stupid question (blush)

radiogeek · 10-25-2002, 04:20 PM

All right so I left my computer on and went out running errands. Come home 2 hours later and it's awfully quiet in here! Damn thing had shut itself down. When I turned it back on, it was still eerily quiet....my case fan (in the power supply) is dead. And I just got this power supply a few months ago! DAMN!

ANyway...my question is...can I replace just the fan or should I replace the entire power supply? Also, how do I know what to get? (Last time a buddy did my upgrades.)

Thanks.

10-25-2002, 05:57 PM

Well if the power supply is still working OK you can replace the fan. But there will be some soldering of wires involved if there is no plug for the fan in there. Also heatshrink tubing should be used to cover the soldered wires.
Just get a fan thats the same size with only two wires coming out of it.

**TheTechIsIn** · 10-25-2002, 09:47 PM

I replace my fans in my power supply by cutting the wires for the old fan about half way up and tying the new fan in with that ... then use tape to cover the wires ... :no: Guess thats not to "up to code" is it...

DJ Specs · 10-25-2002, 10:07 PM

I do the same thing as Tech but use those plastic crimping tubes.

**TheTechIsIn** · 10-25-2002, 10:09 PM

yeah :D the ones that shrink when you apply a little heat to 'em ... I tried that once but applied to much heat and burn through it ...

DJ Specs · 10-25-2002, 10:20 PM

Ya.. that stuff is finicky!

Kataclysm · 10-26-2002, 02:20 PM

If your computer have powered down, it indicate more the power supply than its fan, but i'm human and I can make mistake. Give me some news about that.

**johnwill** · 10-26-2002, 05:35 PM

Get the Teflon heat shrink tubing, you can lay the iron right on it as long as you like, but you can't melt through it. This is why it's used in aerospace. :)

Sorry, forgot to answer the original question! Yes, replacing the fan is perfectly OK, I've done this on dozens of power supplies. Other than the fan, and the internal fuse, nothing should die in a P/S for years.

**Pseudocyber** · 10-26-2002, 06:21 PM

I have always heard messing with the inside of a P/S is dangerous because the capacitors (or whatever) retain a charge and you can get electrocuted!

**TheTechIsIn** · 10-26-2002, 07:58 PM

Thats true ... just don't touch 'em. :tongue2:

**Zvalkor** · 10-26-2002, 08:11 PM

Caps are fun. When I was in electronics, we would charge a small cap and toss it to a new guy in the shop. The newbie would walk in and we would say to him "take this down to the DS shop". It's fun watching them freak out when they get a little shock. :D

**merlin** · 10-28-2002, 11:48 AM

Zvalkor, you are naughty arent ya....
As far as the PSU goes, I would change the fan too...And like johnwill said, get teflon heat shrink, I've heard that regular heat shrink tubing melts off if it gets too hot in there...also it give you a chance to fiddle with stuff...and to disregard that label that reads "no servicable parts inside" or "only to be serviced by a qualified technician"...hehe, [j/k] :D :angel:

[edit] forgot to add, theres no stupid questions around here...and dont blush...unless Zvalkor tosses you one of the charged cap's.

**johnwill** · 10-28-2002, 11:56 AM

Switching power supplies that are not otherwise broken, don't retain a change indefinitely, there are bleed resistors for all the caps. However, those resistors have been known to fail open, and the P/S continues to run just fine, so use caution. You don't actually have to get that close to the cap connections to replace the fan as a rule, I just splice the wires from the top of the supply, I don't even remove the PCB from the P/S case.

**Fox** · 11-05-2002, 08:11 AM

Quote:

messing with the inside of a P/S is dangerous because the capacitors (or whatever) retain a charge and you can get electrocuted

Seriously. Take it from me, once this dumbass took apart a disposable camera and shocked the hell out of me with it's 350 volt capacitor

10-25-2002, 04:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
radiogeek Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP, SP2	stupid question (blush) All right so I left my computer on and went out running errands. Come home 2 hours later and it's awfully quiet in here! Damn thing had shut itself down. When I turned it back on, it was still eerily quiet....my case fan (in the power supply) is dead. And I just got this power supply a few months ago! DAMN! ANyway...my question is...can I replace just the fan or should I replace the entire power supply? Also, how do I know what to get? (Last time a buddy did my upgrades.) Thanks.

