Inspiron G5-5090, CPU cooler?

This is a nice thread that reflects the correct approach to improving the airflow into this case. 

It does start with

• Adding a front intake fan to balance airflow
• Upgrading the rear exhaust fan
• Replacing the stock Intel cooler with an aftermarket Air CPU Cooler
• Adding a liquid cooler AIO unit if gaming at high refresh rates and resolutions or video editing

The issue is that you need to have at least one compatible fan connected to the CPU fan and chassis Fan headers or you will get a startup error.   From the posts, it looks like the Chassis fan header is really picky.  The CPU fan header does not appear to be so picky likely because it’s set up for an OEM Intel cooler and fan on that header.

The Alienware Aurora R Series is also real picky with fans. The ML120 Pro (non-LED) case fans were the only fan that seemed to work without throwing a startup error.  This might be important because the AWCC fan controller and motherboard in the G5 obviously complicate the brand of fans that can be used for upgrades. 

it would be nice to see a complied list of fans that work with this motherboard and don’t give a start-up error when connected to the Chassis fan and CPU fan headers. 

From what I’ve read so far about the chassis fan header:
-The Noctua B9 Redux fan gives a startup error and does not give accurate  AWCC fan readings
-The Artic F9 92mm PWM fan and the Arctic P12 120mm fans do not give startup errors but not sure if they are voltage correct and controlled by AWCC as it spins fast after waking from sleep and after shut down and cold boot.
-@Noorss was able to install a Noctua AF 92 PWM fan on the rear exhaust and was able to bypass the startup error by cleverly installing the OEM 80mm Dell fan on the front upper intake position and using that as the main fan on the Y adapter to the chassis fan header.  Nice work.

I wish I could help but I don’t have this G-5 machine available to test the several fans I have on hand:  Noctua NF-S12A PWM/FLX, Noctua NF-A9 PWM/FLX,  Noctua NF-F12 PWM, Noctua NF-A12 x 15 PWM/FLX, Two different Corsair SP120 PWM fans off a H60 AIO and a MSI Sea Hawk radiator, Corsair AF120 , ML120 Pro (non-LED) retail fan and ML-120 (Non-Pro.Non-LED) fan off the Corsair H100I Pro 240mm AIO,.  This would have been nice to do as any of these fans would be great inside this case if they worked.

So how to proceed……

If you have this machine, a longshot would be to try the ML120 Pro (non-LED) fan and connect it to the chassis fan header.   Expensive fan that runs great but can get noisy above 1500 RPM.  If it works, AWCC can control that fan like on the Alienware Aurora Series.  Make sure it is returnable.  Run that fan as upper front intake if it works.

Otherwise…..

A good workaround to this issue would be to bypass AWCC and the motherboard completely.

First you would need an adaptor like this:

CRJ SATA to 3 x 4-Pin PWM Sleeved Fan Power Adapter Cable

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0711CR7HV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The goal is to use quiet fans like the Noctua NF-S12A PWM and Noctua NF-A9 FLX and connect it to the PSU directly using the SATA fan adapter.  Then set the fan to the desired RPM to noise levels using low noise adapters.  You would then have two really nice fans as intake and exhaust working optimally.

-As the exhaust fan, you are fixing the speed of the Noctua NF A9 FLX (choice of 1600 RPM/1250 RPM/1050 RPM).   Use the LNA/ULNA to fix the fan at 1250 or 1050 RPM.  As a rear exhaust it should be fairly quiet and more importantly pulling heat out of the case continuously which is beneficial since the rear exhaust fan is the most important airflow fan in this case. 

-Adding an upper front intake fan balances the pressure in the case immediately and dramatically improves airflow.  Ideally a front intake fan is a large slow moving fan that moves a lot of air.  The Noctua NF-S12A fits that description well.  That fan has the same specs as either 4 pin PWM or 3 pin FLX.  Buy the 4 pin PWM version and see if you get a startup error when connected to the Chassis fan header.  If it works, all good.  

However,if you do get a start up error, then connect that SA-12 PWM fan directly to the PSU using the SATA adapter.  At 1200 RPM fixed speed it is fairly quiet.  You can run it at 900 RPM with the LNA that comes with it for even less noise as desired.   I ran mine at 900 RPM in another case. Nice quiet fan.

