Noctua IndustrialPPC Fans Review
A tiger can’t change its stripes nor can a leopard change its spots so when fans asked Noctua to abandon their tan and brown signature colors and adopt generic black fan designs, did they really expect it to happen? The Noctua color scheme is as easily identifiable as a Ferrari in red so if Noctua is to make a black fan, the last thing it would be is generic. That is why it took three years after initial announcement that a new Noctua black fan series is coming for the new black fan series to come out. It is not a mere palette swap of Noctua’s current line but has been designed for much more rugged applications; an Industrial Protected Performance cooling fan series that is willing to go where no other Noctua fan has been before.
Review Sample Provided by: Noctua
Product Name: Noctua Industrial Fans
MSRP: see table below
Product was given in exchange for work done to produce this review.
The Noctua Industrial PPC line packaging is similarly Spartan like the new Noctua Redux line, packed without extras such as adapters, splitters and alternate mounting options but comes with a 4-piece screw mounting kit. These The IP52 and IP67 protection rated fan series are meant to be used in much more challenging environments than a highly overclocked system, fitting more around high-moisture or water exposed environments as well as dust-heavy work areas that prevent normal fans from functioning.
A total of eight fans are available from the Noctua IndustrialPPC fan line with sizes ranging from 120mm to 140mm fans listed at the table below (review samples bolded):
| Dimension (L x W X D mm) | Name | Connector | Max RPM | Acoustical Noise | Airflow | Static Pressure | MSRP (USD) |
| 140 x 140 x 25 | NF-A14 Industrial PPC-2000 PWM | 4-pin PWM | 2000 | 31.5 dB(A) | 182.5 m³/h | 4.18 mm H2O | 29.90 |
| 140 x 140 x 25 | NF-A14 Industrial PPC-2000 IP67 | 4-pin PWM | 2000 | 31.5 dB(A) | 182.5 m³/h | 4.18 mm H2O | 34.90 |
| 140 x 140 x 25 | NF-A14 Industrial PPC-2000 | 3-pin | 2000 | 31.5 dB(A) | 182.5 m³/h | 4.18 mm H2O | 29.90 |
| 140 x 140 x 25 | NF-A14 Industrial PPC-3000PWM | 4-pin PWM | 3000 | 41.3 dB(A) | 269.3 m³/h | 10.52 mm H2O | 29.90 |
| 120 x 120 x 25 | NF-F12 Industrial PPC-2000 PWM |
4-pin PWM | 2000 | 29.7 dB(A) | 121.8 m³/h | 3.94 mm H2O | 26.90 |
| 120 x 120 x 25 | NF-F12 Industrial PPC-2000 IP67 PWM | 4-pin PWM | 2000 | 29.7 dB(A) | 121.8 m³/h | 3.94 mm H2O | 34.90 |
| 120 x 120 x 25 | NF-F12 Industrial PPC-2000 | 3-pin | 2000 | 29.7 dB(A) | 121.8 m³/h | 3.94 mm H2O | 26.90 |
| 120 x 120 x 25 | NF-F12 Industrial PPC-3000 PWM | 4-pin | 3000 | 43.5 dB(a) | 186.7 m³/h | 7.63 mm H2O | 26.90 |
All cabling are sleeved in the same premium sleeving as the regular Noctua retail fans and comes with integrated vibration pads (in standard Noctua brown) pre-installed on the corners.
As the name suggests, Noctua’s new black fan series feature industrial grade protections that conform with Ingress Protection rating IP52 and/or IP67 standards. With the exception of the IP67 NF-A14 and NF-F12, all Industrial PPC fans have an IP52 rating. The key to understanding what these protection ratings mean can be seen in the table below:
First Number
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects up to 50mm³ |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects up to 12mm³ |
| 3 | Protected against solid objects up to 2.5mm³ |
| 4 | Protected against solid objects up to 1mm³ |
| 5 | Protected against dust, limited ingress (no harmful deposit) |
| 6 | Totally protected against dust |
Second Number
| 0 | No Protection |
| 1 | Protection against vertically falling drops of water or condensation |
| 2 | Protection against direct sprays of water up to 15 degrees from vertical |
| 3 | Protection against direct sprays of water up to 60 degrees from vertical |
| 4 | Protection against water sprayed from all directions |
| 5 | Protected against low pressure jets of water from all directions |
| 6 | Protected against low pressure jets of water |
| 7 | Protected against the effect of immersion between 15cm and 1m |
| 8 | Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure |
The IP67 versions cost more since these fans can withstand total water immersion between 15cm and 1m with total dust protection. The IP52 version has some water protection and is also considerably resistant to dust. These fans are meant to perform at hostile environments, not just on hot weather in-home use but in other areas where normal fans will simply die after a few seconds.
Although the Industrial PPC line does not come with many accessories out of the box, optional accessories can be purchased that compliments its use. The NA-SAV2 anti-vibration mounts for example, are available in a box containing 20 pieces for support of up to 5 fans. These anti-vibration mounts use the standard Noctua brown color and can be used instead of metal screws for noise dampening and vibration-free fan operation. The NA-SAV2 mounts are double sided so they can be installed conveniently even in tight-spaced environments and without the need for tools.
