Help w/ computer fan wiring...

[Beavdowg]

Would someone be willing to show a tutorial on how to wire a computer fan to a cell phone charger so it can be plugged in to 110V and used inside a fermentation chamber.

Thanks

 

[ryoko]

Cutting the end off the charger where it goes into the phone, should have either 2 or 4 wires. Assuming they are colored correctly it would be red, black, green and white. Ignore the green and white as they are for data.

I'm guessing your computer fan has the 4 pin setup. Red, 2 blacks, and yellow. The yellow is +12volt, red is 5 volt. Your cell charger is likely 12 volt but that should be on the plug.


Please be careful, and check the transformer's output. I never did this myself but I believe it is correct.

 

[ryoko]

Found this on google, should be the ticket.

http://s481.photobucket.com/user/7th1der/media/Diagrams/wiringfan.jpg.html

 

[day_trippr]

fyi, most recent vintage phones can be charged via USB - which means they want to see 5 volts DC, not 12. Indeed, I can't remember ever seeing a 12 volt DC cell phone charger...

Cheers!

 

[Beavdowg]

I was able to wire the computer fan by following the instructions you guys gave me. Thanks. It works well. The only problem is that the fan doesn't seem to turn as fast as it could which causes little current within my fermentation chamber. If I could get the fan to turn faster there would be more air current and provide better circulation. Is the speed of the fan a factor of the amperage of the plug-in? Can I increase the speed of the fan by finding a cell phone charger with a higher amperage?

thanks

 

[blkhrt]

The amps are what drives the fan faster. You will need to install a transducer to do that. If you live by a frys electronics they carry current amplifiers there.

 

[boat_eggs]

if you want the fan to spin faster you will have to increase the voltage supplied to it, that is if it is supplied enough current already. if it is getting enough current (amps) already then even if you supply 20 amps the fan will not spin any faster.

the problem with going over the rated voltage is that the fan will burn up much quicker

 

[raouliii]

.....It works well. The only problem is that the fan doesn't seem to turn as fast....

Check the specifications on the fan and the power supply. They must match in voltage. As long as the current/amperage spec of the power supply is greater than the current/amperage spec of the fan, it will be fine.

 

[Facinerous]

Your cell phone charger probably supplies 5 volts, and the fan I assume is a 12 volt fan.

Its running slower because you are supplying the fan with nearly half the voltage than its maximum rating. Half the voltage means half the amperage means half the rpm.

You could get a 12 volt charger, for a computer or something like that. They are super cheap and I'm pretty sure you can get them just about anywhere. Then your fan would run twice as fast.

good luck

 

[Durhamite]

I got a small cheap $10 fan from BigLots and mounted it in the top corner of my ferm chamber. That things moves a TON of air! (and has 3 selectable speeds).

Totally worth the (small) investment.