Replacement fan

17011 Views 57 Replies 14 Participants Last post by waynomo, Sep 28, 2015

jswartz

Discussion Starter · Sep 27, 2011

I would like to replace the fan in my TiVo HD XL. From what I can tell, it is a standard 70mm case fan, but it looks like it has a two pin connector. I checked NewEgg and Microcenter, but didn't see a fan like this. Does anyone have a recommendation on where I can purchase a good replacement fan? I see that DVDUpgrade and Weaknees have them for $20 plus shipping, but I'd prefer to pay less and know more details about what I am getting. Thanks.

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dwit

· #2 · Sep 27, 2011

According to the reviews at newegg.com, at least a couple of buyers were very satisfied with this Evercool model in their Tivo HD. One other described it as somewhat loud, but according to the other 2 reviewers, he/she probably did not wait for the slowdown, after the initial "brisk" blowing during start up(somewhat like the Premiere's fan).

Also explained by the reviewers is how to use the 3-pin connector on the Tivo's 2 pin motherboard (pretty easy and "common sensical"). I can attest that a 3-pin connector fan works in a Tivo, but I cannot personally attest to the "pwm" slowdown.

It does have a (less than)28db noise rating, compared to the stock Tivo fan rating of about 24db. Moves a bit more air than the stock fan, I believe.

At $8 total, shipped, may be worth a try.

If you decide to try it, post your review, here in this thread.

Good luck.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835119040

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Joe01880

· #3 · Sep 27, 2011

The Pemieres fan when it first fires up is louder then my bathroom exhaust fan.

jswartz

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 27, 2011

Thanks for the help. I ordered the Evercool. The nice thing with NewEgg is that even with standard shipping, most things show up here next day.

lillevig

· #5 · Sep 29, 2011

Joe01880 said:
The Pemieres fan when it first fires up is louder then my bathroom exhaust fan.

Unitron has been quoted elsewhere in this forum as promoting the removal of the sticker over the fan and re-lubing the bearings. I agree with him as that is often a cheap solution. These fans are almost always brushless and just need cleaning and re-lubing until the bearings get shot. As for that bathroom fan, I kept one going for years with the old clean/re-lube trick.

unitron

· #6 · Sep 29, 2011

jswartz said:
I would like to replace the fan in my TiVo HD XL. From what I can tell, it is a standard 70mm case fan, but it looks like it has a two pin connector. I checked NewEgg and Microcenter, but didn't see a fan like this. Does anyone have a recommendation on where I can purchase a good replacement fan? I see that DVDUpgrade and Weaknees have them for $20 plus shipping, but I'd prefer to pay less and know more details about what I am getting. Thanks.

I didn't see this post in time for some reason or I would have suggested checking surplus dealer allelectronics.com for a 2 wire fan.

jswartz

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 1, 2011

Hi all. Thanks for your help. I'm not ready to have a final verdict on whether I've fixed the TiVo, but I did install the Evercool fan. It installed very easily (I already had a Torx driver). Although it is louder on startup, it is *much* quieter than the original fan, which I believe was faulty from the start. I could easily just plug the three wire connector over the two prongs on the motherboard. In terms of the fan, all is well. Thanks again for your help.

dwit

· #8 · Oct 1, 2011

jswartz said:
Hi all. Thanks for your help. I'm not ready to have a final verdict on whether I've fixed the TiVo, but I did install the Evercool fan. It installed very easily (I already had a Torx driver). Although it is louder on startup, it is *much* quieter than the original fan, which I believe was faulty from the start. I could easily just plug the three wire connector over the two prongs on the motherboard. In terms of the fan, all is well. Thanks again for your help.

Good to hear that it looks like the fan is working out. It's so (relatively) inexpensive, I might just get one to keep on hand, just in case...

Atomic Taco

· #9 · Oct 16, 2011

I bought a used HD box and it came with a DOA fan. I got the Evercool fan in the mail today (pretty sure it would've gotten here two days earlier if NewEgg would just ship First Class and not SmartMail). It is much louder than the stock fan, even after the TiVo is fully booted.

