(Topic ID: 215113)

Fixing/Replacing Stern Spike & Spooky noisy PS fans (plugnplay shipping now)

By PinMonk

5 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 640 posts
  • 129 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 50 days ago by PinMonk
  • Topic is favorited by 161 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    wire removal RSP500-48-sml (resized).jpg
    Older_vs_2020_power_supply_goo_gone (resized).jpg
    RSP 500-48_temp_graph (resized).jpg
    RSP 500-48_temp_graph (resized).jpg
    PXL_20220402_202330966.jpg
    PXL_20220402_201936766.jpg
    20220402_085312_resized_1 (resized).jpg
    RSP 500-48_temp_graph (resized).jpg
    instruction-sample (resized).jpg
    Bildschirmfoto 2021-12-23 um 06.08.04 (resized).jpg
    IMG_20210712_201645 (resized).jpg
    image (resized).jpg
    Older_vs_2020_power_supply_goo_gone.jpg
    Exhaust.jpg
    Obstruction.jpg
    RSP-750-48-inside (resized).jpg

    Topic index (key posts)

    2 key posts have been marked in this topic (Show topic index)

    There are 640 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 13.
    #51 5 years ago

    No hearing aid yet, thank goodness. Maybe those mid-upper frequencies hurt just before they go away for good.

    1 week later
    #52 5 years ago

    Okay, I've run a temperature test on the power supply with the lower CFM, quieter fan in the power supply, using a dual probe Thompson Scientific unit. The minimum temp is 101F. The maximum temp recorded is 110F. This is well below the max for the unit of ~170F where it would shut down. These temps inside were with an ambient temp in the closed backbox (near the top where I placed the probe, because heat rises) was 83F to 88F, and the temp in the location is 74-78F.

    So, using the quieter fan still leaves temps WELL below critical temps (as in, not even close) as long as the room is temperature controlled reasonably.

    We do have a location where they let it get a lot warmer before they turn on the A/C, and it's much warmer there in the summer. I might try the 22dB 7700CFM fan there and check the temp. I wouldn't be comfortably using the lower CFM "quietest" fan there. If I do that upgrade there, I'll report back.

    #53 5 years ago

    Thanks for the great instructions vireland! I just did the mod on two games with the same fan you linked in your original post. Couldn't be more easy with all the info you provided. In particular thanks for the recommendation for the screws for the new fan - #10 x 1/2" self-drilling worked perfect. After shrink-tubing the splice for the new fan with the old connector, the only "tell" is the white goop between the inductor and board inside the power supply - unfortunately the fan wiring runs underneath the goop, so you have to remove/cut a bit of it to get the old fan out.

    The result for me is I can still hear the fans if they are on, but just barely. They are NOT audible while playing which is fantastic! They also don't stay on any longer than with the OEM fans, which tells me there is plenty of air movement even with the lower CFM.

    Small correction on the nuts needing to be removed (which are 11/32") - only two need to be removed from the bottom line connector cover, and none of the ones for the power supply itself need to actually be removed, just loosened as the two top ones fit easily through the larger lower hole on the bracket . Here's a photo showing what I mean.

    SpikeMe.jpgSpikeMe.jpg

    #54 5 years ago

    I am using this fan adapter
    ebay.com link: 40mm to 60mm Fan Adapter Converter 2 sides alligned change mounting PC Modding

    along with this silent fan
    https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-60x25mm-Blades-Bearing-Premium/dp/B009NQMESS/ref=sr_1_3
    and removed the lower cover of the power supply. I used aluminum tape to cover the hole left in the top cover where the old fan was. I plugged the new fan into the 12 volt accessory board so it runs continuously. It is very,very quiet at full speed and if you use the included low noise adapter impossible to hear. I can feel air blowing out from the top of the unit and I feel there is excellent cooling considering my experience building computers. There is no electrical interference from running with the lower cover off as it appears to be there only to stop prying fingers from possibly getting shocked. No more noise from the fan and great cooling.

    tape (resized).jpgtape (resized).jpg

    Cover removed (resized).jpgCover removed (resized).jpg

    #55 5 years ago
    Quoted from D-Gottlieb:

    I am using this fan adapter
    ebay.com link » 40mm To 60mm Fan Adapter Converter 2 Sides Alligned Change Mounting Pc Modding
    along with this silent fan
    amazon.com link »
    and removed the lower cover of the power supply. I used aluminum tape to cover the hole left in the top cover where the old fan was. I plugged the new fan into the 12 volt accessory board so it runs continuously. It is very,very quiet at full speed and if you use the included low noise adapter impossible to hear. I can feel air blowing out from the top of the unit and I feel there is excellent cooling considering my experience building computers. There is no electrical interference from running with the lower cover off as it appears to be there only to stop prying fingers from possibly getting shocked. No more noise from the fan and great cooling.

