Reddit mentions of Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX, Premium Quiet Fan, 3-Pin (40x20mm, Brown)

It honestly depends on your budget, how much are you willing to spend?

Here is a great list of prep and upgrades you can do to bring success to your prints:

-Get Vibration Dampners: I can not express how much joy these things have brought many users. The make your machine quiet and greatly decrease ringing in your prints since they ABSORB the vibration coming from your stepper motors. You really only need Two of these for the X and Y axis however you can get another two for the Z-axis drives if you plan on doing a lot of z-hopping.

-BUY FILAMENT IN ADVANCE: get some PLA/ABS/PETG or whatever you want to try printing with. The filament you get with the printer for the most part is garbage HOWEVER I recommend dialing in those settings first then throwing on some nice filament, it'll feel soooo nice. Some commonly accepted/appreciated brands are: eSun PLA+, Hatchbox, Solutech and more

-Get a PEI sheet: Seems like you mentioned this in your post but PEI sheets eliminate the use of gluesticks/tape/hairspray and provide excelent adhesion while making it easy to remove the part after it's cool. This things like to be hot though so increase your bed temp a little at first

-Buy New Fans: The stock hotend/power unit fans are Loud, Noisy and Inefficient. I recommend getting 1 new conrol box fan, 1 new hot end fan and 1 new part blower fan.
You will need 1 40mm fan, 1 50mm fan and a Blower fan or another 40/50mm fan depending on if you print a new hot end mount like a fang.

-Tighten every screw on the printer: You would be surprised how many screws initially are lose either from prior testing or such. Also make sure to test your belt tensions on your printer whne you get it. You want everything tight BUT NOT TOO TIGHT. Give it a snug fit then let it be. Also make sure your belts are 'pluckable' like a guitar string but not tought

-Get some bearings: You may want to get a few ball bearings for when you print out a new filament holder, the stock filament holder is terrible

-Buy some fasteners: M3 bolts and nuts are commonly used on the CR-10S having spares or additional fasteners for adding on parts/printed components to your printer is awesome to have on hand

-Replace the Hotend: This can get a bit frustrating but it can be worth it. If you want you can replace the hotend with something like a volcano or an all metal hot end to print at higher temperatures. With this you can also add on autoleveling if you have the correct mount printed

-Octoprint: I am not very familiar with octoprint since I don't use it myself however I know it can run on a CR-10S. If you want look into how to install octoprint on stock firmware, I know it's pretty easy to use a raspberrypi to remote into your printer as well using octoprint.

-Squash Feet: Replacing your stock machine 'feet' with squash balls or squishy gold balls can also help absorb vibrations from your machine to your table or where it is located. This helps a bit with part quality but it's mostly to reduce the noise carried through your furniture.

-Solder on connectors: If you want you can get some pin connectors to make your fans/electronics easy to switch out depending on your material you are printing, maybe you need a strong part fan or maybe you need a weaker one. It is easy to swap out if it's using a 4pin connector.

-Make an Enclosure: What could be nicer for your printer than a stable environment. Making an enclosure for your printer can help if you live in a rough climate area or if you want to reduce the noise as well.

-Get some Handtools: I'm not sure if you have any or not but some great tools to have are a screwdriver, hexwrenches and a soldering iron depending on how much work you want to be doing on your printer.

For convenience I've added some of the parts mentioned via an Amazon link for prices. I'm not saying buy these things exactly they are just a starting point for reference:

Nima Vibration Dampners:https://www.amazon.com/Stepper-Rubber-Vibration-Dampers-Printer/dp/B073FRZTDX/

40mm Fan (Noctua Brand): https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A4x20-FLX-premium-quality-quiet/dp/B072JK9GX6/

Blower Fan (Part Fans):https://www.amazon.com/SoundOriginal-Humidifier-Aromatherapy-Appliances-Replacement/dp/B071WMHNG5/

PEI Sheet/Printer Surface:https://www.amazon.com/CCTREE-Printer-Surface-Creality-300x300mm/dp/B07543KHCT/

Squash Feet: https://www.amazon.com/PrideSports-Practice-Balls-Count-Yellow/dp/B00466W9X0/

M3 Bolts/Nuts:https://www.amazon.com/280Pcs-Grade12-9-Socket-Assortment-Storage/dp/B0742DDLQ1/

Raspberry Pi 3 for Octoprint: https://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-RASPBERRYPI3-MODB-1GB-Model-Motherboard/dp/B01CD5VC92/

Ball Bearings: https://www.amazon.com/625ZZ-Shielded-Groove-Precision-Bearings/dp/B01LWMT95S/

Hope this helps, have fun tinkering!

