Fortron power supply with 120mm fan

JimK · Post by **JimK** » Thu May 01, 2003 3:52 pm

Newegg has the Retail version of the FSP300-60PN for only $27

Plus $5 shipping.

They ship the OEM version FREE

Cost $32.

I don't know which one to buy

But that cool blue box is worth the extra $0.00

Want to bet this will add to the confusion. Look at the photos, they photographed two different units (check the S/Ns)!

Post by **NeilBlanchard** » Thu May 01, 2003 7:56 pm

Hello:

I got the OEM version, and it also comes with the pretty blue box -- so I got the better deal (free shipping!)

The specs have been edited since I bought -- they made no mention of noise levels or air flow. And it says that it has a ball bearing fan.

Riffer · Post by **Riffer** » Fri May 02, 2003 4:22 pm

Still no Canadian source?

This sucks.

Kawboy · Post by **Kawboy** » Fri May 02, 2003 4:54 pm

I haven't found either a Canadian source or a place that willingly ships to Canada. The closest I've found is xpdirect.com for the 350w Fortrons, but they want to be prepaid with paper (no Paypal or Visa, etc) and they want $20 US ($30 in Canuck bucks) for shipping. Apart from the costly shipping, they obviously aren't very interested in my business if they won't take my plastic (the crack cocaine of online business) and give me the added protection of having Visa on my side if something goes wrong.

I've hounded quite a few online (18ish) and local Canadian sources for the Sparkle and AOpen branded versions with no luck so far. One place went to far as to tell me that they hit every Canadian supplier except Synnex, which they didn't deal with. I don't know if any of my other contacts dealt with them or not. I'm in the process of emailing them right now to see if they can supply it to their resellers.

Alistair · Post by **Alistair** » Fri May 02, 2003 5:02 pm

If there is enough demand (more than 5), i may import some for canadian buyers. Send me a private message if you're interested.

Kawboy · Post by **Kawboy** » Sun May 04, 2003 4:38 pm

Source for Canadians!

I just got an email from Jim Hanson at coolcases.com about getting the Sparkle FSP350-60PN. The site's ordering for Canada is currently broken, but I got this information about a workaround-

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, we're updating the site to solve that--I ship to Canada all the time. However, we generally use the postal services to do it. Small items go by USPS surface or air international, and cases go by surface international. That eliminates the high brokerage fees on your end.

BTW, using surface for cases, none have taken more than ten business days to get there--and it's reasonably priced, IMHO.

So, do this: Go ahead with the e-commerce order, and use 55057 for a US Postal CODE. Then, in the comments field in the ordering process, enter your correct postal code. I do the invoicing, and I'll send you an e-mail about the amount you will be charged--
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jonestown · Post by **Jonestown** » Mon May 05, 2003 5:22 am

Just a few subjective comments from a relative newbie.

I got the 300w ($32) version from newegg.com to replace an Antec pp303x modded with panaflo L1A @7volts.

The Fortron definitely moves more air than the modded Antec.
The amount of noise seems fairly even between the two, except that there is a definite high pitch "whine" coming from the Fortron on the power line hooked to my Barracuda IV. When I unplugged the power feed to the Barracuda, the "whine" went away. I tried different power feeds to the Barracuda, but no change. There is no "whine" with the Antec.

I really like the PSU, but is there anything I can do (is there a certain power feed for the hard drive only)?

Thanks,

Jonestown

herosformula · Post by **herosformula** » Mon May 05, 2003 8:33 am

I had a similar whine, and since I have two IVs - no wonder it was so loud.

IceFire · Post by **IceFire** » Tue May 06, 2003 5:57 am

Just got my in the other day from Newegg. It is so quiet! The only way I can here it is to place my ears 3 inches from the PS. The CPU fan and the HD is the loudest now.

This is the best PS I have ever bought and is only $32 shipped!

aristide1 · Post by **aristide1** » Tue May 06, 2003 8:28 pm

I just installed my Fortron 120 and it's definitely quieter than my no-name ps. Now the big air mover in my system is a NMB exhaust fan. I even disconnected my NMB intake fan. I'm down to 3 fans.

