Replacing a Zalman PSU cooling fan

[NotoriousJTC]

I've a have Zalman ZM400B-APS PSU. It's worked great for a few years, but the fan has recently begun to make a lot of noise and i think it needs to be replaced. Reading around on this subject has raised a few questions from me:

1) Are the connectors on PSU cooling fans different from those on CPU, video card, etc? I've done a bit of research and it appears if i want to slide in a replacement ill need to cut off the connector on the old fan and attach it the my new one.

2) Basically any connector on a standard 80mm fan won't work?

3) Suggestions for a good, quiet replacement fan?

4) Safety suggestions for someone who knows little about electrical safety?


Thanks.

 

[mpilchfamily]

It is do able to replace the fan but not recomended. Also that is an older low power PSU. it may be in your best intreast to replace it completely. A 400W PSu with only 18A on the 12V rails won't be any good for any futer upgrades you may want to make.

But if your going to do it any fan will do. The fan in the PSU is connected by a little 2 pronged connector. That connector may be glued down. Just pull the old fan out and cutt off the connector about a half inch or so above the connector. Then cut the connector off the new fan and solder the PSU connector to the fan and your all set. Just be sure to have the PSU completly removed from the system and short the greeen wire and black wire of the 24 pin main connector to remove any charge that may still be held in the capacitors. Otherwise serious injury or death can occure from poking around inside the PSU.

 

[NotoriousJTC]

Good stuff, thanks.

What are the chances that the connector for the fan is removable without cutting and joining? Anybody familiar with the model i have or Zalman PSU fans in general that may know how they've connected it?

 

[mpilchfamily]

The connection isn't used by any standard fan. Most fans either have the 3/4 pin motherboard connection or the 4 pin molex. The PSU uses a 2 pin connection.

Here is a nice walkthrew of the prosses. You can see in the pics what the fan connector looks like in the 1st and 4th picture. This guy went threw the trouble of chaging out the conection. That involves removing the PCB of the PSU from teh case which puts you at greater risk of electic shock. Its much easier to change the fan's connection.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/.../viewtopic.php?t=36551