92mm vs. 90mm Case Fan

I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.

The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
millimeters.

I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.

Daddy

On 4/30/2011 11:30 AM, Daddy wrote:
> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>
> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant
> information available from a Google search; this is either a
> 90mm fan or a 92mm fan. My question is: Does it matter
> whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy millimeters.
>
> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on
> Newegg - and none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm
> models.
>
> Daddy
I found it right off. 92mm
http://www.notebookparts.com/product...n.php?II=57471

On 4/30/2011 5:11 PM, Daddy wrote:
> Pen wrote:
>> On 4/30/2011 11:30 AM, Daddy wrote:
>>> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>>>
>>> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant
>>> information available from a Google search; this is either a
>>> 90mm fan or a 92mm fan. My question is: Does it matter
>>> whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy millimeters.
>>>
>>> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on
>>> Newegg - and none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm
>>> models.
>>>
>>> Daddy
>> I found it right off. 92mm
>> http://www.notebookparts.com/product...n.php?II=57471
>>
>
> Yes, I saw that one as well. But sellers on eBay describe it
> as 90mm.
>
> My question is, does it really matter whether I buy a 90mm
> or a 92mm fan? I mean, if I'm wrong on the size, I'm only
> wrong by 2 millimeters.
>
> Daddy
Go ahead and use it and drill out the holes if it's wrong.

On Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:30:24 -0400, Daddy <> wrote:

>I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>
>The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
>available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
>My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
>millimeters.
>
>I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
>none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.
>
>Daddy

Penn's right. It might even fit, probably will -- the screw only has
to cut one little groove at one place in the hole perimeter -- and if
you have to make holes larger, maybe you should make a couple holes in
the metal case larger so the same screws fit all four plstic holes.

An excuse to buy a new tool, a reamer that has a T-handle and will
make the metal hole larger, a tiny bit at a time.

mm wrote:
> On Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:30:24 -0400, Daddy <> wrote:
>
>> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>>
>> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
>> available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
>> My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
>> millimeters.
>>
>> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
>> none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.
>>
>> Daddy
>
> Penn's right. It might even fit, probably will -- the screw only has
> to cut one little groove at one place in the hole perimeter -- and if
> you have to make holes larger, maybe you should make a couple holes in
> the metal case larger so the same screws fit all four plstic holes.
>
> An excuse to buy a new tool, a reamer that has a T-handle and will
> make the metal hole larger, a tiny bit at a time.


"... a reamer that has a T-handle and will make the hole larger, a tiny
bit at a time ..."

Didn't they use something like that in the Inquisition?

Seriously, thanks for everyone's help.

Daddy

On Apr 30, 11:30*am, Daddy <da...@invalid.net> wrote:
> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>
> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
> available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
> My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
> millimeters.
>
> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
> none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.
>
> Daddy

I don't understand "upgrade". A fan that blows more cubic feet per
minute? Or simply a replacement fan for one that does not work as
well any more? If the latter, just get another new one per its Dell
part number... Ben Myers

Ben Myers wrote:
> On Apr 30, 11:30 am, Daddy <da...@invalid.net> wrote:
>> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>>
>> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
>> available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
>> My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
>> millimeters.
>>
>> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
>> none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.
>>
>> Daddy
>
> I don't understand "upgrade". A fan that blows more cubic feet per
> minute? Or simply a replacement fan for one that does not work as
> well any more? If the latter, just get another new one per its Dell
> part number... Ben Myers

Lol ... I knew somebody would eventually ask me "why are you even doing
this?" And the answer is: I, uh, don't really have a good reason. I
guess I'm trying for a little more quiet. I replaced Dell's stock video
card, and that made my computer noticeably quieter. And case fans are
cheap and easy to install, so I figured give it a shot. The Foxconn
blows 45 CFM. If I can find something real quiet that blows as much air,
I'll try it.

My next project is an upgraded power supply. In a larger sense, all this
is preparation for building my first ever computer.