Kawboy · Post by **Kawboy** » Wed May 07, 2003 2:26 am

Aristide1- do you have Seagate Barracuda IVs in your system? I'm just wondering about the whine that some people have been reporting when using the Fortron 120s with this PSU.

It isn't unique to this PSU/HD combination, because lots of others complain about PSU whine, but a few people noticing the same thing and posting about it can make something seem like a very common problem to a particular combination when it isn't necessarily. I'm considering this PSU and would hate to have to send it back because of a nasty whine (I'm running twin Cudas).

aristide1 · Post by **aristide1** » Wed May 07, 2003 3:33 am

I have an IBM Deskstar, 7200RPM IDE. It's probably the loudest thing in my system now.

PowerMan · Post by **PowerMan** » Wed May 07, 2003 10:26 am

I heard Fortron is going to have a newer version of the FSP350-60PN power supply with LED fan and manual fan speed switch. Does anyone know where can I get one?

Riffer · Post by **Riffer** » Wed May 07, 2003 3:40 pm

PowerMan wrote:I heard Fortron is going to have a newer version of the FSP350-60PN power supply with LED fan and manual fan speed switch. Does anyone know where can I get one?

We in Canada are still waiting for the original

Kawboy · Post by **Kawboy** » Thu May 08, 2003 2:42 am

Riffer- I found a spot that will _ship_ to Canada. That's a lot better than I could do for the first month I heard about them. The US dollar is going down the tubes, so that makes US mailorder much more attractive than it used to be, too.

That won't help you if you want to walk into a place and actually listen to it before buying it though. Hopefully it'll eventually make it into our retail chain somehow.

Riffer · Post by **Riffer** » Thu May 08, 2003 3:36 am

Kawboy wrote:Riffer- I found a spot that will _ship_ to Canada. That's a lot better than I could do for the first month I heard about them. The US dollar is going down the tubes, so that makes US mailorder much more attractive than it used to be, too.

That won't help you if you want to walk into a place and actually listen to it before buying it though. Hopefully it'll eventually make it into our retail chain somehow.

Thanks, I saw your post, but once you factor in Shipping Cost & GST/PST Collection, the cost and hassle factor goes up.

I suspect that, if they put the light in it, we will see it quickly enough.

JimK · Post by **JimK** » Thu May 08, 2003 3:34 pm

I think GamingGod posted something about one with Blue LEDs, about 1-2 months ago.

Found it:

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=3640

Mr_Smartepants · Post by **Mr_Smartepants** » Thu May 22, 2003 10:47 am

I just received my 120mm Fortron 300W PSU yesterday and did some initial tests. By jumpering the green wire with a black wire on the ATX connector enabled the PSU to turn on without being connected to the motherboard.
Damn this thing is quiet! Granted it was without load but it moves a decent amount of air and I couldn't hear it until I pressed my cheek against the metal case. I also checked by connecting my two new Baracuda IV 80GB drives into the PSU to check them out. No coil whine from mine. One of the cuda's had bearing whine so I disconnected it and ran with the silent one. Both were so silent I (and other bystanders) had to visually check for fan movement and touching the drive to feel vibrations to tell if they were in fact 'ON'. Wow, what a combo. I can't wait to install these in my Sonata and ditch that craptastic TruePower 380S that came with my case. Love the Sonata, hate the PSU!
I'll post results with everything under load.

Kostik · Post by **Kostik** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:14 am

Mr_Smartpants : did you get the (PF) version ? Mine has a ball bearing fan (as far as i know, the 'PF' version has a ball bearing fan, and the 'non pf' version has a sleeve bearing fan), and it's much more noisy than what you describe. It's quiet without a load, but when the cpu gets hot the fan speeds up and it becomes quite noisy. Would be alright if I wasn't folding 24/7

I'm trying to find a way to duct the cpu heatsink to blow its warm air to the rear of the case. Might be much quieter then.

Katana Man · Post by **Katana Man** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:24 am

The (PF) version is louder for more reasons than just the ball bearing/sleeve bearing difference. The non-(PF) version doesn't speed up like the (PF) version. I don't know why this the case, but I've heard more and more reports that the PF version runs louder under load. The non (PF) version does not seem to change fan speed at all.

