Q, "Is this the full FAQ page?"
A, No, this FAQ page is still being added to, these are the most common questions we get asked but we intend to continually add any and all questions that may be of use to our customers

PURCHASING

Q, "I saw on the SilenX international website item XYZ but it is not listed on www.modyourpc.com, can ModYourPC supply it for me?"
A, As New Zealands licensed SilenX reseller we try to stock as many SilenX products as possible. If there is sufficient demand we will stock XYZ on a permanent basis. Alternatively we are happy to add XYZ to our next order for you or in some circumstances even make a special order for your requested product.

Q, Can I pay by installments?
A, Yes, we have on occasion allowed customers to pay for larger items/orders in installments similar to "lay by". Orders and payments must be of reasonable value and no goods will be shipped until paid for in full. Email sales@modyourpc.com to discuss.

Q, Can I pick up my purchase?
A, We do not have a retail store and we prefer customers did not, but, if you wish we can make arrangements for you to pick up your purchase. If you wish to pick up please inform us ASAP because not all items are held in stock and we may need to order them in.

Q, How long does it take to get something in from the US?
A, If an item needs to be specially ordered we expect a 5-10 day delivery time to ModYourPC, it is possible for an item to arrive in as little as three days but because of customs and shipping three days is not realistic expectation.

Q, Do you sell second hand/ex-demo products?
A, Yes, we do on occasion sell second hand items (non-new items are always labeled and advertised as such). We randomly test products to ensure they are of high quality and have not been damaged in shipping. These items when available are sold through trademe.co.nz under our username "ModYourPC"

Q, how often do you check/respond to emails?
A, Emails are checked throughout the day as well as after normal business hours and weekends so feel free to email us anytime.

Q, How long does it take to get our order?
A, We aim to provide the best possible service possible; this includes delivery of goods as fast as realistically possible. We ship goods the day payment is registered and use NZ couriers and Courier Post NZ (service is overnight for most items)

Q, Are electronic bank payments instantaneous?
A, Although electronic bank transfer is the fastest (and preferred) method of payment it is not instantaneous. Banks process electronic transactions at different times of the day, both banks involved need to have processed the transactions for the deposit to show. This is why deposits made over the weekend (even on Friday in some cases) usually don’t show till Tuesday morning

Q, Do you provide invoices for all your sales?
A, Yes we provide tax invoices with all our sales, these are also used as our packing slips so every order should have the invoice included on the package, if you find that you did not recieve an invoice we will happily email or post you another copy for you records

NOISE REDUCTION

Q, Why is my computer so noisy?
A, Modern computers generate a lot of heat. This heat needs to be dissipated away in order for your computer to work properly and reliably, in a modern computer fans and heat sinks are the most common way of removing this heat. it is generally the fans in your computer that make the majority of the noise

Q, What are the main sources of heat?
A, Your PC generates most of its heat in a few key areas such as the CPU, power supply, graphics processor and chipsets (north bridge etc). These generally have heat sinks and fans to more effectively remove heat

Q, What are other sources of heat?
A, Other smaller sources of heat are MOSFETs, ram and hard drives. A well assembled case has sufficient fans and/or natural convection to adequately cool the other components sources of heat in a PC

Q, What are other sources of noise
A, Hard drives are arguably the next biggest source of problem noise, optical DVD/CD readers/writers generally make more noise than your hard drive(s) but because optical drives are not spinning all the time compared to hard drives that basically spin continuously no matter what you are doing

Q, Can I reduce hard drive noise?
A, Yes, with Hard drives you can choose models that make less noise* and/or use a drive enclosure, be careful that the drive enclosure you choose does not increase temperatures to an unsafe level. The SilenX "Luxurae Hard Drive Silencing Solution" is a good example of a product that effectively reduces noise while increasing cooling to ensure your hard drive does not overheat. Hard Drive Grommets can also reduce hard drive noise.
*modern Seagate and Samsung are currently considered relatively low noise (15/09/05)

Q, Can I reduce optical drive noise?
A, Optical drive noise is generally harder to reduce because of the size of optical drives (a lot of HDD noise solutions use 5.25 bays but optical drives are already 5.25) none the less well placed acoustic foam can help reduce optical drive noise

SILENX FANS

Q, "My PC is so noisy, it is an AMD 2.2Ghz, the current 60mm fan on the heatsink is way too noisy. Would I be able to replace it with a SilenX 60mm fan?"
A, Every computer is different and has different thermal properties so there is no definitive yes or no answer, the answer comes down to two things, 1, will the fan physically fit? 2, Will there be sufficient cooling?

Q, "Will a 60mm SilenX fan physically fit as a replacement for my stock 60mm fan?"
A, SilenX fans have standard installation holes and are a direct replacement for standard sized fans. So most of the time there is no problem with a SilenX fan physically fitting. It is only when a fan is of irregular size and/or attached in a non-standard manner that there may be compatibility issues. An example of this is most Zalaman CPU coolers, these coolers use their own unique heatsink and fan design which can only be replaced with considerable difficulty and is not advised.

Q, "If I change XYZ fan to a SilenX one will there be sufficient cooling?"
A, Sufficient cooling (for a standard heatsink + fan setup) basically means your setup can dissipate sufficient heat to keep your components at a safe operating temperature. This is a combination of how well your heatsink radiates the heat and how well that heat is carried away by the surrounding air. SilenX fans have an excellent noise to airflow ratio so even though they spin at a lower RPM in most cases the increased efficiency is enough to maintain sufficient cooling.

Q, "I am about to install my new heatsink and SilenX fan, any tips??"
A, As always follow the manufacturers instructions where possible, for best results heatsink and contact surface should be cleaned of any residue before installation. and when applying thermal paste the aim is to provide a thin even layer while allowing maximum contact area between the heatsink and heat source

Q, "I have changed my old 80mm for a 120mm and 120-80mm fan adaptor, they are both rated for the same CFM but my computer runs hotter with the 120mm fan, why is that?"
A, Generally, the bigger the fan, the lower the static pressure for the same CFM. If your radiator or heatsink has high resistance (dense fins, restrictive design etc.) you need high static pressure to push air through the heatsink or radiator. This may mean that you can not simply change a fast small fan for a slower larger fan and maintain the same level of cooling. In situations where high static pressure is needed we recommend using several smaller sized fans to lower noise while still providing sufficient cooling

Q, "Why are SilenX fans better than other quiet fans?"
A, The amount of air (and hence cooling) is primarily a product of two features - RPM and blade design. RPM is the main factor but blade design also influences the performance and properties of a fan. SilenX fans have one of the best noise to airflow ratios on the market. SilenX fans also have advanced bearing technology that further reduces fan noise. These and other factors ensure that for any given noise level and airflow SilenX fans are almost unbeatable.