Clean your PS3 fan with quick-n-easy test
by Majed Athab 
{ Apr 12th 2008 at 2:00PM }
It's basically a video instruction about running a fan test on your PS3 which also blows out the dust and essentially cleaning it up. What's nice is there's very little effort involved, so you can actually do this every day. Just a warning though, it's only for 40GB models -- doing this on other models will cause
[Thanks Jakob!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Huff-daddy @ Apr 15th 2008 2:01AM
Something tells me you're kinda missing the point.
russell @ Apr 12th 2008 2:04PM
only for the 40g????? how stupid.
ThePunisher @ Apr 12th 2008 2:08PM
How do you do this for the 60gb model then?
sean @ Apr 12th 2008 2:08PM
that was funny bout the console exploding lol. i wish this worked on my 60GB. guess there is one reason to have the 40 over the 60.
fatherb @ Apr 13th 2008 2:43PM
TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK. I searched google and found on gamespot a post about 60GB fan test. It says to just turn the PS3 upside down vertically so the vent is on the bottom (do this in mid-air to prevent blockage of vent) turn on the system and wait about 10-15 seconds so the heat rises causing the system to start to OVERHEAT the fan will then step up in increaments about 3-4 stages until its at full speed when you feel it is done blowing out enough dust. Place back in normal position or it will actually go into an OVERHEAT mode where the system warns you of the condition. It works just do not let it get to the OVERHEAT stage and everything should be fine.
Burns11 @ Apr 12th 2008 2:10PM
Man, kind of sounded like it was going to take flight.
A word of warning though, I wouldn't do this too often because who knows exactly how fast this spins the fan and how much strain this puts on the fan's motor.
There is likely some way to do this on the other models as well, maybe Sony would tell you if you call them and say you think your fan might be out?
pescheLi @ Apr 12th 2008 2:28PM
why the hell isn't this working on 60gb? i think this mode can't be unlocked for those models due a firmware update. damn.
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Apr 12th 2008 2:40PM
Hmmm... interesting.
Anyways do you guys know if there is a way to do this on the 80GB model? Since the 40 and 80GB models are the newest ones.
mcp3 @ Apr 12th 2008 2:51PM
WOW that sounded like a 360 on a normal day lol.
Rick @ Apr 14th 2008 4:57PM
hahahahhaahha yeah totally!!
Latino-LA1 @ Apr 12th 2008 2:55PM
uh this is cool and i would do it, but is the 60gb ps3 able to that without exploding as how this thing says? or is it just for the 40gb, and i shoulnt try it on my 60gb?
SG @ Apr 12th 2008 2:55PM
This is probably a 40 gig-only feature, and there are good reasons.
1. The 40 gigs frequently run much louder than the 60 gig ones, so this reduces the resistance dust might add.
2. The 40 gig units' fans can spin MUCH faster than the 60 gig ones (I think Sony used way less heatsink in the 40 gigs as the main cost-cutting measure, and compensated by throwing in a ridiculously powerful fan. So it's only the 40 gigs that are capable of spinning so fast as to essentially blow the dust out.
nailerr @ Apr 12th 2008 4:44PM
My 60GB Euro unit (RSX no EE) sounds like a god damn jet turbine and I dust it off daily. The 40GB units in the shops are only audible up close - even during BD playback.
PS3 fan noise is a hot topic on the forums.
SG @ Apr 12th 2008 3:26PM
The 40 gig units are notorious for being ridiculously loud. However, it's only certain operations that seem to require that much cooling. I have a 60 gig, and my folks have a 40 gig. They complain that it's way too loud ONLY when they upscale a DVD. Blu ray playback, gameplay, even Folding@home will only periodically spin the fan up to really high levels. And I've heard it - my 60 gig, even after running something like Folding@home for 12 hours straight never even remotely approaches the same fan noise level that the 40 gig can, and my apartment is ridiculously dusty compared to my parents' house.
Rowdehaj @ Apr 12th 2008 3:58PM
That's weird, I barely ever hear my own 40GB ... Maybe it's my European model? FOLDING@HOME? Completely silent. R&C? Quiet. Oblivion? I can hear the drive, and a very low-level rush from the fans, but that's it. I have it stood up vertically, though...
Maybe that's the problem?
Anyway, the Wii is *much* louder when playing Metroid Prime 3, for example.
eugene @ Apr 12th 2008 5:35PM
uhm, my 40 is whisper quiet during DVD upscaling, BD, games and Folding @ home. My DVR STB makes more noise.
