If you connect up the cap backwards, I'd guess it would either do nothing, or go pop.
As for the fan issue- I'd assume you could connect an on/off switch along its negative power lead, and fix the switch into the casing, or put it on a short extension and have it dangle out of the case, so as not to void any warrenty (remove it before sending it in).
i think the switch is a good idea, of course that is counting on the power supply not breaking, it came with a loose bolt inside that I had to take out, I would probably turn the fan on during charging and off during discharge and while it's not charging anything