SPCR

My SuperFlower PSU fan has never been very quiet but now it seems to have some bearing noise as well.
According to a review it runs at 1200 rpm and since I never pull even 100 watts I guess a 900 rpm fan should do.

Of course there's also the problem of low starting voltage and also whether a PWM fan would be OK or should I stick with a classic 3 pin one?

Maybe a Noctua would do?

http://noctua.at/en/nf-p14s-redux-900.html
http://noctua.at/en/nf-a14-flx.html
First one is a bit cheaper but which one has better static pressure?

I already have an Antec TrueQuiet 140 case fan but I've read sleeve bearing fans aren't good in horizontal positions and this one is also weak at static pressure.

SF fan could be a 135mm one, so that a 140mm may not fit.

At any rate, try to drive the fan by an external header, as it's probably the Golden Green fan controller to be too much conservative (aggressive).

The fan fitted to your PSU is a 140mm model by Globe, a ball-bearing fan with a starting voltage of 6V. If you can find one locally the Gelid Solutions Silent 14 140mm 3-pin fan would be a reasonable replacement. It has a Fluid Dynamic bearing, runs at 1000 rpm max and will start at 5V. Alternatively the 7V start voltage of the Noctua fans may not be too much of a problem if the current fan is starting at 6V.

lodestar wrote:the Gelid Solutions Silent 14 140mm 3-pin fan would be a reasonable replacement. It has a Fluid Dynamic bearing, runs at 1000 rpm max and will start at 5V

Did you try some?

Yes. They are significantly cheaper than Noctua and from what I could hear at short range not as quiet. But once fitted in a PSU I am not sure if it would make any difference in practice.

Find the specs of the fan first, sub it for something that has similar range, most the fans i seen on PSU go from 1500 to 2200, or around there, so first research, if you dont give it enough cooling you will short its life.

The OP has the specs, it is a 1200 rpm 140mm fan with a starting voltage of 6V. Closest match is probably the Noctua NF-P14s Redux 1200 rpm, although it has a starting voltage of 7V. The issue I found with replacing PSU fans is the economics. The Redux fan is about 20% of the cost of replacing this particular PSU with a new unit. That's why the somewhat cheaper Gelid might be worth a try, despite its slower top speed.

lodestar wrote:from what I could hear at short range not as quiet. But once fitted in a PSU I am not sure if it would make any difference in practice.

There are good sounding fans for cheap around, that Gelid should be really good to be preferred to some SPCR favourites like the Nzxt FN V2 140mm ("exquisite" said Lawrence Lee: rifle, 4V starting, 1000rpm), or to some well renowned ones, like the be quiet! Pure Wings 140mm (rifle, 5V starting, 1000rpm).

lodestar wrote:The Redux fan is about 20% of the cost of replacing this particular PSU with a new unit. That's why the somewhat cheaper Gelid might be worth a try, despite its slower top speed.

I don't know whether that economics works: the Golden Green GX is not a cheap unit (around 105-110 euros/83-85 GBP in Romania) and a good one (modular, jap caps, 1% load regulation, gold efficiency), so that it's not unthinkable to spend around 19 euros/15 GBP (in Romania) for a good fan.

Yes, the cost of a like-for-like replacement will vary according to the location. The power unit I was looking at was actually the Golden Green HX 550W Gold where in the UK the cheapest price is £55, which seemed similar to the GX. However it is probably a cheaper model. The typical price for the Redux fan here is around £13.

I paid for mine almost 70 euros but it was on sale. Normally it costs 100 euros!

I don't see the value in buying a new PSU unless switching to a fanless one which is 150+. The only issue with buying a new fan is renouncing the 4 more years of warranty that I've got but my SPCR credentials say "do it" .

I will first try regreasing the bearing and maybe hooking the fan to a voltage reducer or a MB header.
Meanwhile I'll read up on the NZXT and be quiet, they both seem cheaper than the Noctua. I can't find the Gelid locally.

lodestar wrote:actually the Golden Green HX 550W Gold where in the UK the cheapest price is £55

Just as a side note: the HX is a fixed cabling, worst fan (sigh!) and chinese caps equipped version of that GX, hence the price difference I guess.

Lucky Luciano wrote:I will first try regreasing the bearing and maybe hooking the fan to a voltage reducer or a MB header.

I can't say whether you can refill that fan: though it's sleeve bearing, it's a "ceramic" one ("Duro Bearing"), so it might be sealed/unrefillable. In case, let us know!

I've opened the psu and fan(it was indeed a Globe fan). Noise source turned out to be fan blades somehow rubbing against the struts. I removed a spring that was pushing on the bearings and now the fan hangs lower. It's quieter now, tho there's still a bit of bearing rumble and the higher than desired whoosh so I still plan to at least lower the speed somehow or swap the fan.

There were two sealed ball bearings inside. I couldn't open them, tho.