Computer fan power source

[Morrey]

I have a computer fan I plan to use to move air inside my fermenter chamber when the ceramic bulb is energized by the ATC. The fan is 12VDC and .23A. What is a suitable power source that others are using to energize this fan?

 

[kristiismean]

just cut up an old cell phone charger (5v)

if the fan turns the wrong way the flip the wires around.

it's similar to how you would build the do it yourself stir plate using a computer fan.

 

[thekraken]

You might look for an old wall wart that is closer to 12v though. They have piles and piles of them at Good Will for cheap.

 

[dokken5]

GOodwill is your best bet, or if you can find a DirecTV guy. They have hundreds of them that they throw out that were for old receivers. Any 12v will work. Go to radio shack and get you one. They are like $5

 

[augiedoggy]

I have a computer fan I plan to use to move air inside my fermenter chamber when the ceramic bulb is energized by the ATC. The fan is 12VDC and .23A. What is a suitable power source that others are using to energize this fan?

any 12v wall wort power supply will work here. it doesnt have to be powerful.. even a 9v power supply will work but the fan wont move as much air. a cel phone charger is no good at 5v dc.

 

[kristiismean]

yeah, it would be at 1/2 speed, so only like 40cfm, (for a 120) depending on the fan with 5v.

12v would be better,

but 5v would move air gently, and quietly which was my thinking on it.

 

[Morrey]

In the meantime I asked my brother in law who is the IT manager for a mfg plant to help me rig this. He wired me up an industrial server tower 120VAC fan that plugs directly into the wall w/o a transformer involved. BUT this fan blows HARD. I want to gently blow air to recirc radiated heat from a reptile ceramic bulb in my ferm chamber. I still want to rig a gentler fan and try to do the cell phone charger route. In the meantime I do have a fan operational albeit one that blows a bit more air volume than I envisioned.

 

[Homercidal]

A computer fan might turn at 5V. You don't need much CFM to distribute the air, but if you don't get a decent spinning motion I would look for a bigger power supply than 5V. It might not reliably start if the power level is close to the threshold. 9V should be good, and obviously 12V is fine too.

You can find 12V power bricks on Amazon for less than $5. Visit any Computer repair or check with Goodwill, etc. They should have all kinds of options.

 

[imasickboy]

The rule of thumb for DC power is MATCH the voltage, MEET OR EXCEED the amperage. In your case, use a 12V adapter with at least .23 amps.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]It might not reliably start if the power level is close to the threshold. 9V should be good, and obviously 12V is fine too. [...]

All true, I've had 12VDC fans that wouldn't reliably start when fed with 5V...

Cheers!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Just get one of these. It even has a power adjustment knob. Simply use any usb wall adapter I'm sure you have laying around. Retractable cord. Works great for moving the air in a ferm camber

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00080G0BK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Morrey]

In this midst of my planning to get something together as the thread posters suggested, I talked with my Brother In Law who is an IT Mgr at a manufacturing facility. He found a 120VAC fan that cools server towers and said this will be easier to rig. I am using a 100W reptile lamp and that sucker gets darn hot, so I shielded it with a paint can and fixed the lid so it acts as an air diverter. I occasionally do a distiller mash that uses DADY* and likes to be around 90F for a week so it can finish under 1.000. This rig can keep it there!

Edit: *Sorry, Distillers Active Dry Yeast

 

[IslandLizard]

Good solution!

I would put a dome shaped wire mesh over the top in case something lands on it or touches the hot surface. Use a coarse mesh, like 3/8-1/2" with thin wires to keep its heat capacity low.

 

[augiedoggy]

In the meantime I asked my brother in law who is the IT manager for a mfg plant to help me rig this. He wired me up an industrial server tower 120VAC fan that plugs directly into the wall w/o a transformer involved. BUT this fan blows HARD. I want to gently blow air to recirc radiated heat from a reptile ceramic bulb in my ferm chamber. I still want to rig a gentler fan and try to do the cell phone charger route. In the meantime I do have a fan operational albeit one that blows a bit more air volume than I envisioned.

why not just go to lowes and buy a $7 wall light dimmer switch or a dimmer switch extension cord and wired that up to the 120v fan to control the fan speed?