# Computer Fan In A Chest Freezer



## KHB

Just wondering how you guys hook these up to run when fridgemate turns on. Would it be as easy as hooking up to a mobile phone charger and put that into a double adapter with the fridge mate??

KHB


----------



## pokolbinguy

Sounds like the easy option to me.

However I think the idea is to have the whole area the same temp all the time...so you would want the fan running 24/7...some have them set up with a switch so that when you open the lid they switch off so you dont draw in outside air.

Hope this makes sense.

Pok


----------



## Phrak

It all depends on the max current (A) and voltage (V) of the fan vs the phone charger.

Most PC fans are designed to run full-speed @ 12V. Max current draw in Amps is unique to each fan, but should be printed on the sticker on the fan hub.

In most cases you can run a fan at less than 12V. This would generally reduce the speed of the fan. Too low a voltage (sub 5V usually) and the fan may not have enough power (and therefore torque) to start spinning when power is applied.

A phone charger that outputs 7-12V DC, with _at least _the amperage of your fan, would be ideal.
A 5v phone charger would be pushing it.


I wouldn't bother running the fan the whole time either. It does a reasonable-enough job to only run when the compressor kicks in, plus you save power.
If you're electrically inclined, a switch to disable the fan when the lid opens would be a nice-to-have, but you could always manually switch the fan off before you open the lid.

HTH,
Tim


----------



## porky

KHB said:


> Just wondering how you guys hook these up to run when fridgemate turns on. Would it be as easy as hooking up to a mobile phone charger and put that into a double adapter with the fridge mate??
> 
> KHB




Yes, 
I have one set up this way, works fine.
Cheers,
bud


----------



## Juzz

I have an upright fridge that i am putting a fun into. Does it matter where the fan is located in the fridge? eg top-back


----------



## razz

I think the safest place is mounted under the lid, someone on here has theirs mounted that way. That way it's out of the way and not likely to get knocked.


----------



## cdbrown

Juzz said:


> I have an upright fridge that i am putting a fun into. Does it matter where the fan is located in the fridge? eg top-back



Just put it somewhere near the top so that the warmer air is circulated with the cooler air at the bottom


----------



## justsomeguy

KHB said:


> Just wondering how you guys hook these up to run when fridgemate turns on. Would it be as easy as hooking up to a mobile phone charger and put that into a double adapter with the fridge mate??
> 
> KHB



Err, nope I don't have mine hooked up the the fridgemate.

I've got mine hooked up to a simple mechanical microswitch fitted to the door. When the door is closed the fan runs, when the door is opened the fan turns off. I did this because I thought that I didn't want all that nice cool air being blown out of the freezer when I had the door open replacing it with hot moist air.

Simple, but effective.

gary.


----------



## KHB

justsomeguy said:


> Err, nope I don't have mine hooked up the the fridgemate.
> 
> I've got mine hooked up to a simple mechanical microswitch fitted to the door. When the door is closed the fan runs, when the door is opened the fan turns off. I did this because I thought that I didn't want all that nice cool air being blown out of the freezer when I had the door open replacing it with hot moist air.
> 
> Simple, but effective.
> 
> gary.



Looking to do this to where about do i get one from


----------



## justsomeguy

KHB said:


> Looking to do this to where about do i get one from



Any elec supplier should have them. Just go to your local DSE store and get one. Should cost about $2 at the most for a small one. You don't need anything special, you're just switching a small load here.

gary


----------



## crundle

I have my computer fan set up on the collar of the kegerator, and it switches on at the same time as the freezer, didnt want to have it running 24/7.

I did the double adaptor trick and it seems to work very well, about the only addition I might make is to have it able to be switched off when I have the freezeer lid open, but this doesn't happen too often, so it might not be such a big deal.

The fan makes a huge difference, I now don't have temperature differentials in the freezer, so a thermometer in the bottom of the freezer reads the same as one at the top, so now I don't experience kegs that are warmer at the top and frozen down the bottom any more.

Definitely a worthy investment, however you set it to run.

Crundle


----------



## KHB

Where abouts does everyone place there probe in the freezer??


----------



## crundle

The probe for my kegerator is up on the collar at the back, to the side of the fan. As long as the fan will circulate the air occasionally, it shouldn't matter where it is.


