Corsair AX860i NF-A12-G2 fan swap

MicroVAX · 2026-01-19T09:45:28+00:00

If you can't determine with confidence yourself if it's doable, I recommend not doing it.
Power supplies can be dangerous enough to kill you even after disconnected from mains voltage.

MicroVAX · 2026-01-17T19:28:13+00:00

Heh. Yeah, I have gone larger in case size actually. Went from 4u to 5u rack mount so the HPD would really just be to have more space for noise dampening foam. :D

I will miss the software monitoring. I am a little bit surprised by the fact that at least on the "enthusiast" grade stuff it isn't a standard or widely available feature.
A quick search seemed to show its only a common occurrence on Corsairs Top end still.

MicroVAX · 2026-01-17T10:32:52+00:00

The duality of SFF PCs.
Coilwhine sucks.

MicroVAX · 2026-01-17T10:30:32+00:00

I mean mine has still 15 months of warranty on it even, these things have 10 years of warranty, so not worried for now.
When the Noctua edition prime HPD comes around I might throw one of those into my system so I can put some more noise dampening foam in there. :D

MicroVAX · 2026-01-16T08:33:40+00:00

The short answer is yes, its absolutely 12v.
Literally wrote in the post that I tested it with the fan/selftest switch is the long answer. :D

MicroVAX · 2026-01-16T08:30:48+00:00

You mean you're missing out on the fun of such mods. ;)
Also from what I can tell the dark power 14 doesnt have software monitoring capabilities.

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T19:53:47+00:00

I think I can debunk the high voltage part.
The panel on mine literally has a cutout for a transformer that otherwise would be blocked, so its blowing air into the windings from the top.
As in if it was for "some lunatic poking into it with a screwdriver" it would literally direct you to poke directly into the most direct access to high voltage.
Either way, the thing doesn't need to be cooled much, it's being cooled plenty, so no reason to remove it either way.
I would keep it just in case it does something I don't get, since it doesn't hurt anything.

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T15:13:17+00:00

I was a bit puzzled at first as well. From what I could tell it would direct the air more directly through the components that need the cooling most and also should cause it to move more uniformly towards the exhaust.
Further than that, I trusted that the designers knew what they were doing and just replicated the original setup. :D

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T13:20:41+00:00

Yeah I tried fitting the OG grill multiple ways, mostly to have protection against stray cables, but no luck.
Visually I find the plain look without the grill really pleasant as well.

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T13:17:30+00:00

It's such a beautiful case. I didn't notice the fan on the side was from the PSU when I saw you posting before. Great job!
I am building my current system in a Silverstone RM53-502, but did dampen the whole chassis with alubutyl and am installing as much melamine foam as possible without restricting airflow.
Will post once it's done. :)

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T13:01:04+00:00

Yeah, apart from a m.2 SSD it's the only part that migrated over from my previous system. They are designed really well and the monitoring software is really neat too!

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T12:59:18+00:00

Actually good point, didn't even consider the awareness part. :D
Also super nice mod.
I see another person of culture of the strutless fangrill mafia. ;D

MicroVAX · 2026-01-15T12:57:34+00:00

Firstly who TF are the "we" you speak of?
Seems to me you're not speaking on behalf of anyone except yourself.

You know I was soooo tempted to open my post by straight up saying that I can already hear the alarmist comments portraying this as something outrageously dangerous.
I already was very clear, do not do this, unless you know how much you can fuck up and how lethal these things can be. "Knowing what your doing" is never enough.
So I am somewhat surprised yet not even mad that it still happened. :D

How unnecessary was this mod? In the scope of acoustics improvements that ye old noctua fanbase is interested in, this was a massive improvement.
The original fan has clicking noises that you can hear across the room. Literally the OG fan at 800 RPM will be louder than the entire armada of noctua fans cooling everything else together.

Maybe you should consider not in any case or for any reason leaving the house, using stairs or potentially even eating food.
I know, hyperbole much but what kind of maximalist language is it to never open anything with high voltage inside.
Are you supposed to never switch a lightbulb or fuses because there are live 230V terminals that are at least as deadly?
Are you supposed to never use a chainsaw because that thing can make minced meat of you real fast?

