get out.. Wound up stripping one vital screw and had to pry it out :|

Otherwise easy installaton, the fans are great. I put the manual settings on high and put it on low with the sidebar spinny thing. Probably got 2-3C lower temps with these. =] Plus it looks pretty

 

Sounds good! can you post some pics? Was everything with installation pretty self-explanatory?

 

Pics are a no go due to the fact I busted mine a few months back but I'll go over it to the best of my memory. I'm wasnt too familiar with how the cooler was made and everything so at first I just scratched my head But now that I look back, its not that bad .
Be sure to use correct phillips head sizes, I stripped two screws trying to get those out. The manufacturer slammed them in incorrectly and I had to pry it off. I'm not familar with wire namings so I'll just explain them to the best of my knowledge

Make sure everything is unplugged
Flip the chassis over
Unscrew the four silver screws on the bottom near the moveable bottom part
Now you will be able to move the mesh container with the fans inside. What I didn't realize is that is SLIDES. Do NOT pull on it. I slid it Left to Right. Do this carefully and be aware of the connected wire
Unplug the small, white capped wire thats connected to the USB/DC ports.
Unscrew the, I believe, eight BLACK screws that holds the fans to the mesh cage.
Unscrew the two, small silver screws where the spinny thing that controls the fan speed is. Gently remove the circuit board.
Take off the mesh top
On the circuitboard find the three white capped wires (the ones attached to the fans) I believe theyre on the end near the swivel knob. Pop those off.
Remove those POS fans =]
take out your Antecs, REMOVE the attached Large 4 pin (i think) and little baby connector. (You remove this where the silver wire meets a black connector that turns into the PS connector, just pop it off.)
Connect where the three fans were originally connected to
To test fans put the white plug that was originally was in the USB/DC ports back into its proper place at the top of the aluminum chassis.
Plug in DC/USB whichever
Watch fans light up =]
Place fans in, watch placement.
Start tidying up the wire space with ties
Enjoy putting everything back together.


I hope this helped

 

ok sounds good! i'm going to try it this weekend. Sounds very easy to do. sorry for the private message I must have sent it as you were typing your reply. I read that fans die faster when they are placed horizontally instead of vertically so I was hoping someone would help me figure out if the tricool is ok for this or not.

Thanks! +rep

 

I got one of my girls in my dorm to let me borrow their camera quick. Got some after shots

I think it looks mad slick =]

 

looks good nimbus. did the new fans improve cooling performance any? what about speed and noise?

 

The sounds of the original fans in the Cryo were definitely unnoticeable. I put the manual settings of the new Antecs on high and put the side swivel up all the way as well and all I hear is a gentle swoosh. I only notice it if I'm trying to pay attention. I can't give you an exact number on the speeds but apparantly they go up to either (I forget) 1900/2000rpms and they definitely spin much better than stock.

My lowest temps are down 2-4C and they are averaging 1-2C lower as well.

 

nice results.

 

Im really struggling to put back the mesh with 2 metal plate things, idk if im doing it wrong but this is gona take days at this rate.

 

Alright, finshed the changes and testing, i was gona start a new thread but there is like 3 already about the same subject, so might aswell post it one of them.

The swaps to the Cryo were not that easy as it seems, but end up well. I just swaped the stock fans for Sflex 1600rpm fans and using a regulated multivoltage psu. I'm pleased with the results although it became louder, probably not worth it for most, but i travel a lot to high temp places so i just wanted to make sure i had enough cooling for it.

I ran Furmark n IntelBurnTest at the same time, n here are some of the runs i did.



In case someone is interested here some pics of G71GX n Cryo.



I can run other tests if anyone is intersted although im not putting back on the original fans.. way to much pain to do swaps again.

 

Sorry I didn't see this sooner! Yeah initially I was confused towards where they were since I didn't pay attention as I took it apart -- I was much too frustrated for that.. So I screwed them on the opposite side of the fans where the removable mesh was. I don't know if that was correct or not but it kept it steady while I put the screws in on the other side. =]

 

nice results. +rep

 

ok my fans are installed. no problems at all with assembly. The 3pin cable on the far end fan doesn't reach! I have to go buy an extension and I'll be ready to go. I'll post pics of the assembly and result.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

congrats man. nice to see u go thru with it. hope everything works out for u so u can enjoy the cooler!

