Power supply fan problems :-S

[MJS]

Hi,

On one very hot day, the room containing my computer was very hot and so, my computer was very hot, I did kind of a dumbass thing and removed one of the side panels and got a fan blowing into the case to cool it down. When I turned off the fan, I noticed that my power supply fan was making a very loud noise, it sounded like a petrol generator or something. So, I turned off the power, removed the PSU fan grill and wiggled the fan about and it went quiet again.

The problem is, now, it just randomly starts making the generator noise like a very loud grinding sound. It does go quiet after I pull it around a bit, but if I ever jolt the PC when im moving it, or lay it on it's side to remove stuff, when I turn the PC back on, the PSU fan starts that really loud grinding noise again and its annoying cos I have to keep powering up then powering down then moving the fan around until it stops grinding.

I'm not sure what is up with it, or what I could do to fix it so it doesn't grind again.

any ideas?

 

[ming]

The same thing happened to my GFX card fan.
The fan will die some time in the foreseeable future and should be replaced asap IMO.

You experience frequent out-of-the-blue reboots if your PSU gets too hot. Also, you may find that your OS will become unbootable should the PSU suddenly cut itself off while your machine is in the middle or doing something important.

 

[Taurus]

definitely replace the fan or the whole psu (safer, more expensive). the fan could fail to start soon and you won't know it until you smell something burning or get crashes like ming said. could very well damage other components in your system, too.

 

[MJS]

yeah, that sounds like the most suitable option.

How do I replace the PSU fan though? Is it just as easy as replacing a system fan? I'm not sure that I want to go replacing the whole PSU, I can't really be arsed with the extra work

 

[Goatman]

I would say if you have to ask that question you should simply replace the whole PSU.....

replacing a PSU Fan requires soldering, and opening up your PSU... there are high voltages in there, and they could kill you... it's a whole lot safer to purchase a new PSU...

 

[Taurus]

Originally posted by MJS
I'm not sure that I want to go replacing the whole PSU, I can't really be arsed with the extra work

replacing the whole psu is the easy way out of this. either way you have to take the thing out. after that you could either open it up and mess with the inside of it or just buy another and install it.

 

[LeeJend]

Unless the power supply is 3-5 years old the fan going out indicates it was a cheap power supply to begin with. If the supply is 3-5 years old it's due for a replacing anyway. So either way you'd be better off getting a decent supply in there. But if money is an issue (when isn't it) you can replace just the fan.

Replacing the fan is a lot of work!

You have to:
Remove the PSU
Open up the PSU
Read the ratings on the fan (if it has any)
Find another equivalent fan (ratings, mounting hole size, thickness)
Put the old PSU back together so you have something to run the computer with while you wait to get the new fan.
Take everything back apart again when the fan arrives and hopefuly the new fan will fit.

Cut the 2 wires going to the original fan AT the fan and remove the fan. Install the new fan with the arrow on the fan housing pointing out the back of the case and connect the wires to the new fan. (Usually black and red). You can use crimp lugs, wire nuts or solder to connect the wires. Do not just twist them together. They will come apart again. If the fan blows the wrong direction you got the arrow wrong or the wires reversed. Check and correct.

Now a Bull**** refutation.
There are no voltages (High or Low) inside of a power supply that is sitting on the table unplugged. That's crap left over from vacuum tube TV's and radios of the 1960's. So you can't get shocked working on a computer power supply. Note the key concept here is "unplugged".

 

[Goatman]

excuse me... there are capacitors in there that are still holding energy. And some could discharge and hurt the operator...

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

Originally posted by Goatman
excuse me... there are capacitors in there that are still holding energy. And some could discharge and hurt the operator...

Not hurt but give a little shock there very low amp , we used to charge them at school and toss them to each other yelling hey heads up catch !!! and when ya caught it you would get a little shock. But your theory is correct

 

[LeeJend]

Imbecile where did you get your engineering degree University of Calcutta (send $9.95 and a self addressed envelope)!

US NEC, European and Asian electrical codes all require bleeder resistors on inputs and outputs wiht energy storage. Even if the bleeders weren't required the high energy density capacitors used since the 1980's are aluminum electrolytic and leak like a sunofa*****. They self discharge rapidly.

ONCE AGAIN! The electric shock hazard bull**** went out with vacuum tubes in the 1960's that used low leakage paper capacitors and did not require bleeders. I know, I have been a electrical power systems engineer since the 1970's.

Find out the technical facts before scaring people needlessly.