Pulse Width Modulator?

[elver]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PS3-COOLING-FAN-AVOID-YELLOW-LIGHT-EASY-INTERNAL-PLUG-

The image above was taken from one of many eBay auctions originating from a seller in Birmingham.

As I understand it blocks the fan from running at less than 40%, but is it safe? has anyone else got one?

the concept is logical, I am lately getting paranoid over the YLOD issue and I was looking at getting the Talismoon 19 blade WHISPER fan and maybe this if it is safe, I have a 60GB PAL console,

This looks like a simple bit of kit, would I be able to make this myself? (has anyone got any wiring diagrams?)

[danguy2009]

Yes I also saw those, but theres no way I'm paying over £19 for a few wires and what looks like a small chip and possibly resistors capacators.

I had a never yloded 80gb 3.41 and foolishly sold it before the scene exploded and now have a ylod 60gb coming in the post so want to keep it cool.

[sir_peel]

Due to being paranoid about my 60gb developing ylod to the point of fitting a 19 blade fan added 0.3mm copper shims and lapped rsx & cell ihs which took 6 hrs!!)i purchased one of these and can confirm it runs fans at 100% constantly. It definately does the job of cooling the ps3 as the air even after 9 hours of fallout 3 is warm instead of red hot with the casing pretty much at room temperature, but the noise is far too loud and i would only recommend as a last resort and if you've got a loud 5.1 set up to drown out the sony jet engine in the corner !

The pwm is now in another 60gb ps3 which has had its 2nd ylod repair and seems to be going strong after 8 wks
so after a ylod repair/ further prevention i would recommend something along these lines as after some ylod repairs i've done no matter how hot the console gets the fans never increase rpm

My personal experience for cooling a 60gb ps3 is as follws

buy a genuine 19 blade ps3 fan (ebay £15ish) not the talismoon why pay double and heard of several people having to return them.

The copper shims didn't work even with the pwm from ebay fitted, it overheated within 25mins.

replacing the thermal paste every 3 months as it becomes dried out and powders ( i use mx3 better than silver 5)

Lapping the rsx and cell ihs(pre pwm), i did without removing ihs and it takes along time but if you've ever lapped a cpu ihs before you wont believe how concave the ihs' are and also lapped the heatsinks. I personally noticed a difference in the noise levels produced by the ps3 after lapping instead of taking 15-20 mins to rev up a gear it would take 35+mins

stand console vertically with at least 30cm rear clearance for exhaust dont put on the floor or in a cabinet and when you replace thermal paste dust out casing

[elver]

i purchased one of these and can confirm it runs fans at 100% constantly.

Thank you sir_peel, the experiences of a PWM user is exactly what I needed to hear, I certainly will not be purchasing one myself after what you have said, My 60GB is very loud at the best of times running at 100% speed would be way too much to bare.

buy a genuine 19 blade ps3 fan (ebay £15ish) not the talismoon

I have looked into those 19 blade OEM fans but I can't get hold of a new one, I'm worried a second hand one is going to be well-used and sound worse than my fan tbh.

The copper shims didn't work even with the pwm from ebay fitted, it overheated within 25mins.

So the copper shims were useless then? an ebay seller here is selling pads at 1.2mm thickness for the PS3 (obviously they are cheaper elsewhere without the word PS3 in the title) would they be any better or are shims a dead end?

i use mx3 better than silver 5

I will definitely be replacing the thermal paste, everyone I speak to seem to agree that the mx3 you suggested the best option, got any low price suppliers?

stand console vertically with at least 30cm rear clearance for exhaust

Whats the general consensus as to the running position? following this:


we should stay horizontal, whats the reason for vertical?

dont put on the floor or in a cabinet

My 60GB is kept on top of a cabinet of its own since all this PSJB dongle stuff so its really well ventilated, but as I said its horizontal.

I personally noticed a difference in the noise levels produced by the ps3 after lapping

...just watched a video on what lapping a cpu is...
...that is just too crazy, wet'n'dry paper on the CPU until the copper shows through...

Lapping the CPU is obviously greatly improves the contact but thats just too extreme for me.

My unit is a refurbished ebay box, probably had more reflows than i've had cooked dinners. It hasn't died yet, but if it does I think a full reball is in order, better quality solder is supposed to last a lot longer i've heared.

I wouldn't go near any of those external inter-coolers. Utter rubbish, there is no logic behind them.

[DeadlyFoez]

Lapping any chip is risky especially if the person does not already have a clue. It does GREATLY improve performance. But someone doing that type of stuff has to be a hard core modder that already has the tools and know-how to do it.

I suggest at least finding a thermal copound that is better than arctic silver 5. From my testing and experience, IC Diamond seems to be the best with very little curing time and it is non-conductive.

If a PS3 that has been properly clean and has fresh thermal compound still has heat issues then that console is doomed to fail. And most never get to this point. They usually become better after a good cleaning.