A Possible Improvement For A Fan That Whines

[BonzaiDuck]

I never investigated this possibility before, but my electronics technician friend in Woodbridge, VA swears that it yields vast improvements for noisy fans.

Apparently, the fan bearings can be lubricated. Again, forgive my naive enthusiasm about this, but I never considered it before.

A small pocket-knife blade can be use to lift the round manufacturer's label on the exhaust-side of the fan. Under the label, probably in dead-center, there should be a plastic or rubber seal which just lifts up with the seal -- stuck to the adhesive side.

My friend suggests that a drop or two of teflon grease significantly decreases the noise attributable to fan bearings.

One wonders whether manufacturers test noise-level only for well-lubricated fans with no motor whine, or if they simply choose "typical" product sample.

 

[Squally Leonharty]

Heh, I've done this with my HDD coolers a long time ago when they stopped rotating after about 6 months of service. After doing that, they were humming happily again and it's been 1 year now and they're still working. 😀

Edit: And noise is now not as noticable as before.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

goto siliconacoustics.com they have some cool fan decouplers that work wonders

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: Squally Leonharty
Heh, I've done this with my HDD coolers a long time ago when they stopped rotating after about 6 months of service.

I have a two year old GF 3 Ti 200 with a dead (semi-frozen bearing) fan. I believe I've seen comments that those can be re-lubed and put back in service again. Anyone reading the thread know where to look up the procedure for that situation?




:beer:

 

[Steelerz37]

I use some Hoppes Gun Oil on my fans. Seems to work great. Had a noisy Northbridge fan put some of that in there and havent heard a noise.