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 5:37PM
I don't think you know what you're talking about because I own a 60gig and a 40gig and my 60gig is EXTREMELY LOUD compared to my 40gig which I BARELY HEAR AT ALL... DON'T SPREAD MISINFORMATION & FUD!! You do realize that one of the better features of the 40gig models is that they run BOTH QUIETER AND COOLER... Why people speak when they have no idea what they are talking about, I'll never know.
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 5:49PM
I'm referring to SG by the way... Anyone else notice that he's the only one claiming the 40gb are loud? The only reasons this could be is:
a)He's lying
b)He has a faulty defective model
-You decide
SG @ Apr 12th 2008 7:30PM
Wow. I don't usually do this, but when I get attacked for no good reason, I'll make an exception: Never$$hort, you're a prick.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aad-tAx1DU0&feature=related
You bash me for "spreading misinformation" because you don't agree with it. You accuse me of being a liar, and not knowing what I'm talking about. What are you suggesting? What would I be getting out of lying?
I don't know what I'm talking about? Funny, because I'd figure having regular access to both a 60gig and 40gig PS3 would make me better qualified than most people who've only ever heard one of the two and say "Mine's quiet."
So you have both units, and you say the 60 gig is relatively loud. In your words, maybe YOU have a "a faulty defective model" (excellent use of the English language by the way, moron).
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 8:09PM
Ok smart guy... I suppose you know more than these 2 sites too huh?
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/40gb-ps3-run-cooler-and-quieter/
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/40gb-ps3s-run-cooler-quieter-use-less-energy/
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 8:11PM
Quote taken from this very website:
"This means that the 40GB PS3 runs quieter, cooler and at a lower power consumption than its big brothers."
Who's the prick now smart guy??
macserv @ Apr 12th 2008 10:14PM
Never$$hort, you idiot... both of those articles were written before the damn thing shipped!! You just posted a bunch of marketing BS and speculation.
When it DID actually come out, people found out how loud it ACTUALLY gets, and there's tons of anecdotal and impirical evidence evidence showing that it IS a problem on the 40GB units... definitely much more so than with the 60GB model.
I'm glad, and Sony is glad, that your particular unit has had no such issues. Now please stop talking.
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 11:41PM
My 60gb is loud and my 40gb is quiet, I have both( had, 60gb R.I.P. :( isn't that enough evidence?... Everyone else on here is saying the same thing... Do we really need to keep arguing?
whoelse @ Apr 13th 2008 10:05AM
I have always heard the opposite.
Volomon @ Apr 13th 2008 2:18PM
Neither one of those make much sense, because one 40GB produces less heat because of smaller chip sets. Its cheaper because it uses smaller chip sets.
Sedrik @ Apr 12th 2008 3:15PM
I would not recommend that this is done once a day or on a too frequent basis, fans have a limited life time and running them at higher speeds reduces it faster (they will sound more and be less eficient).
Pointblank @ Apr 12th 2008 11:35PM
I was just about to try it out, until i read the last part :[. Oh well... still kool though :]
stat21 @ Apr 12th 2008 8:03PM
i did this a couple weeks ago by mistake i thought i broke my ps3, now i can rest a lil easier since i know what happend
stargateheaven @ Apr 12th 2008 3:43PM
I never knew of this feature.. haven't tried it yet.. but i'll probably start doing it every 3 months or something.. i also reccomend not doing it so often like "once a day" as this article says.
MCX @ Apr 12th 2008 3:29PM
Has someone done a test to see if its better to have your PS3 standing up or laying down???
nailerr @ Apr 12th 2008 4:44PM
Do not remember where but some Japanese site did some thermal imaging and laying down appears to be the method to stay coolest, more equal distribution of air I believe.
bgs @ Apr 12th 2008 3:41PM
my 40 gb is very silent oddly enough
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 5:40PM
Yup they sure are, mine is too... SG has no idea what he's talking about. He must have a faulty model or something.
Haiddasalami @ Apr 12th 2008 3:59PM
I would not recommend turning it straight off from the back switch. Also 60 gig people can just you an air can to clean their fans.
Iced_Eagle @ Apr 12th 2008 4:07PM
Hm, cool.
I wish Sony would be able to implement this via Firmware for all models.
