Dreamcast different fan loudness

[Kyle]

So I've got three Dreamcasts and one on them seems to have a fan that is a little bit louder than the other ones, though the system is totally fine and clean. Are there different fan models which have minor differences in loudness?

[CD AGES]

Yep! I have over 20 working Dreamcast and one particular japanese console out of my lot has a loud fan.

[Hobie-wan]

The fans were probably made by 3 or 4 different companies total between systems and fans get louder as the bearings wear out.

[Kyle]

The fans were probably made by 3 or 4 different companies total between systems and fans get louder as the bearings wear out.

Can my Dreamcast go bad beacause of a little worn out fan, though it's working? And can I replace it easily with a fan from another Dreamcast?

[Hobie-wan]

Most should be interchangeable. If the fan is still creating a good breeze, it is doing its job. If it is making terrible grinding noises and not blowing then you have a problem. I'm sure the fan is available from somewhere, but it isn't a size that lots of places stock like 80 and 120 MM fans that PCs use.

[Ziggy]

Back when I first joined RB, there was a thread where some one replaced the DC fan with one that they bought. IIRC, it wasn't a perfect drop in solution, but they were able to get it to work nonetheless.

I don't know where the thread is, but here's the write up for it: http://www.racketboy.com/retro/change-f ... st-make-it

There's probably more info in the thread, I would imagine.

[chupon]

My Dreamcast fan is soooooo F ing loud. Seriously. Never had the Dreamcast till years after it came out. Got a used one. The thing sounds like a helicoptor. Kills me to play it. I thought they were all this way.

[Ziggy]

It's not so bad. You can only hear the fan when the drive isn't loading.

[Kyle]

Today I opened my Dreamcast to check wether the fan from the inside. It really looks like new, there's even no dust or dirt to see. It seems that the loudness really depends sometimes on the different versions of the fan.

[G-Darius]

Yes I think you are right and that it is just a difference in manufacturer,with other larger fans such as pc and arcade cab i may replace the fan or try and spray into the fan assembly a liquid grease or contact switch cleaner spray but with miniature fans it is not really a good idea.