Noisy Power Supply fan

[maradcliff]

When I first turn my computer on the power supply fan is real noisy.
It quiets down after 5 min. or so. Can they be oiled, or do I just
need to replace the fan? I probably have a fan in one of the old 386
computers I still have laying around, but I suspect it will need new
holes drilled and such. Oiling it would be much easier.
(Yeah, I know to unplug it first).

Mark

 

[Rod Speed]

(e-mail address removed) wrote

When I first turn my computer on the power supply fan is real noisy.
It quiets down after 5 min. or so.

Can they be oiled,
Yes.

or do I just need to replace the fan?

Thats generally the best approach.

I probably have a fan in one of the old 386 computers I still have
laying around, but I suspect it will need new holes drilled and such.

You should be able to check that easily just by inspection.
You can usually see the mounting bolts/holes from the outside.

Oiling it would be much easier.

But may not help for long. The bearing is likely ****ed now.

 

[paulmd]

When I first turn my computer on the power supply fan is real noisy.
It quiets down after 5 min. or so. Can they be oiled, or do I just
need to replace the fan? I probably have a fan in one of the old 386
computers I still have laying around, but I suspect it will need new
holes drilled and such. Oiling it would be much easier.
(Yeah, I know to unplug it first).

Mark

Most of the time, if the power supply fan goes, you replace the whole
power supply. Of course, that depends on how good you are at soldering
and splicing wires.You can almost always find a fan that fits without
new holes drilled. And you can get lucky, and find that the power
supply fan unplugs (making a replacement easier ).

 

[philo]

When I first turn my computer on the power supply fan is real noisy.
It quiets down after 5 min. or so. Can they be oiled, or do I just
need to replace the fan? I probably have a fan in one of the old 386
computers I still have laying around, but I suspect it will need new
holes drilled and such. Oiling it would be much easier.
(Yeah, I know to unplug it first).

It is not worth it trying to repair or oil a fan...
A new one can be installed in a few minutes.

I've replaced dozens of them by cutting the wires and slicing in a new one.

For the couple of $$$ they cost...I would not bother with an old one from a
junk
computer.

Just use a little caution as it's possible the capacitors inside may still
have a charge on them

 

[maradcliff]

It is not worth it trying to repair or oil a fan...
A new one can be installed in a few minutes.

I've replaced dozens of them by cutting the wires and slicing in a new one.

For the couple of $$$ they cost...I would not bother with an old one from a
junk
computer.

Just use a little caution as it's possible the capacitors inside may still
have a charge on them

The hard part would be to get a new one.
Some wire splicing is not a problem. Wirenuts are handy.

Thanks

Mark

 

[philo]

The hard part would be to get a new one.
Some wire splicing is not a problem. Wirenuts are handy.

Thanks

Most any computer store would have a fan...
but if you want to re-use an old one...just test it first to make sure it's
not noisy!

 

[Joel]

It is not worth it trying to repair or oil a fan...
A new one can be installed in a few minutes.

I've replaced dozens of them by cutting the wires and slicing in a new one.

For the couple of $$$ they cost...I would not bother with an old one from a
junk
computer.

Just use a little caution as it's possible the capacitors inside may still
have a charge on them

Well it may depend on few different things.

- How well one knows how to do it.

- How good/expensive is the power supply itself. Or you may not wanna throw
away a good power supply because of the fan problem to replace with some
cheapie power supply.

- How good is the fan to re-oil or replace. Sometime the re-oiled fan may
last longer than original, or it's just a good ole fan that needs some oil
to spin.

My first oiled the fan was sometime in mid or late 80's, and I did all
oiled, replaced fan, and replaced the whole power supply and neither one is
so hard and take more than few minutes. And if one wanna replace the fan
then can stop by some online store like "newegg" to pick the SIZE and PRICE
and may wanna buy few for future use (I usually have several systems and
some run 24/7 so most fans may not last for ever).

 

[maradcliff]

Well it may depend on few different things.

- How well one knows how to do it.

- How good/expensive is the power supply itself. Or you may not wanna throw
away a good power supply because of the fan problem to replace with some
cheapie power supply.

- How good is the fan to re-oil or replace. Sometime the re-oiled fan may
last longer than original, or it's just a good ole fan that needs some oil
to spin.

My first oiled the fan was sometime in mid or late 80's, and I did all
oiled, replaced fan, and replaced the whole power supply and neither one is
so hard and take more than few minutes. And if one wanna replace the fan
then can stop by some online store like "newegg" to pick the SIZE and PRICE
and may wanna buy few for future use (I usually have several systems and
some run 24/7 so most fans may not last for ever).

I know power supplies are not that expensive, but I never can
understand the logic of wasting something that is still good because
of one easy to solve problem. I know a guy that junked a perfectly
running car because a few of the lug nut studs broke and that wheel
almost fell off. I asked the guy if he was nuts.... Hell, I would
have paid him the junk price for the car and for less than $10 worth
of parts and a hours work, had it solved. If the engine blew, thats
different.

Same with the power supply. If the electronics inside died, I'd
replace it, but not for a simple fan. I am not sure though if those
fans are 120VAC, or are they run on the DC? Guess I'll find out when
I open it. I never opened a power supply yet.

