problem with unscrewing a fan from my case

[matador_de_sa]

As the title suggests, I can't seem to be able to unscrew a fan from my case. I don't remember having to put too much for into screwing it in. However now the screws absolutely refuse to move. I'm afraid if I use an electric drill I'll strip the hell out of the screws. I was putting enough force on the screws that I was almost messing up the metal on the head of the screw, and it still wouldn't move.

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions on how to unscrew this damn fan?

 

[tamalero]

As the title suggests, I can't seem to be able to unscrew a fan from my case. I don't remember having to put too much for into screwing it in. However now the screws absolutely refuse to move. I'm afraid if I use an electric drill I'll strip the hell out of the screws. I was putting enough force on the screws that I was almost messing up the metal on the head of the screw, and it still wouldn't move.

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions on how to unscrew this damn fan?

are you triying to unscrew it while the metal is hot?
remember, hot = expands metal
cold = makes metal more compact..

 

[croc]

Left is out, right is in.... Usually.

OK joke time over. As mpfamily (needs a shorter name) said you might need to use a little destructive force. Are you trying to replace the fan because its defective? Yes? Kill the fan mounts, the plastic dust is non-conductive. No? tear your system down to a bare-bones case, drill out the offending buggers... Vaccuum out the metal debris, and re-assemble. Actually, once you are down to a bare case and a fan with recalcitrant screws, there are many ways of destruction that one can try. Dykes come to mind, (no, the wire cutting kind....) as well as small vice grip or small slip joint pliers....

Be aware that if you have cross threaded the holes, they may be FUBAR. But NOT beyond all repair, you just need to drill out the holes, then use some suitable (10 x 40?) bolts, nuts, washers... Etc. And then you are good to go again.

Cheap as chips solutions, all of the above... But it really is a pain tearing down everything for just four recalcitrant screws...

My 2p....

 

[matador_de_sa]

Well that's just the problem... the reason I want it gone is not that it's defective it's that 1) it's blowing the wrong way, and 2) it's really loud and I can't sleep with it on, but it's my only fan so if I turn it off my computer burns itself up.

tamalero, that was the first thing I did. My room is about 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) but it didn't help.

Sorry, but I'm an extreme noob when it comes to anything technical. Can you be a little more specific as to what I need to do to get this POS (that's piece of sh** in case you didn't know) fan out of my case? It's really not that big of deal to bust it up, it was like a $3 fan that I probably will never use again in my life, but it still works so if I can remove it without breaking it that would be great.

 

[croc]

Oh... Only blowing the wrong way? Is it a two wire or a three or more wire fan?

Doesn't matter.... Usually, (and I say USUALLY) the red and black wires are the +12v and GND wires. Remove them from the connector, swap them. SHOULD do the job. But don't hold me responsible....

(most fans have an arrow on them showing flow direction, for future reference)

 

[matador_de_sa]

It's not just that I want to switch the flow, that's fairly unimportant to me. The main thing I want is to be able to get a decent fan so I don't have to keep my room freezing cold to keep my computer at a decent temperature. I'll try switching the wires, but if it breaks then I'll hold you responsible and I'll demand that you explain to me how to get this thing out of my case. I'll try it when I wake up tomorrow though.

 

[croc]

Whoa!.. I said no responsibility.... I can't be responsible for all the various wirings of all the fans on the market! Go back to my first post, strip your case down to just the fan, and then destroy to your heart's content. Then, I'll tend to be a bit more responsible. Don't forget the vaccuum bit...

 

[matador_de_sa]

I think I'm just gonna drill out the screws and use some bolts and nuts to fasten my fan in. I've always had trouble with unscrewing fans, but it's never been this bad.

 

[Crashman]

Yes switching the red and black wire would reverse the fan direction.

No it won't, most brushless fans won't run backwards.