VOGONS

Search

Common searches

Old PSU Fan Direction

Topic actions

First post, by lilblu

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Firstly, I'm dumb. I removed a fan from my PSU to oil it, not expecting to be able to fix it. So I didn't pay close attention to the direction the fan was installed. I thought I installed it the way I removed it, but I'm not sure.
My PSU looks like this as it's from 2010 - https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZhIAAOSw8gdd8BuY/s-l960.jpg

I thought on older PSUs, the fan blew outward (sucks air in through the PSU vents and blows it out the PSU fan - out the back of the computer case). But I installed it the opposite way - sucks air in from the outside and blows it out the vents in the PSU - blowing it out into the computer.

Looking at pictures of my model PSU (ATX0300D5WC Rev. B) on eBay, all the pictures show the fan oriented so it blows out, I installed it so it blows into the PSU.

Does anyone know which way it's supposed to blow air? It's possible my cousin may have worked on it around 2012 and installed it backwards. I have no idea. Should I install it the same way as in the pictures?

If my cousin installed it incorrectly when he worked on it, that could explain why the GPU keeps overheating as warm/hot air from the PSU is blowing downwards on it. I would think the fan blowing out (like in the pictures) would be better because the PSU would be sucking air up from the GPU and blowing it out the PSU and out the computer. The case fan is at the bottom of the computer, under the GPU. The PSU is at the top of the computer.

Reply 1 of 4, by elszgensa

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Sounds like you need to get back in there. Assuming a PSU installed at the top of the case, the airflow goes up and out (depending on which face the fan's on), always - or at least I've never seen anything else, not once.

Reply 2 of 4, by swaaye

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

It may not really matter. Just see how it works out. Typically the PSU does blow out of the PC. It ingests the PC's heated air and blows it out with its own heated air.

Modern cases with bottom mount PSUs have changed this so the PSU gets cool external air and the dedicated case fans deal with the PC's heat.

Reply 3 of 4, by H3nrik V!

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Ib think somewhere back in the 90s, it changed. Back on AT power supplies and early ATX, the fans blew air in to the cabinet, counteracting the natural convection. I remember I turned my fan around and actually got a bit lower temperature. But yeah, that was back when an extra 80mm fan supplementing the psu fan was a little exotic 🤣

Please use the "quote" option if asking questions to what I write - it will really up the chances of me noticing 😀

Reply 4 of 4, by lilblu

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Update:
I opened the PSU and reversed the fan so it blows out. The computer case is cooler to the touch now. I suspect that I didn't pay attention to how I took it out the first time, totally my fault.

The good news is that the fan has been oiled and is quiet now. I also blew all the dust out of the computer and it's quieter when playing video games and watching 1080p videos. The CPU heatsink was caked in dust and was the dustiest thing in there, along with the GPU. I also tested the PSU with a multimeter and all the voltages were within limits. This was my first time doing all this stuff, so it's been a learning experience.

The bad news is that there's one bulging capacitor that has a brown spot at the top. I assume this suggests it leaked. I'm not sure how serious this is since all the voltages were ok after testing numerous times. I'll have to do research on it. I found a forum that has some good info about these Bestec PSUs.

Thanks for the help. This is a great forum, thank you.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to General Old Hardware
Close window
Close window