Daddy

On Apr 30, 11:16*pm, Daddy <da...@invalid.net> wrote:
> Ben Myers wrote:
> > On Apr 30, 11:30 am, Daddy <da...@invalid.net> wrote:
> >> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>
> >> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
> >> available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
> >> My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
> >> millimeters.
>
> >> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
> >> none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.
>
> >> Daddy
>
> > I don't understand "upgrade". *A fan that blows more cubic feet per
> > minute? *Or simply a replacement fan for one that does not work as
> > well any more? *If the latter, just get another new one per its Dell
> > part number... Ben Myers
>
> Lol ... I knew somebody would eventually ask me "why are you even doing
> this?" And the answer is: I, uh, don't really have a good reason. I
> guess I'm trying for a little more quiet. I replaced Dell's stock video
> card, and that made my computer noticeably quieter. And case fans are
> cheap and easy to install, so I figured give it a shot. The Foxconn
> blows 45 CFM. If I can find something real quiet that blows as much air,
> I'll try it.
>
> My next project is an upgraded power supply. In a larger sense, all this
> is preparation for building my first ever computer.
>
> Daddy

I forgot that the Studio XPS 8100 is a tower computer, not a laptop!
Your reasoning makes sense for a tower or desktop. It would be at
least mildly deranged to try to replace a fan with anything other than
a stock item for a LAPTOP.

But pay attention to the connectors and wires for fan replacement in a
Dell... Ben Myers

On 4/30/11 5:11 PM, Daddy wrote:
> Pen wrote:
>> On 4/30/2011 11:30 AM, Daddy wrote:
>>> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>>>
>>> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant
>>> information available from a Google search; this is either a
>>> 90mm fan or a 92mm fan. My question is: Does it matter
>>> whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy millimeters.
>>>
>>> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on
>>> Newegg - and none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm
>>> models.
>>>
>>> Daddy
>> I found it right off. 92mm
>> http://www.notebookparts.com/product...n.php?II=57471
>
> Yes, I saw that one as well. But sellers on eBay describe it as 90mm.
>
> My question is, does it really matter whether I buy a 90mm or a 92mm
> fan? I mean, if I'm wrong on the size, I'm only wrong by 2 millimeters.
>
> Daddy

You'll probably be able to force it in there. I've done worse!
Why are you upgrading the fan? Noise? I hate noisy towers that sound
like a Learjet sitting on the tarmac waiting to take off.
I wish somebody would apply that Dyson bladeless technology to PC case
fans...
Scratch that, there are bladeless fans for PCs but they're über expensive.

On 5/1/2011 6:52 AM, Ben Myers wrote:
> On Apr 30, 11:16 pm, Daddy<da...@invalid.net> wrote:
>> Ben Myers wrote:
>>> On Apr 30, 11:30 am, Daddy<da...@invalid.net> wrote:
>>>> I'm looking to upgrade the case fan in my Studio XPS 8100.
>>
>>>> The existing case fan is a Foxconn PVA092G12M. There's scant information
>>>> available from a Google search; this is either a 90mm fan or a 92mm fan.
>>>> My question is: Does it matter whether I use 90mm or 92mm? It's 2 lousy
>>>> millimeters.
>>
>>>> I'm only asking because there are hardly any 90mm fans on Newegg - and
>>>> none with 3 pins, but there are tons of 92mm models.
>>
>>>> Daddy
>>
>>> I don't understand "upgrade". A fan that blows more cubic feet per
>>> minute? Or simply a replacement fan for one that does not work as
>>> well any more? If the latter, just get another new one per its Dell
>>> part number... Ben Myers
>>
>> Lol ... I knew somebody would eventually ask me "why are you even doing
>> this?" And the answer is: I, uh, don't really have a good reason. I
>> guess I'm trying for a little more quiet. I replaced Dell's stock video
>> card, and that made my computer noticeably quieter. And case fans are
>> cheap and easy to install, so I figured give it a shot. The Foxconn
>> blows 45 CFM. If I can find something real quiet that blows as much air,
>> I'll try it.
>>
>> My next project is an upgraded power supply. In a larger sense, all this
>> is preparation for building my first ever computer.
>>
>> Daddy
>
> I forgot that the Studio XPS 8100 is a tower computer, not a laptop!
> Your reasoning makes sense for a tower or desktop. It would be at
> least mildly deranged to try to replace a fan with anything other than
> a stock item for a LAPTOP.
>
> But pay attention to the connectors and wires for fan replacement in a
> Dell... Ben Myers

i believe that the 90mm vs 92mm issue is simply due to how they are
measured, either by the outer dimension or by the mounting holes. in
other words as far as i know they are the same and mount the same.
also, i think the three pin fan connector on the 8100 is industry
standard with the white wire on pin three. however may dell case fans
are not wired the same as generic fans resulting in and error at start
up about the fan not being detected. the size is not critical but the
the wiring is.