MODTHEBOX would like to thank Chris & Dan from Xoxide Modifications
for sending the UV LED 80mm Case Fans for review.
Introduction:
Case fans as an aesthetic addition to a case instead of their more practical application as supplements to case
cooling is far from a new concept. As of this writing, case fans come in a wide array of designs and lighting,
from simple clear or aluminium housings, to more complex units with embedded LEDs or even rounded cathode tubes.
The latest foray into case fan design has been to provide fans, which are sensitive to ultra-violet light,
which lends itself to the current fad of UV sensitive modifications in the community at large. The draw back is
that, while aesthetic appeal is important, the fans still need to be installed in specific locations on the case
and those locations may not be easy to illuminate with UV cathodes or other lighting. The solution, embed UV LEDs
in the fan housing itself, making the unit a self-illuminating UV fan. Today in the MTB Labs, we’ll look at a few
offerings of mixed colour UV LED fans from Xoxide Modifications.
Specifications:
Xoxide offers both the Vantec Spectrum UV fans, and their own model fans, which add to the colour combinations not
available in the Vantec line. At present, only 80mm case fans are available in either solid blue or green, or a
combination or orange and green or orange and blue.Here are some of the specifications taken directly from the
Xoxide Modification website:
The fans ship in a standard retail blister pack with the product in full view. The rear packaging includes all of the
specifications, including the static pressure, housing materials, and other not-so-often-listed statistics. Of course
the main specifications that most users are interested in are the speed, air flow and noise. With air flow of 34 CFM,
the units provide a decent amount of displacement. Additionally, the 2600RPM blade generates a mere 30 decibels; a
tad louder than some fans, but certainly respectably quiet.
Click image for larger view
UV LED fan 3-pin header
An interesting feature of these fans is the wiring of the LEDs. While the quad LED fans I have purchased in the
past simply connect the outer band of LEDs to the inner motor, these units have bridges that run from the motor
to each LED. The LEDs are not wired directly to the motor; rather, they are wired independently. The benefit is
that if a user decides to lower the voltage to the motor with a fan controller, the LEDS will not dim but remain
at their full luminescence.
Like the Vantec Spectrum series fans, these fans also include transparent cabling with black markings to denote
the ground wire and the RPM wire. The units are connected to a standard 3-pin connector suitable for installing
the fan on a motherboard header. Unfortunately, a 3 to 4-pin adapter is not included with the fan.