    Hmmm...a $6 fan that does the job and looks factory or $27 in parts and a game that is bastardized?

    I went with the $6 fan.

    #56 5 years ago

    When someone makes a plug and play solution (no splicing) I have a feeling they will sell a bunch.

    #57 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    NOTE: If you don't want to splice this in, you can get the connector and contacts to crimp to make a factory-look with these Digikey parts:
    Housing
    https://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&itemSeq=260574761&uq=636616422465879957
    Crimp on connectors:
    https://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&itemSeq=260575452&uq=636616425027921489

    These links do not work properly for me. Maybe you could just post the part numbers?

    #58 5 years ago
    Quoted from tktlwyr:

    Hmmm...a $6 fan that does the job and looks factory or $27 in parts and a game that is bastardized?
    I went with the $6 fan.

    I get that. This is completely reversible.

    #59 5 years ago
    Quoted from tktlwyr:

    Hmmm...a $6 fan that does the job and looks factory or $27 in parts and a game that is bastardized?
    I went with the $6 fan.

    What part of his solution is “bastardized”? An easily reversible solution is always best IMO.

    #60 5 years ago
    Quoted from BoJo:

    When someone makes a plug and play solution (no splicing) I have a feeling they will sell a bunch.

    Working on it. I have the parts, but haven't tested it yet. It's on my project list.

    Sunon used to sell them to vendors with the connector, but now they mostly sell it with naked wire ends, which is a pain. I have the right connector and I believe the right female connectors. I plan to do it on the slightly louder Sunon fan I got with the 7700CFM airflow for the pin that's in a location that is not well air-conditioned.

    I'll post once I have it completed and verified. It's still Ridiculous that Stern doesn't order these from their Chinese factory with at least the 7700CFM fan ALREADY IN IT. In the quantities they order, the factory would do it, no problem. CRAZY that Stern doesn't do it and leaves it to the end user when they're finally driven crazy by the obnoxious noise level of the PS fan.

    #61 5 years ago
    Quoted from swampfire:

    What part of his solution is “bastardized”? An easily reversible solution is always best IMO.

    Because it looks like crap.

    I appreciate the engineering and thought process but the real fix costs 25% of the jury rigged one and by the time you clean of the tape residue on the reversal the labor is a wash.

    Why would you ever need to reverse it if the proper solution is $6 and 5 extra minutes?

    Come on John, you would never do that to one of your machines. You would fix it right.

    #62 5 years ago

    Ok, so there is residue from the foam tape that I was using to hold the bigger fan I had temporarily placed there. I can remove it. The idea is sound. A constant cooling flow through the transformer is more desirable than the temperature fluctuations that occur with the oem setup, and there is zero noise. Nobody sees it anyway.

    #63 5 years ago
    Quoted from D-Gottlieb:

    Ok, so there is residue from the foam tape that I was using to hold the bigger fan I had temporarily placed there. I can remove it. The idea is sound. A constant cooling flow through the transformer is more desirable than the temperature fluctuations that occur with the oem setup, and there is zero noise. Nobody sees it anyway.

    My biggest objection to this version of the mod isn’t the looks - it’s that you have no idea what the temperatures are doing inside the power supply. Having the fan wired in as the original is critical as hearing (barely!) the fan come on *then off* is what confirms you are in the safe range. With your mod the temps could be climbing and climbing and you wouldn’t know it. Unlikely, granted, but it’s what doesn’t sit right with me.

    #64 5 years ago
    Quoted from andre060:

    My biggest objection to this version of the mod isn’t the looks - it’s that you have no idea what the temperatures are doing inside the power supply. Having the fan wired in as the original is critical as hearing (barely!) the fan come on *then off* is what confirms you are in the safe range. With your mod the temps could be climbing and climbing and you wouldn’t know it. Unlikely, granted, but it’s what doesn’t sit right with me.

    Did he remove the original fan completely?

    #65 5 years ago
    Quoted from Black_Knight:

    Because it looks like crap.
    I appreciate the engineering and thought process but the real fix costs 25% of the jury rigged one and by the time you clean of the tape residue on the reversal the labor is a wash.
    Why would you ever need to reverse it if the proper solution is $6 and 5 extra minutes?
    Come on John, you would never do that to one of your machines. You would fix it right.

    Mark, I’ve done it to 3 of my games (AS, GOTLE and Guardians). If I hadn’t mentioned it, you never would have known. And a larger fan will always be quieter than a 40mm fan with the same CFM rating, that’s just physics.

