Bad fans on Gen2 Power Suply

[wysiwyg]

While a replacement 460W PSU for a Dimension Gen2 is only $100.00 or so, it's just the fans that are bad. They rattle constantly and it's really annoying. I don't know how long before they stop turning but I suspect they will eventually. I've already cleaned the dust out of the PSU. :-)

My question is: How do I remove the plastic cover on the PSU so I can get to the fans? I don't want to break anything off so I'm hoping someone here has done this.

Thanks!

[crusier]

I took it all apart way back to check out the innards. It's a rather prolonged task as getting to the fans is more than popping off the plastic. To get there you will have to disconnect the power harness inside the chassis, then push the power supply release and slide the power supply to the rear to seperate it from the chassis (there is a retainer at the entry to the chassis for the harness). That portion is covered in your XPS service manual under removal/replacement of the power supply. Next is to remove the front plastic, it uses two guide pins and two latch tabs. Insert a screwdriver on each tab and pry to get them to release. The side panels use the usual plastic cover attachment method of guide pins, lips that slide under stampings, and a slide over latch. You'll have to release the latch and and slide the panel to the rear. With the front and side panels removed you can then remove the top cover plate attachment screws to get the plate off.
The rear fans are nidecs as I recall and likely dell proprietary. They are mounted with the usual fan screws and the power cables route back along the side to a fan control card. I'll post a couple of pics that are applicable. It would likely be easier to walk you through it all via either icq or msnmsngr and usuing other pics I have of the power supply.

[wysiwyg]

Thanks for the pics! That's just what I was looking for.

Those don't look like the usual Nidec connectors for the fans, the colors are wrong and the positive isn't in the middle. They're not the usual 3 pin fan connectors either, ground and positive are reversed aren't they?

Maybe I better just get a replacement PSU while Dell still carrys them. I'm going to give this computer to a friend and I don't want it to go all FUBAR after she gets it. :-)

Of course, if someone knows what kind of fans those are and where to get them I might give it a try anyhow. Haven't I seen those short 3 pin connectors on old component fans before?

[crusier]

Looking for notes made on the fan labels when I tore it down.

[wysiwyg]

Was that PSU from a Gen 2?

[crusier]

The PS in the pics is a gen 1.