I Almost Started a Fire!!Computer Fan Help

I pulled an old fan out of a computer, I wired it up along with my lights, I plugged it in and BOOM!! A huge flash arched from somewhere and it smells like a fire just happenned in my room. The lights work the fan doesn't work. The fan is only a 1.5v. How do I get a small computer fan hooked up to an outle? I'm open to different suggestions also! Thanks in advance!

y not jus go to a hardware store n buy a 15 dolla fan that will work 3000% better in the long run?

HippieMan said:

y not jus go to a hardware store n buy a 15 dolla fan that will work 3000% better in the long run?

Click to expand...

Thank you,it gets old seeing guys do silly shit that can start fires & other people reccomend that they rig stuff up because it is working for them.

Look,not trying to be mean but let this be a lesson to you,to not fuck around trying to use home made rigged up shit to save a few bucks,just the fact that you wired a 12 volt fan into 110 current should be enough of a wake up call that your not qualified to rig up electrical.

Dont rig lights,dont splice cords,dont use computer fans,spend the cash & do it right,there is a home depot on every corner,if not there is the internet.

Check voltage!! Would need a power supply to work . 1.5 plugged into 120? Lucky it didn't explode!!

they say you can use an dc adaptor dc being your output up to 12v mobile phone adaptors or something like that just split the phone adaptor cable it should have 2 or 3 wires and connect them to the fans 2 wires and tape up seperately so as not to touch one another if it doesent work when you plug it in just try the wires the other way round and Waallaa presto!!

Listen to Panhead. Older and wiser heads have learned from experience. We have made all these stupid mistakes in the past,and would like to help other people out if possible.Good luck and keep on growing.

cheese'head said:

they say you can use an dc adaptor dc being your output up to 12v mobile phone adaptors or something like that just split the phone adaptor cable it should have 2 or 3 wires and connect them to the fans 2 wires and tape up seperately so as not to touch one another if it doesent work when you plug it in just try the wires the other way round and Waallaa presto!!

Click to expand...

You just said tape up seperately, some dumbass will do it with scotch tape now

jimmyspaz said:

Check voltage!! Would need a power supply to work . 1.5 plugged into 120? Lucky it didn't explode!!

Click to expand...

It pretty much did explode! I thought if anything I would blow a circuit if anything was severely wrong, lesson learned.

HippieMan said:

y not jus go to a hardware store n buy a 15 dolla fan that will work 3000% better in the long run?

Click to expand...

Several reasons, for one I'm on a budget, for two this type of setup only requires a small computer fan, for three this setup is just so I can get a head start before they go outside. Is their a small fan, like the size of a computer fan that comes prewired? I need it to be that size

nastynate101 said:

You just said tape up seperately, some dumbass will do it with scotch tape now

Click to expand...

Well it is only dc power....you could probably wrap it in toilet paper and it woudn't go up in flames.....

panhead said:

Thank you,it gets old seeing guys do silly shit that can start fires & other people reccomend that they rig stuff up because it is working for them.

Look,not trying to be mean but let this be a lesson to you,to not fuck around trying to use home made rigged up shit to save a few bucks,just the fact that you wired a 12 volt fan into 110 current should be enough of a wake up call that your not qualified to rig up electrical.

Dont rig lights,dont splice cords,dont use computer fans,spend the cash & do it right,there is a home depot on every corner,if not there is the internet.

Click to expand...

Actually, I'm not qualified, your right, but I'm not qualified to do a lot of shit, and I still try. If every time I had a little problem I gave up and took the easy way out I would be a total pussy! Instead of giving up I figure out what I did wrong and I correct that mistake. I can see if you have the money to go and buy anything you want, then it would be okay to go out and throw it away because something has a popular logo, or brand name. I understand you are only trying to help but my question was how do I get that type of fan hooked up? or I asked for other suggestions. I didn't ask for you to criticise me for making a mistake, but thanks.

No don't give up,but be aware that you are dealing with life-threatening amounts of electricity. At least get a book on household wiring and study it. I was lucky,I took it at school .

Go with a 12v adapter and splice like previously mentioned or you can use a computer power supply and hook your fans directly up to it. You need to ground your power supply to use a computer power supply, google it (e-z w/ a paper clip). If you just need one fan go with the 12v adapter.

smokertoker said:

Go with a 12v adapter and splice like previously mentioned or you can use a computer power supply and hook your fans directly up to it. You need to ground your power supply to use a computer power supply, google it (e-z w/ a paper clip). If you just need one fan go with the 12v adapter.

Click to expand...

Thanks, that's what I intend to do.

jimmyspaz said:

No don't give up,but be aware that you are dealing with life-threatening amounts of electricity. At least get a book on household wiring and study it. I was lucky,I took it at school .

Click to expand...

Thats a really good idea, I obviously need to do more research, and get that book. Thanks again everyone

Radio shack sells 115v fans that you can plug directly into the wall also. FYI

smokertoker said:

Radio shack sells 115v fans that you can plug directly into the wall also. FYI

Click to expand...

Really, thanks, I will go thewre today and check that out before I ruin my only spare charger for my cell phone on a fan that I think is fried. Do you all think that fan will still work after that minor incident! lol I thought the motor would be fried but...

pasadenabri said:

Several reasons, for one I'm on a budget, for two this type of setup only requires a small computer fan, for three this setup is just so I can get a head start before they go outside. Is their a small fan, like the size of a computer fan that comes prewired? I need it to be that size

Click to expand...

Wheres the PSU from the computer case? Use that as your power adapter.
Its been a while, but I think if you jump the purple wire a black, on the motherboard connector, it will fire up the PSU so you can run all the fans you want. The purple wire should be near the center.

Listen to panhead. Shit dude you burn down the house guess who shows up.. COPS
GEt old car radiator fan & batt. 10 - 15 $ at a scrap yard or & here's a novel idea. BUY A 10.00 $ fan at wallmart

Twistyman said:

Listen to panhead. Shit dude you burn down the house guess who shows up.. COPS
GEt old car radiator fan & batt. 10 - 15 $ at a scrap yard or & here's a novel idea. BUY A 10.00 $ fan at wallmart

Click to expand...

Thanks for your "novel" idea, but I already mentioned that Wal Mart doesn't have a size for me. I did find a nice small fan mounted inside a 4" duct at Home Depot tho. You can see it mounted on this pic. Wired by yours truly, I can wire shit up just fine, if its on household current... Now I can even wire stuff that isn't after the other days lesson. I had the lights and fan on for 2 days now and no problems so I figure I'm good to go.