Yes, I know about charged caps. When I was a kid in the 60's, I used
to tear apart old tube type radios and tv's. Often got them to work
again too. But I quickly learned to respect those caps. (And worse
yet are the CRT anodes.... Yikes, those can bite hard)...... I recall
being about 13 years old and getting launched halfway across my
parents basement (OUCH..... (and then dealing with my dad who got
really pissed and then made me sit down and talk with my uncle who was
an electrician, for safety tips) Yep, the good old days !!!!

Mark

 

[Rod Speed]

I know power supplies are not that expensive, but I never can
understand the logic of wasting something that is still good because
of one easy to solve problem. I know a guy that junked a perfectly
running car because a few of the lug nut studs broke and that wheel
almost fell off. I asked the guy if he was nuts.... Hell, I would
have paid him the junk price for the car and for less than $10 worth
of parts and a hours work, had it solved. If the engine blew, thats
different.

Same with the power supply.

It isnt actually.

If the electronics inside died, I'd replace it, but not for a simple fan.

You'll find that the fans arent that cheap, and power supplys are very
cheap, so its not surprising that many dont bother to change the fan.

I am not sure though if those fans are 120VAC, or are they run on the DC?
12V

Guess I'll find out when I open it. I never opened a power supply yet.

Yes, I know about charged caps. When I was a kid in the 60's,
I used to tear apart old tube type radios and tv's. Often got them
to work again too. But I quickly learned to respect those caps.

Not normally a problem with PC power supplys,
they usually have a bleed resistor across them.

(And worse yet are the CRT anodes.... Yikes, those can bite hard)......

Yeah, one malicious bugger I know used to clap his hands as
loud as possible when he saw someone in the back of a TV |-)

I'm surprised he survived.

I recall being about 13 years old and getting launched halfway across
my parents basement (OUCH..... (and then dealing with my dad who
got really pissed and then made me sit down and talk with my uncle
who was an electrician, for safety tips) Yep, the good old days !!!!

Its actually unlikely to kill you.

Microwave ovens are a different matter entirely.

 

[maradcliff]

It isnt actually.


You'll find that the fans arent that cheap, and power supplys are very
cheap, so its not surprising that many dont bother to change the fan.

If I had to buy it, maybe, but I got several of the old 386 era power
supplies that cant be used in the new cases. But a fan is a fan as
long as it fits in the case.

12V

Thanks. Now I know.....

Not normally a problem with PC power supplys,
they usually have a bleed resistor across them.

Yeah, I was not too worried about it. No need to touch them anyhow,
not to change a fan.

Yeah, one malicious bugger I know used to clap his hands as
loud as possible when he saw someone in the back of a TV |-)

I'm surprised he survived.

Its actually unlikely to kill you.

Yeah. lots of voltage but little current. Plus is disipates quickly
(after it bites).

Microwave ovens are a different matter entirely.

I've heard that. I never played with one of them. When my MW died, I
just bought a new one. I heard the parts cost more than a new MW.

Thanks

Mark

 

[kony]

You'll find that the fans arent that cheap, and power supplys are very
cheap, so its not surprising that many dont bother to change the fan.

There are definitely places that overcharge for fans, but
you can get decent quality fans for pretty cheap, usually $5
or less... but it'd be more cost effective to just add one
to your next online order instead of paying a few bucks to
ship.

http://www.svc.com has pretty good shipping rates for items
small enough to go USPS, and some decent prices on panaflo.
Directron often has closeouts on NMB, great for PSU exhaust
though you have to watch out for some of their "we'll send
whichever speed we feel like" offerings.

 

[kony]

Yeah, I was not too worried about it. No need to touch them anyhow,
not to change a fan.

In addition to the bleeder resistor(s), an ATX supply drains
itself most of the way by running the 5VSB circuit till the
caps are drained too low for it to function anymore.

I have taken PSU apart and measured the voltages remaining,
they're usually drained down to a safe level in under 15
seconds, even with deliberate removal of subcircuits to slow
the process, it's down to safe levels in a matter of
minutes.

So far as contacting high voltage changing a fan, if you
were to leave the PSU plugged in and touch the heatsink
right next to the fan (pretty easy to do, because the fan is
often wedged in there before the circuit board is mounted)
and case ground, you'd KNOW it... HV

Just unplug it first, then pull it out and disassemble... by
the time you have it open it's drained.

 

[philo]

Yes, I know about charged caps. When I was a kid in the 60's, I used
to tear apart old tube type radios and tv's. Often got them to work
again too. But I quickly learned to respect those caps. (And worse
yet are the CRT anodes.... Yikes, those can bite hard)...... I recall
being about 13 years old and getting launched halfway across my
parents basement (OUCH..... (and then dealing with my dad who got
really pissed and then made me sit down and talk with my uncle who was
an electrician, for safety tips) Yep, the good old days !!!!

Yep...as a kid during the 60's I did the same thing & got zapped by a CRT
*once* !

Also took 750vdc to the left hand and my hand actually smoked!


The worst shock I ever got was at work. One of my customers actually had a
live 230vac wire connected to the
*ungrounded* equipment I was about to work on!
I had my right hand touching a grounded piece of equipment as my left hand
touched the *hot* cabinet...
all while standing on a wet floor!!!!

It's impossible for me to believe that others working there did not get
zapped before.

Anyway,,,I refused to leave the building until someone found the electrician
who did it
and after I chewed him out...made him correct the error!

When I initially told him what happened , his first responce was the the
equipment itself must be faulty!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@@@@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!