----------



## KHB

ok cool

Also even with the fan my celi taps get foam, does eny one else get this as my other taps dont


----------



## cdbrown

Foam could be due to the system not being balanced properly - pressure low/high, beer line short/long.


----------



## crundle

Not sure about the Celli taps, I have those cheap ones off Ebay and only a little foam from the first pour, then everything is fairly cold and pours well.

Do the Celli taps have a fair bit of metal in them that may take longer to cool down when pouring? I guess I am asking, do you get continual foam, or does it settle down after the first pour? If it is continual I would say it is not balanced right, but if only the first pour, then it is jsut the taps needing to cool down closer to the beer temperature.

Hope this helps.


----------



## KGB

Here's a micro swtich like what you want for the fan


----------



## Batz

KHB said:


> ok cool
> 
> Also even with the fan my celi taps get foam, does eny one else get this as my other taps dont



OK I am no expert on celi's,but I believe they can be a PITA,I asked to have a little play with one once and was told a very firm no!
I think you set them and don't touch again,bit like the colour on your TV.

Hides under a hop flower from celi owners.

Batz


----------



## razz

KGB said:


> Here's a micro swtich like what you want for the fan



While we're on the subject and not to far of topic. I dropped my 12v fan today and broke it. I'm off to get a new one tomorrow. i though I would put in a switch so it will turn off when I open the freezer. The switch that KGB mentioned is rated at 125v 5A. Is this suitable for a 12v fan and power supply ?


----------



## Darren

Hey Guys,

What on earth is going on with this thread??

I have been using a chest freezer for my kegs for the last 8 years. Never used a computer fan  and my beer is cold (cool air falls and that is where your beer is served, the bottom of a keg).

Only computer nerds who have no idea of the brewing process would suggest you need a computer fan to cool your kegs. What a waste of electricity!!!

cheers

Darren


----------



## Batz

Darren said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> What on earth is going on with this thread??
> 
> I have been using a chest freezer for my kegs for the last 8 years. Never used a computer fan  and my beer is cold (cool air falls and that is where your beer is served, the bottom of a keg).
> 
> Only computer nerds who have no idea of the brewing process would suggest you need a computer fan to cool your kegs. What a waste of electricity!!!
> 
> cheers
> 
> Darren




Love it  
But if it's not keeping an even temperture Darren,you'll die of stickadicktome !

Batz


----------



## Back Yard Brewer

Darren said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> What on earth is going on with this thread??
> 
> I have been using a chest freezer for my kegs for the last 8 years. Never used a computer fan  and my beer is cold (cool air falls and that is where your beer is served, the bottom of a keg).
> 
> 
> cheers
> 
> Darren




:icon_offtopic: OK I will go out on a limb here and agree with Darren. I have been using a small chest freezer for near on three years and have never had a problem with my beer being warm. The chest freezer is in my shed. The shed temp can get up to around 50c + in the summer. IMHO I think its some extra bling that "I" don't see a need for.

BYB


----------



## Darren

Batz said:


> Love it
> But if it's not keeping an even temperture Darren,you'll die of stickadicktome !
> 
> Batz




Does it matter if not keeping even temperature?? Its the bottom of the keg that is important. Computer fans in fridges seems counterintuitive to me.

cheers

darren


----------



## razz

I find it very beneficial Dazza ! It stops the slightly warmer beer in the lines from fobbing when pouring.


----------



## Darren

Hey Razz,

Fobbing?? Not sure what you mean!
Is it like blogging?

Computer fans in fridges are a waste of time.

cheers

Darren


----------



## KHB

OFF TOPIC

Thats what i hate about this forum some wankers get on here thinking they know everything and have to slam everything they think is wrong, everyone is welcome to there own opinion stop slaming people because you think you know everything.

BACK ON TOPIC

I only get foam with the first bit of the first pour which isnt a problem now as i have the fan in there now.


----------



## Batz

KHB said:


> OFF TOPIC
> 
> Thats what i hate about this forum some wankers get on here thinking they know everything and have to slam everything they think is wrong, everyone is welcome to there own opinion stop slaming people because you think you know everything.
> 
> BACK ON TOPIC
> 
> I only get foam with the first bit of the first pour which isnt a problem now as i have the fan in there now.