I popped open another HD unit, which has a JMC fan, similar to the first one here which pushes 22.0 CFM at 24.3 dBA. The DOA fan I received is similar to the one here that pushes 24.23 CFM at 30.8 dBA. The Evercool is spec'ed at 34.78 CFM at <28 dBA. 4 dBA doesn't sound like much but the extra 10-12 CFM is a dead giveaway. I wish I had a way to test the actual output. I'm sure the JMC and Cofan fans are each way less than 24 dBA. I can barely hear them standing a foot in front of the TiVo. I can hear the Evercool in the next room.

I'll be returning the Evercool and doing what I should've done the first time--picking up a brand new JMC on eBay.

Edit: This fan on NewEgg looks like it might be a decent alternative. But I'm sticking with the eBay fan.

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MeInDallas

· #10 · Oct 18, 2011

I put the Evercool in both my Tivo's to get extra cooling. When they first boot up yes they sound like an air raid siren, but once it gets to the second screen they go totally silent. I dunno, you must've gotten a bad fan and I would try to get a replacement. I dont know how you hear this thing in the next room. I cant even hear it standing right in front of the Tivo. This is the perfect fan for the Tivo and at a great price. I even ordered 2 more extras just to have them on hand. I wish I had done this back when I first got the Tivo's. I would totally recommend these Evercool fans to anyone.

Atomic Taco

· #11 · Oct 18, 2011

MeInDallas said:
When they first boot up yes they sound like an air raid siren, but once it gets to the second screen they go totally silent. I dunno, you must've gotten a bad fan and I would try to get a replacement.

I waited 10 minutes after the TiVo was fully booted and there was no change. I don't want to send fans back and forth to NewEgg, so I just got the JMC which I know is quiet before, during, and after booting.

MeInDallas

· #12 · Oct 18, 2011

Well thats a shame I hate to hear that it didnt work out for you. I been really amazed at how cool my TiVo's run now, around 35C. Sometimes they even go lower if the house is cooler. They were running around 43C before I replaced the fans. At first when I put them in yeah they were so loud, but like everyone said as soon as the second screen showed up they just went silent and I took the covers back off to make sure they were working. I still walk by them everyday and stick my hand in the back to make sure air is blowing out. It's a shame they worked so well for everyone else but you couldnt get them to work. They are such a great deal.

Atomic Taco

· #13 · Oct 18, 2011

MeInDallas said:
They are such a great deal.

The JMC was fifty cents less.

MeInDallas

· #14 · Oct 18, 2011

Atomic Taco said:
The JMC was fifty cents less.

50 cents for 35C instead of 43C? I'll take it! :up:

Atomic Taco

· #15 · Oct 19, 2011

If you look at the spec'ed airflow, the Evercool is pushing a lot more air. It would make sense that it makes the system cooler. That extra air comes at the expense of extra noise. And I can't hear the fan over the stock WD Green Drive.

The existing unit I have with the JMC is running at 45°C. Ambient room temperature is about 21°. Since that 8 degree difference doesn't make anything run faster, I'm happy with 45. TiVo does indeed call it "Normal".

MeInDallas

· #16 · Oct 19, 2011

I looked at that and yes the fan does run faster and push more air, but the "extra noise" you speak of does not exist on my TiVo, so really the only expense that exists for me is the extra heat the unit has to endure. A unit that runs at 43C which mine was running at, once converted is 109.4F and with the new fan its running at 35C converted to 95F which is a difference of 14.4F degrees cooler. Also I have upgraded to a WD Green 1TB drive, also completely silent with AAM settings tuned to 80h (128).

Anyone that knows anything about computers and electronics can tell you that heat is the worst enemy for these things. If you're fine with 45C then I'm happy for you. If I can run mine at 35C and possibly save mine from the heat and still have a silent TiVo, then I'm ecstatic. I've been looking for a cheap way to cool this thing down since I bought it. A hard drive in a computer runs so much cooler, why cant a TiVo?

I wouldn't say that TiVo has anyones best interest at heart. If someones TiVo doesn't last very long, then all they are going to do is sell more TiVo's.

