OT: Removing fan from 486's power supply?

Asmala · #1 August 13th, 2003, 04:19 PM

How much warmth the old 486's power supply produces? Is it certain that something will be damaged if I remove the fan? It's the only fan in the machine so removing it would make it silent.

trooper · #2 August 13th, 2003, 04:27 PM

Depends on the temperature in the room. Think it's dangerous for your power supply, anyway (and it will be very hard to find another one, if it's an AT model...). Nethertheless, if you try to remove it, remove the PC cover too.

Ruatha · #3 August 13th, 2003, 04:31 PM

Better to put a resistor on it with a temperature detector.
There are cheap ones that you just solder into the power vire to the fan.

trooper · #4 August 13th, 2003, 04:41 PM

Or try to find a more discrete fan, if the one you have is too old

Asmala · #5 August 13th, 2003, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by trooper:
Or try to find a more discrete fan, if the one you have is too old

I've never changed a fan inside a power supply but I suppose it won't be very easy to change. Hmm... after reconsidering the matter it might be easy to change if I just open the power supply (I've never done that

) But if I'd buy a new fan to it the fan would be more expensive than the whole computer

I think I'll done nothing to the computer. It's just an old junk which I use seldom (but I don't want to break it however).

Gryphin · #6 August 13th, 2003, 05:19 PM

I would discourage you from trying to remove the fan. I'd suggest finding a sourse of "white sound" or "background noise". What I mean is play a CD with music that counters what I am guessing is a high pitch whine. something with a deaper bass might work.

What ever you do:
Backup your data. If that power supply goes you may not be able to find a replacement.

geoschmo · #7 August 13th, 2003, 05:23 PM

If the issue is cost you might help the situation a lot by simply making sure the fan blades and air vents are clean. A thin layer of dust is enough to cause a significant db increase in noise. Also make sure the fan is mounted tightly to the supply and the supply is mounted tightly to the cabniet as vibrations cause noise as well. It won't make the fan silent, but it could drop it below the threshold of what your ears percieve as annoying.

Baron Munchausen · #8 August 13th, 2003, 05:56 PM

Yes, removing or disabling the fan is likely to cause problems. Those old power supplies may have had a bit less wattage but they definitely built up a lot of heat. It's dangerous to even open the power supply, actually. There are capacitors in their which hold very large charges for a long time.

There are 'special' power supplies available these days with very quiet fans if all you want is a lower noise level. I don't know if they are available for the old AT type systems, though. They might only be available for ATX systems. You'll have to do some Googling and see what turns up. Try searching for something like 'quiet power supply'...

Thermodyne · #9 August 13th, 2003, 06:11 PM

Some PSU�s will not start unless they detect the fan. A trick that you can use to quiet them down is to take the 5+ lead and connect it to the 3.3v rail. Fan will run about 40% slower.

Asmala · #10 August 13th, 2003, 09:13 PM

The only purpose of the computer is to work as a electronic dictionary (my main computer isn't there where I need the dictionary) so I don't want to take pains with it. I just asked if it doesn't need the fan because it would have been an easy and fast way to muffle it.

Gryphin:
Hey thanks, that's a good idea I haven't even thought about it

As I said the computer is only an old 486 and I just took it from the storage so there's nothing important to backup.

Geoschmo:
Thanks, I'll check those. Perhaps I'll also remove the safety grid from the front of the fan.

Baron:
Hmm, I think a new special silent power supply to an ancient computer would be a bit exaggeration, even if I'd manage to found one somewhere.

Thermodyne:
Do you think it will still cool enough?