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Quiet SE
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Is it possible to install the Silenx fan without soldering? I was thinking that one could cut the old fan's wires as close to the fan itself as possible, strip off some insulation from them as well as those attached to the new fan, and then twist them together and wrap with electrical tape. It seems to be the simplest approach but I don't think that anyone has suggested it, so I wonder, am I missing something?
fogwalker, you can surely do the wire connects just as you describe, but as an electrical engineer and electronics "tinkerer" I abhor the thought! I want to know that 15 years from now my connections are still sound. twisting wires together isn't a good long term solution, and eletrical tape can come off after a few years, especially when there is a lot of surrounding heat (and humidity).
The "right" way to do it is to slip some appropriately sized heat-shrink tubing, cut to about an inch in length on each of the two wires, slide the tubing back far enough so your soldering iron won't shrink them, then solder both fan wires to the original wires on the analog board, then use a hair dryer or match to shrink the tubing. It will be a professional job that will lost as long as your classic Mac will. By the way, don't just strip off the insulation and touch both wires together and then solder them that way. Yes, the solder will stick them together, but it will be stronger and more electrically sound if you twist the wires together and then solder. Put a lot of heat on the wires and allow the solder to sink in deeply.
I know some of you lack skills and/or parts to do a job "right." But even here in outrageously expensive Japan I can pick up a cheap soldering iron for $9, solder for $3 more, and some heat-shrink for another $3. That's expensive for only one solder job, but cheap if you might be doing some electrical connects in the future.
The "right" way to do it is to slip some appropriately sized heat-shrink tubing, cut to about an inch in length on each of the two wires, slide the tubing back far enough so your soldering iron won't shrink them, then solder both fan wires to the original wires on the analog board, then use a hair dryer or match to shrink the tubing. It will be a professional job that will lost as long as your classic Mac will. By the way, don't just strip off the insulation and touch both wires together and then solder them that way. Yes, the solder will stick them together, but it will be stronger and more electrically sound if you twist the wires together and then solder. Put a lot of heat on the wires and allow the solder to sink in deeply.
I know some of you lack skills and/or parts to do a job "right." But even here in outrageously expensive Japan I can pick up a cheap soldering iron for $9, solder for $3 more, and some heat-shrink for another $3. That's expensive for only one solder job, but cheap if you might be doing some electrical connects in the future.
I agree with Porter that a connector would be better than electrical tape, but solder and heat-shrink still beats a connector. You know this is true by logical deduction. Consider that intermittent connections in one of the connectors on the analog board of old Macs is often the cause of screen anomalies. Contacts oxidize over time and become loose. But again, soldered and heat-shrinked connections will last as long as the device you perform that job in.
I don't know why but I always mess that name up. I think it's because "Elima" makes more sense...it "elimi"nates heat.
fogwalker, in case you choose to buy your own soldering gear, be sure to get appropriate solder and flux or flux-containing solder for electronics repair purpose (a lot of electronics solder in fact is a tube of solder filled with a small amount of flux, allowing to do the work without applying flux to the connection before soldering). It is not the same stuff the plumber uses. Several kinds of soldering flux may corrode the circuit lines on the board or the wires, if not removed completely. So just ask for solder for electronics and you most likely will get something usable.
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