How to install an exhaust fan in a bathroom. Installing and removing a CPU cooler
In modern houses, it is not always possible to achieve high-quality air exhaust using natural ventilation: poor design of the house, changes in the design of the neighbors' hoods. Therefore, quite a long time ago people began to install forced exhaust hoods in their bathrooms. This is necessary in order to pump out air with high humidity, which has a bad effect on almost any material used in bathroom renovations. The installation itself on empty walls takes no more than 30 minutes, and will bring you a lot positive points. Fungus, mold, dampness and constant high humidity - all this can be avoided by simply installing an electric hood in the bathroom. In this article we will talk about how to properly install and how to properly connect the fan to the hood.
- In modern houses, it is not always possible to achieve high-quality air exhaust using natural ventilation: poor design of the house, changes in the design of the neighbors' hoods. Therefore, quite a long time ago people began to install forced exhaust hoods in their bathrooms. This is necessary in order to pump out air with high humidity, which has a bad effect on almost any material used in bathroom renovations. The installation itself on empty walls takes no more than 30 minutes, and will bring you many positive aspects. Fungus, mold, dampness and constant high humidity - all this can be avoided by simply installing an electric hood in the bathroom. In this article we will talk about how to properly install and how to properly connect the fan to the hood.
Preparing the ventilation duct
The exhaust fan must be installed before laying the tiles. In every modern house, a ventilation duct is already provided for the hood. Most often it is located in the corner of the bathroom, between the toilet and the bathtub, in the wall. In order to avoid problems with cutting tiles when further work, it is best to mark the hole for installation, stepping back slightly from the wall. If the hole that was made during design is small for your fan, then you can enlarge it using a hammer drill and a spade attachment. Before continuing work, we pull out the power cable from the switch so that it does not fray, it is necessary to place it in a corrugated tube. The lack of cable complicates the situation. To connect the system, you will have to stretch a VVG wire with 3 copper wires with a cross-section of 1.5 mm.
Users who are assembling a computer on their own for the first time often have a question about how to properly install case coolers in the system unit so that the cooling works as efficiently as possible. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this, you just need to choose suitable cooler and install it in such a way that it does not disturb the natural movement of air.
In order to properly install the cooler in system unit, the cooler must have suitable size. Therefore, measure the size of the seats on your system unit and determine maximum size cooler that can be installed on them. For an exact fit, you can measure the distance between the mounting holes, as shown in the picture below.
After measurements, the cooler can be selected using the table below. It is best to choose the largest coolers that can be installed. After all, the larger the cooler, the more air it can pass through. In practice, this means that such a cooler can operate at low speeds and cool as efficiently as a small cooler at maximum speed. Which in turn allows you to reduce the noise level from the computer.
Distance between mounting holes | Cooler size |
32 mm | 40×40 mm |
50 mm | 60×60 mm |
71.5 mm | 80×80 mm |
82.5 mm | 92×92 mm |
105 mm | 120×120 mm |
125 mm | 140×140 mm |
154 mm | 200×200 mm |
Information on cooler sizes was taken from the sites noctua.at and arctic.ac. |
In addition to the dimensions of the cooler, you also need to pay attention to the type of bearing used in its design. The most affordable coolers are produced with plain bearings. This type of bearing provides low level noise, but does not last long. Coolers from the mid-price range are usually built using ball bearings (rolling bearings). A ball bearing has a longer service life, but it produces noticeably more noise. Coolers from the highest price range most often use a hydrodynamic bearing. This type of bearing combines the advantages of rolling bearings and ball bearings. Hydrodynamic bearings have long term services and at the same time work very quietly.
You also need to decide in advance on how to connect the coolers. In most cases, coolers are equipped with one of the following connectors: a 3-pin connector, a 4-pin connector, or a MOLEX connector (in the picture below they are from left to right). Coolers with 3 and 4 pin connectors are connected to the motherboard, and coolers with a MOLEX connector are connected to the motherboard.
