[seplant]

The main fan on my HS10 has been randomly failing to start by itself. It happened twice in a row today. It just kind of sits there and twitches. I can get it started by gently tapping it with a small screwdriver, so I don't consider it to be a major problem, but I do have to watch it every time I start the projector to make sure it is running, so it is rather a pain. I was wondering how difficult it would be to replace it myself, assuming I could get a replacement fan.


Those of you who have been inside the HS10, do you think it would be very difficult to replace the main fan (the one to the right of the lens looking at the front of the unit)?


Thanks.

 

[jsp]

if its under warranty which I would assume it is send it back.........

 

[Larry J]

You'd need the service manual probably. I haven't had mine apart to that degree but somewhat apart. Looking at the breakdown I really don't think it's a BIG deal to change it,,, IF the person doing it is use to working with electronics.


You probably would have to splice the wires unless you order a factory replacement. I had to get some dust out of mine and almost continued to the point of looking at that fan, and trying one that might be quieter.. which I still might do sometime.

 

[seplant]

I am trying to avoid shipping it for warranty service. For one thing, it would set me back another $50 or so. Also, any time you ship, you risk additional damage. Since this fan problem is not a catastrophic failure, I am leaning towards waiting until I DO have a more significant problem, then send it back to have everything fixed. Don't know if I will join the crowd experiencing the lamp bug. My unit has a serial number close to 16000.

 

[Larry J]

Well, I know I'd replace it myself, but thats just me. You will have to take the side cover off, and that includes a couple of screws and some clamps.

A few other plugs has to be disconnected also, then the front and side cover lifts off by going straight up. Thats what it appears to show but since I haven't actually done it, can't give exact directions.


The fan is held in with 4 screws and plugs into a circuit board.

 

[seplant]

Larry J - Sounds like you have the service manual. If so, where did you get it?

 

[Larry J]

I caught someone on Ebay and downloaded it. I believe they were stopped right after that. I'd planned on ordering it from Sony or a Sony parts Distributor, but happen to catch that on Ebay.


It's not that much detail really about disassembly, but does show the breakdown in drawings, which is good enough for the most part.


It shows removing the top cover with those six screws on the bottom. Then there is a screw on the right side, looking from the front, remove it. Then carefully unsnap that right side by pushing back on that corner.


Unplug everything that is connected to the front and those control buttons on the side cover. Then is shows coming straight up with the front and side cover.


Then there is a claw on the left side cover that you push back on (the cover)to unsnap. Then the front cover should be free, and should be easy to get the fan out.


Seems to me, though can't be sure since I haven't done it, but it looks like the front cover could be taken off without completely removing the side cover..

 

[jsp]

just be careful from the warranty point of view, you can replace the fan but if the globe dies or something they can say its related, and if you have tampered with the goods they dont have to repair/replace it. Well here in Australia anyways


Why do you have to pay for the fault??? Here I have a coice of service centres to take it to, OR the place I purchased it from. For those in rural area's, the dealer arranged pickup and delivery. I would have thought this a standard thing with warranties in the states? or am I missguided as per usual ?

 

[daggerNC]

Larry J - thanx much for the description on how to gain access to the front fans. If you'd like to share that service menu please send me a PM.


I want to change those fans to some high quality PC 92mm ones like a Vantec or Panaflo. Any body have the mfg & spec readings on the stock ones so I can see what kind of cfm and current ratings they have? My assumption is that the HS10 varies the voltage supply from 7v to 12v depending on settings and internal temperatures. I'd be happy to be one of the first to try this mod if the HS10's didn't have such a history of faults and failures and require factory servicing thereby putting my waranttee at risk. However, if these fans are plug and play with standard 3-pin 12v PC connectors then it might be worth the try in order to get the noise level down (yes I don't notice it when lots of action/sounds going on, but yes I DO notice it during quiet passages and it is distracting) and if I do need to send it in I can put the factory ones back in?


cheers,

dagger

 

[Larry J]

If they were changed in the right way, Sony service wouldn't never know it. Don't give them more credit than they deserve! It would have to be a obvious patch job for them to take notice. I've had the left (from the front)side fan unplugged, and it looked like a normal type plug, but it's been about 2 months ago so I've kind of forgot exactly what it looked like.


Sure, you could always put the other fan back in.