OK
Your lines too short

Batz


----------



## Darren

Yeah it is funny about the posters who come on here having made their first all-grain 6 months ago and think they know it all..

Perhaps you could explain why my taps don't foam and i don't have a fan in my fridge??

cheers

darren


----------



## KHB

Batz my lines are 3 metres long. I dont have this problem any more due to my fan.

Darren alot of celi taps experience foam at 1st pour so i am guessing probably because you dont have celi taps


----------



## razz

I believe FOB is the term used in the pub/beer industry for foam on beer, not 100% sure.


----------



## Darren

KHB said:


> Darren alot of celi taps experience foam at 1st pour so i am guessing probably because you dont have celi taps




KHB,

Nah just some old pub taps. Pull the handle out comes the beer. 

Do celi taps require special cooling??

cheers

Darren


----------



## Ross

A computer fan is not really necessary if you haven't fitted a collar, though it still helps.
But if you have a wooden collar then it's pretty imperative. Before I fitted a fan to my setup the lines at the top of the freezer were sat at 20c+ & I had terrible foaming issues. fitted the fan & not more than 1c difference in the entire freezer - perfect.

cheers ross


----------



## MartinS

Darren said:


> What a waste of electricity!!!



I think that's oversimplifying things a little. An 12V 80mm fan will use very little electricity (about a watt in the worst case; much less if you do things properly). By spreading the air around, particularly around the coolant lines, you'll easily save that much in the cost of running the freezer. 

Aside from the electricity side of things, a lot of people use their fridges for fermentation, too. Without a fan, my freezer temperature bounces all over the place. The fan helps keep things a bit more consistent.

No-one's suggesting everyone should have a fan, but if you have the parts lying around and can throw the whole thing together in a few minutes, then why not? For people who are that way inclined and want to expand their knowledge a little, it's a cute little project.


----------



## Back Yard Brewer

MartinS said:


> I think that's oversimplifying things a little. An 12V 80mm fan will use very little electricity (about a watt in the worst case; much less if you do things properly). By spreading the air around, particularly around the coolant lines, you'll easily save that much in the cost of running the freezer.
> 
> Aside from the electricity side of things, a lot of people use their fridges for fermentation, too. Without a fan, my freezer temperature bounces all over the place. The fan helps keep things a bit more consistent.
> 
> No-one's suggesting everyone should have a fan, but if you have the parts lying around and can throw the whole thing together in a few minutes, then why not? For people who are that way inclined and want to expand their knowledge a little, it's a cute little project.




Quite a valid point.

:icon_offtopic: Now with that all being done and said can everyone stop feeding the trolls on this forum. Yes I am guilty of troll feeding but from this day I am drawing a line in the sand and giving it away. There are a very, very, small insecure lot that troll and we all as a community need to all draw the same line.

BYB


----------



## SJW

> A computer fan is not really necessary if you haven't fitted a collar, though it still helps.
> But if you have a wooden collar then it's pretty imperative. Before I fitted a fan to my setup the lines at the top of the freezer were sat at 20c+ & I had terrible foaming issues. fitted the fan & not more than 1c difference in the entire freezer - perfect.
> 
> cheers ross


+1

I also have one in my fermentation fridge. Would not cool anything without one.


----------



## PostModern

Darren, pull your head in. Not everyone has the same issues, this works for some. Check the commercial fridges that have a whole bank of fans to keep the temperature evenly distributed. If it doesn't apply to you, don't do it. 

Didn't you take your bat and ball and leave AHB a while ago? I seem to remember you saying something about that... anyway, (now where are my sarcasm tags??) welcome back.


----------



## Guest Lurker

To be fair, I suspect a fan would be a big consumer of electricity. Not to turn the blade obviously but to push cold air out of any seal imperfections/gas holes etc much faster than would occur just by convection.


----------



## cdbrown

Since putting the fan in my freezer I've noticed the time the freezer operates is less due to the whole volume of the freezer being at a similar temperature. 12v fan connected to a 7v phone charger, rotates fairly slowly but pushes a decent amount of air.


