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(Topic ID: 215113)

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

By PinMonk

6 years ago


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  • Latest reply 71 days ago by PinMonk
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    Post #54 Alternate Noctua DIY external fan approach Posted by D-Gottlieb (5 years ago)

    Post #295 Alternate DIY non Noctua external fan solution Posted by John_I (4 years ago)

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    #504 3 years ago
     
    MJH

    Markharris2000

    Pinside member

    US Fremont, CA

    4y 81,050 2,889 3 10 1

    OP
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Yeah, it'd be tough with the way it's covering the sticker. But hey, by using an x-acto to slice it on the seam at least you're not voiding the warranty - it says "void if REMOVED." You're not removing it.
    Thanks for posting the pic. At least this shows that Stern is AWARE that their fans suck so bad that people are replacing them to get some peace and quiet. Next step? Hopefully they do what I've been begging them to for like 2 years - have meanwell ship the power supplies with the Sunon quiet fan I sell. Their engineering said they'd do it if asked.

    The Federal Trade Commission put six companies on notice in 2018, telling them in a warning letter that their warranty practices violate federal law. If you buy a car with a warranty, take it a repair shop to fix it, then have to return the car to the manufacturer, the car company isn’t legally allowed to deny the return because you took your car to another shop. The same is true of any consumer device that costs more than $15, though many manufacturers want you to think otherwise.

    https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20180410/17590439606/ftc-suddenly-remembers-warranty-void-if-removed-stickers-are-illegal-sends-out-stern-letters-to-manufacturers.shtml

    1 month later
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    #517 3 years ago
     
    MJH

    Markharris2000

    Pinside member

    US Fremont, CA

    4y 81,050 2,889 3 10 1

    OP
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    It's been a while since I've done it, and I don't have a Spooky here to look, but I think it either slides up and off or snaps on and off. I'd try sliding first.
    It really would be nice if Spooky re-engineered this to add molex connectors so you don't have to unscrew the wires from the power supply, but just plug and unplug like on Stern/JJP machines. This setup really is a failure of engineering.
    [quoted image]

    I am quite certain that the power supply manufacturer (I think its Mean-Well) could supply the unit in any Molex-style connector configuration that Stern wanted, IF Stern was willing to, 1) Pay Non-Recurring-Engineering (NRE) fees for the connector redesign and 2) Commit to a puchase of some quantity of those supplies. Keep in mind that the NRE fees would also need to cover the UL/CSA certifications as well, so these are non trivial.

    I suspect it was easier, faster and cheaper to simply use the existing connection block approach, since the supplier has already done the heavy lifting using that block.

    7 months later
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    #551 2 years ago
     
    MJH

    Markharris2000

    Pinside member

    US Fremont, CA

    4y 81,050 2,889 3 10 1

    OP
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Spec-wise you should be fine, but the connector on that fan is too thick/large to plug into the receptacle in the power supply (if it is the same as in the picture), so you will have to cut and splice in a new one or crimp in new pins and a smaller compatible connector.
    Another path you can take if you have some resistors and shrink wrap on hand is to put a resistor on the red lead of the stock fan to reduce the voltage, which will slow the revolutions of the fan blade and should reduce the noise. It's a hassle to figure out the ideal resistor to use to get the best result, but the stock fan has about twice the CFM of the fan in the plug and play kit I sell (and the one recommended in the OP), so you have a lot of overhead to work with if you want to play around and spend the least amount of money possible (i.e. you have more spare time than money). At some point the fan will not run if the voltage is too low, so there's a fine line to walk. If you go this route, please share your result!

    Years ago, the PC builders were making kits to reduce their 12V fans to 7v to reduce noise. FRYS here in California used to sell the cable. It was a simple 1/2Watt resistor. If I remember my math, "R=E/I" where the voltage you want to drop is 5volts, and the fan spec says it consumes .13Amps. So doing that math yields 38ohms, which is very close to a stock 39ohm part. Try putting a 39ohm, 1/2watt carbon resistor in the red power line to the existing cable....

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    #555 2 years ago
     
    MJH

    Markharris2000

    Pinside member

    US Fremont, CA

    4y 81,050 2,889 3 10 1

    Quoted from pins4u:

    This is true of older two wire fans (I have no idea what fans are used in these supplies as I haven't looked) BUT modern fans have a feedback sensor and unless the motor is turning at the correct speed they often won't operate. Some might but it couldn't be guaranteed.

    Good point. Anyone know if the FAN inside the factory Power Supply is a three-wire?

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