[SOLVED] PSU Fan Change?

Closery

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Jul 25, 2019
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Hey everyone,
One of the pc's at my home has Thermaltake TR2 Rx Power 550 PowerSupply and I'm pretty happy with it after those years but the fan itself is got very noisy. I tried lubricate it and it works for couple months but was not perment.
So I want to change it with brandnew 14CM Fan but is there anything I need to pay attention like PSU's have fans with 2 pin but on the market there are mostly 3 pin or 4 pin fans.

If I bought a 4 pin or 3 pin, it will be compatible? what kind of fan should I buy like high static or normal? 1200-1400 RPM will be enough? I'm kinda scared because you know, its a PSU, no kidding XD
Thanks in advance :)
 
Solution
Yes. If you got a high power fan it might not start spinning when it should, though it would eventually as the PSU warmed up.

Depends on how they did power delivery to the fan. They could do PWM to vary the power at 12V, which would be my guess, but since they aren't using a 4-pin fan they aren't using a PWM fan. (Ignore that if it doesn't make sense)

Eximo

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3-pin fans will spin up with just two pins. The third is the RPM sensor.

I would say a static pressure fan if you have a filtered intake for the PSU. Otherwise an airflow fan will probably be enough.

Might try to match the rough amperage of the fan as well, that way the starting characteristics are similar.

Of you can just try getting that exact Thermaltake fan model, shouldn't be too hard to find.
 
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Closery

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Jul 25, 2019
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3-pin fans will spin up with just two pins. The third is the RPM sensor.

I would say a static pressure fan if you have a filtered intake for the PSU. Otherwise an airflow fan will probably be enough.

Might try to match the rough amperage of the fan as well, that way the starting characteristics are similar.

Of you can just try getting that exact Thermaltake fan model, shouldn't be too hard to find.
Thanks for answer and yes, the case has filter on bottom so I will buy static presure. I don't think I can find exact fan because it's kinda old PSU from Thermaltake, I tried to find it but I couldn't.
I guess I gonna buy Arctic P14 Pwm Pst (0.12 A / 12 V DC) and also when you said "rough amperage" did you mean 0.12A thing right? (I'm kinda bad with electric knowledge :D)

Edit: I want to ask one more thing, when I connect 4 pin to 2 pin, I know it won't be PWM anymore but will it be running in high RPM or low?
 
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Eximo

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Yes. If you got a high power fan it might not start spinning when it should, though it would eventually as the PSU warmed up.

Depends on how they did power delivery to the fan. They could do PWM to vary the power at 12V, which would be my guess, but since they aren't using a 4-pin fan they aren't using a PWM fan. (Ignore that if it doesn't make sense)
 
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iPeekYou

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My 2 cents, I'd get a 3-pin fan if the PSU has the ability to control its fan speed. Reason being, 3-pin fans are designed to be controlled through voltage ramping up and down, while 4-pin fans are not. You can control a 4-pin fan with voltage alone, but that kind of fluctuation is bad for the PWM chip inside the fan.
 
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Paperdoc

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I agree with iPeekYou. Instead of the fan you linked to, get this Artcic P14 fan (plain, no PWM, no PST). It's a 3-pin unit with the same size, air flow and pressure ratings as the one you chose..

https://www.arctic.de/en/P14/ACFAN00123A

That fan will have three wires coming from it - Black, Red and Yellow. Black is the negative (Ground) to the fan motor, Red is the +12 VDC power supply, Yellow is for the fan speed signal. You will have to cut off the connector on the end. Also cut the 2-hole (female) connector off the end of the old fan's wires, leaving some wire for splicing. Splice Red to Red, Black to Black. Cut the Yellow wire a bit short, tape its end, coil it up, and stash it into a space inside the PSU where it will not interfere with anything. You do NOT connect that Yellow wire on the new fan to anything!

Look closely at the outside of the fan frame. Usually there will be two arrows. One points around to show the direction of blade rotation. The other points through the fan to show the direction of air flow. Mount the fan to get air flow correct.
 
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Closery

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Jul 25, 2019
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Yes. If you got a high power fan it might not start spinning when it should, though it would eventually as the PSU warmed up.

Depends on how they did power delivery to the fan. They could do PWM to vary the power at 12V, which would be my guess, but since they aren't using a 4-pin fan they aren't using a PWM fan. (Ignore that if it doesn't make sense)
My 2 cents, I'd get a 3-pin fan if the PSU has the ability to control its fan speed. Reason being, 3-pin fans are designed to be controlled through voltage ramping up and down, while 4-pin fans are not. You can control a 4-pin fan with voltage alone, but that kind of fluctuation is bad for the PWM chip inside the fan.
I agree with iPeekYou. Instead of the fan you linked to, get this Artcic P14 fan (plain, no PWM, no PST). It's a 3-pin unit with the same size, air flow and pressure ratings as the one you chose..

https://www.arctic.de/en/P14/ACFAN00123A

That fan will have three wires coming from it - Black, Red and Yellow. Black is the negative (Ground) to the fan motor, Red is the +12 VDC power supply, Yellow is for the fan speed signal. You will have to cut off the connector on the end. Also cut the 2-hole (female) connector off the end of the old fan's wires, leaving some wire for splicing. Splice Red to Red, Black to Black. Cut the Yellow wire a bit short, tape its end, coil it up, and stash it into a space inside the PSU where it will not interfere with anything. You do NOT connect that Yellow wire on the new fan to anything!

Look closely at the outside of the fan frame. Usually there will be two arrows. One points around to show the direction of blade rotation. The other points through the fan to show the direction of air flow. Mount the fan to get air flow correct.

Thank you so much for all these informations, it helps a lot to learn these. I ordered Arctic P14 Pwm Pst that day with Amazon quick shipping and then I realized my original 14cm fan is 12V 0.07A (arctic is 12V 0.12A) and according to these information it will not be ideal and maybe dangerous. (At least I can use that fan for pc case XD)

While messing with the original fan I realized someting is that the PSU cover which fan is mounted is kinda bent inward and I tried to turn the fan and saw the fan is little loose and rubbing the metal, so I just rebend the metal and it worked! (I also lubricated the fan, after all it was sitting there for years)

Again, thank you so much for help everyone 😄 👍
 
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