I opened a power supply that came from a relative and noticed that its fan is not running. While trying to remove the fan, I found a rounded blob of solid gray material securing the fan cable to the circuit board. It will not pull free easily, and I do not want to damage anything. Is this likely glue, solder, or something else? Can the fan be replaced without cutting and soldering the wires? Also, could the fan simply be operating in a temperature-controlled or zero-RPM mode?
3 Answers
Please do not continue opening or modifying the power supply unless you are trained to work safely around high-voltage electronics. The large capacitors can retain a potentially lethal charge after the unit has been disconnected. Replacing the entire PSU is much safer and usually more practical than replacing its fan.
If the material is directly covering the cable connection rather than holding a removable plug down, it could also be solder or another securing compound. Without a clear photo it is impossible to identify confidently, and cutting the wires could make the PSU unsafe. I would leave it alone and replace the unit.
That blob is most likely factory-applied hot glue or adhesive. It holds the cable in place so it cannot vibrate into the fan or contact hot components. Do not force the connector or cut through it blindly. If the fan uses a plug, the glue may be carefully removed, but working inside a PSU is dangerous even when it is unplugged.
Some power supplies intentionally leave the fan off until the unit reaches a certain load or temperature, so first confirm the fan is actually faulty before attempting any repair.