PS3 Fan Getting Noisy

Garzard

I've started using my PS3 again for the past week or so for the first time in quite a few months, mainly Modern Warfare 2. I've noticed though for a few days now that the fan keeps picking up speed after let's say 10 minutes into the game. Fan speed is normal and quiet for the first 10 minutes, it'll then get slightly louder, (no biggie) then another 10 minutes in it'll get even noisier to the point where it just wrecks your head and makes you turn it off. I'm worried about continuing the game in case it might overheat and break down. It doesn't do this for any other game or DVD I've been using since I started playing again.

The console has collected a fair bit of dust over the months, although I don't know how much interior-wise. Could this be the cause and would it be a good idea to open it and clean it out myself and maybe check for any other problems or could this void warranty? Thanks in advance.

JeffK88

A few months after this happened to my PS3, YLOD came along and killed it.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Hoover the vents out. Opening it is prob not a good idea unless you are a techy.

Glico Man

just get some cans of compressed air and blow out all the dust.

RangeR

Compressed air is your man. Then maybe a quick vacuum over the exterior grill to pick out any remaining. Would advise opening her up as, I believe, there is a ribbon cable attached to the case [PS3Fat].

Garzard

I opened it up yesterday evening with the help of online instructions. Gave the inside a good vacuuming first, then blew out the inside of the fan area with a bit of compressed air. The fan seems to be running at normal and quiet speed since then so the problem looks to be fixed. I might give it a routine cleanout every few months or so from now on.

yoshiktk

Dust is one problem another is a cheap thermal paste on chips. Im having the same issue, few minutes of play and fans go mad. Its like jumbo taking off. Hopefully i have some spare Arctic paste so i will apply it, that should solve the problem.
http://sometimesgeeky.com/applying-new-thermal-paste-to-my-ps3/
http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-3/PS3-60GB-Thermal-paste-Re-Application/td-p/6848044
Maybe ill try to do the fan swap if i find the one which could fit.

Garzard

I'm just after turning on Uncharted 2 there and the fan's acting up again. The other day I could only get to so many places with the compressed air even though I thought I got a fair bit of dust out. I want to clean it again. Should I take a gamble and disassemble the whole thing this time?

RangeR

Garzard wrote: »

I'm just after turning on Uncharted 2 there and the fan's acting up again. The other day I could only get to so many places with the compressed air even though I thought I got a fair bit of dust out. I want to clean it again. Should I take a gamble and disassemble the whole thing this time?

Only if you can afford a new one when/if it goes wrong.

Nerdkiller1991

Is there anywhere I can get compressed air? Because my PS3 tends to go into overdrive whenever the room gets all warm because of the annoying summer heat. Although, I wouldn't really want to open up my console.

RangeR

No

Garzard

This is just getting ridiculous - last night it went into complete overdrive, and I mean extremely loud so opened it up (yet again) today. I managed this time to disconnect and remove the black power supply box where I then had much better access to the fan underneath. Gave it nearly a 10 minute blow out with our compressor and put it back together, turned on a game and now it's just running even louder than it was last night, to the point where I'm worried it might just explode if I leave it on. It's running much faster than before I first cleaned it.

It's not making any sense and I don't know what more I can do with the thing other than taking it to pieces completely which I'd probably need help to do or let an electronics shop take a look at it since it's a couple years out of warranty. Advice? Thanks.

RangeR

When it's running faster, is there notable heat coming out the back?
If so, then it may be that the heatsink isn't dissipating the heat away from the CPU properly.
If not, could be a dodgy fan.

My PS3 has been running loud the past month or two, noticeably loud but not too much. Was also pumping out some decent heat. Opened hyer up last night. The thing was full of fluff and dust. Gave her a blowing out and now she's back to normal... silent.

Don't forgot to blow UNDER the parts, not just what you can see. Also, clear the grills of dirt, dust and fluff.

intellectual dosser

When I read the thread title I thought some other online player was being a noisy ass and ruining it for everyone :P

Garzard

Haven't checked for exiting heat yet but from the speed of the speed recently, I can feel the air from 2 feet away.

A lot of comments about the problem on other sites suggest it's related to expired thermal paste in the system and that the YLOD is on its way. I'm starting to think that dust / fluff isn't the problem because it's bizarre that the fan would only continue to get faster and louder even though I've cleaned it out 4 times at this stage.

RangeR

Garzard wrote: »

Haven't checked for exiting heat yet but from the speed of the speed recently, I can feel the air from 2 feet away.

A lot of comments about the problem on other sites suggest it's related to expired thermal paste in the system and that the YLOD is on its way. I'm starting to think that dust / fluff isn't the problem because it's bizarre that the fan would only continue to get faster and louder even though I've cleaned it out 4 times at this stage.

Replace the Thermal Paste before it gets worse. No idea how to do it on PS3, though. Research or get a pro to do it. I'd estimate an hours work, max.

Suggest not using your PS3 until that's done.

Glico Man

Sounds a lot like what happened with my refurbished ps3. Even after a good cleaning, it sounded like a light airplane prop. Was told by a local computer repair specialist that it was a thermal paste and solder problem.

Can't remember the price for replacing the paste/reflow, but I do remember that my only other option was to trade it in against the new slim.