Power supply for 4 120mm fans
- Thread starter Growdad54
- Start date
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
What voltage are they? If they are only .24ma you could run 40 of them off a 1amp charger but are you sure they aren't .24a?
If you have an old computer power supply you can use that for a decent power source with 5 and 12 volt power. You just jump the green wire on the main motherboard socket to any black wire to make it run. That's the signal wire that tells the power supply it's jacked in to a MB.
If you have an old computer power supply you can use that for a decent power source with 5 and 12 volt power. You just jump the green wire on the main motherboard socket to any black wire to make it run. That's the signal wire that tells the power supply it's jacked in to a MB.
Growdad54
Member
I hooked up 4 fans in parallel and they all ran slower then normal, so put them in series and they all ran at normal speed. I wasn't Shure if the old phone charger would over heat. Thanks for your input old med user. Your right they were .24a each, at.96a I thought I was cutting it to close to the max current. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
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OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
I thought .24ma seemed too low. Got a bunch of fans like that here from scrounging old computers for parts to build new ones. Want to build a bud drying box and will use a couple hooked up to a humidity switch to vent it. I'll hook the 12v fans to the 5v circuit off a computer power supply so they run slower on purpose. Got a few old power supplies kicking around too small for a newer computer but lots of power for fans.
A Merry Xmas to you and yours as well!
A Merry Xmas to you and yours as well!
Rolla J
Well-Known Member
Thinking you could. I just use a power supply from amazon. I bought 2 different 5 pack sets of the artic f9s 92mm 43cfms per fan. Had to return 1 and threw out the other all because I accidentally reversed the the wires on accident both times. the motors burnt out and reeked of evil. Beware. Awesome fans that move alot of air tho
Oh and hey those are 12v fans. Make sure they r connected to a 12v power source. Your charger probably runs anywhere from 6-9 volts. At 12 volts they be moving fast. Trust me!
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
Whenever I've hooked up fans like that they won't run if it's backwards.
I've got a couple of multi-voltage wall warts and can run them really slow at 3v or full blast at 12v. Handy if you just want a light breeze across seedlings.
I've got a couple of multi-voltage wall warts and can run them really slow at 3v or full blast at 12v. Handy if you just want a light breeze across seedlings.
Growdad54
Member
That happened to me lol, had to buy another one. I like those fans they are really quiet.
Growdad54
Member
I found out the hard way, with the first one I hooked up lol.
Personally, I would get a charger that can handle more as you are near the limit on the rating and it will go "pop" sooner as these things aren't exactly meant to be running the hours you will be running things.
Plenty options out there, including power strips with both normal mains sockets and USB power connections.
Or modify an old 20-pin ATX PC power supply, VERY simple to do if you have one lying around and there's plenty sites out there with instructions (24 pin ones need a little more faffing around, but can still easily be done in a matter of minutes), then you can have the joys of both a 12vdc and 5vdc supply to play with