10-25-2002, 09:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
TheTechIsIn Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Roaming the US Posts: 1,691 OS: WinXP & Linux	I replace my fans in my power supply by cutting the wires for the old fan about half way up and tying the new fan in with that ... then use tape to cover the wires ... :no: Guess thats not to "up to code" is it... __________________ <-- This Space for Sale -->

10-25-2002, 10:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
DJ Specs Funkee Superstar! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 2,691 OS: Windows XP Home	I do the same thing as Tech but use those plastic crimping tubes. __________________ Forever Young! http://www.djspecs.com

10-25-2002, 10:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
TheTechIsIn Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Roaming the US Posts: 1,691 OS: WinXP & Linux	yeah :D the ones that shrink when you apply a little heat to 'em ... I tried that once but applied to much heat and burn through it ... __________________ <-- This Space for Sale -->

10-25-2002, 10:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
DJ Specs Funkee Superstar! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 2,691 OS: Windows XP Home	Ya.. that stuff is finicky! __________________ Forever Young! http://www.djspecs.com

10-25-2002, 05:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
SPEEDO Guest Posts: n/a OS:	Well if the power supply is still working OK you can replace the fan. But there will be some soldering of wires involved if there is no plug for the fan in there. Also heatshrink tubing should be used to cover the soldered wires. Just get a fan thats the same size with only two wires coming out of it.

10-26-2002, 02:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
Kataclysm Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Quebec Posts: 76 OS: gentoo/sabayon/kubuntu/98 se/2k/XP/Vista	If your computer have powered down, it indicate more the power supply than its fan, but i'm human and I can make mistake. Give me some news about that.

10-26-2002, 05:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Microsoft MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 45,565 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux	Get the Teflon heat shrink tubing, you can lay the iron right on it as long as you like, but you can't melt through it. This is why it's used in aerospace. :) Sorry, forgot to answer the original question! Yes, replacing the fan is perfectly OK, I've done this on dozens of power supplies. Other than the fan, and the internal fuse, nothing should die in a P/S for years. Last edited by johnwill; 10-26-2002 at 05:36 PM.

10-26-2002, 06:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
Pseudocyber NetEngr/Geek Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Earth\US\NC\Charlotte Posts: 1,393 OS: Win2K	I have always heard messing with the inside of a P/S is dangerous because the capacitors (or whatever) retain a charge and you can get electrocuted! __________________ AM = :coffee: PM = :cheers: CCNA, NNCSSx2, MCSE (NT), A+, CNA

10-26-2002, 07:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
TheTechIsIn Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Roaming the US Posts: 1,691 OS: WinXP & Linux	Thats true ... just don't touch 'em. :tongue2: __________________ <-- This Space for Sale -->

10-26-2002, 08:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
Zvalkor Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 598 OS: XP Pro , SuSE 8.2	Caps are fun. When I was in electronics, we would charge a small cap and toss it to a new guy in the shop. The newbie would walk in and we would say to him "take this down to the DS shop". It's fun watching them freak out when they get a little shock. :D __________________ If this post seems strange, don't worry. It's just me.

10-28-2002, 11:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
merlin I helped the forums. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,612 OS: 3.11	Zvalkor, you are naughty arent ya.... As far as the PSU goes, I would change the fan too...And like johnwill said, get teflon heat shrink, I've heard that regular heat shrink tubing melts off if it gets too hot in there...also it give you a chance to fiddle with stuff...and to disregard that label that reads "no servicable parts inside" or "only to be serviced by a qualified technician"...hehe, [j/k] :D :angel: [edit] forgot to add, theres no stupid questions around here...and dont blush...unless Zvalkor tosses you one of the charged cap's. Last edited by merlin; 10-28-2002 at 12:15 PM.

10-28-2002, 11:56 AM	#13 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Microsoft MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 45,565 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux	Switching power supplies that are not otherwise broken, don't retain a change indefinitely, there are bleed resistors for all the caps. However, those resistors have been known to fail open, and the P/S continues to run just fine, so use caution. You don't actually have to get that close to the cap connections to replace the fan as a rule, I just splice the wires from the top of the supply, I don't even remove the PCB from the P/S case.