 

In case someone is interested i just plugged the stock fans on my desktop MB, and they spin at 1900rpm with 12v, not sure if they move more air than the 1600rpm sflex the fan design is a little different, they do seem noiser than sflex at 12v but not that much.

 

Ok it's done! I installed the fans, bought my 4" 3 pin extension cable, and set it up.

supplies


here are the fans all screwed in


the cables didn't reach!


finally finished




I hope you like it, i haven't recorded any temps but the new fans do move more air than the stock ones.
Thank you everyone who helped me! The project was much easier than I was expecting.

 

good stuff dougaha18. glad everythin worked out for ya!

 

dougaha18 could you do a couple of more pics for us....especially the connector you bought (so I get the right one) as I fancy doing this to my cryo

 

I already cleaned up all the wires with zip ties, but this will be what u want to buy.
at newegg
or at compusa/tigerdirect

When you pull your NZXT Cryo LX apart you'll pretty much know exactly what to do.

if you have a small screw driver layin around like this one use it because it helped me when screwing the fans in.

 

do you need the connectors?
and how many, 3?

 

I only needed the one 3 pin extension because the cable from the end fan opposite of the switch didn't reach. If you buy different fans than I did you might be fine but in case you need them, I provided the links

 

Thanks mate your a star

 

You're welcome. I hope everything works out for you!

 

Hello my friends
I just installed
3 x SCYTHE KAZE-JYUNI SLIP STREAM 120MM 1900RPM
on my Cryo LX
On paper the airflow output is 110 cfm /each . I don't know if it is true because i can not measure it but i can say that it is a fridge . It is powered on 12v DC and my workstation
HP 8730W is working on full power under 45C.I saw a degrees of 5-7 c
The noise is there more than the stock fans but i don't care . First of all is the healthness of my Workstation and then everything else .
The laptop fan is not running even on full load . only when i play games .
This is the best laptop cooler ever . GO GET IT EVERYONE .
Best regards
Chris

 

i initially opted to go with the same type of fans but found out that due to the bearing system employed in these fans; it's kinda detrimental to their lifespan to have them running in a horizontal position....something to do with increased wear n tear.

this is why i changed my order to the scythe s-flex 1600rpm fans whose patented magnetic bearing system does not suffer any ill effects from being positioned either vertically or horizontally.

but yeah, whatever aftermarket fans are put in the Cryo LX and run @ 12v is certainly better than the stock fans!

 

I did not know that . Hope they last at least a couple of years .
I chose them because i wanted power .So hope you are wrong .
Best regards
Chris

 

Hello all,

I'm a total noob to this forum and "modding".
I want to do this fan-swap mod and understand everything but the debate over 5v vs 12v. Is this just pertaining to the DC wall plug?...or the capacitance of the small circuit board the fan speed slider wheel is attached to? Somebody please explain this facet in more detail so I know what you're talking about and why you would want one versus the other.

I read that one person on this thread did the mod and one of the fans started smoking. I just want to make sure that when I swap in 3 Scythe S-FLEX (SFF21F) fans, that they're getting maximum power, and that (if necessary), I can run them full tilt without an electrical or fire hazard.

FYI: I will most likely never power to cooler using the USB (i.e.: it'll always be plugged into the wall...if that makes a difference in anybody's answer).


Thanks.

Jman

 

I have had my Cryo with the 3xsflex runing for half a year now at 12v no problems, as long as you dont use the USB connectors you should be fine (i never have used the hub at all).

 

Good to know, but I still have questions.
1) When you say "running at 12v", are saying that the fans are 12v?...the DC plug you are using is 12v?...both?
2) When you say "as long as you don't use the USB connectors", do you mean to power the fans?...or to transfer data?...or both?

I'm trying to prevent 3 things;
1) Frying 3 brand new fans right out of the gate because I ran too much juice through them.
2) Shortening the fans life cycle because I was running too much juice through them.
3) Setting fire to the fans because I was running to much juice through them.

