Solved PSU full of dust

zebal · Nov 17, 2023

johnlgalt said:
On first blush I would have simply thought the fan is running more because the components are old and have been, for all intents and purposes, abused as they were.

But I agree, there is more than one type of definition of 'louder'. Lol.

johnlgalt said:
If you're a certified electrician, and know what you're doing, sure, you can fix it yourself.

(That means 99% of the people in the world cannot fix it themselves).

Give it a couple of days and see how it works, it may be remnants of dust, or blade imbalance, that could also be causing the issue.

Otherwise, get it checked with a PSU tester - or, if you have the funds, replace it.

Sounds logical, but the noise is not too loud, It's bearable.

I think my nerves will calm with it over time lol.
If tractor drivers can bear the noise of motor over time then I can also get used to it haha.

I appreciate all the help so far!

Almighty1 · Nov 18, 2023

zebal said:
Is it possible to fix it yourself? or is it better to go for new PSU?

It's easy to fix but requires opening the PSU, removing the 4 screws for the CPU and then lifting the sticker off the fan and then put motor oil to fill up the cavity, use your finger to spin the fan, try spinning the fan before adding the oil and you will find it's tighter. The oil should then no longer fill to the top, fill it again and repeat maybe once or twice and then put the sticker back on., remount fan to PSU and reassemble the PSU. Always take precautions first. My only desktop is still running a 2002 or 2003 model of the PC Power & Cooling Turbo-450ATX, it died 5 years later and PCP&C replaced the capacitors under warranty as the PSU would go off all of a sudden by itself. Same thing happened in 2014 I believe but it was out of warranty so I replaced all the capacitors which were all Taiwanese with Japanese well known brands which I think was close to 50 of them and it still runs this minute 24/7/365. Never had a issue with the fan as it seems they use high quality fans as my PSUs before, the fan would have already stopped on it's own after 2-3 years.

Ghot · Nov 18, 2023

zebal said:
Is it possible to fix it yourself? or is it better to go for new PSU?

You can probably just replace the fan, assuming it uses a common screw pattern.
The PSU manufacturer, might even sell one?
If they don't... just Google the size in mm, and thickness in mm. Like... 120 x120 x25 mm fan. <---- normal 120mm case fan size.

Just measure the fan that's in the power supply, then Google for that size.

Example, cause I don't know what size the fan is...

antspants · Nov 18, 2023

Ghot said:
You can probably just replace the fan, assuming it uses a common screw pattern.
The PSU manufacturer, might even sell one?
If they don't... just Google the size in mm, and thickness in mm. Like... 120 x120 x25 mm fan. <---- normal 120mm case fan size.

Just measure the fan that's in the power supply, then Google for that size.

Example, cause I don't know what size the fan is...

View attachment 78184

Not all fans have the capacity to take oil, many of them have the holes sealed shut. So I replaced my fan at one point years ago.

kelper · Nov 18, 2023

I had a noisy fan but was able to squirt a TINY amount of WD40 into the bearings. This made it like new. But check that every fan blade is spotless as one dirty blade will unbalance it.

antspants · Nov 18, 2023

An if you lubricate them when they are full of dust, it’ll be paste, not lubricant.

johnlgalt · Nov 18, 2023

Almighty1 said:
It's easy to fix but requires opening the PSU, removing the 4 screws for the CPU and then lifting the sticker off the fan and then put motor oil to fill up the cavity, use your finger to spin the fan, try spinning the fan before adding the oil and you will find it's tighter.

If it is ball-bearing - and there is a cavity to fill.

Unless a person knows enough about the electronics and their PSU in specific, no, I would not recommend this to anyone to follow.

Not to mention the fact that there are nice large caps in there that can cause huge problems - and if you do not know what you are doing around electronics, you can do permanent damage to the PSU (and / or injure yourself in the process).

I seriously recommend that people with limited knowledge do not attempt this at home.

Ghot said:
You can probably just replace the fan, assuming it uses a common screw pattern.
The PSU manufacturer, might even sell one?
If they don't... just Google the size in mm, and thickness in mm. Like... 120 x120 x25 mm fan. <---- normal 120mm case fan size.

Just measure the fan that's in the power supply, then Google for that size.

Example, cause I don't know what size the fan is...

View attachment 78184

You have to make sure it is correctly rated, find out whether it needs a PWM connection or not, etc.

Again, telling people to do things when you're not there to help on something with potential voltages like a PSU is not a very good idea.

Ghot · Nov 18, 2023

johnlgalt said:
Again, telling people to do things when you're not there to help on something

Yeah... it hard to do with out knowing the exact make/model of the PSU.

johnlgalt · Nov 18, 2023

And making sure they remove only the correct screws, don't accidentally touch any caps on board, make sure they power cycle the computer after removing power from the PSU, and so much more.

I have no issues working on PSUs, I've taken plenty apart. I'd have no problem showing someone else, too. But I wouldn't want to walk someone through that process via an online forum only. In fact, not only would I not want to, I simply won't. Too many things that could go wrong, including putting your safety in the hands of someone not even there.

Almighty1 · Nov 19, 2023

antspants said:
Not all fans have the capacity to take oil, many of them have the holes sealed shut. So I replaced my fan at one point years ago.

Yes, it depends on what type of bearing it is... Best fans are usually Pabst (German) or Panaflo/Panasonic (Japanese).

