How To: Connect PC/Axial fans to 12v DC Adapter for Micro/Cab Grows
- Thread starter MushuHappiness
- Start date
MushuHappiness
Member
its ok to have excess amps... you dont want to overload the amps on the adapter.. so having extra amps is always good for the adapter.. puts lets strain on it.
U
UBER21
MushuHappiness said:
Thanks mushu and smokey you guys have been very helpful........
U
UBER21
Well guys I went out yesterday and bought an adapter AGAIN....lol...at radio shack....it was 12v 1500mA and its working flawlessy connected 3 fans and its cooling my pc case very well.......loving it......Thanks again Mushu and Smokey..... 
Mini_Maple_Tree
New member
alright... ive got the same adapter as uber, and ive got two identical fans. the rated current is 200 mA - 700 mA. again, my adapter is 1500 mA. so thats no problem. here is my problem/querstion.
the fans have a manual speed adjustment. if i get power to the fan, will the speed controls actually work? im trying to have my exhaust pulling a little more than my intake is bring in so theres negative pressure. will the two identical fans be able to work at different speeds?
also, the power lead starts out as 3 wires. yellow red and black. they then hit a connector and turn into black red and yellow turns to blue. the blue has its own connector on the end, separate from the red and black wires. the red and black then enter a molex connecter and theres a 3 prong red and black and a two prong red and black.
what part of the black and red wires do i want to wire to the adapter? the ones at the very end of the wires? by the molex? or do i wanna clip before i hit the molex and leave the blue wire hooked up to nothing?
recap:
yellow,red,black->blue(solo),red+black->into molex->two sets of red/black wires coming from the molex (one 3prong, the other 2 prong.)
the fans have a manual speed adjustment. if i get power to the fan, will the speed controls actually work? im trying to have my exhaust pulling a little more than my intake is bring in so theres negative pressure. will the two identical fans be able to work at different speeds?
also, the power lead starts out as 3 wires. yellow red and black. they then hit a connector and turn into black red and yellow turns to blue. the blue has its own connector on the end, separate from the red and black wires. the red and black then enter a molex connecter and theres a 3 prong red and black and a two prong red and black.
what part of the black and red wires do i want to wire to the adapter? the ones at the very end of the wires? by the molex? or do i wanna clip before i hit the molex and leave the blue wire hooked up to nothing?
recap:
yellow,red,black->blue(solo),red+black->into molex->two sets of red/black wires coming from the molex (one 3prong, the other 2 prong.)
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donatello22
Member
I just set up a similar thing but my fan which is a 120mm 12v 0.07amp wouldnt start up when I went straight from the black and white on the fan to the adapter. Instead I had to plug it into the black and red wires that ran into the black,red, white, yellow plug for a cmputer power supply....weird huh?
Also, will duct tape suffice if I do not have electrical tap handy??? I don't want anything bad to happen!
Also, will duct tape suffice if I do not have electrical tap handy??? I don't want anything bad to happen!
minigreens
Member
i recently had my adapter go out. it was working fine with just one 120mm fan (rated at .53 amps) and when i added a second fan (rated at .2 amps) a couple days later the adapter went out. not sure what exactly caused the problem...could have been something getting stuck in the fan? my scrubber was pretty ghetto and might have messed up the fan
so do you guys think it was the different amperage that blew the adapter, or other causes? hope the fans still work
so do you guys think it was the different amperage that blew the adapter, or other causes? hope the fans still work
minigreens said:
please give all ratings, adapter max rating was ??
.53a 120m fan is quite a power sucker, you put it upto .73 and if that was close to its max rating and was a cheap adapter then it was too much for it.
did you wire them in series or parallel? should be parallel for 2 fans of a different rating, although i still prefer to use identical fans either way.
i think i said earlier in this thread to only use about 3/4 of its maximum rating for safety reasons, as no one wants a fire or dead adapter and cooked plants.
minigreens
Member
the adapter was 12v 1amp
the .53 amp fan was 110cfm and not too loud either. scythe slipstream i believe is the name of it. the other fan was a cheap rosewill fan that was only .2amps and dunno the cfm rating but its kinda weak
the .53 amp fan was 110cfm and not too loud either. scythe slipstream i believe is the name of it. the other fan was a cheap rosewill fan that was only .2amps and dunno the cfm rating but its kinda weak
minigreens said:
hm it shouldnt have killed it really. but that 120mm fan is very powerfull. i would use the 120mm on an adapter by itself and have another adapter for the smaller fan, which you may add another of identical/similar rating.
please do remember that 12v adapters are very very cheap and should not be pushed too far.
also it seems some people didnt get any help here, i dont very often check this thread but if you make a clear post with all info and relevant pictures/info, drop me a pm and i'll come and reply.
Mini_Maple_Tree are you sorted ? if not post a pic as i dont understand the wiring from your description.
donatello22 sounds like you wired up an rpm sense or speed control wire
its nearly always red+ black-, but there may sometimes be a blue one instead of red, any tape is fine as long as it wont come off and allow connections to touch.
Mini_Maple_Tree are you sorted ? if not post a pic as i dont understand the wiring from your description.
donatello22 sounds like you wired up an rpm sense or speed control wire
its nearly always red+ black-, but there may sometimes be a blue one instead of red, any tape is fine as long as it wont come off and allow connections to touch.
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minigreens
Member
smokeymacpot said:
ordered two adapters yesterday off ebay actually for this very thing
thanks for the help man
very helpfuliBlazeBubonic
New member
i found this post to be a great help and was not a complete failure thanks guys for all the help.
hansNfrans
Member
awesome ive been stumped on how to do this for sometime.
i was trying to find an adapter from fan to electrical socket but never found one and have had noone else know anything about it either, looks like this is the way ima have to go!!
i was trying to find an adapter from fan to electrical socket but never found one and have had noone else know anything about it either, looks like this is the way ima have to go!!
M
Mrmook
I just got my 2 pc fans from xoxide today-
1st one http://www.xoxide.com/scythe-slipstream-120mmcase-fan.html
2nd one http://www.xoxide.com/thermaltake-120mm-cat-fan.html
Could i just use 2 power adapters with 12vDC output, and do i need to do anything with the yellow wire?
1st one http://www.xoxide.com/scythe-slipstream-120mmcase-fan.html
2nd one http://www.xoxide.com/thermaltake-120mm-cat-fan.html
Could i just use 2 power adapters with 12vDC output, and do i need to do anything with the yellow wire?
Mrmook two power adaptors wired seperately is better because if one fails, the other fan/adaptor will still be helping.
The yellow wire is for talking with a computer (RPM and temp info I think), thus we don't need it. Can be cut off.
The yellow wire is for talking with a computer (RPM and temp info I think), thus we don't need it. Can be cut off.