Thanks.

 

Not sure what you asking... but the PSU is at 12v and powering the fans at 12v, so i guess the answers is both .

As i said earlier i never ever used them, so thats all i can tell you, some have had problem trying to use them while they were being powered by 12v psu, so i would avoid using any USB while you are powering it at 12V.

If you still dont feel safe just avoid all the circuit of the cryo, just get something like AC to DC Power Supply Molex Converter/Adapter (5000mA), it comes with 4pin connector that the same that a usual case fan comes with you can stack them up, as long as you don't pass the rated Amps. Just be warned that the space inside is a little tight so it might require a little more work into making it fit or drilling a hole etc, i bought the psu, but was lazy to do the moding once the wallwart work fine.

 

Okay, I found the answer to the USB question in a previous picture post.

I guess I'm still confused about the power aspect.
When you say "PSU", are you talking about the AC adapter you plug into the wall, or are you talking about the fan control circuit board.

I guess the easiest question to ask is, if I install the aforementioned Scythe fans, should I go get a new 12v AC adapter at Radio Shack?

Thanks.

 

Yes but make sure the Radio Shack 12V PSU (or AC Adapter) has enough amp to power the 3 fans (the fans have Amp requirement).

 

Okay, now that I understand the PSU thing, I have another question (about Amps).

This may sound like a simple question, but once again I'm a novice when it comes to electricity. If each fan requires, let's say 1 amp, the PSU would have to be rated at 3 Amps???
If so, can there be any fluctuation in that rating (i.e.: will a PSU with 2.8 Amps underpower the 3 fans?...and/or would a PSU with an Amp rating of 3.2 Amps over juice the fans/burn them out/shorten their life span?).

Thanks again for all of the help.

 

I think you got it right, i bought a PSU that can deliver 1.5amp to power 3 x 0.2amp, just to have some room in case the the manufacturer raiting wasn't completely accurate or just to have some spare in case also the fans were to need a little more or even to have some room so the PSU inst pushed to max.

 

Cool, thanks for the explanation.

Where'd you get your 12v PSU?

 

Velleman Compact Universal AC Adapter Power Supply, it really doesnt matter much, i mean you could go to a Radioshack or any place, as long as it meets the amp and has the conector.

Just a warning, the fans powered at 12v will be much louder, so bare that you get more cfm at the cost of more noise.

 

Correct although early versions came with 2.0amps.

Incorrect, the stock fans at 12V spin at 1900rpm. Where the sflex depending on the model can range from 800-1900.

They are not faster, but even if they were, there are much more things than just amp and voltages.... to mention some the motor might be more effiecent in the sflex or less who knows, the bearing might also help, the design of the blades, etc. Also a lot of manufacturers dont always state true stats, specially with CFM.

RPM 1900 @12V (measured with my desktop mobo), no CFMs.

Sry cant help you here, but remember the supplied psu is 5v, and the dial is resistence lowering even more, so my guess is between 3-4v at the lowest settings, you could use a multimeter to check it. Now rpms no help, but you could split the wires and test it on an fan controller or desktop mobo.

 

Scythe brand fans (s-flex or jyuni) both can run at 15v too.

Currently got 3x 1900rpm jyunis running at 15v; noisy as hell lol at first but after a couple of days, you kinda get used to it.

3x s-flexs arent as bad; far quieter.

If using kaze-jyunis, you'll probably need to remove the mesh grill in the Cryo LX as part of the modding process as it impedes airflow and makes a loud whistling noise.

S-flexs dont suffer from this problem and the mesh grill can be left alone after the stock fans have been replaced.

 

I just got my Scythes installed and put the unit back together.
I plugged in the new AC adapter I got (12v / 1A) and the fans jitter sporadically when I plug the pin in, then they stop, each takes a turn trying to start (like the fans are twitching). I plugged in the stock AC adapter that came with the unit and it powers the fans just fine, so I know I put everything back together correctly.

Since you've been running 12V for some time, I'm assuming the stock board can handle the upped voltage, and my problem is probably a faulty AC adapter.
Would you agree?

Thanks,

Justin