What PSUs 'mod' well? Or better yet: What are indications?

intx · Post by **intx** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:37 pm

I want to mod a PSU with a panaflo or alike quieter fan. There are posts about concerns that a PSU will overheat and die, killing all the components. Not exactly something I want happen

What PSUs won't overheat if I put a panaflo in them? I'm guessing most, if not all PSU fans are more powerful than a panaflo low fan, so whatever I'm going to mod it with will be less powerful.

I know Seasonics are a good choice, well at least a popular choice here, but unfortunately I don't know of any supplier in Canada who sells them. And the good models are ratherly on the very expensive side.

Zyzzyx · Post by **Zyzzyx** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 10:24 pm

For what its worth, I successfully modded some super cheap Sparkle 250W PSUs I had laying around. Put a 5V Panaflo in them and had no problems. But, these were also in an AMD K6-266 and a P2-300; not exactly the most power hungry or hot-running systems.

Used those for over one year. Had other problems that retired the systems, nothing with the PSUs. Though I did pull out the Panaflos and trash those PSUs with the dead systems.

calam63 · Post by **calam63** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 10:26 pm

i think mike is selling his own batch of modded seasonics

lenny · Post by **lenny** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 3:08 am

If you're worried about your PSU getting too hot with a Panaflo L, try ducting. If it gets cool(er) outside air instead of warm air from inside the case, it'll stay cooler.

alleycat · Post by **alleycat** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 3:10 am

I've modded a measly 145W PSU with a 5V Panaflo 80L. I'm only running a C3 processor, which doesn't pump out a lot of watts. However, that 5V Panaflo is the only fan in the entire system (processor "passively" cooled). When I put it together I ran Prime95 continuously for a week during summer... it's now 18 months later and still going strong.

bomba · Post by **bomba** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 5:57 am

As mentioned by calm63, you can order a pre-modded Seasonic from Mike C.; look for his stick post in the deals forum.

For a DIY, budget solution, I had success modding the FSP300-60PFN, an 80mm fanned active PFC Fortron-Sparkle PSU. Looks like the 300w version is still available for $17 from D&B enterprioses in San Diego. Call 'em, I'll bet they'll ship to you. I modded two of these by cutting away the stamped fan grilles, swapping in EAR isolated 80mm L1A's, and relocating the thermisor several mm away from the heat sink. Nice & quiet, cool-running PSU w/ active PFC on the cheap!

greeef · Post by **greeef** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 8:19 am

i used this logic - my psu fan is thermally controlled. At full rpm this fan is louder than any other components in my rig. Therefore, if i cant hear it, my psu isnt being damaged

griff