If the motherboard has a 4 pin connector for case coolers, then it is best to choose a cooler with just such a connector. This connection method will allow you to adjust the cooler speed depending on the temperature of the computer, which will reduce the noise level.
Correct installation of coolers in the system unit
Once the coolers have been selected and purchased, you can begin installing them in the system unit. For correct installation It is important to understand how the air moves inside the computer and how coolers will affect it. Under the influence of convection, hot air itself rises to the top of the body and for maximum efficient cooling Coolers should be installed to utilize and enhance this natural air movement, rather than resist it.
Therefore, traditionally, in the upper part of the case, coolers are installed for blowing, this allows you to remove heated air from the case. And in the lower part of the case, fans are installed for blowing, as this enhances the natural movement of air from bottom to top. The picture below shows possible locations for installing coolers and the direction in which they should move air. This scheme for installing coolers in the system unit is considered the most correct.
If you ignore the natural movement of air and, for example, install a blow-in cooler in the upper part of the system, this can even increase. It will be especially bad hard drives, to which the flow of hot air from the processor radiator will be directed.
The process of installing a cooler into a system unit is not difficult at all. The cooler is installed with inside system unit, after which it is fixed with 4 screws from the outside. When installing, it is important to ensure that the cooler directs the air in the right direction. To do this, there is usually an arrow on the cooler that indicates where the air will flow.
After installing the cooler, you need to connect it to the motherboard (if a 3 or 4 pin connector is used) or to the computer power supply (if a MOLEX connector is used).
Naturally, all these actions must be performed on a completely switched off and de-energized computer. Otherwise, there is a risk of damaging components or receiving an electric shock.
Every processor, especially modern ones, needs to have active cooling. Now the most popular and reliable solution is to install CPU cooler to the motherboard. They happen different sizes and, accordingly, different capacities consuming a certain amount energy. In this article we will not go into details, but will look at mounting and removing the processor cooler from the motherboard.
When assembling your system, you need to install a processor cooler, and if you need to replace the CPU, then the cooling needs to be removed. There is nothing complicated in these tasks, you just need to follow the instructions and do everything carefully so as not to damage the components. Let's take a closer look at installing and removing coolers.
Installing an AMD cooler
Coolers from AMD are equipped with a unique mount; therefore, the mounting process is also slightly different from others. It's easy to do; you just need to follow a few simple steps:
![](https://i0.wp.com/lumpics.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Podgotovka-materinskoy-platyi-k-ustanovke-protsessornogo-kulera.png)
Installing an Intel Cooler
For the boxed version Intel processor The kit already includes proprietary cooling. The mounting method is slightly different from that discussed above, but there is no fundamental difference. These coolers are mounted with clamps in special grooves on the motherboard. Simply select the appropriate location and insert the pins into the connectors one at a time until you hear a characteristic click.
It remains to connect the power as described above. Please note that Intel coolers also come with thermal paste, so be careful when unpacking.
Installing a tower cooler
If the standard cooling capacity is not sufficient to provide normal operation CPU, installation required tower cooler. They are usually more powerful due to larger fans and the presence of several heat pipes. Installation of such a part is required only for the sake of a powerful and expensive processor. Let's look at the steps of mounting a tower CPU cooler in detail:
![](https://i1.wp.com/lumpics.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Kreplenie-zadney-paneli-bashennogo-kulera.png)
This completes the process of installing the tower cooler. We once again recommend studying the design of the motherboard and installing all the parts in such an order that they do not interfere when trying to mount other components.
How to remove a CPU cooler
If you need to perform repairs, replace the processor, or apply new thermal paste, you should always first remove installed cooling. This task very simple - the user must unscrew the screws or release the pins. Before this, you need to disconnect the system unit from the power supply and pull out the CPU_FAN cord. Read more about dismantling the processor cooler in our article.
Today we examined in detail the topic of mounting and removing a processor cooler using latches or screws from the motherboard. By following the instructions above, you can easily complete all the steps yourself, it is only important to do everything carefully and accurately.
