OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

How much warmth the old 486's power supply produces? Is it certain that something will be damaged if I remove the fan? It's the only fan in the machine so removing it would make it silent.

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

Depends on the temperature in the room. Think it's dangerous for your power supply, anyway (and it will be very hard to find another one, if it's an AT model...). Nethertheless, if you try to remove it, remove the PC cover too.

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

Better to put a resistor on it with a temperature detector.
There are cheap ones that you just solder into the power vire to the fan.

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

Or try to find a more discrete fan, if the one you have is too old http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've never changed a fan inside a power supply but I suppose it won't be very easy to change. Hmm... after reconsidering the matter it might be easy to change if I just open the power supply (I've never done that http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif ) But if I'd buy a new fan to it the fan would be more expensive than the whole computer http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

I think I'll done nothing to the computer. It's just an old junk which I use seldom (but I don't want to break it however).

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

I would discourage you from trying to remove the fan. I'd suggest finding a sourse of "white sound" or "background noise". What I mean is play a CD with music that counters what I am guessing is a high pitch whine. something with a deaper bass might work.

What ever you do:
Backup your data. If that power supply goes you may not be able to find a replacement.

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

If the issue is cost you might help the situation a lot by simply making sure the fan blades and air vents are clean. A thin layer of dust is enough to cause a significant db increase in noise. Also make sure the fan is mounted tightly to the supply and the supply is mounted tightly to the cabniet as vibrations cause noise as well. It won't make the fan silent, but it could drop it below the threshold of what your ears percieve as annoying.

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

Yes, removing or disabling the fan is likely to cause problems. Those old power supplies may have had a bit less wattage but they definitely built up a lot of heat. It's dangerous to even open the power supply, actually. There are capacitors in their which hold very large charges for a long time.

There are 'special' power supplies available these days with very quiet fans if all you want is a lower noise level. I don't know if they are available for the old AT type systems, though. They might only be available for ATX systems. You'll have to do some Googling and see what turns up. Try searching for something like 'quiet power supply'...

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

Some PSU’s will not start unless they detect the fan. A trick that you can use to quiet them down is to take the 5+ lead and connect it to the 3.3v rail. Fan will run about 40% slower.

Re: OT: Removing fan from 486\'s power supply?
 

The only purpose of the computer is to work as a electronic dictionary (my main computer isn't there where I need the dictionary) so I don't want to take pains with it. I just asked if it doesn't need the fan because it would have been an easy and fast way to muffle it.

Gryphin:
Hey thanks, that's a good idea I haven't even thought about it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif As I said the computer is only an old 486 and I just took it from the storage so there's nothing important to backup.

Geoschmo:
Thanks, I'll check those. Perhaps I'll also remove the safety grid from the front of the fan.

Baron:
Hmm, I think a new special silent power supply to an ancient computer would be a bit exaggeration, even if I'd manage to found one somewhere.

Thermodyne:
Do you think it will still cool enough?