I would not hesitate to use the NF-S12A 120mm fan in the rear exhaust position if there is enough exposed  grillwork to substantiate putting that large a fan there and you can find a way to mount it..  Fix the speed as well by connecting it directly to the PSU using the SATA adapter.

Note:  The A9 FLX comes in brown only….the S12A comes in black as the chromax fan.  The Chromax fans do not come with the low noise adapter.   900 RPM on the SA-12 fan requires the NA-RC7 LNA.

-Okay…you are left with the Chassis fan header open because you ran the rear exhaust and front intake to the PSU correct? 

The workaround for that is to use the OEM mini-80mm fan in the lower front intake position in front of the GPU and connect it using the rubber pins to the grill work there just like @Noorss .  All you need are a couple of pins to fasten it or  just use some 3m advanced moulding tape to stick it there……problem solved and more airflow to the GPU.  Lower the fan speed using AWCC to noise tolerance and done.

AIO liquid cooling anyone?

I got the i5-9600k variant with the plexi cut out. I also got the upgraded cooler.

Arctic fan throws a startup error for me for some reason. But I think people are stressing about the startup errors too much. Yes it's annoying but not much more than that. I usually put my pc to sleep which avoids this.

@Noorss  wrote

Thanks for the info to this thread, I upgraded my cooling system for the Dell G5 5090 (i7 9700, GeForce RTX 2070S). I performed the following changes:

* Replaced the stock CPU cooler with Coolermaster Hyper TX3.

* Replace the rear stock fan with a Noctua 92mm fan.

* Add the original stock rear fan to the front using a fan splitter that came with the Noctua fan.

Good work on those upgrades and bypassing that fan header!  Great temps.  Nice pics and vids. Thanks for sharing.

Questions:

Do you know how fast the Noctua A9 PWM fan is spinning under load?  It might require you to hook it up directly to the chassis fan header and get a startup error (I assume) to see the fan RPM's under load.

Just curious as to see if direct connecting the FLX version of the A9 fan to the PSU and running it at 1250 RPM/1050 RPM is worthwhile or if the PWM version of the fan spins up that high under load.from the motherboard fan curves of that header. 

Also, how much control of the Noctua fan speed  do you have under AWCC?

Thanks.

@cg261990 - for some reason my Arctic doesn;t throw an error, but runs at max speed. My Noctua NF-B9 throws a startup error every time I boot the PC. I tried to bypass the errors using BIOS setings, but no joy. I don't run my PC constantly, so the startup error is quite annoying for me when I do fire it up.

@HanoverB  - rear mount only seems to be able to accept 80/92mm fans. A 120mm won't physically fit without some surgery to the back panel. I'm just keen to extract more air from the back without extra noise. 

@Nafe75 wrote

@cg261990 - for some reason my Arctic doesn;t throw an error, but runs at max speed. My Noctua NF-B9 throws a startup error every time I boot the PC. I tried to bypass the errors using BIOS setings, but no joy. I don't run my PC constantly, so the startup error is quite annoying for me when I do fire it up.

Noctua NF-B9 is 4 pin PWM fan?

Is the Arctic fan a 3 pin fan?

@Nafe75  wrote

@HanoverB - yeah the Noctua is a 4pin PWM. It is a great little fan if it didnt throw the startup errors. Runs at a nice lower speed etc.

Thanks for that info about the B9.  Thought it was PWM.  Confirmed.  Now need info on the 3 pin fan connection to that header and how it behaves.

The front fan is not an option as I use the HDD in the front position and already have 2 x Sata SSDs and an extra NVMe SSD installed using a PCIe Adaptor. Storage is needed for my work. I've gone back to the OEM fan for now, it seems to be doing the job in the cooler weather we have in Australia ATM. I'll look at the other adapters if the temps start going up during gaming.

Use that OEM fan in the front lower intake position under the HD bracket (room enough there?) to draw air in at that location.  Adding any front intake helps and the lower position is good for the GPU.  Likely need an extension cable.  Figure out what you want to do with the rear fan first and if you want to bypass the header using the SATA adapter and use a LNA or get a different fan.

@HanoverB - yeah the Noctua is a 4pin PWM. It is a great little fan if it didnt throw the startup errors. Runs at a nice lower speed etc.