A computer is a complex device with many components that must operate continuously. Cooling is an integral part of this whole complex system, since each part gives off heat while consuming electricity. If there were no cooling, the risk of sudden “burnout” would increase tenfold. But what to do if the old cooling fails? Definitely, you need to look for a replacement and take on the installation. How to properly install fans in a computer case? You can find the answer to this question in this article.
A little about the main thing
It will be no secret to anyone that all components personal computer tend to heat up. Some of these elements get very hot. CPU, GPU and motherboard— the hottest parts inside the system unit. That is why every user should take care of proper cooling and high-quality removal of heat flows.
Most often used in computers air cooling, because it is very practical and cheap. The operating principle of this mechanism is very simple: the elements give off heat to the air around them, and the hot air is blown out of the system unit case using fans. Also, quite often, PC parts are equipped with heat sink elements (radiators).
The importance of the cooling system is simply obvious, but how to properly install the cooler on the processor and other device components?
Selecting new components
Before you start looking for additional coolers, you should carefully examine your gadget:
- Remove the cover of the system unit case, determine the number of places for installing additional components.
- It's also worth looking at the motherboard, because that's where all the connectors for the parts are located.
Here are some tips to help you choose:
- It is better to choose devices with the largest suitable size.
- Give preference to devices with a large number blades. Such devices are quieter.
- When purchasing, you should pay attention to the stickers on the devices, because they indicate the noise level.
- If your motherboard has four-pin headers, then it's worth purchasing a four-wire fan.
If you have purchased all the devices, then you should be wondering how to properly install coolers in the system unit. Now we will answer this question.
Installing new components
In order to install parts into a computer, it is worth familiarizing yourself with several main location variations. We will talk here only about standard cases, since everything is individual for everyone.
When there are no additional cooling elements in the case
This layout is standard for almost all modern personal computers that are sold in electronics stores. Hot air always rises, and the fan in the PSU (power supply) removes it outside.
Important! This arrangement has one noticeable drawback - all the heat that passes through the power supply only heats it up more. Heat transfer also worsens due to the fact that cold air is sucked into the housing chaotically and from all sides.
But even this method is better than incorrect location additional equipment.
We place the cooler on the back of the case
This method is relevant only if we have only one place for additional cooler. The device should be located directly under the power supply, which will help ensure proper air circulation without serious consequences for the aforementioned power supply.
Important! And there is one drawback here - dust will accumulate faster than usual, and the reason for this is the increased rarefaction.
How can I install an additional cooler in the system unit in another way? Read on!
Location on the front of the system unit
This option is also suitable only for those cases in which there is only one seat. The fan should be placed on the front of the PC case, but set to “Blow”. The part must be positioned so that it is opposite the hard drive(s), since all the cold air that enters the device will blow over them.
Important! Such an installation is one of the most effective, because with its help, almost ideal circulation of cold air flows is achieved, and dust will not linger inside. The overall noise level is very low.
We put two coolers in one case
Of course, this method will be the most effective of all. Here the installation process is quite simple:
- One fan is installed on the front wall of the case and operates as a blower.
- On back panel a second cooler is installed on the personal computer case, but this time for “blowing”.
Important! A constant directed air flow will circulate through your device, which will help avoid overheating in any part of the PC. Dust will not settle inside the case at all, general level the noise will decrease, and the pressure inside will stabilize.
Now you know how to install an additional cooler in a system unit, but what should you be afraid of during installation? Let's talk about incorrect installation.
Important! Overheating of the system also occurs due to increased load in terms of clogging operating system junk files.
To reduce the risk of such an adverse event, be sure to install and use.
How not to install coolers?
In order to understand, let’s pay a little attention the following cases incorrect installation.
The cooler at the back works on “blowing”
Such cooling will not bring any effect, since all the heat that the power supply gives off environment, will be immediately sucked back in, and in the lower part of the system the air will not move at all. This method will not work for anyone.
The cooler is located in the front and works on “blowing”
Using this method of arrangement, you will turn your computer into a real dust collector, since there will be very rarefied pressure inside the case. The fans will work in overload mode, and all neighboring components will overheat terribly.
