Strange fan failure

Koo Koo Mouse · Post by **Koo Koo Mouse** » Sat May 07, 2005 3:25 pm

Sitting around photochopping last night and had the bios alarm go off..
Found my chipset fan on the NF-7 not spinning but is free. Not bound up. did a finger check at the top of the fan and Whoa HOT!! Shoved a probe under the fan blade and got 170F! (and yes my probe is good - bioled some water and reads 205 F a little low really)
A voltage check give 12 at the pins..
Hmmm.. unplugged the fan without disturbing the probe and it cooled to 125 F. Played grapic intensive games until it reached 128 and climbed no futher..
For shits and giggle I plugged the fan back in.. HA reached 162F in under 5 minutes! I figure somehow internaly the windings came apart and shorted together and pretty much made it into a little toaster. The rotor is NOT bound with power or no power, Weird hey? Nomaly motors fail open OR sieze on power up cuz the bearings are shot and the magnetict pull will bring the rotor up against the feild or magnet locking it.
Computer has been running fine without it as long as its not powered.
Do you think I should replace it or don't bother? Wanting to upgrage within 6 months anyway.
If I should, anyone have any links to get a better one or use Abits crap fan again?

Haven't Goggled this much but I know a lot of people run these mobo's here and woundering easy solutions and If I even need to do anything.. Its running at 120F (49C) right now and no problems.
Was the fan overkill? Even nessesary?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sat May 07, 2005 4:49 pm

You can just replace it with a long finned chipset heatsink. That's what I do with all my mobos. I hate chipset fans.

Koo Koo Mouse · Post by **Koo Koo Mouse** » Sun May 08, 2005 11:41 am

Thanks FP! Will do!

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Sun May 08, 2005 1:22 pm

Yes i replace all mine that come with a fan with the one Zalman makes. its like 4 bux and works great.