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unitron

· #17 · Oct 19, 2011

MeInDallas said:
I looked at that and yes the fan does run faster and push more air, but the "extra noise" you speak of does not exist on my TiVo, so really the only expense that exists for me is the extra heat the unit has to endure. A unit that runs at 43C which mine was running at, once converted is 109.4F and with the new fan its running at 35C converted to 95F which is a difference of 14.4F degrees cooler. Also I have upgraded to a WD Green 1TB drive, also completely silent with AAM settings tuned to 80h (128).

Anyone that knows anything about computers and electronics can tell you that heat is the worst enemy for these things. If you're fine with 45C then I'm happy for you. If I can run mine at 35C and possibly save mine from the heat and still have a silent TiVo, then I'm ecstatic. I've been looking for a cheap way to cool this thing down since I bought it. A hard drive in a computer runs so much cooler, why cant a TiVo?

I wouldn't say that TiVo has anyones best interest at heart. If someones TiVo doesn't last very long, then all they are going to do is sell more TiVo's.

Put a hard drive cooler fan on the hard drive.

Yes, it will take a little ingenuity.

MeInDallas

· #18 · Oct 19, 2011

unitron said:
Put a hard drive cooler fan on the hard drive.

Yes, it will take a little ingenuity.

I've thought about doing just that.

Where would you connect the power to? Get a "Y" splitter and use the same connector the fan uses?

Also does anyone have any idea what the un-used 4 pin connector on the motherboard is for? I've looked all over these forums and cant find anything on it, and of course TiVo acts clueless about it.

dwit

· #19 · Oct 19, 2011

Atomic Taco said:
If you look at the spec'ed airflow, the Evercool is pushing a lot more air. It would make sense that it makes the system cooler. That extra air comes at the expense of extra noise. And I can't hear the fan over the stock WD Green Drive.

The existing unit I have with the JMC is running at 45°C. Ambient room temperature is about 21°. Since that 8 degree difference doesn't make anything run faster, I'm happy with 45. TiVo does indeed call it "Normal".

Virtually "silent" as opposed to "can hear it in the next room"? Big discrepancy there. Either we are not talking about the same fans, or something else is askew.

I think it's pretty obvious we are not talking about the same items, or your fan, or the Tivo(fan controller?) is defective. I think it's also possible that the Evercool fan, having a 3 pin connector, may not be connected in the best possible way, in your case. Are you using the 3 pin, motherboard connector, or the included molex connector? If you are using the 3 pin motherboard connector, maybe you have it backward, or maybe you have the wrong 2 pins connected.

Otherwise, of all the reviews here and at Newegg, you are the only one to describe it as "very loud"(installed in the Tivo HD)?

Concerning the Ebay fan: I'm sure it is acceptable, but it is a "sleeve bearing" fan, whereas the Evercool has "ball bearings". All things considered, a ball bearing fan is considered to be a step up from a sleeve bearing model. The ball bearing fan should stay quiet, for a longer period, and require less maintenance.

All that said, it would be nice to get a few more fan reviews here.

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unitron

· #20 · Oct 19, 2011

MeInDallas said:
I've thought about doing just that.

Where would you connect the power to? Get a "Y" splitter and use the same connector the fan uses?

Also does anyone have any idea what the un-used 4 pin connector on the motherboard is for? I've looked all over these forums and cant find anything on it, and of course TiVo acts clueless about it.

Extrapolating my knowledge of S1 and S2 motherboards to TiVos in general, I would advise against connecting anything in parallel (or series for that matter) with the "chassis" fan. Apparently the TiVo motherboard has temperature sensor circuitry, and this controls how fast the chassis fan spins. The switching transistor may not be able to handle the current that would be drawn by 2 fans in parallel, which would result in having zero fans, the opposite of what we're going for.

Somewhere recently online I saw a picture of the inside of an S3 or S3 HD that showed the power and data harness for the stock SATA drive.

Let me see if I can find it again and see it I can make out enough detail about the non-drive ends to figure the best way to tap off +12V for a hard drive cooler fan.

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