Cooling fans help.... - Aquarium Advice

Lonewolfblue · 03-25-2007, 09:03 PM

Well, in a previous post I asked help in making a DIY canopy. Now, if I want to put in some fans, what do I use for a power supply? I don't want to put something big in like a computer power supply. There's got to be something smaller that can be used to power 3 fans. Any ideas?

**Ziggy953** · 03-25-2007, 09:08 PM

I wish I had taken pics but I use a simple 12v adapter that I have wired to all 3 of my fans. Cost about $15 at walmart. Does a great job...really small and has a nice long cord.

Lonewolfblue · 03-25-2007, 09:10 PM

I didn't think about that. Completely slipped my mind. Good idea....

**Ziggy953** · 03-25-2007, 10:07 PM

Like I said it has worked well for me and I have 3 12v fans running on the adapter.

I have 2 of these and one that is 120mm

http://cgi.ebay.com/80-mm-UV-BLUE-Ca...QQcmdZViewItem

SparKy697 · 03-25-2007, 11:11 PM

Have you bought the fans yet?

Lonewolfblue · 03-26-2007, 12:30 AM

No, I haven't bought anything yet. Just been pricing stuff.

One other question, when you do more than 1 fan, and they are all the same size and ratings, do you place them in series or in parallel?

SparKy697 · 03-26-2007, 08:55 AM

So, the reason I asked if you bought the fans yet was that if you have, you could simply read the current draw on the fans and size your power supply accordingly.

You will want to buy fans that all have the same voltage rating and wire them in parallel. When figuring out how big of a power supply you need, you simply add up the current rating of each fan.

For example:

This guy has a lot of cheap fans.

This power supply would power 2-3 of those same fans nicely.

tecwzrd · 03-26-2007, 09:30 AM

Good post on the subject: Adding a computer fan to my hood, need help w/ converter

03-25-2007, 09:03 PM	#1
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,869 Images: 7	Cooling fans help.... Well, in a previous post I asked help in making a DIY canopy. Now, if I want to put in some fans, what do I use for a power supply? I don't want to put something big in like a computer power supply. There's got to be something smaller that can be used to power 3 fans. Any ideas? __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

03-25-2007, 09:10 PM	#3
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,869 Images: 7	I didn't think about that. Completely slipped my mind. Good idea.... __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

03-25-2007, 11:11 PM	#5
SparKy697 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 1,213 Images: 3	Have you bought the fans yet? __________________ -Joe Click "My Info" for tank information. My 55g Tank Log Read About The Nitrogen Cycle Read About The Fishless Cycle

03-26-2007, 12:30 AM	#6
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,869 Images: 7	No, I haven't bought anything yet. Just been pricing stuff. One other question, when you do more than 1 fan, and they are all the same size and ratings, do you place them in series or in parallel? __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

03-26-2007, 08:55 AM	#7
SparKy697 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 1,213 Images: 3	So, the reason I asked if you bought the fans yet was that if you have, you could simply read the current draw on the fans and size your power supply accordingly. You will want to buy fans that all have the same voltage rating and wire them in parallel. When figuring out how big of a power supply you need, you simply add up the current rating of each fan. For example: This guy has a lot of cheap fans. This power supply would power 2-3 of those same fans nicely. __________________ -Joe Click "My Info" for tank information. My 55g Tank Log Read About The Nitrogen Cycle Read About The Fishless Cycle

03-25-2007, 09:08 PM	#2
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 3,929 Images: 5	I wish I had taken pics but I use a simple 12v adapter that I have wired to all 3 of my fans. Cost about $15 at walmart. Does a great job...really small and has a nice long cord.

03-25-2007, 10:07 PM	#4
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 3,929 Images: 5	Like I said it has worked well for me and I have 3 12v fans running on the adapter. I have 2 of these and one that is 120mm http://cgi.ebay.com/80-mm-UV-BLUE-Ca...QQcmdZViewItem

03-26-2007, 09:30 AM	#8
tecwzrd Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: VA Posts: 3,152	Good post on the subject: Adding a computer fan to my hood, need help w/ converter __________________ -Micah- If you haven't figured it out yet I like to BOLD links :P Vote for AA at Aqua Rank

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