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

[MushuHappiness]

Uhh what would happen if its just AC and not AC to DC? the fans are 12v DC
I just went to radioshack and bought a 12V 1500mA AC to DC adapter,well it says AC to DC on the box on the adapter it doesnt say DC anywhere it just says

AC ADAPTER
input:120v~60Hz 0.5A
output:12V 1.5A

it cost $30 and I could use that $30 dollers elsewhere right now so if I can use the adapter I found--specs in earlier post above and return the radioshack adapter i'd be a happy camper.

so I guess my question is how do I find out if my adapter is AC to DC even tho it only says AC adapter? Whats the risk of setting up 80mm12v dc pc fans to a AC only Adapter? any help is greatly appriciated.

More than likely if you bought it that way, and it says AC to DC on the box, your more than likely safe... You shouldn't have any problems, just make sure you wire it all together correctly.

so, if i have 2 identical fans and wire them in parallel it will be safe and theyll both run at full speed?

Yes, make sure its wired correctly.

 

[bongasaurus]

Yes, make sure its wired correctly.

well i guess im just retarded. i tried wiring them both in series and parrallen and both ways they run at what seems to be half speed...

maybe its my 12v adapter?

 

[manitu]

About the yellow wire... If you wired it from 12v , but through a 1 Mohm potensiometer, you should be able to adjust the speed.

.manitu

 

[smokeymacpot]

About the yellow wire... If you wired it from 12v , but through a 1 Mohm potensiometer, you should be able to adjust the speed.

.manitu

nope you cant adjust speed through the yellow wire, it is rpm sense only. if you put the pot on the red positve wire then you can adjust the speed.

 

[smokeymacpot]

I also have a bunch of 12V car batteries could I do something with these?

yes

 

[smokeymacpot]

well i guess im just retarded. i tried wiring them both in series and parrallen and both ways they run at what seems to be half speed...

maybe its my 12v adapter?

whats the rating of the fans and the adapter? if too close to the adapters max rating then the fans will slow down as it cant cope.

but there should be a definate difference between series and parallel. it might be tricky to tell the difference as the fans arent fitted into a cab, going from 12v to 6v gives slightly less airflow, but a lot less noise.

 

[Berry_Coughin']

hmmmmm I'm gonna do this and schematic it all up for yous guys......

gimme a couple days..... I'm a busy guy....

 

[bgc 888]

i know this is an old thread, but let me just say

THANK YOU MUSHU

you explained so clearly what to do. I just found an old 120V adapter and used scissors to strip the wires.... I followed just how you described... i did black/black and red/red with the fans and hooked both red to the white wire and both black to the black wire and... VOILA!!!

Works like a charm. This is so easy. Thank you so much!! this is such an easy and useful thread

 

[MushuHappiness]

Sorry.. Been a while since I visited this thread lol... More than welcome BGC888...

Berry_Coughin' - You mean like a MS Paint Schematic? If you dont post one by next weekend, i'll throw one up...

 

[Guest]

SICK DUDE! I did just about the same.... Good directions, it woulda saved me some time

 

[view2athrill]

I'm definitely gonna try this one out....tried another tutorial but the comp I was cannabalizing was a Dell and the wire colors didn't correspond to the photo because Dell uses proprietary parts. (boo!) Thanks for the info!

 

[Guest]

I'm definitely gonna try this one out....tried another tutorial but the comp I was cannabalizing was a Dell and the wire colors didn't correspond to the photo because Dell uses proprietary parts. (boo!) Thanks for the info!

Post a pic of the fan i might be able to help u out

 

[UBER21]

OK guys need some help.....Im new to the wiring pc fans and im currently growing a mini pc grow......I have 3 fans that came with my pc tower and they are rated as follows 0.16a and I have a diffrent fan more powerful rated for 0.25a Which adapter would I need to run the fans and at what amps will it give me the best airflow.....my hps light is 70w and I need to get that hot air out of the pc case......I recently went to radio shack and made the mistake of buying a power source adapter that was 12v and 800mA and the fans were running terribly slow with it so I returned it......My exhuast fan needs to be pretty efficiant since its going to be sucking the air out the pc case thru my mini carbon scrubber that I bought....Thanks Guys

 

[MushuHappiness]

3x.16 = .48 + .25 = .73.. So your 800mA is cutting it close.. Id try for 1000mA or 1.0A 12v DC converter... And make sure your fans are wired parallel and not in a chain

 

[UBER21]

Thanks Mushu finally.......Ok at radio shack the ones availble were 800mA,1000mA,1500mA.......for like 30 bucks......U said run them parrallel? The way I had them was all the red wires were connected to one wire of the power source and then all the black wires were connected to the other wire exposed from the power source.......then I place a wire nut on each to seperate the connections.....

 

[MushuHappiness]

I'd go with the 1500mA so you can add on in the future if you need to. And the way you have them wired should be correct.. Thats how mine are done and they work perfect.. I even have a speed adjuster on two of the exhaust fans and it works wonders

 

[UBER21]

Thanks Mushu yes I deff want to have the option of adding more fans as I have a total of 5 but will only be using 4.........in regards to making the fans quieter when im not running the lights is dropping the voltage to lower than 12v the best way of doing it..I was reading of people dropping the voltage as low as 6v is that safe.?....I was iffy on going higher on the milliamps because I thought it would be a serious safety issue with going higher than my total amps which is 730mA?

 

[MushuHappiness]

No.. Its the reverse you should be worried about... Say you had 700mA being used, and you only a 500mA then your fans might not work and im not sure exactly how all that works as electricity is PFM(Pure Fucking Magic) to me, but it'll cause your adapter to heat up and probably burn out and creating a fire hazard.... You want a high mA so you have enough power, and 12 volt, no higher, no less... You can run your fans on a minimum of 6v. Any lower and your fans wont work properly if at all. all the fan controllers i have have settings(a knob basically) that ranges between 6v-12v

 

[UBER21]

Ok gotcha Mushu.......Yeah the adapter I had bought had switches to change the voltage...it went from 6v to 10, 12v and 13v.....what if then i decide that 2 fans are enough and then my mA is instead of 700 it becomes 300mA and my adapter output is rated for 1500mA is that ok or do i then need to buy another adapter with less power output....Sorry bro for all the questions just want to get this right......

 

[smokeymacpot]

Ok gotcha Mushu.......Yeah the adapter I had bought had switches to change the voltage...it went from 6v to 10, 12v and 13v.....what if then i decide that 2 fans are enough and then my mA is instead of 700 it becomes 300mA and my adapter output is rated for 1500mA is that ok or do i then need to buy another adapter with less power output....Sorry bro for all the questions just want to get this right......

your fine to use the 1500ma adapater, all it means is.. that it is able to power more fans if you want it to