Ps3 12v Fan Mod With Potentiometer, Help Please Options

[FixItOrModIt]

Anybody know what potentiometer I need for the ps3's 12v 2.2a fan?

I have it wired to a 12v source right now and it is insanely loud

and would there be a way to make it so you can turn it down low or all the way up but not off?

Also, why is it pretty much impossible to find any info on fan mods for the fan that is already in the ps3?

Thanks

[FixItOrModIt]

think i found how to calculate what it needs to be capable of.

using an ohms law calculator

12v
2.2a

=

i need a rheostat that can handle at least 5.45455 ohms and 26.4 watts

any input would be appreciated

[niai]

why would you want to do this?

[RDC]

why would you want to do this?

I have it wired to a 12v source right now and it is insanely loud

That Rheostat would cost around $30~$40 or so and be huge. You can find them at Mouser, DigiKey and the like though, if you want to put a 25W heater in your PS3.

You could go with a 9v Regulator and a SPDT switch to go back and forth between 12v and 9v for the fan, or just pull the alternate voltage from somewhere else on the motherboard, make sure it can source that 2.5A first.

EXAMPLE:


The advantage to using a switch is you know the fan will pretty much always be running at one voltage or the other, unless it dies or the wiring is bad. Something that has a knob on it that can be turned all the way down has a tendency to do so, even if you're not the one that does it someone sooner or later will, and that would turn the fan off unless you put a stop on it so it only turned so far.

Is there something wrong with the automatic fan control on your PS3? And I'd guess the reason there aren't a lot of PS3 fan mods are that's not really your typical fan, so replacing it with something that's easily available isn't really an option, though there are a couple of replacements out for it now.

[FixItOrModIt]

thanks for the reply, I have a working ps3 with no problems this is just one that i bought off a customer that keeps overheating and doing the ylod.

It seems that the fan never pushes enough air, so im guessing it probably does have a problem with the temperature sensor or something.

I reflowed this one for a 3rd time and let it run for over 5 hours with no problem with the fan at full speed but its just way too loud

im going to try the spdt switch and 9v regulator

these should work right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2pcs-Toggle-Switch-min...=item4a9e5cbe34

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch...p;x=21&y=20

[RDC]

Those will do, just make sure you don't leave the Reg. 'free air' and mount that thing on a little heat sink somewhere. May as well get your SPDT switch from DK as well if you're getting the Reg. there, I'm sure they have a small heat sink as well.

This post has been edited by RDC: Feb 6 2010, 08:37 AM

[illeperuma]

Hi RDC,

why dont you install a fanmate (http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=652635). I'm using it in my xbox for last 1.5 years no problem at all. Hoping to get a ps3 next week will sure do a similar mod using fanmate.

Only problem i have is that still can't find proper power layout diagram where to get 12V in the ps3. I know its not recommended getting power from the rom. after all this a blueray which consume more power. you have done the mod on the new 120GB version or the old fat version?

If possible pls explain how you are getting the 12V.

[RDC]

The Fan Mate 2 isn't able to handle the 2.5A or so of current the PS3 fan needs, that thing is only rated to work at 6W or lower, while the PS3 fan is closer to 30W.

PC case fans and the like in the 360 draw far, far less current, under 500mA (0.5A), which is the max rating for the FM2, so it works fine for PC/360 fans, but stick it in your PS3 and it'll toast it.

[illeperuma]

The Fan Mate 2 isn't able to handle the 2.5A or so of current the PS3 fan needs, that thing is only rated to work at 6W or lower, while the PS3 fan is closer to 30W.

PC case fans and the like in the 360 draw far, far less current, under 500mA (0.5A), which is the max rating for the FM2, so it works fine for PC/360 fans, but stick it in your PS3 and it'll toast it.

yes i checked the specs of the ps3 fan ur correct... Fanmate wont work. But im sure can get a matching fan controller for the job over the ebay. Sorry guys. thanx RDC for correcting me.

[RDC]

Welcome, beats installing and nuking a perfectly good fan controller.

[GeToChKn]

Not sure if you're still interested, but here it goes.

The PS3 fans run on a PWM system. They run at 12V all the time, but the 3rd fan wire sends a small voltage to the fan that actually controls the speed. You want to cut the 3rd wire from the fan (gray one) and wire it to a power source. If you send it 3.3V, it will run at full speed ahead captain. You can find 3.3V coming off the PS3 power supply. I usually run some resistors inline with it to slow it down some. This is a very low voltage, so 1/4 watt resistors are fine as we're not messing with the 2.5A 12V, only the small voltage that controls the speed. Now for some reason, different PS3's and different fans react differently to different voltages and resistors. I do this fan mod on each PS3 that I fix from the YLOD, but each resistor amount is different for each PS3. I've had to go anywhere from about 30k to 350k to achieve the same result on different PS3's. It works great though and most of the systems that I've done this on, don't come back after a YLOD fix as opposed to the ones that I didn't do the fix on.

[desicrator]

So far, i have added and tested with 500k 1m and 2.2m potentiometers, each having very little wiggle room for setting the actual fan speed. it can go from top speed to none in the slightest movement. i think this is due to me using the 12v output on the power supply, so when turning the potentiometer it drop V quickly so its harder to get smaller increments of change.

from the PSU UNIT ITSELF

i think the right hand one is the 12v, can anyone elaborate as to which may be 3.3v if you have a multimeter handy.

PINS

1...2...3...4...5
?v ?v ?v ?v 12v

This post has been edited by desicrator: May 20 2010, 08:28 PM

[sjalsip]

where can i find a 3.3v off the power supply? which wire is it? and do i need to cut the grey wire completely or just splice into it?

[sudburymods]

For the 3.3v if the white wires connect to the mainboard behind the network card it will be the one furthest to the left. If the white wires connect to the right of the network card it will be the one closest to the power supply.

Having a multimeter makes finding stuff like this lots easier and faster. A multimeter is like $15.

You will need to cut the grey wire (leave some extra at the plug if you ever need to resolder this wire together) and the end that goes to the fan will connect to your Pot.

[RoboChicken]

Not sure if you're still interested, but here it goes.

The PS3 fans run on a PWM system. They run at 12V all the time, but the 3rd fan wire sends a small voltage to the fan that actually controls the speed. You want to cut the 3rd wire from the fan (gray one) and wire it to a power source. If you send it 3.3V, it will run at full speed ahead captain. You can find 3.3V coming off the PS3 power supply. I usually run some resistors inline with it to slow it down some. This is a very low voltage, so 1/4 watt resistors are fine as we're not messing with the 2.5A 12V, only the small voltage that controls the speed. Now for some reason, different PS3's and different fans react differently to different voltages and resistors. I do this fan mod on each PS3 that I fix from the YLOD, but each resistor amount is different for each PS3. I've had to go anywhere from about 30k to 350k to achieve the same result on different PS3's. It works great though and most of the systems that I've done this on, don't come back after a YLOD fix as opposed to the ones that I didn't do the fix on.

Thanks for the advice GeToChKn. Here's my attempt with 130K of resistance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZoxdnCQZBI

Still loud as hell. If I increase to 140K it's a dramatic drop in airflow, almost too low so for this PS3 I think I'm going to stick with a base of 130K and keep going up 1.5K until it's acceptable (if the customer comes back sick of of the noise)