Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

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Auldgeek
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Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Auldgeek »

Not strictly Home Brew, more of a modification to a commercial power Supply, but couldn't think of anywhere else to post this, so Mods, if you think it should be moved, be my guest.

One of a few power supplies that I use, this is a MyDel linear power supply, capable of providing around 30 Amps of current at 9-15 Volts. It's a great supply apart from one thing and that's the cooling fan. I have really bad hearing and need all the help I can get, so the last thing I need is a jet turbine whining away when I'm trying to listen, so I decided to use the same trick I've applied to some media and file servers I have here and that's to fit a different fan. Using the same technique, to retain or even increase airflow for a given RPM of the fan.

Anyone in to their PC building is sure to know about the Artic range of cooling fans. They employ whisper fan blades in their fans to push or pull air through at the same rate or even better without the need for high spin rates.

The fan I selected is their F9 120mm WPM model. Modification was really straight forward.

The My-Del Power Supply

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Original fan removed from heatsink unit, as shown below.

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Replacement fan fitted to heatsink unit where the regulators live

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Fan in place and connected up.

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One of the things to make sure of is that where you have a WPM fan, it has a sensing pin that's used with a temperature sensor typically found on a PC motherboard. As I didn't need this, I bypassed the sensing pin to ensure the fan was triggered using the power supplies own temperature sensors. All I need to do was connect it to the existing supply.

So if you have one of these supplies and the cooling fan is stopping your next door neighbour from sleeping, I recommend this mod. :thumbup:

PS I take no responsibility for you forgetting to unplug the supply from the mains before you get stuck in with your soldering iron. You have been advised! :)
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Buick Mackane »

Funny you should post about this tonight, I was messing with my sever PSU earlier, Christ almighty man the fan sounds like a harrier jump jet taking off, Just about flew out the window :lol: Managed to tame it by jumping some pins, Least i can hear the radio now,
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by ch25 »

Use temperature switch NO.
Fan will be switched on at desired temperature level.
For example: https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Normally- ... B07PFV6YTQ
or https://www.ebay.pl/itm/50-C-Normally-O ... SwqSRdJbk~

for desired temperature.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Auldgeek »

Buick Mackane wrote: 22 Mar 2022, 22:00 Funny you should post about this tonight, I was messing with my sever PSU earlier, Christ almighty man the fan sounds like a harrier jump jet taking off, Just about flew out the window :lol: Managed to tame it by jumping some pins, Least i can hear the radio now,
Aye, they're loud enough to wake the dead Jason.👻
I read your post regarding your Dell supply. As you know, I modded an HP supply a few years back. It has a very quiet fan thank goodness.
At least yours is now quiet.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Auldgeek »

ch25 wrote: 22 Mar 2022, 23:11 Use temperature switch NO.
Fan will be switched on at desired temperature level.
For example: https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Normally- ... B07PFV6YTQ
or https://www.ebay.pl/itm/50-C-Normally-O ... SwqSRdJbk~

for desired temperature.
I just used the power supplies own internal sensor that switches the fan on and off when required. I didn't see the need to add anything else, but thanks for the info Chris.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by ChubbyChops »

I've got a cheapo Jetfon PSU with a noisy fan.
Could I do the same mod with an Artic fan to that?
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Auldgeek »

ChubbyChops wrote: 23 Mar 2022, 10:30 I've got a cheapo Jetfon PSU with a noisy fan.
Could I do the same mod with an Artic fan to that?
In theory, yes, but you would have to check what the physical size of the fan is and it's operating voltage. Mine was literally a like for like replacement physically, with minimal changes to the voltage supply to the fan.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by ChubbyChops »

OK cheers Drew.
I'll get the lid off and have a look.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Transwarp »

It not always necessary to have a cooling fan running at full belt and RPM speed is one of the causes of fan noise, slower fan speed equals lower noise. If you have a 120mm fan running at it's maximum speed of say 2,000 rpm it may provide sufficient cooling at half that speed. My recent PC build has a couple of corsair ML-120mm intake fans that can spin up to 2,400rpm and they are very loud at that speed, however under normal use I have them set to 1100rpm and they are quiet and my pc temperatures are very low. Different types of fan bearings make a difference, as well as blade orientation. Some of the quietest fans are made by Noctua and another make called be quiet! who have a range called silent wings. Another mod for a fan in a PSU is to fit a variable speed controller.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Auldgeek »

There's quite a few different makes of "quiet" fans. I happened to have a few Artic F9 fans left over from a couple of PC builds I was doing, so popped one in the supply. These turn at a much slower rpm than others, but use a whisper fan blade design to increase airflow.
A variable speed controller is definitely one way to throttle back on rpm, but care is needed to ensure cooling is still optimal.
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Re: Calming Down a Mydel MP-304 Power Supply Fan

Post by Transwarp »

Aye, the F9's are pretty good. Think they have a nine blade count instead of the usual seven? Supposed to give better airflow, and they have fluid bearings I believe.
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