# Computer Fan Power



## Diesel80 (25/8/11)

Ebay HDD Adapter

$1 adapter, and $2.60 postage.

Cheap way to power Computer Fan for Keezer etc.

You will need a spare computer power cable however. I have a bundle of them so i am right. Might not suit all, but cheaper than a $15 plug pack from jaycar that you would have to cut and rewire anyway.
Will let you know how it goes when it arrives.


Cheers,
D80


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## Wolfy (25/8/11)

Diesel80 said:


> You will need a spare computer power cable however. I have a bundle of them so i am right. Might not suit all, but cheaper than a $15 plug pack from jaycar that you would have to cut and rewire anyway.
> Will let you know how it goes when it arrives.


Cool ... but you can get 12V DC Adapters on Ebay (which I use) for $1 as well, so comparing to a $15 Jaycar plug pack is not really fair. 
The 12V DC Adapters don't need a computer-power-cable, but you do need to cut/solder the output wire onto your fan, which you don't for the thing you linked.


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## zxhoon (25/8/11)

I had something similar for connecting a hard drive to a computer (with a usb adapter) and the power supply unit failed, was replaced and failed again... admitedly with only a fan loading they might be ok, but I wouldnt trust a $1 power supply to not catch fire while Im sleeping... there's a reason the supply you buy at Jaycar costs more, it has to meet AS to be sold here... which I doubt the above does... 

not saying they are crap as I have never seen one, but I would be weary of such a cheap item that takes 240V into it...

my 2c anyways...


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## Amber Fluid (26/8/11)

You can power a computer fan with a mobile phone charger that can be purchased for $1 at tip shops/2nd hand shops etc.


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## Wolfman (26/8/11)

Could just wire the fan up to the heater? When the heater turns on the fan comes on?


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## Diesel80 (26/8/11)

shan0066 said:


> Could just wire the fan up to the heater? When the heater turns on the fan comes on?



Shan, would still need to step down from 240v to 12v so would need a transformer anyway.

ZXhoon, good point mate. I found the ebay link from Whirlpool Forums, where ppl are using them to cool their Home entertainment amplifiers. One guy there reckons he has run a 12CM computer fan for 12months straight no worries. 

I may check out some plug packs at the local opshop, that is a top suggestion Amber. That way i would hopefully get something that is aus standard and also $1.

Cheers,
D80


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## adryargument (26/8/11)

Nice find, cheap as chips.

Generally any computer fan will run at 5-12 volts.
You can use the above adapter to run the fan at 5v, 7v, or 12v (depending how you cross your wires).

However its just as easy to use any old mobile phone chargers etc that may be lying around.


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## Wolfman (26/8/11)

I need to wire it so when the heater belt comes on so does the fan/fans. Who would I go about doing this?


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## hsb (26/8/11)

Can't you just plug a double adapter into your Fridgemate, one plug to heater, one to fan?
When heater cycles on, so does fan.


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## Wolfman (26/8/11)

Hahahaha I thought of that very solution AFTER I posted. Was hoping to not have a double adapter out the back of the tempmate. That can be a interim solution. Anyone got a permenant fix?


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## gibbocore (26/8/11)

i boxed mine with a switch in the fridge, its a 240v fan, i paralleled the fan off the power running to the fridge light (before the switch for the light). But i'm a (ex) sparky.


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## hsb (26/8/11)

Otherwise, you'd need to wire it out of the back of the Fridgemate _somehow_ if you wanted it to run only when the Fridgemate cycled to 'On' (although that wouldn't distinguish whether you were running heating or cooling.)

You could run the fan in parallel by junctioning the power before it reaches the Socket out of Fridgemate > Fan.
You could even add a switch there - (Always) On/Off/ (Fridgemate controlled) Auto, so the switch is on the Fridgemate box. 
That all assumes you include the step-down transformer to 12v as well, or have a 240v fan.

A double adaptor sounds a lot easier


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## Tony Mac (26/8/11)

Guys,
I've been running two PC fans in my Kegmate for a while now.
I used a 9v DC adapter I had laying around. cut off the end and stripped the wires.

Put one PC fan in a box with a hole in the front and a 45cm piece of washing machine hose up into my Font tower.
That cools down my beer lines which I have also insulated with copper tubing as well.
I put a toggle switch from the red wire on the PC fan, screwed in to the box so I can turn that one on and off as I want.

To the back of the box I taped a PC Fan holder facing 45 degrees upwards to circulate air on the inside.
That fan runs constantly and keeps everything nice and cool.

Wired both fans together and into connectors to the 9v adapter & Bobs ya Uncle!

So before a BBQ I turn on the font fan and the beer taps & font bead with cool sweat, which looks cool.
All in all is was cheap, effective and cost me three fifths of Bugger all.

Very simple.


Cheers.
Now I feel like a brown Ale. Must leave work.... get home.... Drink Beer...... aaahhhhgggg.....


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## Nevalicious (26/8/11)

hsb said:


> A double adaptor sounds a lot easier



If you don't know what you're doing, take this advice... A simple solution to not having an ugly piggyback double adapter hanging out the back of the unit is to connect a four way power board up to the outlet in question, tuck it behind the fridge... $3 from any cheap store

Out of sight, out of mind 

Nev


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## Diesel80 (26/8/11)

Tony Mac said:


> Guys,
> I've been running two PC fans in my Kegmate for a while now.
> I used a 9v DC adapter I had laying around. cut off the end and stripped the wires.
> 
> ...



Tony, do you happen to know how many amps that 9v power plug puts out?

I have found a plug pack at home but it is only 4.75V and 0.55A, i think it may be under-gunned for a 12V 120mm fan. 

Cheers,
D80


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## Tony Mac (27/8/11)

Diesel80 said:


> Tony, do you happen to know how many amps that 9v power plug puts out?
> 
> I have found a plug pack at home but it is only 4.75V and 0.55A, i think it may be under-gunned for a 12V 120mm fan.
> 
> ...




D80,
mine is 9V 300ma
So only .3A
The fans need bugger all but it does need to be DC not AC.
If you dont need it just strip the wires and give it a go.
I had a couple which didn't work as they were AC.
I wired one way and it didn't work so I swapped the wires and away she went.
I believe it will work, mine are both 120mm fans.

Realistically it very small power so just play around till ya get one working.

I also used a Motorola charger and that was only 5v and that worked fine too.

Cheers
TMAC


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## zxhoon (27/8/11)

if you have an AC supply you can add some diodes to make a DC supply...


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## keifer33 (27/8/11)

I have used similar adapters (in original) post to wire up some computer fans for uses on stir-plates and to upgrade the one in my current kegerator to something quieter. The fan draws very minimal power so its probably a perfect use for them. I would be iffy about hooking one up to a hard-drive like they are designed for with all that important information on it as the draw is substantially more. Just keep them well ventilated as with all ac power packs.


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