Is your MeanWell supply/fan control noisy?

[mr2mkii]

So i've been testing my controller setup inside, and am using a MeanWell LRS-350-12. After a period of time I could hear what sounded like "whistling"....sometimes afterward the fan would spin up, other times not. The whistle immediately goes away when the fan is running. So I investigated, and found the noise appears to be coming from the fan itself. When the PWM (assumed) output is low such that it is not enough to actually rotate, it'll whistle. It will twitch and if I give it a nuge it will turn for a bit and stop making noise until it stops again. (Hmm bad fan, or simply low fan speed setting PWM is too low for this fan?)

So I'm not sure if I've got a bad fan that the supply is having difficulty rotating slowly, or if this is normal. Figured this being a popular supply, others might know if this is normal or not. I have another one on order for a long distance box, so I'll see how that one behaves.

 

[Dreamin]

My meanwells don't have fans the but couple of Chinese brand ones do. It starts off noisy but settles down after a few minutes (or I kick the box and it stops doing it). If it's super noisy it might be the fan is going.

 

[Notenoughlights]

My power supplies that do have fans (non meanwells) produce more noise than my biggest 2.4kw power supplies when under load. They're all outside and in containers that muffle a lot of the noise, doesn't bother me or anyone who comes to look at the show.

 

[AussiePhil]

My meanwells don't have fans the but couple of Chinese brand ones do. It starts off noisy but settles down after a few minutes (or I kick the box and it stops doing it). If it's super noisy it might be the fan is going.

certainly genuine LRS-350 units have fans

https://au.element14.com/mean-well/lrs-350-12/power-supply-ac-dc-12v-29a/dp/3596592?st=LRS-350

obvious in the photo.

How old is it, fans do go faulty

even the spec sheet shows the fan comes on at 50c+

 

[Kent]

I deal with the Meanwell supplies frequently at work.
The fan in the LRS series is a simple on / off control (not PWM), so based on sound and the twitching you're seeing, I suspect as AussiePhil mentioned it could be a faulty fan.

I've also seen a few where the case over the fan has been depressed, resulting in it rubbing against the fan itself, preventing it from turning freely. In these instances things were fine again after using a screwdriver to level the case out again (with power disconnected of course!)

 

[Iain]

Mine just started doing it this year-I thought something was about to blow up! But sometimes it spins "normally", so I guess it's on the way out. It is a few years old and in the tropics. I'm hoping it's just a regular PC fan that I can replace myself. Watch out for capacitors shocking you if you decide to open it up.

 

[mr2mkii]

This is a genuine MeanWell supply, and has their label/sticker... bought from HolidayCoro...
https://www.holidaycoro.com/Meanwell-LRS-350-12-12-Volt-350-Watt-Power-Supply-p/47.htm

@AussiePhil - It's brand new, not even 1.5wks old...

@Kent - Very interesting because when it's turning, and the load is changing, I hear the fan speed changing up and down... perhaps the voltage to the fan is drooping, causing it to change speed...but it seems to have a fairly wide speed range... perhaps a video would help. I may go through the hassle to pull it out of the CG-1500 box and open it up and confirm the chassis/case of the power supply isn't pressing on the fan, but it rotates very easily. Don't feel any restriction at all.

I'll see about taking a quick vid clip and uploading it...

 

[mr2mkii]

Ok, I was able to take a quick video. You can see when the fan "turns off" it seems the supply is still applying some power. The whistling will change in frequency (which is why I thought PWM) and each time it changes you can see the fan blade twitch. I have confirmed the PS cover is not interfering with it.

MeanWell Noise - Youtube

I also received the 2nd LRS and wired it up, but don't have a load yet on the 2nd set of ports to test it.

 

[Paul&Wendy]

Ok, I was able to take a quick video. You can see when the fan "turns off" it seems the supply is still applying some power. The whistling will change in frequency (which is why I thought PWM) and each time it changes you can see the fan blade twitch. I have confirmed the PS cover is not interfering with it.

MeanWell Noise - Youtube

I also received the 2nd LRS and wired it up, but don't have a load yet on the 2nd set of ports to test it.

Hey,
As others have said, this is most likely a bad one. I’d get a replacement.

 

[mr2mkii]

Yeah I'm contacting Holiday Coro and sending them vid...can't deny it's theirs with the sticker lol