how to power computer fan
- Thread starter Endur0xX
- Start date
Jakabok Botch
Well-Known Member
honestly....thats your easiest route and cheapest just run to goodwill or savers or some shit get one for $1
Jakabok Botch
Well-Known Member
Jakabok Botch
Well-Known Member
yes......its better to have less than more.....if ur fan doesnt fry its goin to run harder then its meant to
Get a 12 volt power supply. If you want to know 'why'... read on.
A typical class 2 power supply, which is what a wall-wart type supply is... is unregulated. This means that the voltage coming out of it is not going to remain constant. It will change with line voltage (wall socket voltage) and the load applied to the power supply. These power supplies are designed with this in mind. If you buy a 12 volt power supply and read the voltage coming out of it with a meter, with (in this case) no fan attached, don't be surprised to see 15 or more volts. The power supply will experience what is called a 'voltage drop' when you apply a load to it. Any device attached to a power supply is a 'load'. The greater the resistance of the device, the more it loads down the power supply and thus the lower the actual voltage is going to be. All class 2 power supplies will read a higher voltage when unloaded, than is written on the housing. When an appropriate load is applied to the power supply, such as hooking up a fan to it... then the voltage will drop.
In the case of your 15 volt class 2 supply... the 'actual' voltage of that supply is going to more like 18 volts. When you apply a load to it, that voltage will drop to near 15 volts. Depending on the resistance of the load itself. If the load is very small... then the voltage drop will be less and you may still have more than 15 volts running through the device. Your fan may not like that for long. Computer fans are not like bathroom fans. They are DC, electronically controlled, three phase motors. The electronics in those fans may or may not handle the added voltage. Depends on the quality of the parts in the controller circuit. Better to use a class 2 supply that is meant for a 12 volt device.
A typical class 2 power supply, which is what a wall-wart type supply is... is unregulated. This means that the voltage coming out of it is not going to remain constant. It will change with line voltage (wall socket voltage) and the load applied to the power supply. These power supplies are designed with this in mind. If you buy a 12 volt power supply and read the voltage coming out of it with a meter, with (in this case) no fan attached, don't be surprised to see 15 or more volts. The power supply will experience what is called a 'voltage drop' when you apply a load to it. Any device attached to a power supply is a 'load'. The greater the resistance of the device, the more it loads down the power supply and thus the lower the actual voltage is going to be. All class 2 power supplies will read a higher voltage when unloaded, than is written on the housing. When an appropriate load is applied to the power supply, such as hooking up a fan to it... then the voltage will drop.
In the case of your 15 volt class 2 supply... the 'actual' voltage of that supply is going to more like 18 volts. When you apply a load to it, that voltage will drop to near 15 volts. Depending on the resistance of the load itself. If the load is very small... then the voltage drop will be less and you may still have more than 15 volts running through the device. Your fan may not like that for long. Computer fans are not like bathroom fans. They are DC, electronically controlled, three phase motors. The electronics in those fans may or may not handle the added voltage. Depends on the quality of the parts in the controller circuit. Better to use a class 2 supply that is meant for a 12 volt device.
JimmyRecard
Active Member
You could try one of these http://www.highspeedpc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ATXbypass&Category_Code=Pump
Just connect that to your power supply and turn it on. No need for a motherboard
Just connect that to your power supply and turn it on. No need for a motherboard
sso
Well-Known Member
i just went to a hardware store and got one of those 12vdc adapters you can buy to run those car appliances (whatever you can stick into the cigarette lighter in the car to get power for)at home (or vacationhome or something)
cut off the car cigarette lighter shaped thingy and put it to work.
cut off the car cigarette lighter shaped thingy and put it to work.