Fan STOPPED working!

[Guest]

Hey everybody,
So, earlier today, I decided to clear the dust out of the inside of my
computer tower today. After cleaning out all the dust, I turned on the
computer for the first time and I noticed the fan on the side had stopped
operating.

Can anybody suggest what I need to do to make it work? Sorry about this
being a bit vague.

But I have a Nokia Tower/case if that is of any help to anyone. It's the
colourful fan on the side which has stopped working.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

You might have loosened one of the wires while cleaning out the dust.

 

[Guest]

I don't think I have. I've checked all the wires and they are in. Is there
any possible way of turning the fan on and off e.g. a switch may have been
moved?

 

[Bob I]

Is it temperpature controlled? It isn't part of the Windows operating
system. You could read up on the motherboard documentation or review the
user manual.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Depending on how you cleaned it, it may well be broken.. the good news is
that they are 'child's play' to replace.. go to your local friendly computer
store and buy a new one..

 

[AnTi-IdoL]

you may also have hit a dead spot in the coils. This happened to me
with a fan on a power supply. try spinning the fan blades a little and
try to power up again

 

[Ted Zieglar]

That sounds interesting. Would you explain to someone with little knowledge
of electronics...that would be me...what you mean by a "dead spot"? Thanks.

 

[Miguel Gimenez]

Hey everybody,
So, earlier today, I decided to clear the dust out of the inside of my
computer tower today. After cleaning out all the dust, I turned on the
computer for the first time and I noticed the fan on the side had stopped
operating.

Can anybody suggest what I need to do to make it work? Sorry about this
being a bit vague.

But I have a Nokia Tower/case if that is of any help to anyone. It's the
colourful fan on the side which has stopped working.

Are you sure it worked before cleaning? Some fans die unnoticed.

Regards
Miguel Gimenez

 

[JustMe]

It's not rocket science, just buy a new fan and be done with it. How much
diagnosing do you want to do on a $5 fan.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Dead spot is an area where the power does not allow the fan motor to spin.
It does not provide power, hence "dead".

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Thank you. So how does "spinning the fan blades a little" bring the fan
'back to life'?

 

[Leythos]

Dead spot is an area where the power does not allow the fan motor to spin.
It does not provide power, hence "dead".

No, a dead-spot is there the brushes don't make proper contact with the
coils and don't energize the coils. The power is always where, unless
there is an OPEN in the wiring.

In most cases, the brushes wears out or get corroded, or the bearings
foul/wear causing to much startup torque to be needed and the power/coil
can not overcome the mechanical resistance.

Spinning the fan overcomes both problems for a short amount of time.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to ask my uncle about the fan and if he
doesn't have any idea, then I'll buy a new fan. My uncle is the one who
part-built the tower, so he's quite good with the hardware side of things

Thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know what happens... when it
does

Hemal

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Thank you.

 

[V Green]

No, a dead-spot is there the brushes don't make proper contact with the
coils and don't energize the coils. The power is always where, unless
there is an OPEN in the wiring.

In most cases, the brushes wears out or get corroded, or the bearings
foul/wear causing to much startup torque to be needed and the power/coil
can not overcome the mechanical resistance.

Spinning the fan overcomes both problems for a short amount of time.

Computer fans have NO brushes. The hash generated
by brushes would raise hell with the computer electronics.

Computer fans have alternately aligned permanent magnets on the
inside of the fan blade hub, driven by an AC signal
generated by electronics in the middle of the fan, driving
coils which interact with the magnets, producing rotation.
(take one apart, you'll see what I'm describing).

There's enough overlap in the mag. fields in the fan that you
should NOT, under any circumstances, need to thump the fan
to get it going. If you do, it's worn out and needs replacing.

 

[Leythos]

Computer fans have NO brushes. The hash generated
by brushes would raise hell with the computer electronics.

Computer fans have alternately aligned permanent magnets on the
inside of the fan blade hub, driven by an AC signal
generated by electronics in the middle of the fan, driving
coils which interact with the magnets, producing rotation.
(take one apart, you'll see what I'm describing).

There's enough overlap in the mag. fields in the fan that you
should NOT, under any circumstances, need to thump the fan
to get it going. If you do, it's worn out and needs replacing.

Not all computer fans are brushless, but you are right, the majority of
them are.

 

[V Green]

Not all computer fans are brushless, but you are right, the majority of
them are.

Really? Never seen one of those, I guess.

Seems like a bad idea...

 

[Bob I]

I would be very surprised to see something that generates carbon dust
and microscopic copper particles installed in a computer. The problem
from circuit shorts is a bit extreme.

Leythos wrote:

 

[bxf]

If all else fails, since the solution to a problem is often to undo
what one did that created the problem in the first place, how about
just putting the dust back?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Guest]

Good one bxf , but the solution was much more simpler.

As I thought, it was just the four pin white plug connection which had been
altered. While I thought it was removed, it was eversoslightly loosened, so
it was hard for me to tell that.

But, my uncle took a look and got it all up and running.

.... and who said that throwing the fan away was the correct solution.

Thanks again for all your help peeps.