SuperFlower PSU fan rattling

bloodkil · 20 Sep 2015 at 16:42

Recently the fan on my Superflower LEADEX Gold 1300W PSU has started rattling quite audibly.

In my case (Phanteks Enthoo Primo), the PSU is on its side and was wondering whether this would have an adverse effect on the fan, or whether it shouldn't be doing this and should RMA the unit?

Tephnos · 21 Sep 2015 at 23:10

Aren't double ball bearing fans supposed to operate effortlessly in any orientation? I'd RMA it.

faheemrazzaq · 21 Sep 2015 at 23:42

Are you sure it's your psu fan and not a case fan? Put the psu in Eco mode; there is a button at the back of psu. This must turn off the psu fan when it's not hot or not under heavy load. If that doesn't take away the rattle then it must be something else. I also have the 1300w superflower gold and don't notice any rattle. Though fan is audible so I always keep it in Eco mode and it only turns it on when needed.

Combat Fighter · 1 Oct 2015 at 08:42

Hi there,

Strangely enough my PSU fan makes a bit of a rattle (well I would call it more of motor/ticking).

It is annoying to hear it when I have spent a lot of money to make my system (custom water) nice and quiet under load.

I've got a EVGA SuperNova P2 1200W 80 Plus Platinum which as you know is made by Superflower. I've also got the same case as you and the fan never came on inside my Luxe case as I had the fan pointing upwards so any heat just rose out of the psu and the fan never came on. As you know in the Primo it needs to be on it's side but the heat build up can't just rise up and out of the psu it needs the fan to come on every now and then, albeit at a very low speed on eco mode. It should be silent still whilst on but its the loudest fan in my system, all my other fans are Noctua IndustrialPPC PWM fans and are whisper quiet.

I've thought about my scenario and to be honest I can't be bothered to send back the psu and have the down time even though its got loads of warranty just for the the sake of a fan. I know I am quite capable of fitting it and it's very easy to do.

So I am going to fit a direct replacement fan (part number RL4Z B1402512EH-3M) in mine and hopefully that cures it.

pastymuncher · 1 Oct 2015 at 11:52

RMA it. If the fan is rattling then it's faulty.

Combat Fighter, why invalidate the 10 year warranty just for the fan? If something serious goes wrong with it further down the line you have lost the warranty and will have to buy a new psu which defeats the object of going for a psu with a 10 year warranty. I imagine it has warranty void stickers on it somewhere?

Combat Fighter · 1 Oct 2015 at 19:37

pastymuncher said:
RMA it. If the fan is rattling then it's faulty.

Combat Fighter, why invalidate the 10 year warranty just for the fan? If something serious goes wrong with it further down the line you have lost the warranty and will have to buy a new psu which defeats the object of going for a psu with a 10 year warranty. I imagine it has warranty void stickers on it somewhere?

I'll take a chance mate. It's a quality psu so should not get any problems with it.

I changed a fan in a 850w Corsair psu about 8 years ago and it's still going strong.

Well I've got the new replacement fan fitted in there, took me about 30 min in total to solder and heat shrink the wires and put it back together, was a simple process though. And it's working a treat, much, much quieter now, all you can hear is a slight movement of air. In eco mode I can't hear it over my other fans at load and just comes on every now and then as it should do.

Job sorted.

faceman123 · 27 May 2020 at 02:58

Combat Fighter said:
I'll take a chance mate. It's a quality psu so should not get any problems with it.

I changed a fan in a 850w Corsair psu about 8 years ago and it's still going strong.

Well I've got the new replacement fan fitted in there, took me about 30 min in total to solder and heat shrink the wires and put it back together, was a simple process though. And it's working a treat, much, much quieter now, all you can hear is a slight movement of air. In eco mode I can't hear it over my other fans at load and just comes on every now and then as it should do.

Job sorted.

sorry for reviving an old thread, I've got a noisy fan when not in ECO mode on my p2 1200

evga are being lame as a original invoice isnt in my name so it's out of warranty, can i ask did you have to solder the wires?? i thought it would have had a standard jumper to replace it like for like, is there anything else to watch out for?

Jamin280672 · 29 May 2020 at 06:27

I just opened mine up and gave it all a good clean, with a paint brush and a vacuum cleaner, be sure to drain those caps before trying anything like this fixed the problem for me without changing the fan.

Combat Fighter · 29 May 2020 at 11:34

faceman123 said:
sorry for reviving an old thread, I've got a noisy fan when not in ECO mode on my p2 1200 evga are being lame as a original invoice isnt in my name so it's out of warranty, can i ask did you have to solder the wires?? i thought it would have had a standard jumper to replace it like for like, is there anything else to watch out for?

It’s just 2 wires that you need to connect to get the fan working (red and black wire).

Pleased to say 5 years on the psu is still working great and whisper quiet. I will note I actually used in the end a spare Phanteks fan I had laying around. Here’s to another 5+ years!

faceman123 · 29 May 2020 at 12:00

Combat Fighter said:
It’s just 2 wires that you need to connect to get the fan working (red and black wire).

Pleased to say 5 years on the psu is still working great and whisper quiet. I will note I actually used in the end a spare Phanteks fan I had laying around. Here’s to another 5+ years!

Thanks, do they go in via standard fan header?

Combat Fighter · 29 May 2020 at 12:40

faceman123 said:
Thanks, do they go in via standard fan header?

I think it’s a different header hence why I soldered the wires together.

faceman123 · 29 May 2020 at 12:43

Jamin280672 said:
I just opened mine up and gave it all a good clean, with a paint brush and a vacuum cleaner, be sure to drain those caps before trying anything like this fixed the problem for me without changing the fan.

Thanks is this the p2?

Combat Fighter said:
I think it’s a different header hence why I soldered the wires together.

ah damn that's beyond my abilities

Jamin280672 · 29 May 2020 at 13:27

faceman123 said:
Thanks is this the p2?

ah damn that's beyond my abilities

No sorry it was the Superflower Leadtek Platinum 1000w, the fan was making a hell of a noise, just suddenly started happening one day, I left it for a few day, I thought it would pass, it never did, it was about 6 or 7 years old at the time, couldnt be bothered to RMA it, so I opened it up and gave it all a good clean, it looked new when I had finished, it worked perfectly after that and still is, that was about 2 years ago I did that.

Like I said, just make sure you drain the caps first, after shutting down, remove the kettle lead, and press the power button on your PC case a few times to drain them, you'll know if any is being stored as the PC will momentarily fire up even with the kettle lead removed.

Combat Fighter · 29 May 2020 at 15:48

faceman123 said:
Thanks is this the p2?

ah damn that's beyond my abilities

You can’t cut and join to wires together? It’s a simple job!