Fan removal and replacement

The switch has three fans as displayed in Figure 1. The Fabric OS identifies the fan locations from left to right as fan #3, fan #2, and fan #1.

Attention: Disassembling any part of the fan voids the part warranty and regulatory certifications. There are no user-serviceable parts inside the fan. Because the cooling system relies on pressurized air, do not leave any of the fan slots empty longer than two minutes while the switch is operating. If a fan fails, leave it in the switch until it can be replaced. Maintain all three fans in operational condition to provide redundancy.
Refer to Table 2 for the fan status LED colors, behaviors, and actions required, if any.

Determining the need to replace a fan

Use one of the following methods to determine the status of the fans:
  • Check the fan status LEDs (see Figure 2 ). Each fan LED should be steady green, indicating that the fans are functioning correctly.
  • In Web Tools, click the Fan icon.
  • At the command prompt, enter the fanShow command to display fan status as shown below:
    Note: Fans 4 and 5 are the fans that are integral to the power supplies. These two fans normally operate at approximately 12000 RPM while the system fans typically operate at approximately 2000 RPM. Refer to Power supply removal and replacement if there are any issues with those two fans.
    2498:admin> fanshow
Fan 1 is Ok, speed is 1965 RPM
Fan 2 is Ok, speed is 2011 RPM
Fan 3 is Ok, speed is 2011 RPM
Fan 4 is Ok, speed is 12001 RPM
Fan 5 is Ok, speed is 11995 RPM
2498:admin>

Time and items required

Replacing a fan in the switch should require less than two minutes to complete.

To replace a fan in the switch, you need a #1 Phillips screwdriver and a new fan that has the same part number and airflow indicator as the fan being replaced. Refer to  4  in Figure 1 for the location of the airflow label.

Figure 1. Fan components
power supply components
  •  1  - Fan #3
  •  2  - Handle
  •  3  - Captive screw
  •  4  - Airflow label
  •  5  - Status LED

Replacing a fan

Complete the following steps to replace a fan in the switch. Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 for this procedure.

  1. Using the Phillips screwdriver, unscrew the captive screw ( 3 ) on the fan.
    CAUTION:
    Be careful not to insert your fingers into the fan while removing it from the device. The fan may still be spinning at high speed.
  2. Remove the fan from the chassis by using the handle ( 2 ) on the fan to pull it straight out and away from the chassis.
    Figure 2. Removing and replacing a fan in the switch
    fan removal and replacement
  3. Install the new fan in the chassis:
    1. Check to see that the airflow direction is the same as the fan you are replacing.
    2. Orient the new fan with the captive screw  3  on the right, as shown in Figure 2.
    3. Gently push the fan into the chassis until it is firmly seated.
      Attention: Do not force the installation. If the fan does not slide in easily, ensure that it is correctly oriented before continuing.
      Attention: If you observe that the switch has powered down after two minutes after a fan replacement, it is likely because the new fan has a mismatched airflow.
    4. Using the Phillips screwdriver, secure the fan to the chassis by tightening the captive screw  3 .
  4. Verify that the fan status LED is steady green to indicate normal operation (refer to Table 2). If the LED is not steady green, ensure that the fan is securely installed and seated properly.
  5. Optionally, use the command line interface (CLI) to enter the fanShow command to display the status. You can also use the chassisShow command. The fan status can also be viewed using the Web Tools application.