The cooler at the back works on “blowing”, and on the front – on “blowing”
This location creates a closed air ring that prevents hot air from rising. At this rate, you can only achieve increased low pressure overloads inside, which, again, will affect cleanliness.
Both components work on “injection”
In this case, the pressure will be excessively high, which directly proportionally affects the load on the coolers.
The problem of ventilation in the bathroom and toilet quite often appears in apartment buildings. Natural ventilation channels in such buildings are often damaged, as a result of which they cannot perform their functions. In addition to this problem, in old buildings, when laying ventilation ducts, air exchange calculations were made taking into account wooden windows, but not plastic, not letting in even a gram of air from outside. Therefore, in order to improve ventilation in the apartment and in the bathroom, in particular, a fan is installed in the bathroom.
Before installing a fan in the bathroom, you need to determine how well the natural exhaust works. This is done in a simple way: take sheet of thin paper or unfold the napkin; open a window in any room; attach the paper to the hood opening. If the napkin is immediately drawn to the hole, this means that natural suction is working correctly. If the napkin does not attract, then you should think about installing a fan in the bathroom.
You can check the efficiency of the hood by holding it close to the hole. lit match or lighter. If the flame deviates strongly towards the channel, then the ventilation is working normally. Otherwise, if the flame deflection is weak or if it burns evenly, an exhaust cooler will be required.
Stagnant air in a bathroom or toilet leads to the formation of high humidity in the room and, as a result, to the appearance of fungus on the walls. How harmful mold is to human health is not worth talking about.
If you are convinced that the ventilation duct is clogged, you can clear it by lowering a cone-shaped weight into it. If for some reason you cannot do this, contact the utility service, they will tell you which organization you need to apply to.
Selecting an exhaust cooler
Before installing a fan in the bathroom, you need to take measurements of the width, height and depth of the vent and write down the data obtained. Based on this information, you should choose fans in the store.
Cooler power calculation very important before purchasing a hood. According to sanitary standards, the air in the bathroom should be changed 6-8 times within 1 hour, and fans should cope with this task. The power is calculated using the following formula: L = V * K, where L is the volume of air for complete air exchange (m 3 / h), V is the volume of the room, and K is the air exchange coefficient (how many times the air must be changed in 1 hour).
Calculation example: Room length – 2.5 m, width – 3.2 m, height 2.8 m. Let’s find out the volume of the room: V = 2.5 * 3.2 * 2.8 = 22.4 m 3 . Next, we substitute the result obtained into the formula: L = 22.4 * 8 = 179.2 m3/h. Based on the calculation, the cooler should pass through 179.2 m3/h of air in 1 hour. When choosing a device, it is recommended to choose a model that will be 20% more powerful than the calculated one. That is, the unit must have power reserve. IN in this case, to install a fan in a toilet or bathroom with such a volume, a cooler with a capacity of 200 m3/h will be sufficient.
These calculations are also relevant if you want to install a fan in the kitchen.
The installation of an exhaust fan in a bathroom is regulated by permissible noise standards. Since increasing the power of the device inevitably increases its noise, when choosing a unit you should adhere to the standard: the sound intensity from the operation of the cooler should not exceed 30 dB.
Connection diagrams
There are 4 circuits for connecting an exhaust fan in a bathroom. But if you carry out installation work and handling electrical wiring with your own hands, take care, first of all, about safety rules. It is necessary to turn off the required switch on the electrical panel so that there is no voltage on the wiring in the place where you will work.
All circuits are designed for three- or two-wire wiring. If the wiring is two-wire, then the units are connected without grounding.
Connection from a light bulb
The connection diagram for a bathroom fan, which involves connecting to a lighting fixture, is quite simple and is shown in the figure below.
The only drawback of this connection is that the ventilation will only work when the light bulb is on.
To avoid the disadvantage described above, there is a way to connect the cooler via a switch. The wiring diagram in this case is also not complicated, and even a non-specialist can understand how to connect a fan in the bathroom to a switch.