    To be clear, my fix is a little different than Gottlieb’s. I don’t modify the original PS at all. I just mount a larger fan that’s continuously running above the PSU, which keeps it so cool that the factory fan never turns on. Installation takes about 10 minutes.

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/guardians-of-the-galaxy-owners-thread/page/40#post-4395474

    Show me a 40mm fan with the same noise and CFM specs and I’ll gladly use it on my next game.

    #66 5 years ago
    Quoted from pintechev:

    Did he remove the original fan completely?

    That's what I was assuming (why have the tape over the slot where the original fan was otherwise?) but now that you mention it it's totally possible the larger fan is just running air through the old fan. That would certainly alleviate my concern above.

    #67 5 years ago
    Quoted from swampfire:

    Show me a 40mm fan with the same noise and CFM specs and I’ll gladly use it on my next game.

    Actually, I take it back. For me, it’s worth an extra $20-30 to have a quieter solution that doesn’t require me to modify my PSU and risk voiding my warranty. It’s a Spike, the only time I’ll even see it is when I’m updating code. If I’m taking the translite off for anything else it’s going to be a big problem.

    #68 5 years ago

    I did remove the old fan. I had an 80mm fan sitting on top of the existing fan before this and with the lower power supply cover on, the original fan hardly ever cycled. I removed the cover and the internal oem fan never came on. The removal of the oem fan allows more airflow, the cfm of the 60mm fan is plenty and the air that blows out is not warm at all. Since the whole mod is completely reversible, there are no warranty worries, but I am not concerned.

    #69 5 years ago

    I view this as similar to the situation with CPU batteries. You can install a supercap, replace the SRAM with an nvRAM, or move the batteries offboard. There's no one right answer, and each one is better than doing nothing.

    #70 5 years ago
    Quoted from andre060:

    My biggest objection to this version of the mod isn’t the looks - it’s that you have no idea what the temperatures are doing inside the power supply. Having the fan wired in as the original is critical as hearing (barely!) the fan come on *then off* is what confirms you are in the safe range. With your mod the temps could be climbing and climbing and you wouldn’t know it. Unlikely, granted, but it’s what doesn’t sit right with me.

    Uh, did you look at the post where I monitored the temp range INSIDE the power supply and posted it? The temp inside the machine over a WEEK (min/max registration in real time 24/7 with a Thompson Scientific dual probe thermometer) was nowhere close to the max with this mod?

    Also, the power supply has a safety where it just turns off completely if the temp exceeds 170 degrees. 111 degrees is the highest I've recorded with this mod. Nowhere close to the safety cutoff.

    #71 5 years ago

    Wide temperature ranges where games are played. Some in CA have garage gamerooms... some are just cheap asses that never turn in the AC in Atlanta. Yes, he hosted recently. Others have a backbox right near the heater vent.

    Seems like it wouldnt be wise to just base it on one reading in one or two locations.

    #72 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Uh, did you look at the post where I monitored the temp range INSIDE the power supply and posted it? The temp inside the machine over a WEEK (min/max registration in real time 24/7 with a Thompson Scientific dual probe thermometer) was nowhere close to the max with this mod?

    I was referring to D-Gottlieb’s version of the mod in which the internal fan is disconnected altogether. Obviously I wouldn’t have done your version of the mod on two of my games if I thought it was a bad idea.

    #73 5 years ago
    Quoted from andre060:

    I was referring to D-Gottlieb’s version of the mod in which the internal fan is disconnected altogether. Obviously I wouldn’t have done your version of the mod on two of my games if I thought it was a bad idea.

    Heh, sorry. That's what I get for jumping from notification to notification to catch up instead of reading through the thread.

    #74 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Heh, sorry. That's what I get for jumping from notification to notification to catch up instead of reading through the thread.

    See post #53...

    1 week later
    #75 5 years ago

    Great mod. Thanks for posting the parts and process.

    #76 5 years ago
    Quoted from D-Gottlieb:

    I am using this fan adapter
    ebay.com link » 40mm To 60mm Fan Adapter Converter 2 Sides Alligned Change Mounting Pc Modding
    along with this silent fan
    amazon.com link »
    I plugged the new fan into the 12 volt accessory board so it runs continuously.

    Is this on a Spike 2 game (Star Wars)? It looks like you are plugging your fan directly into the Power Distribution Board (part no. 520-5343-1, I'm not in front of my machine but am assuming the real-life board is different than pictured in the manual, which does not show any connector below CN1). Did you have to modify the end of the fan's cord at all to plug in where you did?