When I get my MGS4 Bundle in June, I would want to do this frequently to keep the PS3 fans running smoothly, and all of the dust out!
crazypenguin @ Apr 12th 2008 6:24PM
Sad that this isn't in the older versions. i just dusted out my ps3, many pieces of dust are on my shirt now. and for those of who need reassurance, i just tried it on my 60 gig, does not work.
BrokenMonkey @ Apr 12th 2008 4:35PM
Sometimes my PS3 does this on its own while its doing Folding@Home.
SSG @ Apr 12th 2008 5:13PM
for some reason when i run folding@home on my 60 gig it gets really loud, i dont know if its the drive or fan
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 5:44PM
Careful, my 60gig overheated and died 3 weeks ago while running folding@home and mine also was extremely loud when I ran that application... Just give it a rest, I hardly ever shut mine off and had folded 500 WU, but no matter what I'm done with charity for now on my new 40gig, its not worth the risk IMO.
DomoBraden @ Apr 12th 2008 5:31PM
Nice, I wonder how he found out about this? You'd think they'd list something like this in the manual...
Anyway, the only time my 40GB gets loud is during DVD playback for whatever reason. The fan goes almost full blast the entire time, it's annoying. I wonder why that is.
junkykid @ Apr 12th 2008 6:34PM
The reason it probably only works with the 40 GB is probably just because there is a different vent layout and the fans are more ideal for that layout.
Also I agree that I don't know what all of this is about the 40 GB PS3 being so loud. Mine isn't like that. My Wii is louder. Hopefully it'll be even quieter now after doing this.
Also I'm not going to do this daily. Not for concern of the PS3, just for the fact that the amount of dust that gathers in it on a daily basis is insignificant. I'll probably make an effort to do it once a month.
And the fact that it's causing the fans to spin and shortening their life is also insignifcant. Fans spinning at top speed for a matter of seconds every so often is also insignificant.
sircarressith @ Apr 12th 2008 7:03PM
Hi im the one that put the youtube link up thats my account, im from ps3hax.net and thats where i put my video up first, im glad and acutaly suprised that my video got on this site... so i thank u guys for doing that i did not know this was gonna blow up to be a big deal at all so thanks.... and if u want proof that its my vid... send me a youtube pm anything!!!!
and yes i was wearing shorts it was a nice day outside :P
ICON[o]clast @ Apr 12th 2008 7:52PM
Just the 40? What a waste of 20 GB.
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 8:08PM
Ok smart guy... I suppose you know more than these 2 sites too huh?
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/40gb-ps3-run-cooler-and-quieter/
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/40gb-ps3s-run-cooler-quieter-use-less-energy/
never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 8:18PM
Sorry this was supposed to be a reply to Mr. smart guy aka SG the prick.
boltu222 @ Apr 12th 2008 9:15PM
^ LOL if anyones being a prick, its u and an immature one at that.
Sure SG was prolly wrong (I'm not gonna look into it, frankly I don't care too much) he made a mistake big deal, ppl do.
I know I might be wrong here but from what I know 65nm doesn't mean a quieter fan, 65nm just makes it run cooler, in turn this puts less strain on the fan so its not being used at full power as much, which I believe is said to makes it quieter because the fan doesn't go into full speed as much, but the fan still runs at normal speed which continue to make the same sound unless the fan was different.
I for one will say that my sisters 40GB runs somewhat louder then the 60GB, especially while playing a DVD upscaled.
Brad @ Apr 13th 2008 1:06PM
Have you checked your sister's 40GB since the latest firmware v2.20? The developers say that they significantly reduced the CPU load during DVD playback.
I only have a 60GB, but I've been recommending the 40GB version to folks interested in Blu-Ray playback, based on the assumption that the 40GB is quieter. (My 60GB operates normally, but it certainly does have audible fan noise during movie playback, which is not a killer issue but certainly not desireable...)
Kidqwik @ Apr 12th 2008 9:18PM
Hmmm. My 40gig turned into a 120gig is quiet. I thought the 60 and 80s were the louder ones because they had a different processor that ran hotter then the 40s and the fans were going to keep it cooler.
Akio @ Apr 13th 2008 12:21AM
Guys the fan will get loud if it starts to over heat as its trying to cool it down to reduce noise keep your ps3 on an airated shelf with the back missing and the right side with some space thats how mine is silent
sparc @ Apr 13th 2008 3:25AM
My Wii is a lot louder than my 40GB PS3 and now I've upgraded to 250GB hard drive theres no difference in fan noise. I'll run this later, only had it about three months now but decorating and moving it in a rusksask a few occasions may have led to dust inside.