KillerBug PS3 Fan Fix 5.0 Install Guide

KillerBug Fan Fix 5.0
Installation Guide

NOTE: Read this entire document before doing ANYTHING!!!
The first step in the installation is to open the PS3. Some systems can have the modification installed
just be removing the top, while others might require the removal of the mainboard. There are many
great videos giving instructions for the disassembly of every model available on YouTube. Once open,
there are a few routes to take in regard to wiring:
1.) If you can see the fan connector on the main board (40GB and later PS3 “Fat” systems), unplug
the connector for easier work. There will be three wires to the connector. The black wire on
the fan controller will be spliced into the black wire on the fan wire. The red wire on the fan
controller will be spliced to the brown wire. Both of these wires will still be going to the
mainboard and to the fan, as well as the fan controller. The last wire is gray. It should be
clipped off about ½ inch from the mainboard connector, and this small ½ wire should be tucked
away where it will not contact metal (an extra small piece of heat shrink tubing is included in the
assembled version; this is to go on the end of this tiny wire segment to prevent shorts. Electrical
tape will also work). The part of the gray wire going to the fan will be connected to the orange
wire from the fan controller. The fan controller fits easily into the empty space near the system
power connector.
2.) If you have a fat system where the fan connector is not visible without removing the mainboard,
remove the power supply. There is some empty space near the system power input, and you
may be able to solder to these wires from here without removing the mainboard. If so, the
black wire of the fan controller will connect to the black wire of the fan. The red wire of the fan
controller will connect to the brown wire of the fan. Both of these wires will still be connecting
to both the fan and the mainboard in addition to the fan controller. The last wire is gray. It
should be cut, and the end going to the mainboard should be taped up or sealed with heat
shrink tubing. The end going to the fan should be connected to the orange wire of the fan
controller. The fan controller fits easily into the empty space near the system power connector.
3.) If you have a slim system, you can do the installation without removing the mainboard. The fan
is mounted on top, and the wires going to it are easily visible as soon as the top of the case is
removed. The black wire of the fan controller will connect to the black wire of the fan. The red
wire of the fan controller will connect to the brown wire of the fan. Both of these wires will still
be connecting to both the fan and the mainboard in addition to the fan controller. The last wire
is gray. It should be cut, and the end going to the mainboard should be taped up or sealed with
heat shrink tubing. The end going to the fan should be connected to the orange wire of the fan
controller. There is a small empty space on one of the sides of the system with plenty of space
to hold the controller (the side near the power plug, not the side near the Blu-ray drive).

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Once the device has been wired in (or before if you prefer), you must mount the potentiometer (the dial
that controls the speed). Neither the fat nor the slim offer any good places for mounting this without
modification. You have the choice of drilling a hole or simply running the wires out of the system and
hanging the potentiometer out the side, front, or back. If you decide to drill, there are many good
locations to choose on all four sides of the fat, and a couple good locations on the slim. Just make 100%
sure that there will be room to mount the potentiometer (remember that you will need extra room to
maneuver the potentiometer shaft into the hole), and that it will not interfere with the installation of
any components upon reassembly of the system (don’t forget about the wires when making plans).
Once the hole is drilled and the potentiometer is in place, use Permatex Ultra Blue or Ultra Black RTV to
glue it in place (I recommend at least 24 hours dry time).
If you would prefer to simply hang the potentiometer rather than modifying your system case, this can
be done as well. Unbraid as much of the wire going to the potentiometer as you need to get to the fan
controller from the ventilation holes you choose. Feed the three wires through three holes, and then
connect them to the connector as explained below. You might want to re-braid the wires on the inside
of the system, as this will keep the wiring from sliding in and out, and will reduce strain on internal
components if the potentiometer gets snagged on something.
Once the fan controller is in place and soldered, and the potentiometer is either mounted or routed, we
need to install the connector end on the potentiometer wires. There are three wires here; two red and
one black. The black wire will always go to the center position, and the red wires will go to the outer
positions. One of the red wires will have a black mark on it. If you would like the fan to run at minimal
speed when the dial is turned all the way to the left, then the red wire with the black mark will connect
to hole #1 and the other red wire will connect to hole #3. This does not affect operation of the circuit at
all; it only determines what direction you must turn the knob to raise or lower the fan speed. Once the
connector is installed on the potentiometer wires, it should be slid onto the three pins sticking out of
the fan controller. The side that is facing up in the picture should be facing the IC when you install.

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Here is a picture of the wires going to the fan in a slim console. Nothing but the case top was removed
to take this image, and the splice should be made about 1 inch farther down the wires than you can see
in this image.



Here is a close-up of the fan wire for systems where you can see the fan connector (this is a 40GB
model). The gray wire has already been cut and connected to the fan controller orange wire, and the
splices in the black and brown wires are farther down, not visible in this image.

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