Anyone has ideas on what this component might be?

[Neolemon]

Hi All,

Unfortunately, I wasn't careful enough while taking a cooling fan apart (I just wanted to clean it and replace the bearings...).
This is a 4-wires 12V cooling fan with quite a lot of electronics inside. Unfortunately, there are no stickers or markings on the fan itself, so I don't know what model it is. I damaged some component on the PCB, here:

The component I damaged has 4 legs and comes with an "SF" marking on it

It was installed in a hole in the PCB:

(There are no traces or components on the other side of the PCB. And only that "clean" side of the PCB is visible until you take the whole thing apart. It really looked like a plastic latch to me, so I just pushed it - only then to realize I shouldn't have done it...)

Here's the component itself:

It doesn't look like there's a chance to revive it.

I thought it's a kind of an RPM sensor. Maybe something like this? Though, the fan doesn't even start without it.
Does anyone have ideas on what this thing might be?


P.S. Without this component, the fan jerks once when power is applied, but doesn't start at all.

 

[Thebobo]

Q = transistor R= resistor D= Diode
H= hardware which it is not, but does that H1 belong with that device? I can't find anything online with SF etc. Any other markings on the bottom side?

 

[SKORPI0]

Look, I found this thread asking about it dated Nov 2017..
http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10630

 

[Thebobo]

Look, I found this thread asking about it dated Nov 2017..
http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10630

Lol good find I was wondering when searching for image search I came up with the same pics posted here I thought damn google is fast. Well he's determined to fix this I guess.

 

[William Gaatjes]

If it is mounted on a hole through the pcb, it is proably a sensor. A Hall sensor.

 

[Thebobo]

If it is mounted on a hole through the pcb, it is probably a sensor. A Hall sensor.

Looks like you solved it

http://chinaprices.net/buy-lmp-h201...-bare-lamp-free-shipping-aliexpress-4D41D48ED

 

[William Gaatjes]

Looks like you solved it

http://chinaprices.net/buy-lmp-h201...-bare-lamp-free-shipping-aliexpress-4D41D48ED

I am having often fun with electronic components.
A component with a hole underneath in the pcb is either a led or a sensor. IR or hall sensor.
In rare occasions, it is a high voltage component and the hole (between pins) is used to create more creeping clearance (creepage).

 

[Thebobo]

Now if the guy ever comes back ~ looks likes he's been looking for 2 years. Maybe in another two years ~