Advice on replacing the fan for an Antec Earthwatt 430 PSU?

owbert · Post by **owbert** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:57 am

After about a year of use it seems like the PSU fan has run its last
course. It has an annoying whirl to it. I know it is still within
warranty but it seems hard to claim and also a pain since
ill have to send it back to Antec first and not have a PSU
during the turn around time?

What would you recommend? Is it not safe to swap out the fan within a PSU? i have never done it before. And what kind of fan can i replace it
with?

Would any fan that is the correct size work? I do think that the fan
within a PSU regulates its speed?

Should i just contact Antec?

Im just trying to achieve a quieter computer system =\

alphabetbackward · Post by **alphabetbackward** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:42 pm

If you have one, the fan that comes with the Scythe Ninja Mini should work. I know a few other people did that so I copied them.

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:35 pm

just be careful

i swapped in one of mine for an NMB low-rpm fans with pretty good results - it doesn't even start spinning unless there's a high load on a psu

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/ is a pretty good place for less-known but quiet fans, like low-rpm panaflows. another good place for them is http://www.performance-pcs.com/ . i am sure there are other, can't remember off the top of my head. jab-tech?

also, if i remember correctly (could be thinking of a different psu), the installed fan is a type A 2-pin. you better double-check on that - there are plenty of posts on the topic here. but if so - getting a 3-to-2 pin adapter would save you the trouble of cutting wires.

and again - be careful. pull the cord out and flip the switch off. wait for a couple of hours. then disassemble the psu. try not to touch any metal parts on the inside. if you have electrician's gloves and/or screwdriver, use them.

cheers

zodaex · Post by **zodaex** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:54 pm

I used an 80MM Arctic Cooling fan running in my earthwatts 380, untervolted to 5V and it has run great for months. Can't hear it either and no sleeve bearing to dry out like on the stock Minja fan.

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:19 am

I put in a Nexus fan and it usually won't start from a cold boot.
I completely enjoy the practice of crawling under the desk with a flashlight and jamming a screwdriver in the fan to spin it up like an old propeller plane.
Doing it over I would pick a different fan.
Also I usually go with:
shut down pc
unplug
hit power button to drain it
and then don't touch nothin!

JamieG · Post by **JamieG** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:43 pm

The Noctua NF-R8 80mm (1800rpm?) fan seems like a good candidate for an 80mm PSU fan swap to me if you are wiring the fan to the PSU's internal fan controller.

As I understand it, PSU fans will typically run 5V to 7V during normal usage based on average loads, but need to be able to start at around 4V. SPCR's PSU reviews typically include fan voltage for various load levels, which is really useful for estimating what fan you should use for a PSU swap.

@psui the review of the Nexus 80mm in SPCR's 80mm fan round up notes that the start up voltage of that fan is 5V, which is lower than a lot of PSU's low load fan voltage levels. This is probably why your fan won't start reliably.

This also explains why mcoleg's low rpm NMB fan only starts up at higher loads, as it is only when a greater than idle load is put on the PSU that the voltage from the PSU's fan controller is enough to start the particular fan used as a fan swap.

This is one reason why the 80mm stock fan that comes with the Scythe Ninja Mini is so highly recommended - it has a minimum starting voltage of 2.5V (see the Test Results table here).

My $0.02 anyway.

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:48 pm

i sorta like the idea of the fan starting only when it's needed

. i don't bother to spin it up whenever i start the system - it will kick in if the load is high enough. otherwise, it's one less moving part.