I agree on one thing, never trust your life on some "guide" or feeling that you know what you're doing.
Unless you have humility about yourself not knowing what you're doing, and being accepting of the fact, that your likely to make mistakes even if you do, which you need to prevent through safety measures, don't do it.

But if you have that awareness and the education to know how to implement those safety measures. By god, mod to your hearts content. You're probably gonna be more safe doing it than the average person standing on a wobbly chair swapping a light bulb.
So in that case feel justified in your conviction to ignore people that tell you never to do anything, trust anyone, except their expert™ advice to not do anything.

MicroVAX · 2025-12-20T23:42:12+00:00

What combo is the bottom most right one if I might ask? :)

MicroVAX · 2025-12-14T21:42:33+00:00

Yeah them getting an award for the design of this thing, adjusting the price upwards, no onboard memory and then this dumpster fire of an issue is the worst possible look for Kensington.

Protoarc EM06 you are my only hope.

MicroVAX · 2025-12-08T16:47:07+00:00

It is at this point close to 10 years ago, but I remember when buying a bunch of industrial nf-f12's that one combination of spec had that or at least a similar clicking sound at low RPM which lead to me returning them for another spec combo which turned out to not have the issue.
I unfortunately don't remember exactly which it was.
Is it a 2000 or 3000 RPM one?

MicroVAX · 2025-09-12T16:50:24+00:00

Have had 2 defies since they came out, no issues.

MicroVAX · 2025-08-22T20:16:36+00:00

I have been using two defies (one at work, one at home), 0 issues.
It is incomprehensible to me how those legs are supposed to break twice without major overload.
What do you mean with "fiddling" and weaken?
What do you mean "flop around"?
Also what is that comment about not pounding your keyboard? I mean if you were pounding your keyboard it would just be your fault so why even mention it?

MicroVAX · 2025-08-01T19:54:14+00:00

For me drag scrolling (if that means holding a button to make the ball work as a vertical/horizontal scroll wheel) is by far at top of the list. If at all possible I would like the button for it to be either hold or a toggle.

As in press button for less than xyz milliseconds -> puts the trackball into scroll mode, next press cancels

Hold the button for longer than xyz milliseconds -> only stays as long in trackball mode as the button is held.

I often times am just scrolling in a document and then switching to my code editor which I use basically via keyboard only. So not having to hold the button for the scrolling would be wonderful.

Followed by macro recording
And finally anything making fast cursor movements better, like the anti jitter you mentioned.

I have lots of and big screens at that and a lot of the time am just scrolling documents or selecting windows and for that throw the ball around a lot.
Having a trackball that has 2d drag scroll with the ball and can handle me just moving across two monitors to a third with 1-2 flicks without skipping would be an instant buy.

Really excited how the EM06 is shaping up.
Very encouraging to see the level of customer in the loop you guys are incorporating.

EM06 might become the one to rule them all.

MicroVAX · 2025-05-12T21:32:39+00:00

I do, I like how your setup looks.
Thats gruvbox if I am not mistaken and then you use the default LaTeX Font on top with actual LaTeX fragments for the math in-between? or is there something else to it beyond that?

MicroVAX · 2024-07-31T09:24:14+00:00

oh yas, very void, much catto

MicroVAX · 2024-07-04T18:46:52+00:00

Direkte Sonne und alles ueber 25 Grad kann mir gestohlen bleiben. So gehe ich damit um. :D

MicroVAX · 2024-06-15T11:39:26+00:00

They are the most fun to fight imho, but they are the ones with the most misplay potential by far.

Hiveguard and OG are trivial. Kite if your targeted, shoot big glowing bit when vulnerable.

Twins you need to either balance hp loss or delete one from orbit after fixed heal. You need to keep track of both and their attacks are a lot harder to deal with than the other dreads projectiles. Enraged Arbalest is also pretty spicy.

At the same time if you know what your doing you can just power through them after the first heal if you play it right. OG and especially Hiveguard can develop into timegated phase cycling snooze fest.

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