----------



## Rod

I have used a room freshener with a battery driven fan to circulate the air in my caravan fridge

The units with enclosed batteries are available from franklins , cannot for the life of me remember the brand 

cost , about $8

but

I removed the perfume from the container ( which holds the batteries) and rinsed it with chlorine to get rid of any odour .

the unit cycles on and off with either of two settings , last time I used it was still going after 3 months

cannot be more help until I go up the street

Rod


----------



## Barley Belly

I've ordered and gunna fit one of these babies to my new fermenting fridge

It even comes with it's own mounting frame and @ $5.30 delivered, you can't go wrong, can you? :huh: 







EBAY LINKY


----------



## razz

Can anyone care to show me how to wire in a micro switch between my 12v power plug pack and the 12v fan please ?


----------



## SJW

Sounds like you have never had a computer fan in a fridge or freezer Darren. Of coarse the beer is still going to be cold, its a freezer. But in my case I have used both and with a small chest freezer packed with 4 full kegs the computer fan (12v) running on a 7 volt power supply circulates the air up into the collar and that just happends to be where I keep my glasses, so they are cooled too. As for Cellis, they are IMO just as good if not better that other Non regluated taps as the length og beer line behind the tap only needs to be as long as the keg is away from the tap. I play with the regulator all the time as I only hit the gas once a week or so when the pressure has dropped right off. Then after I have re-pressurised I adjust the regulator again.
If computer fans are such a waste of time why are fan forced ovens such a hit? And we are talking about chest freezers with a timber collar too, I would say the effects of a fan would diminish if there was not collar.
But its crazy talk to say its a waste of electricity. My freezer comes on far les with the fan running 24/7, does not sound like a waste of energy to me.
Has anyone ever done the numbers on the cost of a 12v computer fan running 24/7 over 12 months?

Steve


----------



## cdbrown

finners said:


> I've ordered and gunna fit one of these babies to my new fermenting fridge
> 
> It even comes with it's own mounting frame and @ $5.30 delivered, you can't go wrong, can you? :huh:
> 
> 
> 
> EBAY LINKY



Looks nice, very cheap, but the fans are small, with low air movement and high speed and a bit noisy

I got this one and can't even hear it running.


----------



## MartinS

razz said:


> Can anyone care to show me how to wire in a micro switch between my 12v power plug pack and the 12v fan please ?



It's really easy. Connect the switch in-line in the red wire from the fan (Red wire goes into the switch; red wire comes out of the switch; black wire doesn't touch the switch). Use the terminals marked as "common" and "closed"(*). If they're not marked, find the two terminals that are short-circuited only when the switch is closed.

(*) Edit: Err - test that the fan turns on at the right time - I'm starting to second guess myself at the moment, and can't remember if switches use "closed" or "normally open" terminology. Anyone? Worst case, it turns on when you open the lid instead of off, and you have to change one of the wires on the switch. You're not going to blow anything up if you get the switch terminals wrong.


----------



## razz

MartinS said:


> It's really easy. Connect the switch in-line in the red wire from the fan (Red wire goes into the switch; red wire comes out of the switch; black wire doesn't touch the switch). Use the terminals marked as "common" and "closed"(*). If they're not marked, find the two terminals that are short-circuited only when the switch is closed.
> 
> (*) Edit: Err - test that the fan turns on at the right time - I'm starting to second guess myself at the moment, and can't remember if switches use "closed" or "normally open" terminology. Anyone? Worst case, it turns on when you open the lid instead of off, and you have to change one of the wires on the switch. You're not going to blow anything up if you get the switch terminals wrong.



Thank you Martin, I was just looking at some DIY stuff on google and was getting the gist of it. You are a gentleman.


----------



## MartinS

razz said:


> Thank you Martin, I was just looking at some DIY stuff on google and was getting the gist of it. You are a gentleman.



Just to correct myself (although you've probably found this already), it's the "common" and "normally open" or "NO" terminals you want. Phew.


----------



## stowaway

I have a heap of Computer fans and parts sitting around my house.. so setting up my fan was no issue.
i used a old Nokia Charger..

