Photon S fan replacement

[haldir]

Ok, so next week I'm gonna be replacing the LCD in my printer finally, but I'm also gonna replace the noisy fan on the very bottom of the printer. I finally found a good shot of the guts from the bottom:

 

 

Now the fan I ordered a few months ago is definitely not the one I need as it's one of the filter fans. So I'm gonna have to order a fan this week. That is why I'm posting here. What fan is good for this?

 

I've read where someone has modded theirs to run a 120mm fan, I just wanna do a direct replacement of it. One caution I have is the connections. Does the fan just clip into one of the white connectors or is it one that the wires go into the posts that screw down (like on a Ender 3)?

 

Funny how now I find this site vs trying to find anything these past few months:

 

(note the fan wire, it clips into one of the white connectors (yeah!!)

Any help will be appreciated for this.

[Auberon]

I've yet to look inside my printer, much less yours, so I'm just guessing here.

 

I can't really judge visually, but google tells me that model is an 80mm fan. Have you tried searching a computer parts site for an 80mm case fan? It will give you a decibel rating on the site.  For example, this fan that popped up on newegg says its 20.9db.

 

[Cygnwulf]

One upside. The photons use 12v fans. If you measure the full width of the housing in mm, you should be able to buy just about any electronics cooling fan in that size (for ex, if it's 80mm then you would need a 80x80 12v fan)

Noctua fans are well known for very quiet operation while maintaining very high volumes of air moved, and are popular replacement fans for ender 3s and other i3 clones, though on those you have to take care as they use 24 volts so some kind of regulator is needed.

 

[Clearman]

I have an EPAX X1, which has essentially the same internals as the Photon.  I replaced both the LED cooling fan and exhaust fan with Noctua fans and have not had any issues.  The only time I notice the printer running is when the build plate lowers into the vat at the beginning of the print, and when the build plate returns to the top when the print is finished.  In both cases this is the z-axis motor and the fans make next to zero noise.

[haldir]

So would this one work then?

 

Noctua NF-R8 redux-1800 PWM, High Performance Cooling Fan, 4-Pin, 1800 RPM (80mm, Grey)

 

Item Dimensions LxWxH	3.15 x 0.98 x 3.15 inches
Brand	Noctua
Power Connector Type	4-Pin
Cooling Method	Fan
Noise Level	17.1 dB

---

About this item

• High performance cooling fan, 80x80x25mm, 12V, 4-pin PWM, max. 1800 RPM, max. 17.1 dB(A), >150,000 h MTTF
• Renowned NF-R8 high-end 80x25mm 12V fan, more than 100 awards and recommendations from international computer hardware websites and magazines, hundreds of thousands of satisfied users
• Highly optimised low-noise design with outstanding quietness of operation, static pressure and airflow (CFM), ideal for chassis ventilation, cooling fan replacement for NAS and other devices, etc.
• 1800rpm 4-pin PWM version with excellent balance of performance and quietness, supports automatic motherboard speed control (powerful airflow when required, virtually silent at idle)
• Streamlined redux edition: proven Noctua quality at an attractive price point, wide range of optional accessories (anti-vibration mounts, S-ATA adaptors, y-splitters, extension cables, etc.)

[Clearman]

Probably.  The critical specs are the dimensions and the voltage.

 

In my case, the Noctua fan was 10mm thicker that the stock fan, but I plenty of room after I replaced the LED array.

 

Also, you will probably need to clip off the stock connector from the Noctua fan and wire it onto the connector that fits your printers main board.   My connector was a standard screw-down block, so all I needed was wire strippers and a screw driver.

 

Edit:  You'll probably only need the red and black wires.  Yellow is for voltage control to vary to RPM of the motor.  In this application you only need on and off.  In my case, the main board connector also had no place to connect the yellow wire.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Clearman

[Ratmaster2000]

could probably just cut off the connector from the old fan and splice that into the new one?

[Auberon]

They sell case fans with different types of connectors.  It's worth looking to see what you have. i.e. don't buy the 4-pin and have to splice when you could have just purchased a 3-pin.

[haldir]

1 hour ago, Auberon said:

They sell case fans with different types of connectors.  It's worth looking to see what you have. i.e. don't buy the 4-pin and have to splice when you could have just purchased a 3-pin.

 

Yah, I went looking afterwards & a found one with a 2 pin connector. Since that appears to be the one that is correct for board. It's not a Nocturna brand, but hey if it works for my machine, then I'll take it.

 

 

I'm not going to mod or doing anything out of the box on this one. I just want to change out a noisy fan (& old LCD) at the same time. I hope I don't need to tear down like this just to replace the fan. I did find it funny that there is a filament printed part inside:

 

 

This is the housing where the lights are located at. 

