Computer Fans
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20715
Printed Date: February 12 2026 at 3:11am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Computer Fans
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Subject: Computer Fans
Date Posted: September 24 2007 at 9:38pm
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My fans just went out and my temp shot up to 86.5 in a day. I've been using some 4" 110 AC computer case fans that I bought online and attached extension cords to. Anyone know where I can get some new ones either online or local that doesnt cost 60 bucks for the two. I've looked online and have seen the computer fans for a buck a piece, but can't seem to find the 110 AC fans anywhere near that price. I think I paid under 10 bucks each last time.
Thanks
Cody ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Replies:
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: September 24 2007 at 9:58pm
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I have a used 3 inch 115v fan you can have for a frag. The ac fans are not as common. You can usually get a clamp on fan at target cheaper then these guys. You may want to search ebay. 4 inch http://cgi.ebay.com/RODALE-AC-AXIAL-FAN-MODEL-RC-A12M15XTB-120V_W0QQitemZ290162507894QQihZ019QQcategoryZ36324QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem - http://cgi.ebay.com/RODALE-AC-AXIAL-FAN-MODEL-RC-A12M15XTB-120V_W0QQitemZ290162507894QQihZ019QQcategoryZ36324QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem 6 inch http://cgi.ebay.com/Dayton-Electric-AC-Axial-Fan-4WT43-238-CFM-NIB-new_W0QQitemZ110171532671QQihZ001QQcategoryZ53297QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem - http://cgi.ebay.com/Dayton-Electric-AC-Axial-Fan-4WT43-238-CFM-NIB-new_W0QQitemZ110171532671QQihZ001QQcategoryZ53297QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: September 24 2007 at 10:32pm
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Another idea is to find a place that sells a 12Vdc to 110V Ac converter, but I dont know where to get one of those either hehe
------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: BHYDE
Date Posted: September 24 2007 at 10:51pm
| Radioshack sells 110 AC 3, 4 inch fans. I wouldn't use them for long term fix though, as there made out of metal and rust quickly. |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: September 24 2007 at 11:18pm
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Always check the dBA rating for these fans, some can be really
LOUD. jfinch had a link to some that were nice and quiet, he
ordered them out of CA somewhere IIRC.
------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 25 2007 at 9:25am
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RaElco at about 30th South on Main St. They have every kind of electronic parts. Fans are ~$10 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: GARFVolunteer
Date Posted: September 25 2007 at 12:35pm
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I used the Radio Shack fans for a few years. Other than being loud and fairly expensive(~$25) they worked well. I bought some coral-life fans to replace them. They are extremely quite and are variable speed which is nice. If I remember right they cost about the same.
I would check out RaElco as Mark said. The problem is getting a fan with the volume you want with the db level your better half wants...
Thanks,
Scott ------------- President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society A fair and biased reef hobbyist "How do you make poor people rich by making rich people poor" Rush Limbaugh on Obama taxes |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: September 25 2007 at 1:57pm
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I've been to RaElco a few times, quite an interesting place hehe. I'll check there, but I'd guess most of their stuff doesnt say the dB unless they order a new one in? ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: September 25 2007 at 10:47pm
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Well I looked for my old ones (Whisper XL COMAIR) but couldnt find a place that didn't sell them in bulk. Then I found these for 20 bucks each with a powercord, so I bought them.
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/fans.html - http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/fans.html ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: October 02 2007 at 1:46pm
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Well I'm not to satisfied with the coralife fans. They are a lot louder and cheaper. One of the fins already broke off during installation. At least with these they give you the 12V to 110V converter so that I can get some decent computer fans for cheap and reinstall. ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 12:36am
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I bought some nice fans that have the sony liquid bearings and they are very nice, 66cfm and silent. I just had to splice out the old fans and put these in fairly easily. I've come to realize that my coralife products are fairly cheaply made. I just had to replace the ballasts on my pc fixture and the increase in light just by the ballast is amazing. ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: TriggerHappy
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 12:50am
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Cody...where did you buy your fans?
------------- 210 gallon Mixed Reef |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 1:02am
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marineandreef for the coralife fans
newegg.com for the new ones ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: TriggerHappy
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 1:03am
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Cool, thanks!
------------- 210 gallon Mixed Reef |
Posted By: WhiteReef
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 11:00am
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Have you thought about getting a cheep computer power supply and running a long extention from it to run regular PC fans? Kind of a DIY idea, but is anyone doing that? ------------- ---------------- Richard Former 47G Column Reef, Magna 20" x 18" x 31"H |
Posted By: TriggerHappy
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 11:40am
Sounds like a plan...I have a couple of junk computers laying around right now...
------------- 210 gallon Mixed Reef |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 1:43pm
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I use 12v computer fans and an adjustable power adaptor set to 9v. Works great and the fans are a little quieter at 9v.
