Drop 5v from source using LM317 or other?

[XOIIO]

Soak test A.K.A burn-in test
Apply max rated load for maximum probable period of continuous operation, or at least several hours after a steady state has been reached. 

You are aware that you are going to have to rip that off and start over as the rivet will short the transistor collector to the chassis, and you haven't used any thermal grease?   Its *ESSENTIAL* to use a proper top hat insulating heatsink washer on the transistor's mounting bolt.  You also need thermal grase both sides of the mica washer and between the heatsink and chassis or you might as well not bother.

The chassis isn't grounded, and yeah I'll have to put some thermal grease in at some point, it's not difficult to get back to it, though I didn't think about that when putting the fan on, that will be a bit more... interesting. The smaller washer wouldn't fit over the rivet, and I don't think I can find any small enough screws around here without driving haflway across town. Nice to finally have a use for the rivet gun anyways. I just want to make some sort of progress before I sleep in10 minutes or so since I waited all night for parts, then they didn't have all of them.

Fan is definitely too fragile for full force but partially and the rivets hold it in well, just need to file them down. I'll do that on the final ones though.



I think this should work quite well overall though.

Edit: ah since those stems are there and they aren't fully... riveted I guess, they just popped down and it's good to go.

[XOIIO]

*palm* alright never mind, that's what I get for going on the scuffed lettering, I checked the datasheet and the mistake was on my end