It's that left fan that makes the most noise and speeds up, IMO. I don' t think the right makes much noise. I don't think they are shaped the same either, but I haven't check the part numbers to see if they are the same.


I'll try to look at the Schematic tonight and see if it shows the voltage the fan runs on. I don't have the manual on this computer.

 

[daggerNC]

Thanks again Larry. Just to see how much each of the 2 front fans contributed to the noise level I tried blocking one at start up, and of course I found out that the HS10 has speed monitoring so it shut down in about a second. However, you mentioned you actually disconnected one of them - were you able to run it like that? If so what was the impact on noise level?


The largest noise-type that makes this unit noticeable is not the normal high speed whine many of the PC fans I have used (on CPU HSF's and graphics cards and PC case fans), but it is more of a "motorcycle - say non-modded Harley rapidly alternating motor noise. I checked my unit with my dealer's demo HS10 and they made the same noise and level. I'm hoping it's from one or both of the front exhaust fans and not one of the internal barrel fans.


Another option is to line part of the HS10 with sound absorbtion material. There is a new PC supply company that has some new stuff that seems to work very well, but I haven't taken my HS10 apart yet to see if there is any room?


Cheers,

dagger

 

[Larry J]

Not much room for sound material. It is louder with that top cover off though. No, it won't run with the fan unplugged for long but it was quite a bit more quiet with that left one off, IMO.


Those other fans do make noise but I still think it's that left one that makes the most that people can hear. The other ones inside are kind of buried! With me it's when it speeds up that it can get loud, and that only happens when the room temp goes up some. That will happen more often now with warm weather.


I sent you a PM Dagger, I assume you got it.

 

[daggerNC]

Someone on the HS10 lamp issue thread made the statement about whenever his powers up it defaults into the Memory Stick input, and the stock settings is Dynamic (not Cinema) and thus the fans run high and you can really hear the unit then. He's right, same with mine, but that made me think/ask the question: do ALL 5 fans increase in speed or just the exhaust fan(s)? That's important because the type of fan noise heard remains the same, just the loudness (with a slight increase in pitch) changes. If so, then the exhaust fans ARE a major source of the noise. If someone can verify then it's a done deal for me - I'm going to replace the fans with some silent PC ones once I get the cfm/current draw specs.


dagger

 

[lee eiseman]

How do we no that the fan is at fault rather than the electronics? My front fan went onto twitch mode on one occasion at the ten hour mark. I'm now at 250 hours without a recurrence.

 

[Larry J]

Those front two fans are different, they have different part numbers.


Left side 1-763-422-11


right side 1-763-874-11


Sorry, they don't list the size or anything else,, which don't surprise me. Might be on the fan itself, the cfm.


Don't really show the voltage either,, but a 13v line feeds a regulator, and thats where one pin of cn611 (plug on the left side fan) goes. So of course the voltage has to vary for it to slow down and speed up. Would be easy to check with the top off anyway. Just check the voltage, then put the pj in full brightness and check again.


It's a 3 pin plug with pin 3 ground.

 

[daggerNC]

I thought some one else said (different post quite a while back) that both exhaust fans are 92x25mm units. I can see where Sony would use a different part number for parts management, but did you (Larry) actually see a physical difference in the 2?


Yes, the fan specs are usually on the face of the fan itself - at least manufacturer and model number, and many times other data such as cfm and max current draw. Usually one can then research that unit on the manufacturer's site to get all the information.


I was thinking of getting a pair of 92mm Panaflo L1A's which are rated at 42cfm @ 27dB at max voltage. 2 fans running max (12v) would generate around 30dB which would be considerably less noisy than current ones and I suspect much better air flow.


Cheers,

dagger

 

[Larry J]

I haven't seen the fans in enough detail to know what the difference is, but looking at the drawings it appears one is shape slightly different on the edges. One seems to be square and the other is angled on the corners. Dagger, you will see that on the printed copies I send you.



If they were exactly alike, the part number should be the same.


My HS10 is all setup and I hate to move it for now, I should have looked at the fans when I was dealing with the dust awhile back. I'd been thinking about changing the left one. I got it beween two shelves with some sound blocking material on the sides, so that helps a good bit. So I probably won't deal with the fans for now unless one starts sticking. I'm real close to the pj though so who knows, might change my mind.


I'm sure with the fans out it shouldn't be a problem finding a replacement, very unlikely there is something special about the front ones.