Noisy PSU Fan

Sabot68 · 5th April 2003, 4:39 PM

I have just built a Multi-media/DVD box baised on a VIA Epia M-1000 itx mb inside an old VHS chassis. PCDB entry Here.
It works a treat except for this noisy fan...

Inside this ITX size PSU

The fan looks like one that would be used on a north/south bridge heatsink. Are there any others that are quieter or can I slow this one down somehow? I don't think dissabling the fan would be good for the psu...

kogi · 5th April 2003, 7:08 PM

What sort of noise is it? Is it caused by crappy bearings and vibrations or is it from restricted airflow.

If it is just a crap fan, you could probably replace it with a similar size papst from http://www.lownoisepc.com

Assuming it's a 40cm fan

40x40x10mm, 3.5cfm, 19dB(A), 4300rpm, Voltage range 10-14 volts DC, 0.6 Watts, Sintec-sleeve Bearing, 3pin main board connector.

aokman · 5th April 2003, 8:57 PM

The fan could just be dead or the bearings are dry, some 40mm fans last for a month at the most, may want to consider a better quality one.

Sabot68 · 5th April 2003, 10:55 PM

PSU is brand new, it's just fan noise (fan turning too fast)..I would like to slow it down. Is there a 7v mod or something?

aokman · 6th April 2003, 12:42 PM

Yes you can 7volt it usually but you have to ask yourself... would they have it spinning that fast without a reason, eg.. the power supply needs the cooling.

Sabot68 · 6th April 2003, 2:34 PM

Yeah good point, I think I'll replace the fan with a papst 40mm from lownoisepc, it's got to be quieter than the current one..in fact by lownoisepc's web site the papst is 19dB(A)@4300rpm, 3.5cfm NICE

Oh just noticed the new smilies

aokman · 6th April 2003, 3:55 PM

Yeah papst make some great fans,

smilies rock

psyrus · 6th April 2003, 5:06 PM

hmm would 3.5cfm be enuff to cool that psu? do u know wats ur current fan is rated at ? i think u'd be best off gettin some good quality, powerfull fan like Sunon 40x20mm, vapo, 8000rpm, 10cfm, 27.5dba. Since its ur Multi-media/DVD box, isnt it on while u watch some movie or something? u shouldnt even hear the fan even if it was 40dba while watching something..

By the way, nice idea on VHS, but how does the air circulate in there? doesnt look like it had room to circulate there at all, maybe a top mount 120mm low speed Panaflow?

Sabot68 · 6th April 2003, 5:17 PM

It has to be quiet.... Nothing destroys the atmosphere like fan noise during a quiet bit in a movie

.. Not all movies are action flicks! I will mount another 40mm papst in the case to push the air around, especialy around the HD (IBM Desk(DEATH)star) which generates alot of heat. A fan any bigger will just not fit inside the chassis....well maybe in the front right.

The original lid has grills in it and there are a few gaps in the back so I hope enough air flow will happen to keep everything happy. I have watched a movie on it and everthing was happy, it was on for about three hours and no crashes....or smoke!!!

A for the VHS idea. I was my parents old machine which finally carked (sp?) it the last time I was home. Was not worth getting fixed so I took it to fiddle with. It laid around for about 6 months taking up space so I tried to sell it on the wanted to sell forums, nobody wanted it and somebody even suggested that it would make a great mp3/dvd box and after seeing Bakers Colecovision project I decided to try my hand at something different. It's a bit rough around the edges and is still 'a work in progress' but not bad for a first try.

psyrus · 6th April 2003, 6:08 PM

hehe yea its pretty cool for 1st timer.. u should of picked some older vhs, they were massive

i had one a long time ago but got rid of it.. it has 2 x the space u have there...
as for gettin another 4cm fan with only 3.5cfm... i duno if that would actually do much difference. Look at the pic (my 1337 photoshop skillz

)

try to relocate ur hdd to get it off that PSU, since u got that empty spot (front right) put it there, it should fit.. if not then just cut some old mountings and remove all these old wires from the buttons that u not gonna use.

Sabot68 · 6th April 2003, 6:26 PM

Nice photoshop!!!

I have tried to fit it in that spot but there is just not enough room. As for the wires they are going to get the chop! Oh and one thing I have not mentioned, I have hooked up the original 'Operate' button as the power switch and the 'tape timer reset' button as the...you guessed it the reset switch! The second fan will probably be pointed directly at the HD (somehow).

billme · 8th April 2003, 11:07 AM

If you get the 3.5 cfm fan then maybe you could also try some passive cooling the PSU. Get some crappy hs off old motherboards or CPU's or some from jaycar or something, can get a nice big peice and you can cut it up how you would like to.

5th April 2003, 4:39 PM	#1
Sabot68 Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 961	Noisy PSU Fan I have just built a Multi-media/DVD box baised on a VIA Epia M-1000 itx mb inside an old VHS chassis. PCDB entry Here. It works a treat except for this noisy fan... Inside this ITX size PSU The fan looks like one that would be used on a north/south bridge heatsink. Are there any others that are quieter or can I slow this one down somehow? I don't think dissabling the fan would be good for the psu... __________________ insert witty phrase here OCAU Extreme Cooling Club H2O Member Last edited by Sabot68; 6th April 2003 at 8:17 AM.

