I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.

If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.

Is this ok or will it damage the Pi

On a sunny day (Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:30 +0100) it happened Dr Stephen
Strange <no.spam@me.com> wrote in
<nvKcnT3WfrC7M3n5nZ2dnZfqn_WdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>:

>I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>
>If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
>
>Is this ok or will it damage the Pi

Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line
that will affect the electronics.
I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the shaft with some vaseline.
That was about 2 years ago.
It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.

Jan Panteltje wrote:
> On a sunny day (Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:30 +0100) it happened Dr Stephen
> Strange <no.spam@me.com> wrote in
> <nvKcnT3WfrC7M3n5nZ2dnZfqn_WdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>:
>
>> I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>>
>> If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
>>
>> Is this ok or will it damage the Pi
>
> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line
> that will affect the electronics.
> I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the shaft with some vaseline.
> That was about 2 years ago.
> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.
>

Ok - thanks

On 22/08/2023 16:05, Dr Stephen Strange wrote:
> Jan Panteltje wrote:
>> On a sunny day (Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:30 +0100) it happened Dr Stephen
>> Strange <no.spam@me.com> wrote in
>> <nvKcnT3WfrC7M3n5nZ2dnZfqn_WdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>:
>>
>>> I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>>>
>>> If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less
>>> noisy.
>>>
>>> Is this ok or will it damage the Pi
>>
>> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator in the
>> Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line
>> that will affect the electronics.
>> I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart, took the
>> rotor out and greased the shaft with some vaseline.
>> That was about 2 years ago.
>> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.
>>
>
> Ok - thanks
>

You can just use a series resistor to slow the fan while still powering
it from 5V. Exp0eriment with the value of resistor until you get the
right speed.

--
Brian Gregory (in England).

-=> Jan Panteltje wrote to Strange <=-

>I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>
>If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
>
>Is this ok or will it damage the Pi

JP> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator
JP> in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line that will
JP> affect the electronics. I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I
JP> took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the shaft with
JP> some vaseline. That was about 2 years ago.
JP> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.

Hogwash. I've got a Pi4 that I've been running the fan on the 3v pin
for at least 2 years, 24/7, and it's perfectly fine.

.... Anything is possible if you don't know what you're talking about
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52

On 22/08/2023 15:16, Jan Panteltje wrote:
> On a sunny day (Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:30 +0100) it happened Dr Stephen
> Strange <no.spam@me.com> wrote in
> <nvKcnT3WfrC7M3n5nZ2dnZfqn_WdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>:
>
>> I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>>
>> If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
>>
>> Is this ok or will it damage the Pi
>
> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line
> that will affect the electronics.
> I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the

Doesn't seem to be an issue, I've been running dozens of 3B's, 3B+'s and
4B's with fans on 3.3V since they came out, and I've never had a failure.

I've not used fans on the original B, 2B's Zero's or Zero 2's. The only
Pi's I've had fail have been a Zero and a 4B which had a passive
heatsinks and probably ran too hot for too long, so 3.3V fans can't be
implicated in either of those, and could have even saved them.

---druck

Brian Gregory <void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> wrote:
>
> You can just use a series resistor to slow the fan while still powering
> it from 5V. Exp0eriment with the value of resistor until you get the
> right speed.

That's a much better option than stressing the voltage regulator on
the Pi. A 2V zener diode could also be used in series to avoid
needing to experiment with the resistor value if 3v is considered
roughly optimal. Or 2-3 normal silicon diodes in series.

--
__ __
#_ < |\| |< _#

On 22/08/2023 15:16, Jan Panteltje wrote:
> On a sunny day (Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:30 +0100) it happened Dr Stephen
> Strange <no.spam@me.com> wrote in
> <nvKcnT3WfrC7M3n5nZ2dnZfqn_WdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>:
>
>> I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>>
>> If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
>>
>> Is this ok or will it damage the Pi
>
> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line
> that will affect the electronics.
> I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the shaft with some vaseline.
> That was about 2 years ago.
> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.
>
you shouldn't use grease on small electric motors. Light sewing machine
oil is best.
--
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false face for the
urge to rule it.”
– H. L. Mencken

On 21/08/2023 23:19, Dan Clough wrote:
> -=> Jan Panteltje wrote to Strange <=-
>
> >I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
> >
> >If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
> >
> >Is this ok or will it damage the Pi
>
> JP> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator
> JP> in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line that will
> JP> affect the electronics. I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I
> JP> took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the shaft with
> JP> some vaseline. That was about 2 years ago.
> JP> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.
>
> Hogwash. I've got a Pi4 that I've been running the fan on the 3v pin
> for at least 2 years, 24/7, and it's perfectly fine.
>
>
>
> ... Anything is possible if you don't know what you're talking about
> === MultiMail/Linux v0.52

Indeed. without knowing more about what it draws, 'is likely' is just
pissing in the wind.

