How To: Connect PC/Axial fans to 12v DC Adapter for Micro/Cab Grows

Hello Ladies and Gentleman, Mushu here. After seeing how practically everyone doing Micro grows or even Cab grows likes to use PC/Axial fans to Ventilate/Cool their grows, thought I'd post this little "How To" to connect your PC/Axial fans to a 12v DC Adapter.

Purpose/Use: For everyone that is always concerned about how to cool their Micro/Cab grows by using PC/Axial fans but was unsure of how to power these awesome puppies. No longer will you need a PC Power Supply(PSU) or have to buy AC axial fans that cost $10-$20

Sorry if pictures are not up to everyones specs, they were taken using a camera phone

Lets get started!

First off... You'll need a 12v AC to DC power adapter. You can buy these at almost any place that carries electronics. You will need to figure out how many Amps you will need based on the types of fans you plan on using. Most PC/Axial fans draw less than .35A(350 miliAmps), and I have yet to see one that draws more than .3 in actuality. For 2 or more fans(again, depending on the amps being drawn) You will want one that has an output of 1000+mAs(or 1.0 Amp)

You can also find adjustable AC/DC adapters to select the voltage to use for your fans to quiet them down, great for use during the lights off hours to keep air moving quietly through your grow space. Not recommended to go below 6Vs for your fans. Adjustable AC/DC adapters should be used in a parallel wiring setup.

PLEASE NOTE: When wiring your fans, try and use the same exact same fans. Use one adapter for 120mm, another for 80mms, and so on. Also, the way I have mine wired are paralleled, meaning they're both hooked up at the same connection to get the full 12v(FanxFan -2-Adapter). If you want to use a "chain",meaning, one fan is wired to another fan, and then that fan is connected to the adapter... Fan-2-Fan-2-adapter, the voltage on each fan will be cut in half. Remember this as you decide how much air you want to move, or if your fans become too loud. To chain fans, your fans MUST be the same otherwise they will not function properly and could cause problems.

Mine that I am using is a very old one I had lying around from somewhere.. I think it was used to power a Ethernet hub.. im not sure.

Specs:
Input: 120VAC 60HZ 24W
Output: 12VDC 1.2A



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Next: You want to have One or more PC/Axial fans(The purpose of this "How To" ). You can find these at www.newegg.com, www.xoxide.com, www.tigerdirect.com, or at your local electronics store.

I'm using 2 80mm fans that I pulled from old computers. They push around 35-40CFMs a piece and are silent over my ceiling fan(I have to put my ear real close to even hear them). You will have a hard time hearing PC/Axial fans unless the DBA is above about 35-40dba.



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Next: Cut the connectors off both your PC/Axial fans so that your only left with the actual wires. You may need to split the wires apart if they are connected together. Then Strip all wires so there is enough room to connect them all together.

Also, on MOST DC Adapters, the wires will have some sort of indicator on the wires so you can tell White from Black... On this one, there is a white indicator that runs the length of the wire, this is your white, the other one is your black. Do NOT cross these two wires.



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Next: Take both Black wires of the PC/Axial fans(They are almost ALWAYS color coded, have to see some that are not). And either use electrical tape or shrinkwrap to connect them together. Do the same for the Red(or White) Wires.

DO NOT LET THE BLACK AND RED WIRES TOUCH!!!!!!



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Next:
1. Connect your Red PC/Axial wires to the Adapters WHITE wire.
2. Connect your Black PC/Axial wires to the Adapters BLACK wire.



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Thats it! Make sure you use Electrical tape, or Shrinkwrap(Best choice I think, but i did not have any on hand, so i taped the heck out of em )

Your finish product should look like this....



And after you plug it in?



Viola!! Working PC/Axial fans that can be plugged safely into a wall outlet or powerstrip for your ease of use

Enjoy Guys! And keep on Tokin an Growin

that is exactly how to do it. will help people for sure.
sadly your adapter is fixed at 12v, but you can wire the fans in series which will half the voltage. recommend u use identical fans tho.
adjustable adapters should be wired as per mushu's guide.

I haven't heard of adjustable DC adapters before...

I assumed that if your fans are hooked up at the same point, and not chained together it wouldn't affect the voltage. Also, most fans even only require a voltage of about 6-8 to run full speed. But all PC/Axial fans are RATED for 12v.

Both fans seem to be spinning at their normal output speeds... around 18-2500 RPMs... The LED light is based on the speed of the fan also, so im pretty positive that both fans are running at full speed.

As long as your amps do not exceed the Adapters output range, they will be fine. The fluctuations in power I can hear when listening closely to both fans, but it is so minimal I dont see it having any affect for their intended use.