However my fan doesnt spin very fast.. and the airflow is minimal.. 
Any ideas how i could juice it up? 
Different type of charger? or different fan? I used a fan i took off the side of a case.
kind of similar to http://www.coolermaster.com/products/produ...=36&id=4410 although not as bling.


----------



## cdbrown

You might find that the chargers you used are all 5V perhaps 7V which is undervolting the fan. To get it faster you need to use the 9V or 12V. Perhaps invest in a power pack from jaycar. I think mine is connected to a 7v charger and i can feel it blowing. You don't need it to be blowing a gale, just enough to create turbulance in the chest so that the air mixes.


----------



## MartinS

stowaway said:


> Any ideas how i could juice it up?



Phone chargers are normally pretty low voltage (usually in the 5-6V range).
See if the fan has any stats written on the label in the middle. You're after the voltage (V), and the current (A). 

For choosing a power supply:
1. Don't use a power supply with a lower current rating than the fan, otherwise you'll likely burn out your power supply.
2. Don't use a power supply with a higher voltage rating than the fan, otherwise you'll likely burn out your fan.
3. The higher the voltage (without breaking rule 2), the more juice your fan will get.


----------



## Batz

Larger Red Cross,Vinnie shops etc usually have a big box of these transformers,just dig through for the correct voltage.
The shop near here sells them for $1.00

Batz


----------



## PostModern

Batz said:


> Larger Red Cross,Vinnie shops etc usually have a big box of these transformers,just dig through for the correct voltage.
> The shop near here sells them for $1.00
> 
> Batz



All the op shops in my area (is it all of NSW?) don't sell anything that plugs in. They're afraid of liability issues if someone zaps themselves with something dodgy they sold.


----------



## Batz

PostModern said:


> All the op shops in my area (is it all of NSW?) don't sell anything that plugs in. They're afraid of liability issues if someone zaps themselves with something dodgy they sold.




We're all dodgy in this state.

Batz


----------



## KHB

So do most people have these running 24/7?? Notice much change in elec bill??


----------



## Batz

I have mine running 24/7

Tonight I'll put my new Jcar meter on it and tell you what it costs to run for 24 hours,I am paying 14c per KW

Batz


----------



## Batz

Batz said:


> I have mine running 24/7
> 
> Tonight I'll put my new Jcar meter on it and tell you what it costs to run for 24 hours,I am paying 14c per KW
> 
> Batz




It's on now
Will give results in 24 hours,it's just a small computer fan powered by a transformer with output of 12v-1A
Your average computer fan,enough to just move air around a closed up freezer,but not enough to be blowing hurricanes of cold air out of every orifice :lol: 

Batz


----------



## Doogiechap

Batz are you able to put the meter in line so it measures both the freezer and fan ? I think it's a given that the fan alone draws 2/5 of stuff all but it would be interesting to see what effect it has on the freezer as far as cycle frequency and duration. Next time I pass by Jaycar I'll be getting one of these 
Cheers
Doug


----------



## Batz

Doogiechap said:


> Batz are you able to put the meter in line so it measures both the freezer and fan ? I think it's a given that the fan alone draws 2/5 of stuff all but it would be interesting to see what effect it has on the freezer as far as cycle frequency and duration. Next time I pass by Jaycar I'll be getting one of these
> Cheers
> Doug




Hi Doug
ATM my freezer is dead,I have another one but no time to set it up.
Therefore I have just the fan running to determine if running one 24/7 with destroy my bank account and the environment.

Batz


----------



## KHB

Thanks batz mine is running with 6v mobile charger enough to get it going will be interesting to see the results


----------



## SJW

Looking forward to the results Batz


----------



## Batz

Reading $0.00 Atm,and I suppose we could expect that,measures in KWH so I suppose we need one.
I'll let it run a few days.


Batz


----------



## paul

Ive made an observation that a chest freezer has cooling elements in all 4 walls it has a large surface area that cools, where a fridge only has a small plate at the back that does the cooling for the whole fridge. 

So wouldnt a fan be needed in a fridge a lot more than in a chest freezer.

Im on my second chest freezer for serving beer and I havent found that ive needed a fan. I also use another chest freezer for fermenting and havent needed a fan in there either.


