power supply fan

**grimey** · 11-08-2002, 01:37 AM

hey, i have a caseless computer, meaning that the parts are just all spread out and hooked together. (yes, it runs)

now, it's sorta loud, and i was thinking about taking out the fan on my power supply, since it's the only fan in the comp. it's a Pentium II, 400Mhz btw, with a massive heatsink, so i'm not worried about not having a cpu fan.

the only thing i'm worried about is, how likely is it that my PSU will totally melt itself (or least get damaged) if i remove the fan, and also, how in the world would i do such a thing. i know it's dangerous to open those things, and pointers or tips would be much appreciated

**cloverm** · 11-08-2002, 03:41 AM

I would leave the fan in. Also, don't open the PSU, unless you know exactly what you're doing. In any case, keep a fire extinguisher around ... ;D

11-08-2002, 07:49 AM

My PSU fan runs are 5 volt, has been for a while, I have noticed no instability and the heat is bareable. There's a slight voltage flux going on, but that's because it a sucky PSU.

But take bloody measurements before you just close it up and wait for your house to burn down.

11-08-2002, 07:56 AM

guidelines:

Remove the PSU from all power sources, and leave it for a few days, or you will most likely fry important bit of your body (trust me on this one, it hurts very much).

One idea would be to move the fan outside the casing,

Code:

PSU
--------
|        | &lt;- fan is here
|------ |
 ^
move it here

get the idea? - more metal between the outside of the computer case and the fan, thus more stuff to absorb the sound. now make sure that the air can only go one way (ducttape the shit so that air can only move from fan and out the old fan "hole&quot

**The_Whizzard** · 11-08-2002, 11:10 AM

I wouldn't even think about removing the PSU fan. In my own experience, I'm either replacing a PSU or cleaning the fan(if it's still good) every 6 months on at least one of the 4 boxen I have running 24/7. I live in a old house, so there is a lot of dust, etc. that collect on the fins of the fan. On several occasions, I ran a few weeks without a PSU fan. Towards the end of that time, the computer would run very slow and shut itself off on a regular basis. Luckily, I didn't damage anything important.

So, just don't do it!

**Schotty** · 11-08-2002, 07:58 PM

[quote author=grimey link=board=3;threadid=5536;start=0#53360 date=1036723026]

now, it's sorta loud, and i was thinking about taking out the fan on my power supply, since it's the only fan in the comp. it's a Pentium II, 400Mhz btw, with a massive heatsink, so i'm not worried about not having a cpu fan.
[/quote]

How badly do you want to keep that PSU and your basement workbench? Keep the fan in and on. That PSU will cook an egg no problem without a fan. I bet it could cook a package of bratwursts. It gets hot. Especially if you throw in power hungry devices. Once you get a few amps running -- say by bye.

As soon as I get a chance, Ill calculate real quick the heat genreated on my PSU and you can use that as a reference. I am not going to be 100% accurate, since I am using a schematic that has the genretric parts, not the special stepping revisions or even brand enhancements.

11-08-2002, 08:58 PM

hrmmm how's your soldering skills?

I could cook up some thermally regulated circuit to control that fan.

**Schotty** · 11-09-2002, 03:42 PM

Hmm, I had a few friends give me assistance here, to verify. I am an odd one out here. My PSU I got (a 450W dual fan) is really not normal. My spare box and 3 friends can porbably hit an hour before thermal runaway will hit (using %70 current, no idling bullshit). Mine, according to the calculations, will barely last 5 minutes. That kinda scares me. I hope my math uis wrong. Like a botched formula....