If anyone else has any questions or concerns, please feel free to post.

you are correct, you wired them up in paralell, which means they will get the full 12v. if you wire them in series the voltage will drop by half to each fan, but they need to be identical fans! i felt it important to mention as some pc fans at 12v will be far too loud, and 2 fans in series gives about 6v and they will be very quiet. its just an option for those that find a non adjustable 12v adapter.

adjustable ac-dc adapters are very common, you can select, 3,4.5,6,7.5,9,12 or something like that, they are wired in paralell as you showed in your pictures.

Ok thanks... I tried finding them online and couldnt find any except ones that were for use in a car.

Also.. Fixed the post to include your info

Almost 70 views and no one finds this useful? Awww... Wasted time i guess haha... I'll be throwing this in the Grow room design/setup forum also... Unless thats not allowed >_>

I was testing out

It's working perfectly, thanks!

I ordered my silent cat fans today, I'll definately be checking back here when they come in. Thanks for posting this Mushu!

Mushu, nice guide. Even if people aren't commenting, I'm sure at least a few have been wondering how to do this. I had to figure it out myself.

I have a couple things to add, though:

1) Buy a 1.5a adapter. Radio Shack sells a 0.5a, and that's pretty useless. Spend the extra five dollars, because then you can run three fans instead of one (most 'puter fans run less than 400ma, I think.)

2) The fan wires are tiny and the copper strands are fragile. If you don't have a high-quality wire stripper (most people don't, because they're expensive), strip the wires with a soldering iron instead. If you break a few of the strands while stripping, you'll screw up the connection and have to start over. To strip with a soldering iron: Heat up the soldering iron. Lay the wire on a piece of scrap wood. Press the hot iron against the wire/board, pinning it in place. Pull the wire out. The plastic shielding will stay behind, leaving you with perfect unbroken bare leads. Soldering irons are less than $5, and you should probably own one anyway.

3) Once they're stripped, instead of connecting them together directly, buy some small crimp connectors and appropriate nuts/bolts to connect them together. That way, if you want to add or remove fans, you don't have to deal with solder or electrical tape. You also won't have to troubleshoot shorts hidden under black tape.

(if you don't know what crimp connectors are, they cost less than $1/dozen at the hardware store and... do a Google image search to see what they look like.)

4) Radio Shack adapters come with a connector plug of your choice, for free. One of them is just BARE LEADS, nice and firm, already "tinned" for your pleasure. Don't forget to ask for it.

THANK YOU SO MUCh been wanting to grow a computer grow box and i know that fans would be useful.....also if anyone knows im trying to figure out how to connect the power cord to the back of the computer and using that to run the power strip inside..im not sure how to make it inconspicuous like Mr.Micro did it in his NaNo machine...ive asked him but he isnt on all the time

FoX1121 said:

THANK YOU SO MUCh been wanting to grow a computer grow box and i know that fans would be useful.....also if anyone knows im trying to figure out how to connect the power cord to the back of the computer and using that to run the power strip inside..im not sure how to make it inconspicuous like Mr.Micro did it in his NaNo machine...ive asked him but he isnt on all the time

Click to expand...

use the casing for the power supply, then u can use the original power lead. but be very carfull to NOT touch the electronics in there, remove them safely. fit a wall socket to the psu casing and away you go....

Real informative, thanks! Sometimes I forget how to do it - now I have a guide .

thank you for all the info guys. i'm planning to start getting the rest of my supplies this weekend for my new micro grow. i had also been wondering about wiring the pc fans so the pics and info have me set now.

smoky mc pot so bacicly waht ur saying is this? do i then remove the rest of the cps exept the backplate?

yes junk all that crap, personally i would mount a plug socket to the psu casing and then seal it up again. wire in the on off switch as well.

and dont touch the pcb or the large black things, they can give you a very nasty electric shock!

Mr Smoky.. You have a new PM... And I think I have another PSU to do a tutorial on your idea also.... Details and questions in the PM

mac pot how could they give you a nasty shock if they are not pluged in?

ImPulse power unit 1.2A

FoX1121 said:

THANK YOU SO MUCh been wanting to grow a computer grow box and i know that fans would be useful.....also if anyone knows im trying to figure out how to connect the power cord to the back of the computer and using that to run the power strip inside..im not sure how to make it inconspicuous like Mr.Micro did it in his NaNo machine...ive asked him but he isnt on all the time

Click to expand...

Hey dude... Heres a how to i just finished so you can connect that Power supply cable safely!

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=1291867#post1291867

Good luck!

FoX1121 said:

mac pot how could they give you a nasty shock if they are not pluged in?

Click to expand...

capacitors store a charge like a battery.