To connect equipment according to this scheme, you will need to install two-gang switch. One key will be used when turning on the lighting, the second will be used to start the hood. You will need to run a “zero” wire to the cooler, connecting to the “zero” of the light bulb, which is laid from the junction box. The phase from the distribution box must be brought to the switch and connected to two contacts going to the cooler and the light bulb.
Cooler with timer
Coolers equipped with a timer are much more convenient to use. But the cost of such equipment is higher. The connection diagram for a fan with a timer is shown below.
A cooler equipped with a timer works according to the following principle:
- when the lighting is turned on, the unit starts working;
- after turning off the light, the fan with a timer continues to work for some time (preset), removing excess moisture and odors from the bathroom or toilet, after which it turns off.
A fan with a timer is connected using four wires: L – phase from the junction box, LT – wire from the light bulb switch, ground wire and N – “zero”.
Device with sensors
If you are planning to install and connect a fan in the bathroom, then you should pay attention to devices equipped with humidity or motion sensors. The operation of such fans in the bathroom and toilet is completely autonomous and does not require any participation from you.
For the toilet, an installed device with motion sensor and timer. When a person enters the toilet, a sensor in the unit will detect movement and turn on the hood. When a person leaves the bathroom, the sensor will give a command to turn off, but the device will turn off only after the time set on the timer has expired.
Installing a unit such as a fan with a humidity sensor in the bathroom means accepting perfect solution in the fight against dampness in a given room. If the humidity in the room rises to the maximum set limits, the cooler will automatically start working. Once normal humidity levels are reached, the unit will stop. Thanks to this sensor, the bathroom will always be fresh and dry.
The following picture shows a diagram to help you install exhaust fan, equipped with sensors.
Wall mounting
Under the decorative fan panel there are holes for attaching the case to a wall or ceiling. Therefore, you should attach the device to the hole in the vent (sometimes you have to expand the vent) and use a pencil to mark the places for drilling.
Next, in the places where you marked, you need to drill holes using a hammer drill or impact drill. For the latter it is mandatory to use drill bits with brazing for concrete. After drilling the holes, hammer plastic dowels into them, insert the cooler into the vent and secure it with self-tapping screws.
Attention! Before connecting the fan in the toilet or bathroom, do not forget to turn off the general switch for your apartment or the circuit breakers under the electric meter.
Now that the equipment is installed, you can connect the wires using the diagrams above.
There is another option with which you can install a fan in the toilet or bathroom without using power tools:
- purchase liquid nails or silicone glue at the store;
- clean the surface of the wall where the cooler is attached from plaster or whitewash;
- Apply glue around the vent using a gun or squeezing it out with the handle of a hammer;
- insert the cooler into the vent and check the horizontal position using a level;
- fix the device in this position with tape;
- after 2-3 hours, the fixation can be removed;
- After connecting the wires and returning the decorative panel to its place, the installation of the fan in the bathroom is complete.
For clarity and better understanding of the material, you can watch the following video.
Ceiling installation
An exhaust fan in a bathroom or toilet can also be installed on the ceiling (suspended or suspended).
Ceiling placement is often used in private homes, when the ventilation duct can be drawn through the ceiling and laid through the attic. In such cases, it is recommended to use duct fans, which are also located in the attic.
In case stretch ceiling or suspended ceiling, the situation gets a little more complicated. It would be wiser if, before installing various types of ceilings, you prepare a place for installing equipment. The grate or cooler can be screwed to the drywall using a butterfly dowel. In the case of a suspended ceiling, the equipment is attached to a pre-installed stand.
If suspended ceiling already installed, you will have to dismantle it to install the cooler and carry out all communications.
Of course, dismantling a suspended ceiling is a rather difficult task, and few people will do this to install a fan. There are 2 solutions:
- you can try to pull the wires through a pre-made hole in in the right place, then seal it so that it becomes invisible;
- run the wiring from the connected unit directly along the ceiling and hide it with a cable duct.
In any case, when self-installation ventilation equipment, it is important to consistently carry out the above operations without haste, in compliance with safety rules and with great care, especially if the installation is carried out on a suspended ceiling.