----------



## SJW

I went to Jcar today and picked up a meter for $30 so I will run some tests of my own. 1 with the freezer and fan on and another without the fan on and see the diff.

Steve


----------



## Batz

OK,I'll dispense with my tests :lol: 
Up until now 46 hours not even .01c

Batz


----------



## stowaway

edit- should have read whole thread


----------



## KGB

paul: do you have a collar on yours? Generally you can have a problem when you have a collar (so the top section has no cooling elements) and your beer lines are coiled up near the top. They will be at least slightly warmer than the rest of the fridge and your beer will foam when you start to pour until the lines and tap are cooled by beer being drawn from the keg.
Doesn't happen to everyone bhut if it does it is pretty annoying.


----------



## SJW

I am in the process of setting this thing up. I need some help. I am paying 13.208 cents per Kw for my power. Now when I enter this value into the meter do I enter it as 13.21 or 00.13? I had it as 13.21 and my fridge and freezer used 80c in 2 hours. This can't be right? can it?

Steve


----------



## crundle

I have a collar in my kegerator and have a 12v fan running from 12 volts (fan wont turn on any less voltage). The fan comes on when the freezer comes on only, but it blows a gale inside the freezer, and I have noticed that it runs for a shorter time when it does kick in. My temperature sensor is located near the top of the collar, and I have no issues with bubbles in the beer lines.

In the past when I had the keg in the kegerator without a fan, I experienced bubbles in my beer lines up top of the kegerator, and ice inside my kegs when they foamed out at the end of the beer. It was only when I installed the fan that this went away, so I am a fan of fans. If others don't see the need for them, then good luck to you, but as for me, I will be happy to spend a few cents more in power to have more even temperatures.







Excuse the dodgy woodwork, but it holds together and provides me with cold beer, so I can live with it....


----------



## NickB

Hey, that blower fan is great! Seems to be an easier model to mount as well. Where did you get that from and for how much??

Cheers


----------



## crundle

the fan was from a rack mounted server that a mate pulled apart for some spare parts, can have a look for the name and any identification tomorrow. 

Any computer fan should do, but the only issue I have with this one is that the fan comes on at random and the blades are semi-exposed on the front, so I might put a sticker warning of the danger of touching it or something funny to that effect anyhow.

It is a centripetal fan, but for a normal computer fan, it is still pretty easy to set it out a little from the collar using plastic sleeves over the screws behind the fan, and then using some plastic to create a curve for the airflow to follow. I was keen to blow the air down to the bottom of the freezer to stir it up and to even out the temperature, but any movement would probably be effective.


----------



## dj1984

like the bit down the bottom crundle friends to help me drink beer i didnt know you had friends!! (sorry about the off topic part)


----------



## MartinS

crundle said:


> I have a collar in my kegerator and have a 12v fan running from 12 volts (fan wont turn on any less voltage).



This is often the case with higher-end fans. You could probably still control the speed of the fan with PWM if you wanted to, but it's probably more hassle than it's worth.


----------



## KHB

How does everyone place there micro switches ie mounting to the collar a picture would be good if there is any chance

Cheers KHB


----------



## cdbrown

Mount it high on the collar so that when the freezer is shut it depresses the switch, closing the circuit and turning on the fan. The ones I have seen have 2 small diameter holes through the case so just put some screws and away you go.


----------



## Offline

paul said:


> ...
> So wouldnt a fan be needed in a fridge a lot more than in a chest freezer.
> ...



The fridge will have its cooling element (evaporator) at the top so as it cools the air the cold air then falls to the bottom of the fridge and the hotter air rises up to be cooled

A chest freezer with its cooling elements in the walls works similar until you put something higher then the elements, i.e. a collar


----------



## schooey

NickB said:


> Hey, that blower fan is great! Seems to be an easier model to mount as well. Where did you get that from and for how much??
> 
> Cheers




I'm pretty sure I've seen these fans at Jaycar once before... here or a bigger model here


----------



## cdbrown

They are some very noisey fans without much air movement when compared to a standard pc case fan


----------



## KGB

crundle said:


> Excuse the dodgy woodwork, but it holds together and provides me with cold beer, so I can live with it....



No worse than mine! As long as it does what it needs to do.


----------