Why not change the internal fans to some Noctua fans? They are whisper quiet. I did that in my unifi 24 port Poe switch and I can barely hear it now. Don’t know what size you need but I used these in my switch, they have all different sizes you can buy Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX, Premium Quiet Fan, 3-Pin (40x20mm, Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072JK9GX6

This looks like what I need. 3 pin but looks like its got some adapters or I can just wire the red and balck to the plug I have. https://smile.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A4x20-FLX-Premium-40x20mm/dp/B072JK9GX6/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=noctua+2+pin&qid=1571865609&sr=8-7

I bought this for my Dell 5548. You have to reassign pins within the connector because the oem fans use a different pin layout vs these noctuas. Once you get that right, there are no errors or problems. There are videos on YouTube that show what the layout needs to be.

Don’t bother with the low noise adapters. The fans are very quiet without those. Plus you’ve already lost a fair bit of airflow and using any of those adapters will further reduce airflow, without any perceived difference in sound levels.

Hi!

Sorry to hear that. You are talking about the parts fan, yes?

Which Fang are you using (Thingiverse link?) Picture?

The original is probably a 40x10mm (that's 40mm square, 10mm thick).

Here's the one I recommend (a bit pricey but one of the best out there and quiet as heck, and a SIX year warranty so it's not some Chinese cr@p)

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-Cooling-Bearing-NF-A4X10-FLX-5V/dp/B00NEMGCIA

or you can upgrade (if it fits, you'll have to measure) to this:

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A4x20-FLX-premium-quality-quiet/dp/B072JK9GX6

That one is 20mm thick but moves more air, usually what you want in a Fang.

One other thought - How did it fry? C'mon, fess up, we all screw the pooch sometimes... :-)

It's a right of passage to put a hex wrench into a fan and snap the blades, you know, LOL.

PuterPro

As promised here is the link with pictures of the added fan and new rivets.

This isn't a tutorial on how to do this mod. For you to replace the rivets and add thermal paste you will need to remove CPU A. You can find plenty of videos and tutorials on how to upgrade your CPU's on a cMP.

Pictures of Fan, Cable & Rivets

Noctua Fan

Replacement Rivets

SATA to PWM Cables

Macrumors Forum Post

Edit: Added my macrumors forum post about this subject

I'm currently using this shroud printed in PETG and a 40x20 FLX Noctua with a 100uf capacitor added so that it will run at all speeds. Without the capacitor the fan will only run if the speed is set near 100%

This worked for me: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072JK9GX6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't seem to find a 12V Noctua 40mm fan. Will this 5V one from amazon work? and will it require any soldering?

Edit: Found a 12V Noctua

I had issues with both the circulation fans in my Control boxmaking noise so i replace all of my fans. My psu was new so it was quiet to begin with.
Here are the fans i got. The noctua are higher than your range but they are high quality.

Hotend Fan 40x10mm

Control Box Back Fan 40x20mm

Mother Board Fan 50x10mm

Might be able to find these fans cheaper on other websites but they are the right sizes.

Follow-up question, regarding the A4x20s. I found three different variations of them, and I can't quite understand the difference between them...

NF-A4x20 PWM, has "4-pin PWM" fan headers.

NF-A4x20 5V PWM, has "5V 4-pin PWM" fan-headers. I am not able to find what that means versus the non-5V version.

NF-A4x20 FLX, has "3-pin" FLX fan headers.

I THINK my DGS-1224T has 3-pin fan headers, but all three of the above say this on the Amazon description:
>ideal for 1U servers or replacing fans in network and storage equipment (routers, switches, NAS etc.) or other devices such as DVRs

Any thoughts?

This is the fan I got

what about another approach... What do you think of the possibility of replacing the stock power supply fans with something like this? https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A4x20-FLX-premium-quality-quiet/dp/B072JK9GX6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1523383833&sr=8-3&keywords=quiet+server+fans&linkCode=sl1&tag=soundproofadvice-20&linkId=4038b746649e428a8d49af3a9acfbf6b

+1 for powerconnects - great secondary market managed switches. Got a pair of them for $75 off ebay.

I have two of the 5524P's (2x 10G SFP+, 24x 1G RJ45 PoE) which needed fan modding for inside use. The power supply fans are the louder than the chassis fans, but I replaced them all anyway.

I bought these fans for the power supplies:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B018RE6LWG

And these fans for the chassis:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B072JK9GX6

The fan header pinouts are NOT standard - so you will have to change the cables (just press the locking tabs and pop out the pins, then press them back in in the correct order). Things can get damaged if they are not corrected before installation (some guy talked about burning up his new noctua 40mm fans by not checking the pinouts).

