So i am told the computer fans are a really good way to get some ventilation in a small growing box... but just one questiong... how do you power the fans? everywhere I look the fan is like 15 bucks but the power adaptor to a regular wall socket is $119! Is there something im missing? or is there a trick you all know and im cluless?
Computer fans run off 12V DC, so if you have any extra DC 12V wall adapters (Very common) take the end, cut it off with a knife, then take the end of the comptuer fan where it plugs into the computers motherboard or psu, and cut that off, and wrap the negative to negative on the two, and positive to positive, plug it into the wall and there you go.
$15 for a computer fan?? What size fan are we talking about exactly? The largest fans availible would be 120mm and you can pick one up for much less than 15. If you're going to be running a couple fans its probably easiest to pick up a cheap psu and have the multiple fans running off it. I've posted links and I'm sure that some of this stuff can be found much cheaper on ebay. Power Supply - http://www.directron.com/generic400.html Fans - http://www.directron.com/f378.html Any fans will do, as well as any power supply. Find the cheapest ones you can, the more expensive ones wont do you any good, not for this purpose.
An important point that I forgot to mention was that the power supply I linked you to is designed to be used inside a pc and wont normally power up unless its connected to the motherboard. There is a simple mod to get it to power up without any motherboard connection. I've added pictures for clarity. You simply take a paper clip and bend it into a "U" shape and as you'll notice in the pictures the connector has these little holes for the pins on the motherboard. All you do is take the paper clip and connect the green wire to the black one and you're all set. If you've got any old pcs lying around the psu can probably be salvaged and used, and you can save a bit of cash.
I have loads of 12V power supplies about, things that have broken and been thrown out, still have the PS.
i'm thinking about using this method because you can add more fans if needed on the same psu. i just need to kno how do you connect the fans to the psu? i'm a little not sure if i should get the fans with the bare leads or the pins.. **All supplies are almost purchased..grow journal and pics will be coming to a thread near you. so stay on the look out.**
yeah thats one problem i've been contemplating. how do i connect the fan to the psu? i mean, most of the psu plugs have four wires, which are positive and which are negative?
this is a great post and helped me alot +1 ... but ( theres always a but , hahah ) is there a temp control unit that can be hooked up to the fans ive been looking for some time now anyone know ?
so im about to answer my own question i just thought about it and i do carpentry and when you install an atic fan there is a temp controll on it not sure if it would work yet its just a thought but if you wire the plug to the controls and then the fans it should work just fine im going to try it out soon