Electrics - wiring pc fans to plug

utajoker · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:06

I'm wanting to wire up 2-3 pc fans to a plug to cool my aquarium.

Am I correct in thinking I buy one of these plugs then strip all wires and just put reds to reds and blacks to blacks?

Is it that simple?

Thx.

PistolPete · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:12

Assuming that the fans are 4w or less then it would be fine.

MeEsH BaKkA · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:23

As in 12v DC fans into an 240v AC socket? What ever the eBay thing you linked to was it has ended so may have been some form of mains to 12v transformer, but if it wasn't then no not a good idea.

Edit: ahhh yes it works now... Yeah that should work.

malfunkshun · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:26

The proper way would be to buy an inline female socket to match the transformers connector and solder the fans to that....

Hank_Marvin · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:34

you could buy a cheap drive caddy with molex or sata to molex converter for fans, they plug into 240v plugs and change to 12v for device(drive, fans etc).

Could even go one step further and add a fan controller, put in caddy, power it and run fans off fan controller, might be handy for your use so you can control it.

Antar Bolaeisk · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:43

So long as the voltage matches what you need and the available current is slightly more than you need you'll be fine.

C.R.A.Z.Y · 11 Sep 2012 at 10:45

Before buying anything check you don't have any old phone chargers or DC transformers lying around that you could use!
Anything 5V-12V DC should work and a benefit from not running at full 12v should be that they will run almost silently :-)

Liampope · 11 Sep 2012 at 11:22

I think the biggest problem you'll have is trying to cool a tank full of water and fishies with PC fans!

Morbius · 11 Sep 2012 at 12:44

I've converted a spare PC fan into a desk fan. I used an old adaptor from a gadget that is long dead. Its output is 12V and it's rated at just over an amp. I hacked the connector off of the adaptor and then it's just reds to reds and blacks to blacks (usually, but check with a multimeter to make sure!)

utajoker · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:41

Liampope said:
I think the biggest problem you'll have is trying to cool a tank full of water and fishies with PC fans!

Do you have a marine tank?

Air blown across the surface of the water will increase evaporation and drop the temperature by a couple of degrees.

I'm wanting to do this as cheap as possible ive already got a couple of old fans.

I think I have an old phone charger somewhere so will dig it out.

Thanks for the help.