    I have the 40mm-60mm 3D printed fan adaptor, and I'm looking at this fan which says it has a 3-pin connector, and am wondering if that will attach directly to the accessory board or if I'll need something else in-between:
    https://www.amazon.com/Noiseblocker-NB-BlackSilent-XR-1-Silent-1600rpm/dp/B00WVTEEWS/

    #77 5 years ago
    Quoted from fosaisu:

    More
    Is this on a Spike 2 game (Star Wars)? It looks like you are plugging your fan directly into the Power Distribution Board (part no. 520-5343-1, I'm not in front of my machine but am assuming the real-life board is different than pictured in the manual, which does not show any connector below CN1). Did you have to modify the end of the fan's cord at all to plug in where you did?
    I have the 40mm-60mm 3D printed fan adaptor, and I'm looking at this fan which says it has a 3-pin connector, and am wondering if that will attach directly to the accessory board or if I'll need something else in-between:
    amazon.com link »

    It's Star Wars Premium. I found the correct plug that fits the factory 12 volt header and attached it to an extension cord that the fan plugs into since the fan cord is not long enough. I did not feel the need to buy the accessory board. Been working great.

    I am not familiar with the fan you want, but the one I bought is excellent.

    #78 5 years ago
    Quoted from D-Gottlieb:

    I found the correct plug that fits the factory 12 volt header and attached it to an extension cord that the fan plugs into since the fan cord is not long enough. I did not feel the need to buy the accessory board.

    Perfect, I was hoping to do the same. Do you happen to know what plug you bought to attach to the 12 volt header? I’m thinking I’ll pick one up and give this a try.

    #79 5 years ago
    Quoted from fosaisu:

    Perfect, I was hoping to do the same. Do you happen to know what plug you bought to attach to the 12 volt header? I’m thinking I’ll pick one up and give this a try.

    I don't know the name but will post a pic tomorrow and someone will know.

    #80 5 years ago

    The forum posts the pics in the order it wants, but you get the idea...

    Cord installed.jpgCord installed.jpgHeader.jpgHeader.jpgcord.jpgcord.jpg
    1 week later
    -1
    #81 5 years ago

    hello

    on my aerosmith LE , I did not ask myself questions

    IMG_20180523_074216 (resized).jpgIMG_20180523_074216 (resized).jpgIMG_20180523_074805 (resized).jpgIMG_20180523_074805 (resized).jpg
    #82 5 years ago
    Quoted from metwurcht:

    hello
    on my aerosmith LE , I did not ask myself questions

    You CUT a hole in the front of the power supply? This kind of thing belongs in a bad B/W European container pin hack story. Not recommended because it can't be easily undone.

    #83 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    You CUT a hole in the front of the power supply? This kind of thing belongs in a bad B/W European container pin hack story. Not recommended because it can't be easily undone.

    hello

    why undone ?

    the little fan never works . the big fan rotates slowly and continuously, less than 8 db , 1200 rpm with ultra low noise adaptater .

    it is no longer original but it is effective
    https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00NEMG9K6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

    #84 5 years ago
    Quoted from metwurcht:

    why undone ?
    the little fan never works .

    If the original fan never comes on your power supply isn't getting hot enough to need cooling. This is a good thing.

    Quoted from metwurcht:

    the big fan rotates slowly and continuously, less than 8 db , 1200 rpm with ultra low noise adaptater .

    Sucking dust into your power supply continuously for no good reason, since the power supply isn't getting hot enough to turn on the original fan.
    Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's a good idea.

    #85 5 years ago
    Quoted from metwurcht:

    hello
    why undone ?
    the little fan never works . the big fan rotates slowly and continuously, less than 8 db , 1200 rpm with ultra low noise adaptater .
    it is no longer original but it is effective
    amazon.com link »

    The little fan is temperature controlled. If it never comes on, your power supply doesn't need cooling. The ONLY job of the fan is to make sure the power supply stays in a specific temperature range while in operation. No more, no less. If it never has to come on, that doesn't mean the fan isn't working or badly designed, just that the temperature never gets above a certain level.

    Permanently defacing a machine with a modification that cuts metal (not a small piece, either) is a no-no. It devalues the machine permanently and in this case, the solution is worse than the problem.

    #86 5 years ago

    I think he says that the little fan never works AFTER doing the mod (and obviously unplugging the little fan).
    Also, I guess the big fan sucks air OUT of the PSU and not in, preventing from injecting dust.

    I agree that this is not recommended to damage the original PSU cover, but I would have prefered Stern to have such design instead of a LOUD smaller fan.

    #87 5 years ago

    the little fan never works because the big fan evacuates the hot air

    #88 5 years ago
    Quoted from Leo13:

    I agree that this is not recommended to damage the original PSU cover, but I would have prefered Stern to have such design instead of a LOUD smaller fan.