Also, I left the RPM signal disconnected on the Noctua chassis fans. Since the factory fans run faster, you constantly get a 'fan OK / fan FAILED' logging spam. Without the pin, it just says fan failed, but then you can add system fan always-on unit 1 to the config and they will be powered even if they are detected as failed. They make basically zero noise at full speed.

I have two, one in the garage (where my rack is) and the other in the house in the wiring closet. The garage switch is not modded. The house one is. Ambient temp is currently 68F in the garage and 71F in the house.

garage-switch# sh system fan
Unit Temperature Speed Admin state Oper state
(Celsius) (RPM)
---- ----------- ------ ----------- ----------
1 42 0 auto idle

house-switch# sh system fan
Unit Temperature Speed Admin state Oper state
(Celsius) (RPM)
---- ----------- ------ ----------- ----------
1 45 0 on failure

so, safe temps post-modding.

I use Noctua NF-A4x20 FLX for the the hotend and part cooling fans, you will have to print a compatible mount for both of them, though using a 24v 5015 radial for the part cooling fan is far more common and more models are available for that, but they are loud. Since I have an Ender 5 I don't really know what case fan the Ender 3 uses so I can't give advice on that one. https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A4x20-FLX-Premium-Quality-Quiet/dp/B072JK9GX6/

For buck converters I use LM2596S converters with voltage displays and wire terminals. Makes it easy to adjust voltage and no soldering. The ones I buy https://www.amazon.com/LM2596s-Converter-Step-down-Regulator-Stabilizer/dp/B07CVBG8CT/

If you need a case for them, and the converters come with the proper 10x10mm heatsinks, you can use the case I designed as well, just need some vhb on the back to stick it somewhere: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3760365

1. Motor stopper dampeners. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C7FRLNX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 These will greatly reduce sound on your machine.
   
2. X and Y motor supports Y = https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2845950 X = https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2793110 with dampeners. This'll help alleviate belt tension on the motor/belts and quiet the pritner even more. You'll need some M3x40mm screws for this.
   
3. Flash the firmware with Marlin and enable the heat runaway options. This will stop the printer from burning down your house if a critical error occurs. https://www.printedsolid.com/blogs/news/installing-marlin-1-1-9-on-your-cr-10s-with-mesh-bed-leveling-thermal-protection-better-menu-layout-and-finally-power-resume
   
4. Add a Mirror tile to your bed. Most CR10s beds bow in the middle. Mirrors are totally flat, so just make a mirror your new print bed/print bed base.
   
5. Print the Petsfang upgrade https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2759439 and get a Noctua 40mm fan. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072JK9GX6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a 50mm blower fan https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071WMHNG5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 You can choose if you want the 10 or 20mm noctua fans. Petsfang page says all the screws you'll need.
   
6. Print some support stuff and get some rods to make supports. This'll reduce your print height by 20mm, but it'll greatly stabilize your printer when you do large prints, alleivating weird artifacting when the print gets higher up. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2805226
   
7. Get a better Boaing tube. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079P92HN9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (I'm not sure if this is the best out there.)
   
8. A steel wear resistant nozzle if you wanna print things other than PLA/TEPG.
   
9. A PEI plate to make it much easier to get prints off. Preferably a flexible one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RDQF7KQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
10. A spool mount https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2440814 which will lets you use bigger spools all while greatly reducing the amount of strain on the extruder and the noise that the filliment makes when it turns.
    
11. Control box cooling fan and base. I've yet to install this one myself as I'm not sure how to wire up the fans, but this'll greatly reduce fan noise and keep the control box super cool. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2729888 It'll also remove the problem where if the print goes over 300mm in height where the filiment can sometimes snap due to strain.
    
12. A BLTouch to make bed leveling automatic more or less. I've yet to install this myself. https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=bltouch&qid=1562832293&s=industrial&sr=1-3
    
    ​
    
    Anyone got any others?

The radial fan on the stock part cooling is pretty good, what it does need though is a new duct to redirect air under the nozzle, not just on the nozzle.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2221647

That one is simple but works, just face detailed face of print towards that if you need some help there with overhangs.

But to your question you could print this

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2473423

Then in the top you can replace the radial fan with one of these

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A4x20-FLX-premium-quality-quiet/dp/B072JK9GX6/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1518481382&sr=1-5&keywords=noctua+30mm&dpID=51QAkMvTrXL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

There's a switch to fine tune it so you can put it to medium at 4400 rpm and that should be pretty good, you could try higher but I think that'll be a bit too high, bright side is that Noctua FLX fan with the 3 settings also has an omnijoin in the kit.


Also I think the heatbreak fan will come with 4 of those omnijoins and I think you only need 2, so you could probably just use the other 2 for the part cooling fan and choose whichever you like.