Fan on my amp ???

[joessportster]

I found a behringer amp for cheap but the fan is quite loud. I don't get enough time to listen at levels that normally cause amps to get above warm so Im wandering if I could just disconnect the fan without harming the operation of the amp ( it is a behringer ep1500) any help greatly appreciated . Joe

[Guest " "]

Joe

If it is an AC fan, you could put a 2uf 250V film capacitor in series with it and that will slow the fan down so you won't hear it.

If it is a DC fan, you can use a resistor to slow it down.

If you are operating the amp significantly below max power and have adequate ventilation, it shouldn't be a problem to slow it down.

Most of these amps are intended to be rack mounted, hence the need for forced air cooling.

[Arkytype]

Joe,

Users of both the EP1500 and EP2500 have commented (on different audio forums) about the fan noise. Here's a link to a DIY replacement.

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/subwoofer-amps-high-pass-filters/3658-quieter-fan-mod-behringer-ep2500.html

The Behringer design pulls air in from the rear and exits it out the front. You might try reversing the airflow to help attenuate the noise. If your gear is in a dusty environment, I'd get a lower CFM fan, leave the airflow direction alone and install a foam air filter inside the finger guard. Accoeding to the amp's specs, it has thermal protection, so unless the thing is running Class A, I wouldn't worry about using a lower CFM fan.

Looking at the photo of the amp's innards, the cooling airflow is compromised by the gap between the fan and the heatsink tube. Perhaps the idea was to have some air moving inside the amp?

The Orion brand of fans at Mouser are a great value for the buck---just try to get one with ball bearings--not sleeve bearings.

Lee

[jhoak]

I put this fan http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=P9739-ND in my EP2500 per the Home Theater Shack thread and it is very quiet. I need to get my ear right up to the amp to hear it running. I also reversed the flow so that the air is moving from front to back. I think this is how it should have been considering that the filter is in the front.

Even after several hours of running the air exiting the rear of the amp is barely warm. Of course I've got the volume set at about 25% so I'm really not pushing the amp all that hard.