5th April 2003, 8:57 PM	#3
aokman Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 8,023	The fan could just be dead or the bearings are dry, some 40mm fans last for a month at the most, may want to consider a better quality one. __________________ EpicPhotos.com.au - Image Is Everything Next Expedition - Storm Chasing with ETT from June 3rd, 2013

5th April 2003, 10:55 PM	#4
Sabot68 Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 961	PSU is brand new, it's just fan noise (fan turning too fast)..I would like to slow it down. Is there a 7v mod or something? __________________ insert witty phrase here OCAU Extreme Cooling Club H2O Member Last edited by Sabot68; 5th April 2003 at 11:20 PM.

6th April 2003, 12:42 PM	#5
aokman Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 8,023	Yes you can 7volt it usually but you have to ask yourself... would they have it spinning that fast without a reason, eg.. the power supply needs the cooling. __________________ EpicPhotos.com.au - Image Is Everything Next Expedition - Storm Chasing with ETT from June 3rd, 2013

6th April 2003, 2:34 PM	#6
Sabot68 Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 961	Yeah good point, I think I'll replace the fan with a papst 40mm from lownoisepc, it's got to be quieter than the current one..in fact by lownoisepc's web site the papst is 19dB(A)@4300rpm, 3.5cfm NICE Oh just noticed the new smilies __________________ insert witty phrase here OCAU Extreme Cooling Club H2O Member Last edited by Sabot68; 6th April 2003 at 2:36 PM.

5th April 2003, 7:08 PM	#2
kogi Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: 2031 Posts: 4,068	What sort of noise is it? Is it caused by crappy bearings and vibrations or is it from restricted airflow. If it is just a crap fan, you could probably replace it with a similar size papst from http://www.lownoisepc.com Assuming it's a 40cm fan 40x40x10mm, 3.5cfm, 19dB(A), 4300rpm, Voltage range 10-14 volts DC, 0.6 Watts, Sintec-sleeve Bearing, 3pin main board connector.

6th April 2003, 3:55 PM	#7
aokman Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 8,023	Yeah papst make some great fans, smilies rock __________________ EpicPhotos.com.au - Image Is Everything Next Expedition - Storm Chasing with ETT from June 3rd, 2013

6th April 2003, 5:06 PM	#8
psyrus Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 416	hmm would 3.5cfm be enuff to cool that psu? do u know wats ur current fan is rated at ? i think u'd be best off gettin some good quality, powerfull fan like Sunon 40x20mm, vapo, 8000rpm, 10cfm, 27.5dba. Since its ur Multi-media/DVD box, isnt it on while u watch some movie or something? u shouldnt even hear the fan even if it was 40dba while watching something.. By the way, nice idea on VHS, but how does the air circulate in there? doesnt look like it had room to circulate there at all, maybe a top mount 120mm low speed Panaflow? __________________ ANTEC/CHIEFTEC CASE OWNERS/MODDERS MEMBER #58

6th April 2003, 5:17 PM	#9
Sabot68 Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 961	It has to be quiet.... Nothing destroys the atmosphere like fan noise during a quiet bit in a movie .. Not all movies are action flicks! I will mount another 40mm papst in the case to push the air around, especialy around the HD (IBM Desk(DEATH)star) which generates alot of heat. A fan any bigger will just not fit inside the chassis....well maybe in the front right. The original lid has grills in it and there are a few gaps in the back so I hope enough air flow will happen to keep everything happy. I have watched a movie on it and everthing was happy, it was on for about three hours and no crashes....or smoke!!! A for the VHS idea. I was my parents old machine which finally carked (sp?) it the last time I was home. Was not worth getting fixed so I took it to fiddle with. It laid around for about 6 months taking up space so I tried to sell it on the wanted to sell forums, nobody wanted it and somebody even suggested that it would make a great mp3/dvd box and after seeing Bakers Colecovision project I decided to try my hand at something different. It's a bit rough around the edges and is still 'a work in progress' but not bad for a first try. __________________ insert witty phrase here OCAU Extreme Cooling Club H2O Member Last edited by Sabot68; 6th April 2003 at 5:24 PM.

6th April 2003, 6:08 PM	#10
psyrus Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 416	hehe yea its pretty cool for 1st timer.. u should of picked some older vhs, they were massive i had one a long time ago but got rid of it.. it has 2 x the space u have there... as for gettin another 4cm fan with only 3.5cfm... i duno if that would actually do much difference. Look at the pic (my 1337 photoshop skillz ) try to relocate ur hdd to get it off that PSU, since u got that empty spot (front right) put it there, it should fit.. if not then just cut some old mountings and remove all these old wires from the buttons that u not gonna use. __________________ ANTEC/CHIEFTEC CASE OWNERS/MODDERS MEMBER #58

6th April 2003, 6:26 PM	#11
Sabot68 Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 961	Nice photoshop!!! I have tried to fit it in that spot but there is just not enough room. As for the wires they are going to get the chop! Oh and one thing I have not mentioned, I have hooked up the original 'Operate' button as the power switch and the 'tape timer reset' button as the...you guessed it the reset switch! The second fan will probably be pointed directly at the HD (somehow). __________________ insert witty phrase here OCAU Extreme Cooling Club H2O Member

8th April 2003, 11:07 AM	#12
billme Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Brisbane Posts: 2,063	If you get the 3.5 cfm fan then maybe you could also try some passive cooling the PSU. Get some crappy hs off old motherboards or CPU's or some from jaycar or something, can get a nice big peice and you can cut it up how you would like to. __________________ WTB: Games - PC/PS1/PS2/PS3 - RPG/Action & others! WTB: 775 CPU, Small SSD, PCI/E card, DDR2