Kostik · Post by **Kostik** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:35 am

Thanks for telling me Katana man, so I won't spend my money in quieter fans just to be disapointed (I was thinking about replacing the fan with a papst). I guess I'd better just buy a new PSU with a temp-controled 80mm fan and replace it with a panaflo.

Katana Man · Post by **Katana Man** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:36 am

You can't get a non (PF) version in your area?

aristide1 · Post by **aristide1** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:38 am

Unfortunately I don't see any listings for Fortrons with 120mm fans on NewEgg. Time to start complaining!

Mr_Smartepants, where did you get yours? Cost?

JimK · Post by **JimK** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:41 am

Got my 300w ($27+5s/h) two days ago and did a quick install. Been running with the side of the case off. This thing is quiet! Nice unit for the price, cannot spend much as the computer is not worth it. Learning as I go.

Katana Man · Post by **Katana Man** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:44 am

aristide1, look at the very first post for links on where to buy

Kostik · Post by **Kostik** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:56 am

Katana Man :

Quoted from this page :

Power factor correction is a required feature for power supplies shipped to Europe

I remember you warned people not to buy the PF version a few weeks ago. But I found a site that sold the PSU as a "FSP300-60PN", and didn't mention PFC. At that time I didn't know that PFC was a required feature in europe. I'll let you imagine how disapointed I was when I received my FSP300-60PN(PF).

aristide1 · Post by **aristide1** » Thu May 22, 2003 12:47 pm

aristide1, look at the very first post for links on where to buy

Thanks. The 350 watter was never available at NewEgg, it's about $55. That puts a Chenbro 611 and the 350 watter at about $100 total. Things could be worse. Same price as a SLK3700, but then you still need a power supply.

My alternative would be the SLK3700 plus a SilenX, about $200 total. Ugh.

What I would like to see is this unit with the fan moved to the outside, and the heatsinks from the 300watt Sparkle unit. Those things are big.

Mr_Smartepants · Post by **Mr_Smartepants** » Thu May 22, 2003 1:29 pm

Kostik wrote:Mr_Smartpants : did you get the (PF) version ?

I got this one from Newegg ($27) model# FSP300-60PN

I don't think it's APFC.
The circuit card that controls the fan is silkscreened "Fan Control v1.0". It's got micro-small surface mount resistors and an IC chip. I plan on looking at it closely under magnifying glass and drawing a circuit diagram for others to copy.

I haven't installed it yet. I just got done putting black expand-o-weeve on all the cables with heat-shrink (to make it pretty)

The fan must be a sleeve-bearing model. It makes very little noise! We'll see what happens when I put it under load for a couple hours.

Liquidated · Post by **Liquidated** » Thu May 22, 2003 3:20 pm

I picked up a Sparkle FSP350-60PN (non pfc) <--- it's a fortron fyi

from XpDirect for $48 minus shipping.

came alone with a powercord and nothing else but that's fine with me. Has a 115/230 switch on it but It's been years since I've lived in England to remember all else with regards to the voltage.

I jumpered the green to a black and turn it on... it's starts strong pushing alot of air then dies down to a nice low speed. The first time I did it I'd have thought it stopped working cept I knew to expect the slow down of the fan.

Absolutely no mechanical sounds coming from this psu unless my ear is less than in inch from the fan when I hear the air getting sucked in finally. The volume of air being moved at the slower speed is considerable and makes very little noise.

I fully expect the aftermarket add on outfits to start using this psu as the basis for their silent versions soon. It's simply amazing how quiet the 120 is while maintaining good airflow in a completely stock configuration. I'm not even going to bother to install fan isolators.

I've always used sparkle/fortron psus but this is the first one that just makes me gasp in amazement. it's a gem.

Cheers!
-Liq

Will35 · Post by **Will35** » Thu May 22, 2003 6:49 pm

I haven't installed it yet. I just got done putting black expand-o-weeve on all the cables with heat-shrink (to make it pretty)

I want some of that weave stuff! Tidy is a good thing. You have a source to share

Thanks, Will

Fortron power supply with 120mm fan

Newegg has Retail and OEM versions

the OEM comes with a blue box! ;-)

well