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SP 120 Fans - Installation woes


El-Skunk

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I tried to install an SP120 into the base of my 900D case and this happened. (see fan_problems pic) Now I can't unscrew it from the holding rod it's attached to. The screw spins round along with the part of the fan holding it to the rod. Only way I can see to resolve this is to get a hacksaw and cut through the screw!

 

So when installing these fans I can only get the screw in this far (see fan_screw pic) without the rubber bit starting to flex. However this far means the fan is rather loose to the case.

 

Anyone got any experience with these? Is the fan being loose to the case going to be an issue?

fan_problems.thumb.jpg.fe3c8a1ce9cdc9ef29413a7f923803bd.jpg

fan_screw.jpg.37404e3b5caf679d94d0ca47a40e37ab.jpg

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I managed to get the fans off. I had to yank the fitting out from the rubber corner then use pliers to unscrew it.

 

The fan is mullered! I've opened an RMA ticket this can't be right if all I did was screw the fan into the case and it broke. I didn't even screw it up very tight at all.

 

I'm scared to use the other SP 120's I have because the rubber flexes when the screw is half in. I'm going to use the long screws that came with the case and get a washer and bolt to secure them that way the rubber will be preserved.

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I don't know how an engineer came up with this fan style. You can't even really tighten the fans unless screwing them to a case if you use them on a rad the little rubber inserts just give way. If its for noise dampening or something it should be a traditional plastic style with a small layer of rubber around the screw hole on outside of the intake/exhaust side screw holes. These thing drove me nuts while mounted on my h100i. I suppose its all well and good if mounting to a case but I'd think rubber would be easily stripped as well.
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I know what you mean. I'm having real difficulty with these fans. Every time I try to install them I stop half way through because the rubber is flexing too much. I must be doing something wrong as other people aren't having these probs. I've seen countless build logs where the fans are mounted just fine!
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Some fan screws are thinner that others. Even with the included screws its almost impossible to screw in.

 

I think Corsair should have these fans pre-tapped so things like this don't happen.

 

Look over the net this is happening a ALOT! It takes quite a bit of pressure to dig the grooves into these things.

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I tried to install an SP120 into the base of my 900D case and this happened. (see fan_problems pic) Now I can't unscrew it from the holding rod it's attached to. The screw spins round along with the part of the fan holding it to the rod. Only way I can see to resolve this is to get a hacksaw and cut through the screw!

 

So when installing these fans I can only get the screw in this far (see fan_screw pic) without the rubber bit starting to flex. However this far means the fan is rather loose to the case.

 

Anyone got any experience with these? Is the fan being loose to the case going to be an issue?

 

I had a very similar issue over the weekend trying to install a AF140 in a 800D case.

 

The grey and black plastic around the the mounting hole completely broke away from the rest of the fan when using the supplied fan screws. I ended up using screws from a NoiseBlocker fan to secure another AF140 behind the motherboard since I didn't want to chance breaking that fan also.

 

I started a RMA but I'm wondering if anyone has any information on the thread of the long screws that are supplied with the Air Series fans? What would solve the issue is a thumb nut that fits the long screws so that using the self threading fan screws can be avoided.

 

The closest thing I could find so far would be these -

 

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/image/13060/koo-277.jpg%20/koo-277/Koolance_Radiator_Mounting_Screw_and_Nut_-_25mm_BLT-HX025.html?tl=g55c515s1457

 

 

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17731/scr-361/M4_x_35mm_Pan_Head_Screws_and_Mounting_Hardware_-_Black_-_4_Pack_Complete_Set.html?tl=g55c513s1798

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I had a very similar issue over the weekend trying to install a AF140 in a 800D case.

 

The grey and black plastic around the the mounting hole completely broke away from the rest of the fan when using the supplied fan screws. I ended up using screws from a NoiseBlocker fan to secure another AF140 behind the motherboard since I didn't want to chance breaking that fan also.

 

I started a RMA but I'm wondering if anyone has any information on the thread of the long screws that are supplied with the Air Series fans? What would solve the issue is a thumb nut that fits the long screws so that using the self threading fan screws can be avoided.

 

The closest thing I could find so far would be these -

 

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/image/13060/koo-277.jpg%20/koo-277/Koolance_Radiator_Mounting_Screw_and_Nut_-_25mm_BLT-HX025.html?tl=g55c515s1457

 

 

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17731/scr-361/M4_x_35mm_Pan_Head_Screws_and_Mounting_Hardware_-_Black_-_4_Pack_Complete_Set.html?tl=g55c513s1798

 

hi hi, the long screws that come with the 100i and all the other imo, are

 

6-32's x 1-1/4's they tend to only come in a phillips head when you find them in hardware stores, although black is a common color for this type of screw

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hi hi, the long screws that come with the 100i and all the other imo, are

 

6-32's x 1-1/4's they tend to only come in a phillips head when you find them in hardware stores, although black is a common color for this type of screw

 

Thanks, now if I can just find thumb nuts that will fit on the end of them.

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Thanks, now if I can just find thumb nuts that will fit on the end of them.

Are you talking about the screws to mount the fans? If so you should not need nuts in the screws as they screw into the radiator to hold the fan.

