Yes you can actually.....

I've open it up and clean it internally. All you have to do is unscrew 10 screws (If I'am not mistaken). All screws are on top (Red circles). See picture :



Do peel-off the rubber guard carefully without tearing the rubber edge. I've open mine and the adhesive still can be reused again. All other parts inside are straight forward to dissemble like fans and wires.

For info. I'am using a modified USB with multi voltage adaptor to crank it-up faster....it's 9V... It cooler....but noisier. Thanks to it's 'fan speed wheel' control, I can slowing it down whenever I like..... If you intend to do it, don't forget to cover the other USB port. I can't imagine what will happen if you accidentally plug-in USB device on it while it's running 9Volt..!!


P/S : Try it with your own risk..! I'am not responsible for anything happen.

This post has been edited by gjoey: Jan 15 2009, 11:12 PM

Actually it is a multi DC voltage selector. You can select 3V, 4.5V, 6V, 7.5V, 9V and 12V. It's like this :



I bought mine at Giant at about RM14 like that. Cut out the wire and joint it with a USB cable. Make sure you check out the voltage polarity and know which wire is + and -. USB, Red is + and Black is -. Do not use white and green. So, you have to sacrifice the multi DC voltage selector's wire and a USB wire (RM5) since you have to cut both and join them together. Than, you'll have Zalman NC1000 independent USB power supply able to crank the fan to a higher RPM...!

Note that standard USB DC voltage is at 5V. So, use your wise decision on what voltage do you feel secure to power-up your Zalman.

Good luck...!

And as I said earlier, do cover the other USB port with tape so that you would not mistakenly plug-in any device into the non-standard voltage (modified) USB port...!!

This post has been edited by gjoey: Jan 15 2009, 11:54 PM

No...!! Do not plug in to any device once you modified it to non standard voltage...!! Be it PC, notebook or USB Drive or whatever USB devices. Those devices will be destroyed with this higher voltage...! This Zalman do not have complicated chip inside thus you can crank it at higher voltage....but other USB devices do have chips inside and these chips are sensitive to voltage.

Leave it alone without connecting it to something else.

Read back my previous posting. I have edited for a clearer explanation.

---

Added on January 16, 2009, 12:20 amYou have edited your question....

It is simple. By default, you use your notebook USB power to power-up your Zalman. So, If you power your Zalman using your notebook USB, you can insert your USB thumb drive to other Zalman USB port, and your notebook will detect it. No problem.

By my case, I'am using direct DC from Multi DC Voltage Adaptor via modified USB wire. So, overall voltage is now non-standard USB. It's not safe for other USB devices. Even if you plugged-in, you won't have any connection to you notebook...! Unless you wan't to recharge something.....??!?

That's why I said, cover the other USB port on Zalman once you mod it....

This post has been edited by gjoey: Jan 16 2009, 12:20 AM

You are not using Zalman cooler are you..? Since Zalman cooler use only type-A USB connector....

If you refering to the picture, it is a type-A and mini USB.

Never mind....my mod wasn't specified only for Zalman. You can try on your's. If your's is like the picture, than yes...No.1 is modified (cut) to make a join to power cable from voltage adaptor. No. 2 is confusing....you are calling it 'connect to USB hub'? If Zalman, the USB ports is a hub since there were 2 ports that you can use simultaneously. Do you mean USB port on your cooler? If that, than yes. If it is this kind of hub :



than no. It's suppose to connect directly to your cooler USB port.

P/S : You can mod else than Zalman but, does yours have 'Fan Speed Selector'?

This post has been edited by gjoey: Jan 16 2009, 01:16 AM

For more clearer, here is my picture showing what I've done :



1. The other USB port that I've cover to protect accidental plug-in other USB device.
2. The joining from USB cable to Multi DC Voltage Selector.

Good luck...

P/S : Ignore my wire mess in the background.... Too many things in a small place....

It can be done.....if you can take a risk of frying your fan/cooler.....

You should know that cranking electronics device over its' specified voltage would surely risking burning it out..! So try it with your own risk.

For me, I've done it for months.....running well, no problem so far. I'am only crank it to full speed when gaming. Other than that, I just let the fan running at lower speed (Zalman do have fan speed dial wheel).

I think that you will end-up by frying one or both USB ports...!