vantec aeroflow won't spin

[TheDoktor]

Hi all,

I got the Vantec Aeroflow to help me go throuhg the tough summer.

The problem is when I connect it, it tries to start but eventually does not spin. Other fans work perfectly connected to the same spot on the board.
I also tried to connect the fan to other spots on the board and it did not work. I tried to connect it to another pc and it worked.

What can be the problem? Maybe my power supply is too low?

My system is:
AMD Athlon XP 1900+
MSI KT3 Ultra-ARU
512 MB Corsair PC3200

The power supply is a 300W by HEC

Thanks

 

[Howard]

Can you spin it easily with your finger?

 

[TheDoktor]

Yes I can.
Actually, I did some more testing. It turns out that the fan spins fine when you connect it to all the power spots on the board if you hold it a little further from its original location (on top of the cpu...)
when you get it close to this location, it stops rotating. I have a feeling this has to do with magnetic interference, maybe from the psu.
in any case, some things can be ruled out at this point:
1. the fan is not damanged.
2. there is enough power in the board to spin this fan, even to start it.

ideas?

 

[Hankysmoo]

maybe just a dead fan? can you try it on another psu?

 

[MDE]

Just return the thing and say it doesn't work, not worth beating your head off the wall over a heatsink. BTW, I have that HSF and it's pretty good, if not a bit loud at full speed.

 

[TheDoktor]

To Hankysmoo - Like I wrote, the fan is definitely not dead. I will try another psu though.
To MonkeyDriveExpress - You're probably right...

 

[chocoruacal]

I wouldn't spend 2 seconds worrying about a CPU fan that has problems spinning....return it or throw it in the trash.

 

[Gaunt]

I knew someone else would have this problem eventually!

The fan is infact defective, return it, and get another, and hope it works, this is what I did. (or, if there's another HS/F you like, get that one instead, since it seems to be hit and miss with the Aeroflow).

Apparently the problem is that the YS-Tech fans are very sensitive, and if the screws aren't put in just right to attach them to the heatsink, they will cause a short. When the heatsink is sitting on your CPU, it's grounded somewhat, and this causes issues with the fan spinning. If you plug the Aeroflow into an extra fan header, and leave your old heatsink/fan on the chip, and turn it on, the Aeroflow will most likely run fine while it is in your hand. If you set it on the bottom of the case, it will have trouble spinning up.

YS-Tech says this isn't a problem with its fans, it's a problem with the way manufacturers are using them... go figure. Anyhow, mine has been fine since I replaced it, although I look through the window sometimes when I boot up, just to make sure the fan starts spinning.

Edit: RPM values from the YS-Tech fans have issues on quite a few boards, so don't be surprised if you can't get a reasonable value. Mine fluctuates constanting from 0 to 8000 to 1000 to 0, etc... if I set my bios to powerdown if fan isn't spinning, my system never starts.

One more thing... the cooling provided by this HS/F, if it works, is actually quite good... Definately cooler than my old Valcano 6+ cu.

 

[TheDoktor]

This is exactly what's hapenning! When I hold it up in my hand, it works. When I put it down, it stops. Unbeliebale.

Thanks,
You convinced me to replace it to some other model. Top much headache for an HSF.