noctua NH-L9a-AM5 Small CPU Cooler Instruction Manual
- June 9, 2024
- Noctua
Table of Contents
noctua NH-L9a-AM5 Small CPU Cooler
Dear customer,
Thank you very much for choosing the Noctua NH-L9a-AM5.
This small cooler packs all essential technologies of our award-winning high-
end models into a highly compact package in order to give you the best
possible quiet cooling experience for HTPCs and small form factor builds. I’m
confident that you will be able to sense some of the research, attention and
care we’ve put into making this product.
Enjoy your NH-L9a-AM5!
This manual will guide you through the installation process of the SecuFirm2™
mounting system step by step.
Prior to installing the cooler, please consult the compatibility centre on our
website (ncc.noctua.at) and verify that the cooler is fully compatible with
your motherboard and CPU. Please also make sure that your PC case offers
sufficient clearance for the cooler and that there are no compatibility issues
with any other components.
Noctua cannot be held responsible for any damage or losses caused by
compatibility issues.
Should you encounter any difficulties, please check the FAQs on our website
(www.noctua.at/faqs) and don’t hesitate to contact our support team at
support@noctua.at.
Multilingual versions of this manual are available on our website:
www.noctua.at/manuals
Required mounting parts:
2x NM-AFB10 fastening brackets (pre-installed) 4x NM-ALS2 screws
NM-SMT6 mounting tool
Removing the stock retention module
If your motherboard comes with a pre-installed CPU cooler retention module,
please first remove it by unscrewing it from the backplate.
Do not unscrew the backplate from the socket; it must be kept in place.
Applying the thermal paste
If there are residual traces of thermal paste or thermal pads on your CPU,
please clean them off first.
Apply 5 small dots; 4 small dots with ~2mm diameter near the corners plus 1
dot with 3-4mm diameter in the centre:
Caution: Applying too much thermal paste will lower heat conductivity and cooling performance!
Fastening the heatsink to the CPU
First, place the heatsink onto the CPU. Then, turn the motherboard upside down
(holding the heatsink in place with your hand or putting it flat on a table)
and, from the back side, stick the mounting screws through the threads of the
backplate until they reach the threads of the heatsink’s fastening brackets
.
Begin fixing the screws by hand and then use the supplied mounting tool to
tighten. Perform 3 turns on each screw, then repeat until all are fully
tightened.
Caution: Gently tighten the screws until they stop, but don’t use excessive force (max. torque 0.6 Nm).
Fan setup
Connect the fan to the motherboard.
Depending on your CPU and the temperature inside the case, you may
interconnect the supplied NA-RC7 Low-Noise Adaptor (L.N.A.) in order to
further reduce the fan’s operating noise.
Caution: When using the L.N.A., check the temperature of your CPU using
appropriate software (e.g. the respective applications of your motherboard
manufacturer), in order to evade automatic throttling of the CPU due to the
increased temperature. If the cooling performance is insufficient, please
increase case ventilation or remove the L.N.A.
In case you would like to use a 92x25mm fan for further improved performance,
please first unscrew the pre-installed NF-A9x14 fan and use the supplied
longer screws to install the 92x25mm fan.
Warranty, support and FAQs
Even with high-grade products and strict quality control, the possibility of
defects cannot be eliminated entirely.
Therefore, we aim at providing the highest possible level of reliability and
convenience by offering a warranty period of 6 years and direct, fast and
straightforward RMA service.
Should you encounter any problems with your NH-L9a-AM5 please don’t hesitate
to contact our support team at support@noctua.at.
Please also consult the FAQ section on our website:
www.noctua.at/faqs
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>