Can I paint my PSU?

[blueonblack]

I've seen PSU's painted on this site before, and it wouldn't have bothered me at all, but I have a Sigma Shark:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817226001

I am concerned about cooling. The PSU is obviously aluminum, with what are supposed to be cooling fins. My question is, how important are these to heat dissipation? Obviously a few layers of paint will inhibit the heat transfer of the aluminum. Am I safe to paint this thing or should I leave it alone?

(Incidentally, has anyone cracked one of these open? I have got to get rid of those annoying blue LED's...)
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Mt250 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_MT250)

[Bopher]

Looking at it I would stay away from the 4 long fins and only paint the body. Find a paint setup that you could do in something like silver and another color and leave paint away from those parts. But I've never painted one of these before.

[SgtM]

To add to Bophers advice.. opening and modding the PSU is at your own risk. The caps actually hold enough charge to put you down.

[blueonblack]

Understood and thank you. I hope to only remove the bottom cover to get at the fans.
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Ears Nose &Amp; Throat Advice (http://www.health-forums.org/ears-nose-throat/)

[Spawn-Inc]

you can safely and not safely discharge a psu cap buy using either a resistor 5-50ohms/volt (what i just read from this site (http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/captest.htm)) or use a screw driver and touch the 2 ends, but that can damage the capacitor so if you really going to do it i would go the resistor way.

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/17-226-001-10.jpg
but you can avoid all that since it looks like all you need to do is take out the 8 screws on the fan cover then either take out the fans or paint the frame (not the blades) black or replace the fans. if you can get the fans out far enough you might be able to cut out the led's and then jump the wires back together IF the fan doesn't work after.

but as said above do at your own risk, for what its worth i've taken apart several psu's for there fans and pretty much so long as you don't take out the pcb board and touch the bottem you should be fine.

[Eclecticos]

I agree, It can be dangerous . .I left the cover off a PSU once. I reached inside the case to plug in my CPU cooler fan and it bit me. I guees there was enough energy stored in there to keep ahold of my hand . .it was alarming to say the least. :D

I would mask off the appropriate areas, remove the fans, sand it down a bit, prime, and paint. Not sure how hot that particular PSU gets . .you may want to consider using engine enamel?

[blueonblack]

Not sure how hot that particular PSU gets . .you may want to consider using engine enamel?

An excellent point, I had not even considered high-heat paint, thanks!
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Mazda h platform specifications (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Mazda_H_platform)

[Spawn-Inc]

well i doubt its going to get anywhere near that heat level, or shouldn't BUT that paint might be designed better for letting heat be dissipated so it might be worth a try.

[halcyonforever]

it doesn't have to get superhot for alot of common paints to change their properties so I would second the recomendation for some heat resistant paint. I think you'll be fine without it but it never hurts to be prepared.