    I totally agree

    Quoted from Leo13:

    the big fan sucks air OUT of the PSU and not in, preventing from injecting dust.

    exactly

    #89 5 years ago
    Quoted from Leo13:

    I think he says that the little fan never works AFTER doing the mod (and obviously unplugging the little fan).
    Also, I guess the big fan sucks air OUT of the PSU and not in, preventing from injecting dust.
    I agree that this is not recommended to damage the original PSU cover, but I would have prefered Stern to have such design instead of a LOUD smaller fan.

    Stern had a large fan in the middle of the power supply on earlier Spike games.

    But putting the fan where he did is still pulling dust/dirt into the PS through the top. Cutting aside, it's a bad idea, especially if it's bypassing the thermal control switching action of the power supply.

    #90 5 years ago
    Quoted from Leo13:

    I guess the big fan sucks air OUT of the PSU and not in, preventing from injecting dust.

    If you have airflow you have dust. You can filter the inlet.

    #91 5 years ago

    I'm not disagreeing that it's a little nuts to start cutting holes when there's no need, but wouldn't the stock Stern fan (and all of the various mods in this thread) also be pulling dust into the power supply?

    #92 5 years ago
    Quoted from fosaisu:

    wouldn't the stock Stern fan (and all of the various mods in this thread) also be pulling dust into the power supply?

    Only while they are running. metwurcht said,

    Quoted from metwurcht:the little fan never works . the big fan rotates slowly and continuously

    To be fair, it's probably pulling less air with the ultra quiet adapter he's using. I can't quite read the part number on his fan. The 80mm version pulled around 26 CFM at full speed. If he's leaving the game on sixteen hours a day in a sheetrock factory the dust would be significant. Two hours a day in the game room probably won't be harmful but then you're back to performing surgery for no gain.

    #93 5 years ago
    Quoted from fosaisu:

    I'm not disagreeing that it's a little nuts to start cutting holes when there's no need, but wouldn't the stock Stern fan (and all of the various mods in this thread) also be pulling dust into the power supply?

    The stock fan is pulling hot air out of the power supply, but there's only the fan hole, so there's not a lot of flow, just more of a venting action. By cutting a hole in the power supply, you're adding flow-through, which will add a LOT more dust to the power supply, pulled through the stock fan hole and out the big newly cut fan hole.

    #94 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Not recommended because it can't be easily undone.

    Power supply could always be replaced if someone HAD to have a stock game.
    I've seen worse, and if all he wanted was to quiet the game when sitting idle, he accomplished that.

    #95 5 years ago
    Quoted from DNO:

    Power supply could always be replaced if someone HAD to have a stock game.
    I've seen worse, and if all he wanted was to quiet the game when sitting idle, he accomplished that.

    But WHY do that when you can do the same thing with a quieter fan that is compatible with the stock socket at the top. There's no need to cut into the power supply. None.

    #96 5 years ago

    I am certain that another power supply lid could be obtained if need be. My mod is not too different in principal. Disconnecting the tiny jet engine fan and instead supplying a steady dose of air is not a bad thing. Dust filters can be placed in the cabinet, but, unless you're in a barn, there won't be much.

    #97 5 years ago

    Why is a little (or even a lot) of dust in the power supply a bad thing? There are no moving parts other than the fan itself.

    #98 5 years ago
    Quoted from D-Gottlieb:

    I am certain that another power supply lid could be obtained if need be. My mod is not too different in principal. Disconnecting the tiny jet engine fan and instead supplying a steady dose of air is not a bad thing. Dust filters can be placed in the cabinet, but, unless you're in a barn, there won't be much.

    I don't have any problem with the way you did it because your way is also completely reversible. Cutting into the perfectly fine metal face of a power supply to do a fan mod that has a number of documented better alternatives where no permanent modification of the power supply is required is not something I can recommend.

    #99 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Permanently defacing a machine with a modification that cuts metal (not a small piece, either) is a no-no.

    Great way to weed out annoying buyers. Anyone who thinks a mod that can’t even be seen is “defacing” the game is someone I’d rather not deal with.

    #100 5 years ago
    Quoted from swampfire:

    Why is a little (or even a lot) of dust in the power supply a bad thing? There are no moving parts other than the fan itself.

    A little dust is not a bad thing, but over time it can build up and have an insulating quality that leads to overheating and/or components working harder than they should have to because it restricts the air flow around components. Which is the irony of this cutting mod.

    There are 640 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 13.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/replacing-stern-spike-noisy-ps-fans/page/2 and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.