Quieting a PCP&C Turbo Cool 510?

[beavis88]

Title says it all...anyone have any suggestions for quieting this bugger down? Particularly when the system is loaded up (and thus warmer), the fan noise is really irritating. I've installed one of those rubber grommet jobbies around the mounting point, which helped kill what little bit of vibration induced noise there was. Placing a bit of foam on the wall behind the fan exhaust helps to muffle it a little bit (relative to the sound bouncing off drywall, anyway), but I'd like to quiet it even further. Any suggestions? I'm not too keen on cracking it open to replace the fan, but I might consider it if it would really cut down on the noise :) I've also considered moving the PSU to the bottom spot in my case (Lian Li PC-G70) so it will get less hot air rising into it, but I'm not sure it would be worth the trouble....maybe I should have just bought a quieter unit to begin with? :p Thanks in advance.

[jonnyGURU]

Usa a slower fan or mod that fan with a resistor to input 7V instead of 12V?

[beavis88]

I guess that would fall under the "crack the case open" department eh? :) Any feel for what kind of competence would be required to do this, and whether or not 7V would be enough cooling when loaded up? I'm moderately handy, but definitely not comfortable with too much electrical work, soldering, etc...

[Spectre]

Put it in a closet?

[GalvanizedYankee]

*IF* the unit is still under it's 3 year warrenty, call PCP&C for a fan change. The early units had a hookin' fan, later units had a different fan and *maybe* a better fan controller. Call'em and hear what they have to offer. The original fan might have had the lube dry out or a bearing go bad, both would increase noise. IIRC, that unit uses a NIDEC fan @ 44.5cfm peak.
I've modded several PSUs that use 80mm fans for external 92x38mm fans via an adapter. This really quiets them down w/o reducing cfm.

NOTE: Bonding an 80x25mm @ 30cfm to the intake grill, next to where the harness exits, will help cool down the thermal sensor that controlls the exhaust fan's voltage. This helps!
Good fan for this application because it is seven bladed. Bond with four dots of silicone adhesive.
http://www.provantage.com/arctic-acf8~7ARCT006.htm

NOTE: The 510TC uses Teapo capacitors and they do not like running hot, so do not reduce cfm on this fine PSU.

[WonderSausage]

Bearings went out on mine, PCP&C sent a replacement for free, but I was surprised at how noisy that fan is when brand new. Yes, the one I replaced had a nasty bearing rattle, but the new one was definitely poor dB/CFM. At least the PCP&C replacements come with a quick disconnect so it's a breeze to replace.

Hardly anyone makes a decent 80mm fan anymore. I was going to replace my PCP&C Nidec with a Sanyo Denki (king of fans) but couldn't find 'em anymore.

I gave up on the Turbo-Cool 510 and replaced it with a Seasonic. The TC510 was a solid unit at a time where many PSes were crap but by today's standards its efficiency sucks and it has no active PFC.

WS

[WonderSausage]

Actually I just went and looked and the replacement wasn't a Nidec, it was a Delta EFB8012EH. 5000rpm, 52CFM, 42dB.

WS

[JEDIYoda]

Bearings went out on mine, PCP&C sent a replacement for free, but I was surprised at how noisy that fan is when brand new. Yes, the one I replaced had a nasty bearing rattle, but the new one was definitely poor dB/CFM. At least the PCP&C replacements come with a quick disconnect so it's a breeze to replace.

Hardly anyone makes a decent 80mm fan anymore. I was going to replace my PCP&C Nidec with a Sanyo Denki (king of fans) but couldn't find 'em anymore.

I gave up on the Turbo-Cool 510 and replaced it with a Seasonic. The TC510 was a solid unit at a time where many PSes were crap but by today's standards its efficiency sucks and it has no active PFC.
WS

How old was your 510?

According to there website and when I bought my first 510 it has an PFC curciut.....also ther is alot more too a PSU than just efficiency!!

But you are right there are alot of good PSI`s on the market today!

[WonderSausage]

How old was your 510?


Ordered direct January 21, 2005.

WS

[beavis88]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I actually have two of these PSUs, both purchased very recently (during a fit of rage over the death of my 2nd Antec PSU in as many months, and associated loss of disk partition integrity). They are quite new, and have pretty much always sounded like this, so I don't think it's a case of the fan going bad.

If PCP&C doesnt have any non-warranty-voiding suggestions for me, I'll definitely try an extra fan on the intake.

Re crappy 80mm fans - I have an 80mm SilenX fan that is very, very quiet as long as you're not running it at full tilt...but they are a little pricey..

[GalvanizedYankee]

The Arctic fan I linked is 38mm thick. Just recently I read where someone used 3M double sided sticky foam tape to surface mount some fans.
Just mount it close to the harness' exit hole.