Chest freezer wiring question

I am not an electrical expert at all and am hoping that somebody here can help me out.

I am wanting to install a small fan inside of my keezer to help with airflow and to help the dehumidifiers do their work better. My lid to the chest freezer originally had a light that would come on when lifting the lid. Now that the light switch is always on the "on" position I want to use that wiring to power a biscuit fan on the inside. I had to cut the external wiring due to the collar that I installed on the chest freezer, so I was planning to use that to power the fan.

I have Kennmore 8.8 cu. ft. chest freezer that I bought at Sears that I converted to my keezer.

My questions are as follows:

What kind of fan do I need to buy, I'm assuming AC, but what voltage?
What wires am I splicing from what used to go to the light to the fan?

I can take a picture of the electrical diagram that is on the back of the freezer and the color of the wires that I can use to power the fan if that would help anybody. I'd experiment myself, but I don't want to shock myself or blow out the compressor or anything else with the freezer since it is essentially brand new.

Thanks for all your guys help with my brewing history.

I would think the interior light was 110VAC

so probably this fan would work:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm/terms/12344

just hook up the light wires to the fan

vincemash said:

I would think the interior light was 110VAC

so probably this fan would work:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm/terms/12344

just hook up the light wires to the fan

Click to expand...

+1 Use a 110 v AC muffin fan. You can buy them at Radio Shack, although you might get a better deal elsewhere. You should be able to simply connect the two wires that went to the light to the two wires coming out of the fan. I don't think it matters which wire to which, but if it doesn't run, simply reverse the connections. You won't fry the fan if you hook it up backwards. Obviously, unplug everything while doing the wiring, but you already knew that I am sure. It sounds like you have bypassed the switch to the light. If not, go ahead and do that. It should just be a matter of locating the switch and connecting the wires together directly, leaving the switch out of the circuit. There may be a mercury type switch in the lid controlling the light. If so, the procedure would be the same for bypassing it. I have a 110 v fan mounted to the lid of my chest freezer blowing downward. This mod was a major improvement IMO. I think you will agree once you install yours. I like that my beer lines and taps are much cooler. I run the fan continuously 24/7 at a cost of about 5 cents/day. I seem so have considerably less condensation forming, although I'm not sure why that would be the case. I don't use Damp Rid or similar product to capture the condensation. There hasn't been enough condensation forming to be a problem.

google computer fans and you should be able to find a ball bearing fan that is very quiet for what radio shack will have. Newegg, tiger direct, etc....

The fan also will most likely run backwards if wired in reverse, so make sure to write on the case which way it NEEDS to run to make the blades the most efficient, since you are mounting it, and twist them together to check before putting on the wire nuts.

HenryHill said:

google computer fans and you should be able to find a ball bearing fan that is very quiet for what radio shack will have. Newegg, tiger direct, etc....

The fan also will most likely run backwards if wired in reverse, so make sure to write on the case which way it NEEDS to run to make the blades the most efficient, since you are mounting it, and twist them together to check before putting on the wire nuts.

Click to expand...

IIRC, my fan runs the same in direction no matter which way the wires are hooked up. I think there's a diode in the circuit that makes it operate that way. The one I have uses a brushless motor. It's been awhile since I was messing with it, so my memory of how it operated has faded and I could be mistaken.