The front fan is not an option as I use the HDD in the front position and already have 2 x Sata SSDs and an extra NVMe SSD installed using a PCIe Adaptor. Storage is needed for my work. I've gone back to the OEM fan for now, it seems to be doing the job in the cooler weather we have in Australia ATM. I'll look at the other adapters if the temps start going up during gaming.

@Nafe75 

If I was starting from scratch to add a rear exhaust fan first connect any 3 pin fan to that chassis fan header....

Someone needs to connect any 3 pin fan to that header to see if it gives a start up error. It shouldn't.  The 3 pin fan will run at fixed speed on that header and by adding a low noise adapter you should be fine as it should run very quietly pulling air out of the case at a lower RPM to noise tolerance.  You have bypassed the fan error by doing so.

That would be the starting point........

If the 3 pin fan doesn't give a startup error, then get the right 3 pin fan and connect it to the fan header and use the LNA to noise tolerance.  I mentioned the NF-A9 FLX 3 pin at 1250 RPM.  Nice fan.

If the 3 pin fan does give a startup error, 
1) Use a 4 pin Y adapter and connect it to the non-PWM side of the adapter and it will run at fixed speed.  Again use the LNA to drop the speed to your noise tolerance. The other 4 pin PWM leg of the Y adapter will have the OEM 80mm fan which is seen by  the motherboard and install that 80 mm fan in the front intake position like @Noorss 

OR

 2) Bypass the fan header by using the CRJ SATA fan adapter, which works with either 3 or 4 pin fan.  Use the LNA to drop the fan speed to your tolerance.  The connect the OEM fan to the chassis fan header and install it up front in the intake position like @Noorss 

-------

In your specific case with the B9 fan.. Your B9 Redux must be the PWM 4 pin version as the 3 pin version should not set off a startup error when connecting it the chassis fan header.  I am assuming this as this is the case with some other Dell models with picky PWM headers.  A 3 pin fan connected to the header usually does not cause a start up error. That needs to be determined as mentioned above. So your B9 is PWM correct?

The B9 Redux fan has the same spec either as 3 pin or 4 pin and is a nice 92mm fan.  Decent fan and similar spec as the NF-A9 FLX.   

Making this assumption, this is how to use a PWM in that location until a compatible fan is found::

1) See if you have a NA-SRC7 Low Noise adapter and a 4 pin fan extension cable in your Noctua stash

2)  Get the CRJ SATA fan adapter, works with either 3 or 4 pin fan.

Bypass the chassis fan header:

3) Connect the B9 fan to the PSU using the SATA Adapter, add the LNA to drop the RPM at a fixed 1250 RPM.

4) Use the 4 pin extension cable to use the OEM 80 fan to the upper intake position like @Noorss .  The power cable on that OEM fan is quite short and you need the extension cable.

This takes care of the fan header error and adds front intake at the same time.  If you are using a 4 pin fan this would be best way to bypass that header by changing it to fixed speed to noise tolerance.  The continuous airflow out of the case is a plus.

@Nafe75 

120mm fan in that rear location...

Mounting the fan should not be that difficult.  It's how effective that size fan can be in moving air out of the case given the amount of open grill work there.

You can drill holes to mount a 120mm fan, but I've used 3M Advanced Moulding Tape inside a case and when mounted, it was really difficult getting the fan off!   This stuff is used to hold side mouldings on in 100F degree heat.  Fans do stay put.....

You need to test fit a 120 mm fan there, move it around and see how much open grill work you have and see if you think it would work.   Then see how flat the mounting surface is at that location.  The moulding tape would work if there is a flat surface (or side surface from the flange next to the side panel) to attach to.  Think outside of the box a little....

You can cut away sheet metal work but that would be the last resort.....I would do it, but I have done some of that in the past.here.

@HanoverB Arctic is also 4 pin PWM. I haven't got any 3 pin fans, bought the 4 pin ones thinking they would work - oops.

120mm I don't think would be very effective given how much area would be blanked off in the rear. It's not very spacious in there nestled next to the USB ports etc. I'll try and measure it sometime, but my preference is to stick to a 92mm fan. A shame there doesn't seem to be any Dell OEM 92mm fans around that could do the job instead of the 80!

@Nafe75 

Thanks for the information.  

I don't have the chassis so can't test the 3 pin fan to see if it runs full speed without a startup error.

Hope someone can do so and given that information, the route to fan upgrades should easy to figure out.