N54L Microserver
A guide to PSU fan replacement.
N54L Microserver PSU fan upgrade.
The below guide I personally constructed as a comprehensive DIY instruction for those wanting to replace a noisey fan in their N40L/N54L microserver. I had trawled the internet and was unable to find any guide to me that documented the process completely. Here is my method of replacing a noisey PSU fan.
The PSU fan I used is a Sunon HA40201V4-000U-999, it's a two wire 12V fan rated at 4700 rpm, It uses magnetic levitation. Search the part number and it is easy to find. Aside from some heatshrink, solder and a bit of patience the rest was ready to go.
Step 01: Removing Cover and 5.25 Caddy
Firstly, to get things started, I removed the top cover and the 5.25 caddy.
Step 02: Unplugging cables
Next I unscrewed the PCIe card mounts and disconnected the SATA and Fan cables. After that the motherboard thumb screws were undone. Lastly the USB headers were unplugged. The internal HDDS were also removed at this point.
Step 03: Unplugging cables cont.
Next I unpluggedd the sata cable, the font LED header and then the 24 pin power connector. The 2nd motherboard thumbscrew was loosened to allow the motherboard to slide out for ease of removal.
Step 04: Unplugging the PSU cables
The power loom and sata cable had to have the plastic ties cut. The rear molex plug was pulled through to the front. Lastly the other molex plugs were unplugged.
Step 05: Removing the PSU
Three T10 screws the the back of the PSU were removed. This allowed the PSU to slide neatly out of the front of the unit. The PSU is laid on a flat surface for the works to begin.
Step 06: Disassembling the PSU
With the PSU removed the four screws on the outer casing were taken out to allow it to be gently lifted off and the inner workings of the unit to be exposed. Two screws on the stock fan were also removed.
Step 07: Removing the stock fan
The stock fan was gently removed then the protective heatshrink was cut and peeled back. Once done it was time to cut the fan from its loom.
Step 08: Preparing the Sunon fan
The Sunon fan needed a couple of things prior to installation. I had read an article from another enthusiast quoting the stock HP fan screws as being too small. I used some larger screws and pre seated them in the fan casing, note the thread in the first pic. I then had to gently file a new channel on the side of the fan bracket to allow the wiring to thread through unimpeded.
Step 09: Connecting the Sunon fan
With the prep work done I trimmed the wiring from it, making it shorter and added heatshrink tubing to both the fan wiring and the loom still connected to the PSU. The + and - wires were then spliced into the existing loom with a little solder and a touch of heatshrink to neaten and insulate the job.
Step 10: Connecting the Sunon fan (cont)
With the fan now soldered into the existing loom the heatshrink was pulled up to allow a neater finish. The fan is then screwed into the PSU housing.
Lastly the top cover is replaced and the unit is now ready to re-install back into the microserver, just reverse steps 5,4,3,2 and 1. The Sunon fan replacement was quick and easy, very cost effective and most importantly quieter and more reliable than the original HP stock PSU fan. I hope you all enjoyed reading through this guide. :)
