Computer Fan In A Chest Freezer

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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