Almighty1 · Nov 19, 2023

kelper said:
I had a noisy fan but was able to squirt a TINY amount of WD40 into the bearings. This made it like new. But check that every fan blade is spotless as one dirty blade will unbalance it.

That won't last as I tried everything before, WD40 is not a lubricant so it will basically flush the existing lubricant out. Motor oil is cheap as you can borrow it from a car and actually long lasting.

Almighty1 · Nov 19, 2023

johnlgalt said:
And making sure they remove only the correct screws, don't accidentally touch any caps on board, make sure they power cycle the computer after removing power from the PSU, and so much more.

I have no issues working on PSUs, I've taken plenty apart. I'd have no problem showing someone else, too. But I wouldn't want to walk someone through that process via an online forum only. In fact, not only would I not want to, I simply won't. Too many things that could go wrong, including putting your safety in the hands of someone not even there.

Yes, that was exactly the reason I said need to take all precautions first and they do it at their own risk.

Dru2 · Nov 19, 2023

On the serious side, never dissemble a power supply if you're not experienced in such things as it could cost you our life...

Teen electrocuted while salvaging parts from a computer

Anyone that's worked with computer hardware knows there are some risks involved. Sharp edges inside a case can leave your hands and fingers looking like you lost...

www.techspot.com

Teen electrocuted while taking apart unplugged computer

In an activity familiar to any kid with a passion for electronics, the life of a 16-year-old boy in Shawnee, Kan., was cut short last month while he was taking apart a computer, stripping it for parts to build another."He was always kinda tinkering with computers," Capt. Dan Tennis of the...

www.today.com

Opening it and blowing dust out is one thing, dissembling it is another.... even if replacing the fan. In short... KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING!!!

We all tinker with things, but some can have dire consequences if not properly equipped (trained). A power supply capacitor can hold current for hours or days even after unplugged. I learned this as a kid when tinkering with a T.V. and got a jolt from the high-powered wire going into the picture tube. The shock nearly threw me across the room. True story. That's when I learned high current capacitors can hold a charge even after being unplugged. To say I was lucky is an understatement.

Just FYI

kelper · Nov 19, 2023

Aren't modern electronics designed to leak away the capacitor charge when not powered? Anyway, you can clean a PSU with an air duster without dismantling it.

Winuser · Nov 19, 2023

Almighty1 said:
WD40 is not a lubricant

WD-40 is a special blend of lubricants. Another probably little known fact is the the WD-40 stands for water displacement formula 40. Here are some facts about WD-40. WD-40 Myths & Fun Facts | Facts About WD-40 Products | WD-40

kelper · Nov 19, 2023

I had a cuckoo clock that stopped after a few years. I removed the mechanism and oiled all the spindles with synthetic clock oil but this didn't fix it. So, I drenched it in WD-40 and doubled up on the weight to get it going. After a day I took the second weight off and the clock has run fine ever since. I think the original lubricant had gone gummy and WD-40 dissolved it. But I don't use WD-40 on places that require grease. As many said it will wash the grease away.

Winuser · Nov 19, 2023

If someone doesn't have even a small amount of knowledge about electronics I wouldn't recommend to them to open up a power supply to clean and/or to lubricate the fan. My guess is that the bearing and shaft are out of round and causing the fan to be off balance. It may be time to start saving up to buy a replacement PSU.

kelper · Nov 19, 2023

According to Overclock

"We've all heard it at least once. "Dude, don't open up that power supply, the capacitors will shock you and you'll die! You have to unplug it, flip its switch twenty times, leave it out overnight, then you can open it up; but don't forget to wear rubber gloves and to say the special shock-warding chant!"

It's a tiresome myth, perpetuated by CRT repair technicians and overzealous nervous ninnies. While capacitor safety is very important, when it comes to consumer power supplies life is a lot simpler than what this myth would lead you to believe.

Capacitor Safety In Power Supplies

We've all heard it at least once. "Dude, don't open up that power supply, the capacitors will shock you and you'll die! You have to unplug it, flip its switch twenty times, leave it out overnight, then you can open it up; but don't forget to wear rubber gloves and to say the special...

www.overclock.net

DISCUSS!

SIW2 · Nov 19, 2023

but don't forget to wear rubber gloves

I tried it on an ancient hp machine. Used sewing oil because apparently wd40 is not good for the task, though many people use it. Didnt help much, it really neeeds a new fan.

Dru2 · Nov 19, 2023

kelper said:
Aren't modern electronics designed to leak away the capacitor charge when not powered? Anyway, you can clean a PSU with an air duster without dismantling it.

kelper said:
According to Overclock

"We've all heard it at least once. "Dude, don't open up that power supply, the capacitors will shock you and you'll die! You have to unplug it, flip its switch twenty times, leave it out overnight, then you can open it up; but don't forget to wear rubber gloves and to say the special shock-warding chant!"

It's a tiresome myth, perpetuated by CRT repair technicians and overzealous nervous ninnies. While capacitor safety is very important, when it comes to consumer power supplies life is a lot simpler than what this myth would lead you to believe.

Believe what you will, but the fact is you can be killed messing around with electronics if you don't know what you're doing.

It certainly didn't turn out to be a "myth" for that 16-year-old killed while messing about with a power supply as linked in post #23

Anyway, the point it to warn to be careful dissembling power supplies, not push "what you think" is a myth.

Peace

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