Why are laptop repairs so pricey? - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Shazam · 08-03-2010, 08:49 PM

Three hours eh?

The guy at Memory Express replaced my keyboard in 15 minutes.

He said that he can take apart any laptop in five minutes.

HOOT · 08-03-2010, 09:18 PM

Will WD40 be bad for the fan?

This was the recommendation from the guys I bought the fan off, just want a second opinion.

Vulcan · 08-03-2010, 09:55 PM

I tried WD40, it didn't help on a GPU fan so I tried Graphite Lube from Canadian Tire. That was a few months ago, still working but use at your own risk.

sclitheroe · 08-03-2010, 10:10 PM

Does the fan speed vary with load, or is it running full tilt all the time?

HOOT · 08-03-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Does the fan speed vary with load, or is it running full tilt all the time?

Right now it seems to go full tilt all the time but I usually don't let it run very long before shutting it off. I'm worried it's either going to take off or blow up.

Hack&Lube · 08-03-2010, 10:56 PM

If that fan is making that constant clicking racket, then it is defective. I usually lubricate my fans by removing a circular disc on top of the fan and I put in some sewing machine oil. You have to be careful what kind of oil you use. WD 40 may turn black and gum up over time due to heat. It's also a petroleum product so it will dissolve rubber. Grapphite Lube, Lithium Lube, or Silicone Oil may work better but I can't speak for the longevity of these...Definitely do not use paper shredder oil, I that will gum up a fan because the heat will turn it into glue... but if it is making that noise, I think it is beyond help and sadly you have another defective fan on your hands.

Even at full RPMs, it should be making a whirring/whoosing noise at worst and not clickityclackity. Do you know if it's a fluid or sleeve bearing fan? If it's a sleeve bearing, the sleeve may be damaged and something is making a friction related noise every time the fan makes one revolution. If you do want to try lubrication, lubricant goes in the middle where the hole is and not on the outside or the electromagnet coils unless you can see some damage along the outside (like a loose wire on a coil) that is hitting the side of the fan hub. Check to make sure the interior of the plastic fan hub is clean and clear of debris or any signs of scratches from friction. Check the center shaft to see if it's smooth too or there is nothing in the fan. Blow it out with compressed air. Lube the bearing. Since you have two fans, try swapping rotor hubs and bases.

Where did you buy the "new" fan? Are you sure it is new? Can you get it exchanged or returned? Is it from HP or Ebay? Do you know if it might possibly be used? When you reinstalled the fan/heatsink assembly, did you properly apply TIM? (Thermal interface material, commonly known as thermal paste). If you used generic white silicone stuff, it might be worth it to invest in some higher quality thermal paste as it will help conduct heat better. http://www.hardocp.com/article/2009/...shootout_q209/ Don't use too much however, too much can actually insulate.

llama64 · 08-04-2010, 09:25 AM

I recently cleaned out my fans on my Macbook Pro - took me 20 minutes. 15 of that was me freaking out because the bloody thing wouldn't start. Once I figured out I had left residue over the CPU fan sensor and wiped it off, the thing started up just fine (and now runs 10 degrees cooler without all that crap in the fan vent).

On topic: Check for HP firmware updates. My experience with HP laptops is that they tend to have weird issues where their fans either run all the time or the computer never goes to sleep (Vista + firmware issue). Both situations will lead to premature wear on either the fans or the harddrive (in my case, it was the HDD... stupid HP).

HOOT · 08-04-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llama64

I recently cleaned out my fans on my Macbook Pro - took me 20 minutes. 15 of that was me freaking out because the bloody thing wouldn't start. Once I figured out I had left residue over the CPU fan sensor and wiped it off, the thing started up just fine (and now runs 10 degrees cooler without all that crap in the fan vent).

On topic: Check for HP firmware updates. My experience with HP laptops is that they tend to have weird issues where their fans either run all the time or the computer never goes to sleep (Vista + firmware issue). Both situations will lead to premature wear on either the fans or the harddrive (in my case, it was the HDD... stupid HP).

How long can I leave my fan going like that? I'm just worried it will burn out and wreak something else in the process. Or do I have some time before anything would be harmed if the fan completely shut off?

HOOT · 08-04-2010, 12:18 PM

Fixed it! YAY!!!!

I decided to WD40 the old fan and now it is silent as it was before. Funny part about all this is I'm trying to boot up and forgot to hook up my keyboard. DOH!

That's easy to fix (only took me 45min to put it together) but I'm just happy to have my laptop back once I correct that one mistake.

Thanks to everyone that helped me out!!

Hack&Lube · 08-04-2010, 01:32 PM

Yay! From my experience lubing fans, once you start doing it, you'll have to do it again in a few months. I'm not sure how well WD40 will work over a long time but it might turn out to be great, I've never tried it.

I know I've tried various other oils and they worked for a few months and then the fan suddenly jammed and wouldn't move anymore as the lubricant started coagulating due to heat.

sclitheroe · 08-04-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Yay! From my experience lubing fans, once you start doing it, you'll have to do it again in a few months. I'm not sure how well WD40 will work over a long time but it might turn out to be great, I've never tried it.

I know I've tried various other oils and they worked for a few months and then the fan suddenly jammed and wouldn't move anymore as the lubricant started coagulating due to heat.

I think WD-40 is a less than optimal choice overall. It’s about 50% hexane (kerosene, basically), and about 15% mineral oil. The hexane will evaporate eventually leaving only the mineral oil behind. So the next time you need to lube it, maybe look for a decent mineral oil based lubricant. Like the stuff used to keep hair clipper blades lubricated or something.

Hack&Lube · 08-04-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

I think WD-40 is a less than optimal choice overall. It’s about 50% hexane (kerosene, basically), and about 15% mineral oil. The hexane will evaporate eventually leaving only the mineral oil behind. So the next time you need to lube it, maybe look for a decent mineral oil based lubricant. Like the stuff used to keep hair clipper blades lubricated or something.

You can get pure silicone oil @ hobby stores in Calgary. It's used for RC parts where rubber needs to be protected (WD40 will dissolve rubber) or for RC shocks and pretty stable. Next time a fan goes on me, that's what I'm using.

sclitheroe · 08-04-2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

You can get pure silicone oil @ hobby stores in Calgary. It's used for RC parts where rubber needs to be protected (WD40 will dissolve rubber) or for RC shocks and pretty stable. Next time a fan goes on me, that's what I'm using.

Good idea!