External Case Cooling

[linnemeyerhere]

Overkill and only a tiny drop is needed and nothing a spray can can deliver. Better to get some good lube in a pen tube with needle for exact placement. Note: dis-assembly is required and not suggested till needed. Side note: the oil will cost as much as the replacement fan. lol

 

[seekermeister]

Disassemble...what does that mean? I know how to R&R a fan, but I've never seen a means to disassemble one.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

http://www.ehow.com/how_4827149_apart-computer-fan.html

 

[seekermeister]

Thanks, that made it clear enough.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Cool, get it ! lol

 

[seekermeister]

I just started to install the new fan, but run into a problem I never anticipated. Even though it is a small two pin fan, like the old one, the connector is somewhat larger and won't fit the connector on the case. I would have thought that a two pin connector is just a two pin connector. I guess that I can splice the wire from the old fan into the new one, but that is not something that I like the idea of.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

That is odd, no amount of playing with it will get it to slide onto the three pin? Don't worry about grafting the old to the new and in fact you'll be able to customize the wire length and as it only carry a small voltage you can just wrap with electrical tape or shrink tube. Get the wires correct or the fan will spin in reverse.

 

[seekermeister]

You misunderstand, neither of the connectors are 3 pin, both are just 2 pin. The fan's connector is just slightly wider and deeper than the connector on the case. The difference small, but enough to make it impossible to use. As far as color matching, that is no problem, since I'm not color blind.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Sorry you're having this issue I guess there needs to be some standardization in the fan world.

 

[seekermeister]

I couldn't find my electrical tape, and don't have any shrink tube, so I used a couple of crimp connectors instead. The job is done, despite the hassles, but at least I don't have to listen to the rattling of the old fan anymore. Now to tackle the other case on my HTPC, so it won't rattle in my sleep.

 

[seekermeister]

Overkill and only a tiny drop is needed and nothing a spray can can deliver. Better to get some good lube in a pen tube with needle for exact placement. Note: dis-assembly is required and not suggested till needed. Side note: the oil will cost as much as the replacement fan. lol

Even though the new fan was a lot quieter than the old, it still made a very low buzzing sound for the first day of operation. The ad that I bought them from didn't specify, but I'm assuming that they are sleeved, rather than ball bearing. Even though you said that they shouldn't be lubed until needed, I'm thinking that the noise it made indicated that it could use some additional lube....what do you think?

You mentioned using a pen lube, but didn't say which. Is there one that is better than others?

 

[GeneO]

Overkill and only a tiny drop is needed and nothing a spray can can deliver. Better to get some good lube in a pen tube with needle for exact placement. Note: dis-assembly is required and not suggested till needed. Side note: the oil will cost as much as the replacement fan. lol

Even though the new fan was a lot quieter than the old, it still made a very low buzzing sound for the first day of operation. The ad that I bought them from didn't specify, but I'm assuming that they are sleeved, rather than ball bearing. Even though you said that they shouldn't be lubed until needed, I'm thinking that the noise it made indicated that it could use some additional lube....what do you think?

You mentioned using a pen lube, but didn't say which. Is there one that is better than others?

Sleeves are in general quieter than ball bearing as long as they are upright (fan is vertical). If sleeves fans are horizontal, the lubricant is drawn away from the sleeve and they are noisy and will wear out. .

 

[seekermeister]

It is upright, but of course it wasn't prior to being installed. I suppose that wouldn't matter, so long as it wasn't running, but maybe? In any case, what about a brand of pen lube...any opinion?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Amazon.com: Progold Cable Luber Pen: Sports & Outdoors
http://www.padlockoutlet.com/Super_Lube_High_Viscosity_Oil_with_PTFE_Teflon-7ml_Precision_Oiler.html

 

[seekermeister]

Thanks. I know that since I did ask your opinion, I shouldn't ask you to explain it, but I am curious why you prefer a lube designed for bycycle cables, rather than something like WD-40 or Superlube?

 

[seekermeister]

Amazon.com: Progold Cable Luber Pen: Sports & Outdoors
Super Lube High Viscosity Oil with PTFE Teflon, 7ml Precision Oiler Pen - 51010

EDIT: Oops!, I didn't see your second link until after posting. That only leaves WD-40.

EDIT: No, I remember now that WD-40 doesn't have a needle applicator.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

The viscosity of these pen lubes are perfect for all precision gears and surfaces. This isn't chain lube so get that out of your head. Today bike chains are best served by dry lubes like waxes and the like. But where you need just a dab of precision lube then the pen is the bomb.

 

[seekermeister]

I didn't say chain lube, I said cable lube. The reason is because the link that you provided, and an ad for it found on eBay both say that it is for bycycle cables. I'm certain that it would be good for more than that, but it appears to be it's primary purpose.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Sorry about that, yes this would be great for cables as well that aren't treated with Teflon already. This stuff is great for all those light to medium duty lubrication needs where you don't use or want greases and a light penetrating oil like WD40 is just won't last for the time needed.

 

[seekermeister]

The fans that I bought are not holding up. It's only been about 4 months and both of them are making a racket. I've already oiled one of them several times, which helped for a while, but even that isn't taking care of the problem now. I think that we already worked the problem about as far as we can, because there seems to be very little choice of fans available. I'm not anxious to waste more money on more of the same fans, but I'm not anxious to buy two more new external cases either.

I'm refreshing this thread, just in case someone has a new idea to consider.