For years I have been using the Silverstone fm121 as it comes with a remote mounted speed controlling potentiometer, goes as high as 110 CFM and 0.4 amps consumption.
It is fairly quiet for this amount of airflow and there are other fans that draw much more amperage for less airflow and make more noise doing so. I have a fm121 now in the process of failing after many years of faithful service in a harsh environment.
But since i first settled on the Silverstone fm121 as my favorite 120Mm computer fan, Noctua fans have come out. I put a Noctua NF-F12 on my Fridge condenser pushing instead of pulling, and duty cycle dropped while I saved 0.07 amps with this fan over the one provided, and of course it is much much quieter.
Noctua has now offered 2000 and 3000 rpm Industrial versions of the 1500 rpm original. Some are IP67 rated, some 3 wire some 4 wire pwm.
http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/industrialI am not sure how the other two wires on the 4 wire versions control the speed. in the past when speed controlling non Silverstone computer fans, I used a 24khz PWM motor speed controller and life was good.
These 25KHZ PWM controllers met unfortunate ends due to a case of bumbling halfwitted jackassery, and the 13khz PWM LED dimmers I now have, cause that annoying humming sound from the motor.
Basically I want the 3000 rpm NF-f12 version on a speed control, A controller which is manually adjustable and not huge, does not waste significant amounts of power, and of course, will not cause the humming.
The Noctua NF-F12 3000 rpm version is rated at 0.3 amps and 186.3 cubic meters per hour which translates to 109.9cfm, basically the same as the silverstone fm121, but for 0.1amp less consumption. A little noisier at full speed but perhaps the Tone is more acceptable.
They have a 140Mm 3000 rpm fan capable of 158cfm too which interest me as well. I could cut a larger hole in my shroud to accept a 140Mm fan in place of a 120mm.
IAnother fan i'd love to control properly is an 'Original Delta TFC1212DE 12cm 120mm DC 12V 3.90A 252CFM 4pin PWM with Speed Sensor Server Inverter Axial Case Cooling Fan'
I affectionately call it the screaming banshee.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L5XEKOS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1#AskThis fan is insanely powerful, sending a dense narrow column of air a good distance at a good speed, but my PWM controller could not tame it enough. It would slow to about 65% speed then turn off, still consuming 2.6 amps, and moving too much air, and making way too much noise, and is mostly unused.
I'd love to be able to slow this insane ~ 4 amp fan down to near whisper quiet levels at acceptable wattage consumption, and also have the godmother of all white noise turbo boost jet engine fans being able to reduce barometric pressure, and drown out neighborhood screaming children having their frequent early morning chernobylesque meltdowns, and barking dogs inside my rig when exhausting at full speed.
IN general I want to learn more about how to best control these fans through the ways their speed/rpm was intended to be controlled by an actual computer via the 2 extra wires provided on these fans.
I am kind of a ventilation Nazi and my lack of understanding about how to best control these 3 and 4 wire fans for full manual speed control, without the sub 22KHZ humm, is bothering me.
Please Ventilate, I mean, enlighten. me.