If you just need fan mount screws then you will needs screws like this.

http://www.outletpc.com/ll7363.html?gclid=CILn3fzaxrgCFZB_Qgod3BcAsQ

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Are you talking about the screws to mount the fans? If so you should not need nuts in the screws as they screw into the radiator to hold the fan.

If you just need fan mount screws then you will needs screws like this.

http://www.outletpc.com/ll7363.html?gclid=CILn3fzaxrgCFZB_Qgod3BcAsQ

 

Thanks for the response.

 

I was actually trying to find a way to avoid mounting the fans with the type of screws you provided a link to since my first attempt ended up breaking the plastic around the mounting holes on the fan.

 

I'd like to find thumb nuts that fit the end of the screws that are intended to be used for attaching the fans to a radiator.

 

As an example if you look at the second photo in this link you can see the black round knurled thumb nuts that are used to attach these fans to a case -

 

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2272433

 

 

The third photo down in this link shows another example -

 

http://www.svc.com/nb-pl-2.html

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I was actually trying to find a way to avoid mounting the fans with the type of screws you provided a link to since my first attempt ended up breaking the plastic around the mounting holes on the fan.

 

This indicates that you are cranking them down way too much. Yeah, I know, you want to make sure that everything is secure and going to stay put, but there's a limit--past which, all you get is needless damage. If you are worried that the screws will loosen, put some thread lock on them and just snug them up. It'll be fine.

 

Way too many people think that a fastener isn't tight enough until it won't turn anymore. Not true.

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This indicates that you are cranking them down way too much. Yeah, I know, you want to make sure that everything is secure and going to stay put, but there's a limit--past which, all you get is needless damage. If you are worried that the screws will loosen, put some thread lock on them and just snug them up. It'll be fine.

 

Way too many people think that a fastener isn't tight enough until it won't turn anymore. Not true.

 

 

Actually not at all, the fan screw didn't even make contact with the fan support/bracket before it broke the plastic around the mounting holes.

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This indicates that you are cranking them down way too much.

 

Actually the SP120's have an issue with this.

 

In order for the mounts not to break you literally have to screw in a little bit, back off, screw in a little bit more and so on and so forth. Its literally like running a tap through of how small the mounting holes are. So much so that the screws actually get hot.

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  • 3 months later...
This indicates that you are cranking them down way too much. Yeah, I know, you want to make sure that everything is secure and going to stay put, but there's a limit--past which, all you get is needless damage. If you are worried that the screws will loosen, put some thread lock on them and just snug them up. It'll be fine.

 

Way too many people think that a fastener isn't tight enough until it won't turn anymore. Not true.

 

I've literally just had this exact same thing happen to me!

 

 

I just got the double pack SP120's (just arrived today) to install in to my Bitfenix Prodigy case. I opened up my case, held the fan perfectly in line with the holes. I attempted to loosely screw them in to place, but getting them to screw in even the tiniest bit proved to be a mission.

 

When attempting to screw in the supplied screws, it quickly became apparent that the 'supplied screws' when tightened twisted, stretched, stressed and warped the rubber mounted screw holes on the SP120 fan.

 

The craziest thing of all was that this wasn't a case of over tightening for me, as the screws, which were screwed dead straight in to the correct mount points, began to over tighten way before the fans were anywhere near secure or snug up against my case.

 

 

Note, The supplied screws were screwed in perfectly straight, so you can rule out any over tightening theory of any screws being driven in at the wrong angle, again mine were dead straight!.

 

Also worth pointing out is that my case screw holes are bigger than the thread on the screws supplied by Corsair, so you can also rule out any other complication that can arise from having 'case holes' which are too small for the supplied screws thread. My screw holes on my case are more than adequate!

 

 

Anyway, back to what happened....

 

 

Obviously leaving the screws half hanging out or half in was not an option that i was prepared to settle with, partly because it would look rubbish and largely because the fans rattled like a car engine with defective engine mounts.

 

You can guess what happened next; Yep, the exact same thing as the original poster of this thread (i.e El-Skunk). The screw, which weren't even anywhere close to securing my Corsair SP120 to the case, broke in exactly the same way that El_Skunk suggested.

 

Now I also have part of the mount and screw stuck in the mounting holes in my case, I'm going to have buy some pliers tomorrow to try and prevent the bottom section from spinning while i try to unscrew them.

 

This is a real shame that this has happened, I can only say that I am really disappointed, especially after waiting over a week for these to be delivered, just to have this happen on the day that they arrived; after time spent pulling my case a part to fit them only to have to remove them and put everything back to scratch, until the time comes again to do it all over again.

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This indicates that you are cranking them down way too much. Yeah, I know, you want to make sure that everything is secure and going to stay put, but there's a limit--past which, all you get is needless damage. If you are worried that the screws will loosen, put some thread lock on them and just snug them up. It'll be fine.

 

Way too many people think that a fastener isn't tight enough until it won't turn anymore. Not true.

 

No, this is happening way before the screw is even close to the case, you can still see the thread of the screw!

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In the situation where the grommets start to twist and pull themselves out of the fan housing, I found it very beneficial to get the 4 screws in finger tight, then actual pinch the rubber grommet in place while pushing it against the fan mount, and then then screwing it into place. Another option is to do this outside the case, and get the rubber stretching and partially ready for a screw.
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