cooler on power supply

[cL0N31]

what happens if a cooler on a working power supply stops?

[ViRaL1]

Eventually it might burn itself out. Replace the power supply, OR if you're comfortable with it (and don't want to spend much money at all) you can open it up and replace the fan ONLY if you know what you're doing.

[gadgetguy]

The entire world explodes!









Seriously, if the fan in the PS stops the PS will undoubtedly overheat causing anything from no noticable difference to voltage spikes and under/over voltage that can damage the motherboard and/or anything else in the computer. If your fan has stopped working you need to get a replacement PS as soon as possible and I would advise against using the computer until you do.

Of course, it could be that the fan just needs a good cleaning out if too much dust and dirt is trapped on the fins. Try cleaning first and if it still doesn't work, replace ASAP.

[redwudz]

Most PS fans are 8CM, just like the average case fan. To be on the safe side, remove the PS from the computer and wait a few hours before opening it. There are no high voltages in there when unplugged, but there are high currents, enough to melt the metal end of a screwdriver if you poke it in the wrong place. Picture arc welding.

See what the fan connectors are. Some wiring connectors use a 2 pin plug, some 3, some are soldered directly to a circuit board. If the replacement fan doesn't have the same connector, you would have to splice the wires into the old cable and plug. These would need to be soldered and insulated. Shrink tubing is the best. Tape can unravel.

I would only do this with a brand name PS that is less than 3 or 4 years old. Anything else, replace it with a name brand PS. This is not a place to save money with a bargain PS, because if the PS goes, it may take all the rest of the computer with it.

Depending on your power needs, you should be able to get a good PS for about $50US. $15-25 will not get you much. $100US or more, only if you really want overkill. I run 6 hard drives and two optical drives with a 480W PS and it doesn't even run warm. 450W is a good average for most modern machines. A brand such as Antec, Thermatake, Enermax, Vantec, or similar is good.

EDIT: This probably doesn't apply to your problem, but some PS's use an external fan connection to the motherboard and the MB monitors the fan. Some PS fans are thermally controlled and may not run untill the PS warms up a little. That is rare, though. Most thermal fans will just turn at lower speeds when the PS is cool.

[Nelson37]

For less than $50 I would under no circumstances risk the loss of all components and data on my PC, possible electrocution, and burning my house to the ground (possibly with my entire family still inside) to repair a PS unit when it is old enough to have had the fan fail. There is a reason they say "no user servicable parts inside". Replace it.