 

I'm kinda looking forward to doing this as it'll get me familiar with the guts of my printer but it's been awhile since I've taken a electronic apart & fiddled around inside it.

[Cygnwulf]

11 hours ago, Clearman said:

Yellow is for voltage control to vary to RPM of the motor.  In this application you only need on and off.  In my case, the main board connector also had no place to connect the yellow wire.

 

On the 3 pin, I thought the yellow wire was to report back speed to the motherboard so you could see how fast the fan was actually spinning?

[Clearman]

29 minutes ago, Cygnwulf said:

 

On the 3 pin, I thought the yellow wire was to report back speed to the motherboard so you could see how fast the fan was actually spinning?

 

Yeah, that is what I was trying to say.  Yours is more correct phrasing.

 

In any case, my motherboard didn't need it, so I just taped it down so it wouldn't touch anything it shouldn't.

1 hour ago, haldir said:

I did find it funny that there is a filament printed part inside:

 

1) Buy 3D printer.

2) Use 3D printer to print another 3D printer

3) Return first printer

4) Profit.

[haldir]

1 minute ago, Clearman said:

 

Yeah, that is what I was trying to say.  Yours is more correct phrasing.

 

In any case, my motherboard didn't need it, so I just taped it down so it wouldn't touch anything it shouldn't.

 

This is something I'm trying to avoid. The machine works, just a loud squealing fan when the plate goes down to print. Why I'm just trying to do a direct replacement. I did pick up a file off thingiverse for brackets to make it useable for a 120mm, I was thinking maybe after I'm familiar with the innards of the machine, I'll upgrade to that. Thou, you can print the bracket on a resin printer, I think that is something more suited for FDM printing. (Anther thing I need to do while on vacation, fix that damn belt on the Ender 6...ughhh it never ends...)

[Clearman]

15 minutes ago, haldir said:

This is something I'm trying to avoid.

 

I do as well, but my research indicated the model fan I used was highly recommended for this application.  

[haldir]

I ordered my fan replacement this morning (I should have it on Monday):

 

Item Dimensions LxWxH	3.15 x 3.15 x 0.98 inches
Brand	GDSTIME
Power Connector Type	2-Pin
Voltage	12 Volts (DC)
Wattage	4.2 watts
Cooling Method	Air
Compatible Devices	Desktop
Noise Level	43 dB
Material	Polybutylene Terephthalate
Maximum Rotational Speed	4500 RPM

 

About this item

• Dimension of outer the frame is 80mm(L) x 80mm(W) x 25mm(H) / The size of fan in inch is 3.15in(L) x 3.15in(W) x 1in(H); The center to center distance beween the mountiong holes is 71.5mm/2.81in.
• Operating Voltage Range：5.5V to 13.8V. (overtake to 13.8V, it can also work. but not safe, and seriously affects lifespan of fan.); Start up voltage is 3.9V.
• Rated Current: 0.35Amp; Speed: 4500RPM ; Air flow: 59CFM ; Noise: 43dBA
• Connector: XH2.54-2Pin; Lead wire: UL Type (+): Red wire ; (-): Black wire. This is a two wire cooling fan; Bearing Type: Dual Ball Bearings ; Life: working up to 50000h at 25 degrees.
• Package include: 1 x 80mm cooling fan; 1x 80mm metal grill; 4*M4x35mm screws & nuts( The metal grill is separate with fan and it is mounted by screws.)

 

More then twice the noise level of the Noctura, but this one requires no fiddling with wires + is correct for the slot it'll go into.

[haldir]

In the word of King Theodin

 

"And so it begins."

 

Started my fan & lcd changeover today. Following the above site/pics for screw removal,  I placed the screws on sheets of post it notepaper (labeled where they came out of as they are different) 

 

 

Bottom cover is off. If I ever go to a 120mm I'd have mod this.

 

Now if I do go with a 120 in the future,  I think I could do it without much fuss. Are those holes in the heatsink, mounting holes? Note one is under the existing fan in the picture. There is also a set on the first rib directly above that one.

 

This is where I was before I decided to document this.

 

To be continued.....

 

 

(posts merged here)

 

More dismantling

Standoffs & mounting screws & the actual fan!

 

Also clearer pic of the heatsink & those holes. Screws do fit them 

 

 

 

Also pic of the mainboard just for the hell of it. Notice the onboard ethernet box/port above the USB connection?? Hmmm. The flat ribbon cable is the front LCD screen connection. I do believe the LCD board is to the left of this picture. Also notice the small fan under the USB port? That is 1 of 2 that flows air out of the print area. (the ones with the charcoal filters) these things are tiny!! That official Anycubic fan I got off Big River is bigger then these. I have no idea what the fan even goes to, maybe one of their FDM printer perhaps??