[Dolfan]

With temps rising I'm concerned about my shrimp tank getting up to 80 during the day when I'm not home. I've read a lot of info about ppl using fans for evaporative cooling. I see many ppl using computer case fans. My question is how do you hook these up and power them? They run on low voltage so do you have a power converter or something? Most of them have a red and black wire, how would I hook these up? I'm pretty good at building things and electronics, so if someone can help me with the basics about how to hook these up, I would be most appreciative. Would I spend about the same in just buying a premade clip on fan from walmart?

 

[thelub]

I modded a computer fan to cool my entertainment system. They are 12v DC just like phone chargers. If you have a spare wall charger for an old phone (and who doesn't these days?) you can cut the plug off and wire it to the computer fan. Just make sure you wire it correctly or the fan will spin backwards. If it spins backwards, just swap the wires.

 

[Dolfan]

Ok so I dug up an old charger from my blackberry. On the charger it says...

"Output - 5V = 700mA"

Does that mean my phone charger won't work? Anything else that would work for cheap? I could go buy a 12v plug from radio shack, but at that point may as well buy a clip on fan from walmart.

 

[EngineChauffer]

Actually, 5v is fine. Many computer enthusiasts use resistors to drop from 12v to 5v to quiet them down. Of course they move a little less air when undervolted. Try it out.

 

[thelub]

Apologies for not responding earlier on this.

The thing with electric motors is they will turn with lower voltage, they'll just turn slower. You could try the 5v charger and if its not giving you enough oompf, try finding a 12v and see if that helps.