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Panaflo FBA08A12U 80mm Fan
Review Date: February 22, 2003
Reviewed by: Rob Hohf
Edited by: Dwayne Sessom
Sponsored by: EliteCool.com
Would a high CFM fan with moderatly low dBa sound appealing (and why wouldn't it!)? Well, the word Panaflo is something that you'll certainly want to familiarise yourself with then. I have reviewed one 80mm Panaflo fan here for testing, this model is the low end model, but let me tell you, I was surprised to see how well this fan performed when it was only the low end model... The Panaflo have certainly gained a name for themselves within the case modding community, and it's now time to see if they live up to their name.
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Packaging. Click for larger view.
As you can see the packaging was a little shabby, i would have like to see this fan in its own box or something, maybe a little more padding. But the fan arrived in perfect condition so i guess this will do.
The Panaflo are of course Panasonic fans, as part of their OEM industrial gear. EliteCool.com were kind enough to supply me with 1 80mm fan, which is the mid-range model. EliteCool also has the 1 higher end, and 1 lower end Panaflo fan as well. Here are the specifications of the one i was sent:
Fan Specs:
- Dimensions: 80x80x25mm
- Air Flow: 46.9 CFM
- Noise: 44 dB
- Fan Speed: ? (Was not displayed on EliteCool.com)
- Current: .25 Amps
- Input Power: 3 Watts
- Voltage: 12 Volts
- Bearing: Hydrowave bearing
- Connector: none (3 and 4 pin connectors available)
Click for larger view.
The full details can be found on the Panasonic website here.
Now while these are manufacturers specifications, it does give a rough estimation of the noise vs performance. Of course, the noise levels aren't the only factor, things such as the pitch of the sound are equally important. The Delta and the 120mm Sunon are by far the biggest noise makers, and it certainly can become irritating if you sit at your PC for extended periods.
The noise levels:
Fortunately I have a 80mm blue LED fan from Case-Mod.com to directly compare the Panaflo's to, here are the specs of the fan from case-mod.
- Air Flow 32.8 CFM
- Fan Speed 2500 RPM
- Power 2.76 W
- Bearing Type Dual Ball Bearing
- Fan Size 80x80x25 MM
- Noise Level 32.6db
- Connector 3pin
(This fan is not available anymore at Case-Mod)
As you can see, there was 14 CFM difference in air flow and a +12 dba change in noise level, it was pretty much a draw, but the Panaflo offers more air flow at the a much higher decible level. Although Panaflo also seemed like a better balanced fan, which should result in less noise from case vibration. I had tried to setup a recording of the noise levels, but unfortunately the background noise was too high during the recordings.
The Technology:
According to the Panasonic website, the low sound and high cfm is all due to their "hyperflow" technology. It basically means that it uses a sleeve setup (versus the ball bearing etc) but still retains the benefits of the ball bearing method.
To quote the Panasonic website:
Panaflo’s unique hydrowave bearing (HWB) addresses the traditional weakness of sleeve bearings…axial friction. By utilizing our unique HWB system, the thrust plate “floats” on a circulating film of oil, which greatly reduces the axial friction and the bearing’s deterioration. The HWB pattern on the bearing virtually eliminates thrust plate contact which is depicted above.
As the shaft rotates it acts as a pump constantly circulating the oil in the radial, as well as the axial direction. The sealed system and reservoirs of oil maintain the proper lubrication to minimize mechanical contact and prolong the fan's life expectancy. The radial direction analysis shown above is essentially the same as a traditional sleeve bearing. Panasonic's unique HWB reduces the axial contact. (Confusing isn't it?)
All it really means in layman's terms is that the fan is more efficient and will last longer...
Installation and Performance:
I descided to slap this sucker in my case in order to see if it is all it is cracked up to be. So i ran my computer idle for 2 hours with my other fan in there and watched the case temp. As you can see it fits in there perfectly with some extra room (where i hide all my wires!).
It leveled off at 36 degrees C. That isn't that bad...but the following shocked me! I put the fan in the same spot, ran the computer idle again for 2 hours, watched the case temp...and it leveled off at 30 degrees C!!! that is a 6 degree drop! OMG! This fan rules! My CPU temp dropped 2 degrees from 42 degrees to 40.
Conclusion:
It's all well and good to have massive CFM flowing through your case or radiator, but this usually comes as a compromise to the noise levels. Things like the Delta fan push through a lot of air, but also sound similar to a mini hairdryer at the same time! For some people, this noise wouldn't worry them (I put up with a 80mm TORNADO for a while) but others simply can't stand any extra noise.
The Panaflo fans are certainly recommended if you want to increase your case cooling without increasing the noise levels too much. Although I only looked at the mid range 80mm version, the same quality and low noise levels should carry across the entire range.
Overall, the Panaflo 80mm is an outstanding product and the only "con" is that it had no commercial packaging. I give it an overall rating of 4X 's.
This fan is available from EliteCool.
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