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Fanless power supply

Posted by msaeger 
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msaeger
Fanless power supply
August 02, 2015 08:23PM
I am trying to make my printer quieter and the fan in the power supply is pretty loud. I would just replace it with a better fan but it's a 16v fan.

I would like to get a new power supply that is fanless. From reading the wiki I am thinking I should have a 30 amp one because I have a heated bed. Let me know if I am wrong about needing 30 amps because there are lots of 20 amp ones.

Can anyone point me to a fanless 30 amp power supply. I found one on aliexpress that calls itself rainproof but I would like more options. I have mainly been looking at the switching LED ones so I can still mount it on the frame like the current one.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2015 08:25PM by msaeger.

Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.
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dc42
Re: Fanless power supply
August 03, 2015 01:43AM
If your printer has a standard 12V 10A heated bed such as the Mk2 or Mk3, then 20A is enough, although I use 25A to have some more margin and to support dual extrusion. No need to go to aliexpress, in many countries you will find plenty of LED/CCTV power supplies on your local ebay. You will need to guard the mains terminals and provide strain relief for the cables. I use a printed box for this, see [www.thingiverse.com].


Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].
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msaeger
Re: Fanless power supply
August 03, 2015 07:56AM
Thanks for the info I went to aliexpress because I couldn't find a 30 amp one anyplace else but if 20 is enough yes there are lots of those on eBay and Amazon.

Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.
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thetazzbot
Re: Fanless power supply
August 05, 2015 07:34AM
Just take the fan out.

Thats what i did and it never runs hot.
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the_digital_dentist
Re: Fanless power supply
August 05, 2015 07:59AM
While you're at it, why not replace those potentially unreliable fuses with wire jumpers?

Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]
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Floyd
Re: Fanless power supply
August 05, 2015 09:51AM
Quote
the_digital_dentist
While you're at it, why not replace those potentially unreliable fuses with wire jumpers?
Im with you its stupid getting rid of safety items. I tried running mine without the fan on for a test (also looking to quiet it down) and mine got quite hot running a few hours.
Im also looking into mounting a quiet 80mm or 92mm fan on the PSU to keep it cool but also quiet it down. Mine sounds like a harrier jet is taking off in the computer room.
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madmike8
Re: Fanless power supply
August 05, 2015 09:58AM
I've been using a 220W 18A 12V Dell USFF DA-2 Power Brick on one of my Funbot Printers. It uses a MK3 Heatbed and a 40W Hotend Cartridge. I only use it for PLA printing, so Bed isn't heated over 60C for extended times. I have heated it to 90C as a test though. I'm not sure how long it will hold up, but it's been running for a few months now. It is quiet though...


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thetazzbot
Re: Fanless power supply
August 06, 2015 12:36PM
So riddle me this batman.

if the above black power supply has no fan, how is it considered unsafe to remove the fan if it is known the unit is not exceeding safe temperatures without it? Probably has some better heat sinks... I'll have to take a look...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2015 12:36PM by thetazzbot.
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the_digital_dentist
Re: Fanless power supply
August 06, 2015 01:25PM
The power brick in the photo is designed to be operated without a fan. The power supply that has a fan is designed to be operated with the fan if not all the time, when it heats up under load.

Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]
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Floyd
Re: Fanless power supply
August 06, 2015 03:16PM
Quote
the_digital_dentist
The power brick in the photo is designed to be operated without a fan. The power supply that has a fan is designed to be operated with the fan if not all the time, when it heats up under load.
Correct. Dont believe me then take the fan out like I did for a little and you will be very surprised how hot it gets. These PSUs need a fan.
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msaeger
Re: Fanless power supply
August 06, 2015 09:39PM
I actually tried mine without the fan and it didn't get hot but I put it back on. I will just buy one that doesn't have a fan. If I can find one anyway.

Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.
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thetazzbot
Re: Fanless power supply
August 07, 2015 07:36PM
Yes removing "safety" equipment is not wise so you should put those gaurds back on all your tools.

Ive been running the psu with no fan since i bought it and i have never felt it get warm. But i use a bench powersupply now anyway. I dont like exposed terminals. Hows that for "safety"? Ironic isnt it...
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the_digital_dentist
Re: Fanless power supply
August 07, 2015 07:57PM
Why don't you 3D print a cover for the terminals?

Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]
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thetazzbot
Re: Fanless power supply
August 10, 2015 09:24PM
lol

now that's just thinking too far outside the box smiling smiley

j/k
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epicepee
Re: Fanless power supply
August 14, 2015 02:58PM
You could probably get a big, quiet fan, and print a funnel adapter to cool the PSU. Or use a squirrel-cage blower at low speed.
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msaeger
Re: Fanless power supply
August 14, 2015 09:09PM
Quote
epicepee
You could probably get a big, quiet fan, and print a funnel adapter to cool the PSU. Or use a squirrel-cage blower at low speed.

Yeah I was thinking that too but then I would need to run it off the 12V or drop down the 16V somehow. But then I think if I could get a new one for 20 or 30 bucks I would rather just do that but I still haven't really found the right one so I may just end up doing the bigger fan.

Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.
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thetazzbot
Re: Fanless power supply
August 15, 2015 12:20PM
Ibran my printer today on the reprap powersupply without its fan. The label on the ps says fan will come on when temps require it.. So the original fan was crap and has a bad bearing so i took it out. I used my temp gun and it read 100 on the al. case. Running both gotend and heatbed for several hours
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thetazzbot
Re: Fanless power supply
August 15, 2015 12:55PM
Btw thats 100 F not C
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the_digital_dentist
Re: Fanless power supply
August 15, 2015 02:38PM
Contactless IR thermometers are a poor way to measure temperature of anything but the type of thing they were calibrated against, usually a flat black surface. Everything else will read incorrectly.

The temperature of the PS case is always much lower than the temperature of the semiconductor junctions that the fan is intended to protect.

If you knew the fan had a bad bearing, then it must have turned on (how else would you know the bearing was bad except to hear it running?), meaning the PS was getting hot enough to trigger it.

You're running on borrowed time. Good luck.

Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]
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