Can i run a graphics card safetly without the fan?

Community
1

Hi,
ive got an old computer that ive networked for use as a backup device. The graphics card has a noisy fan on it. Can i safetly disconnect the fan. Iam not going to be using the screen much just the odd bit of admin nothing like watching videos etc or will that make no difference to heat generated?

Its in quite a large case with plenty of space around it.

what will happen if it overheats does it have a shutdown or does it just cook?

all replies appreciated.

2

I’d say it’s a choice between replacing the fan/installing an auxillary fan, or eventually getting a new graphics card (and possibly adjacent parts too).

Excessive heat is not a good thing for electronics. Even if it doesn’t cook it right away it will age it.

3

The amount of space in the case will have minimal effect, if you run a graphics card without a fan it WILL overheat and that’s VERY bad for your system. If the fan is noisy, consider purchasing a quieter fan on the Internet to replace it (you can buy silent fans or liquid coolers and stuff if you’re willing to pay for it - you’re not just stuck with the fan which came in the box). What will happen is, the graphics card will overheat and short out (basically it’ll cook itself to-death) and the amount of heat it will generate will not only cook the card itself but the heat will transfer to the motherboard and other components (it’ll be like pumping extreme heat around) thereby it’ll raise the temperature of other components and probably kill the rest of your hardware with it. :slight_smile:

4

thanks guys,
think i’ll replace the fan to be on the safe side especially as iam using this as a backup machine.

5

I can’t stand noisy systems so I made my video card fan variable speed and for everyday web browsing and office stuff it performs fine at the lowest setting.

I occasionally forget to turn it up high when I start to play a game and usually it’ll play fine for a few minutes and then stutter and hangup if a lot starts happening on screen. I can usually crank the fan up then and it’ll recover in a minute - but once in a while it’ll lock up the system and force a reboot.

You might be able to get a passive heat sink depending on your card, but a replacement fan is only a few dollars so probably best just to replace it.

Steve

6

If you want something silent… liquid cooling is the way to go, it’s pretty expensive but you’ll remove the need for fans altogether and it’ll be as silent as you can get :slight_smile: