PC smell like burning plastic and the main fan isn't working.

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Jason Leblanc

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Jun 4, 2014
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As I was playing some video games today, I noticed a strange smelt in my room, it smelt like if some plastic was burning or some stuff like that. So I quickly shutted down my pc and went to investigate it. My PC had that strong smell, especially close to the PSU/Motherboard components. Also, since the past few days or weeks, I noticed that my PC was much noisier, especially under heavy loads and that the temperature was still more or less okay but it went up a couple of degrees. So I cleaned up my pc completly (wich I hadn't done in like two or three months...) I replugged it back in and everything booted up just fine. It was also really quiet....a bit too much. After investigation, I realised the main fan was not even turning and that the temperature were getting hot pretty quickly...So I shutted it down again and I havent touched it back.

What I'm wondering is, what could of caused that bad smell? From what I saw, none of my components looked dommaged and everything booted up normally after the clean up.

I also got not idea where I can get a new fan and what dimension mine currently have. I also have a tight budget for that, since I'm a student.
 
Solution
nukemaster
Any 120mm fan should fit the case(I can not see it being any louder than the stock fans that also ran at 2000rmp). The case uses rubber fan mount, you will have to gently pull the rubber to thin it and while doing that pull the fan to release it.

Those DO break easy and the case holes do not fit normal screws if I remember right so take care when removing them.

Trip down memory lane.
2z727h2.jpg
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Nov 23, 2004
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See if the smell is coming from the power supply. If may be failing and in this case you want to replace it before using the computer.

If a fan fails things can get too hot for sure. Things like cpus and even video cards tend to shut down when they get too hot. Many boards have protection that will shut them down if higher heat areas get too hot as well.

As for fans, they have standard sizes. Most cases use 80,90/92[less common now], 120 or 140mm fans. Some use larger 180 and 200mm ones as well. 120mm is most common, but 140mm is quickly replacing it.

You can measure the outside square frame of the fan to know the size.
 
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Jason Leblanc

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Jun 4, 2014
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Honestly, the smell wasnt concentrated in a specific location, but I could smell it from the Mobo and the PSU's location wich are right after each others.

I will also measure my fan to see what size it is, I hope its a size that isnt rare or something, since the case alongside that fan dates from like the mid 2000s.
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Nov 23, 2004
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Good chance it would be 80mm fans with an older case.

I guess you will have to give it a real good once over to try again to see if anything is wrong.

Use a flashlight to look into the power supply vents and ensure that capacitors have not started to bulge(the top would start to open or puff up). This is generally one of the things that goes first on power supplies.

They may or may not have a liquid dried on the top as well.
bulging_Cap.jpg

 
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Jason Leblanc

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Jun 4, 2014
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This is literally the case I have lol. Tought, I do not have the original PSU, I had to bought a new one wich is also a Antec, its a NeoEco 620W one.
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

Titan
Nov 23, 2004
19,626
6
74,965
Any 120mm fan should fit the case(I can not see it being any louder than the stock fans that also ran at 2000rmp). The case uses rubber fan mount, you will have to gently pull the rubber to thin it and while doing that pull the fan to release it.

Those DO break easy and the case holes do not fit normal screws if I remember right so take care when removing them.

Trip down memory lane.
2z727h2.jpg
 
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