--
WOKE is an acronym... Without Originality, Knowledge or Education.

On a sunny day (Wed, 23 Aug 2023 08:00:21 +0100) it happened The Natural
Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote in <uc4aq5$2qn7d$4@dont-email.me>:

>On 22/08/2023 15:16, Jan Panteltje wrote:
>> On a sunny day (Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:30 +0100) it happened Dr Stephen
>> Strange <no.spam@me.com> wrote in
>> <nvKcnT3WfrC7M3n5nZ2dnZfqn_WdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>:
>>
>>> I have a Pi4 that came with a noisy 5v fan.
>>>
>>> If I connect the fan to the 3v line it spns slower and is much less noisy.
>>>
>>> Is this ok or will it damage the Pi
>>
>> Not a good idea, the fan will likely overload the 3 V regulator in the Pi, also it may create noise on that 3V line
>> that will affect the electronics.
>> I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart, took the rotor out and greased the shaft with some vaseline.
>> That was about 2 years ago.
>> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.
>>
>you shouldn't use grease on small electric motors.

Well the fact that it works for years 24/7 with vaseline proves you wrong.
And if you want to screw up your 3V regulator best of luck with it, wtf do I care.

There are also people who climb mount Everest and make it
But then again..
LOL
not me !!
Maybe this newsgroup is not worth reading mostly your boring quotes...

Go to hell and take your Usenet group with you.
Unsubscribing

On 23/08/2023 09:38, Jan Panteltje wrote:

[much snipping]

> Unsubscribing

Result!

In message <64e53aed@news.ausics.net>
not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) wrote:

> Brian Gregory <void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> wrote:
> >
> > You can just use a series resistor to slow the fan while still powering
> > it from 5V. Exp0eriment with the value of resistor until you get the
> > right speed.
>
> That's a much better option than stressing the voltage regulator on the Pi.
> A 2V zener diode could also be used in series to avoid needing to
> experiment with the resistor value if 3v is considered roughly optimal. Or
> 2-3 normal silicon diodes in series.

I too would recommend any of those solutions.

Running a fan from the 3.3V line might work, and clearly it does for
some people's cases; but it isn't possible to generalise from one or
two cases. The 3.3V line may or may not have adequate spare capacity
for a particular fan.

David

On 2023-08-23, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> On 22/08/2023 15:16, Jan Panteltje wrote:
>
>> I had a noisy 5 V fan in the Pi4 4 GB, I took the fan apart,
>> took the rotor out and greased the shaft with some vaseline.
>> That was about 2 years ago.
>> It has been quiet ever since, works perfectly, 24/7.
>
> you shouldn't use grease on small electric motors.
> Light sewing machine oil is best.

Yup. I've revived a lot of fans with a few drops of 3-in-1 oil.

--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | You can't save the earth
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | unless you're willing to
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | make other people sacrifice.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Dogbert the green consultant

On Wed, 23 Aug 2023 17:33:31 +0100, in
<e40f86d85a.DaveMeUK@BeagleBoard-xM>, David Higton
<dave@davehigton.me.uk> wrote:

>In message <64e53aed@news.ausics.net>
> not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) wrote:
>
>> Brian Gregory <void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> wrote:
>> >
>> > You can just use a series resistor to slow the fan while still powering
>> > it from 5V. Exp0eriment with the value of resistor until you get the
>> > right speed.
>>
>> That's a much better option than stressing the voltage regulator on the Pi.
>> A 2V zener diode could also be used in series to avoid needing to
>> experiment with the resistor value if 3v is considered roughly optimal. Or
>> 2-3 normal silicon diodes in series.
>
>I too would recommend any of those solutions.
>
>Running a fan from the 3.3V line might work, and clearly it does for
>some people's cases; but it isn't possible to generalise from one or
>two cases. The 3.3V line may or may not have adequate spare capacity
>for a particular fan.

I imagine a fan works fine off the 3.3v line if the only things
drawing power are the Pi and a fan, but for those who also have one or
more hats I wouldn't dream of powering a fan off the 3.3v line. It's
too easy to add a resistor or diodes, as mentioned above, and power
from the 5v supply.

Sewing machine oil can be either natural, synthetic or petrochemical.
I'd use synthetic (silicone), but not the other two, esp not natural.
Natural oil ages, oxidizes and evaporates over time. Good luck if the
can the oil comes in specifies what's what.

I'd also use a fan with ball bearings, not sleeve bearings.
--
Jim H