Mike -------------  |
Posted By: WhiteReef
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 9:25am
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If you do use computer fans, then you can get the cool led lights with the fans. Wouldn't that count as moon lights????? ------------- ---------------- Richard Former 47G Column Reef, Magna 20" x 18" x 31"H |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 10:08am
Well, I guess they could count as moonlights. However, most people just have the fans on during the time the lights are on to keep things cooler. If you wanted to run your fans 24/7 or only at night, then you could. ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
WhiteReef wrote:Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 11:28am
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Yeah, kind of like a harvest moon.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: Cody Pearce
Date Posted: October 25 2007 at 5:51pm
Typically my fans only run during the day when the metal halides are on, so I opted to not get the led light fans. ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef My fish swim naked. |
Posted By: WingNut
Date Posted: October 29 2007 at 4:39am
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http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+14701&pcatid=14701 - http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+14701&pcatid=14701 ------------- W. Nut 210 Gallon Reef with Fish 50 Gallon Sump/Refugium ASM G-3 Skimmer Korallin Calcium Reactor 1502 Barracuda Sequence Reeflo Pump Lights.... Camera... Action |
Posted By: LordMaximo
Date Posted: November 25 2007 at 1:09pm
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You can get the fans at any computer store, usually less then $5 each. Check with a local computer store and purchase a power supply, then you have the 12v dc output for 4 to 8 fans. You can put them on a T-stat to control on demand temps. Just a possibility. Maximo ------------- Trigger Master |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: November 25 2007 at 2:37pm
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trouble is that you need to control the water temps, not air temps,( although just air will help a bit) getting a temp probe into salt water that will not hurt the tank is the tough part . ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: LordMaximo
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 4:30pm
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You can get a coated probe that will work in any harsh environment for less then $25.00 at a Thermal Probe supplier. They come in lengths from 4" to 4' in standard TC element materials, "J" & "K" are the most common.
We use ours for controlling plating vahts and strip tanks. This stuff is good in salt baths for prolong periods of more then a year per shot. These salt baths are 1000 times the strength of any marine tank, so they should give you a good 5 years or more life span.
 Maximo
------------- Trigger Master |
Posted By: loganutah
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 5:46pm
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I took the 4" fan out of a computer powersupply, and one off of the CPU. They are 12 V rated and then I wired them up to a 12 V DC converter and they do a great job in my hood. Just watch the mA. My 4" fan takes .22 amps (says it on the fan, you may have to google a watts to amps calc online if its listed in watts) Thats 220mA. SO I went to the Di and found one that was 11v and .2 amps. .2A =200ma! Peace |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 5:51pm
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thats good to know on the thermal probes, what would one then use to read the voltage from the probe, to then control the relay for the fans? ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 6:11pm
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This looks interesting: http://www.heatsink-guide.com/content.php?content=control.shtml I was thinking about using a cheap house style thermostat, but that wouldn't do variable fan speeds. ------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 6:16pm
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I have seen that a while ago, but forgot about it, that would work great, to control 120 v you could have the 12v switch a relay. ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 6:39pm
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You could for sure, but I think it would be lots cooler (pun) to have variable speed thermostatically controlled fans!
------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 12 2007 at 7:10pm
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I ended up getting the aquajr, at the time that I was thinking of doing it DIY, I wanted temp control and time control. all in all I figure that I saved money and TIME, by just getting the aquajr. ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: LordMaximo
Date Posted: December 15 2007 at 2:45pm
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I thought about using a standard AC control "T" stat to help control a low voltage reley switch that would turn the fan on and off. It can be really simplified, but one would need to be handy around electrical circuits.
DIY is great if you have access to many sorted items to do the job. Thus keeping the cost to a very minimal. Otherwise, just the outlay for the parts is almost as costly as a ready made system........lighting unit with fans and automatic cooling sensors, releys, power supplies, and such to bring it all together. Cost will be between $150 to $300. Depending on what is to be used and materials to house everything, building it and getting it all running. DIY is not neccessarily cheaper.
If you are like me, you just like to tinker and make it happen. I have always been one to build what I need over using someone elses elaborate device that profits them, over me saving money.
Maximo
------------- Trigger Master |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 15 2007 at 3:43pm
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I agree, I love to tinker, (thus the reef) then you have the "it just needs to work now" factor, that is what I try(attempt) to balance these days. ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: stephan
Date Posted: December 15 2007 at 11:39pm
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I have a general question about fans. I want to put two in my canopy (2x175 W halides will be in there) and one down in the sump area to vent and keep things from getting too humid in the stand. Any recommendations on how much cfm or fan sizes and so forth for each case. My wife said, "don't skimp because I want these ones to be quiet." Cody- which ones did you buy? Was it the SilenX ones? ------------- Stephan Lovstedt Camarillo, CA 65 Gallon Glass |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 16 2007 at 1:43am
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you will get more cooling from the fan in the sump, I have two 250 watt mh lamps in the hood, I didn't believe it and had all the fans in the hood, (with high temps during the summer to prove it)with one fan in the sump, the fan in the hood rarely turns on. so my recommendation would be to have one in the hood to keep condensation low, and put the largest fan blowing directly down on the water in the sump. if you need to increase the evaporation,(thus cooling) have a small power head pushing water at the surface, that will increase the cooling effect. ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 16 2007 at 5:20am
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I agree with Brian. The fan I used over my sump was 7" or 8" from Marine Aquatics. Fans are difficult to find locally this time of year. Another source is Amazon.com.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: LordMaximo
Date Posted: December 16 2007 at 7:10am
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Has anyone used, what is commonly called a "fart-fan" in their setups?
Fart-Fans ar the ones used in the stall to ventilate during occupancy.
These fans move a great deal of air and are designed to be quiet. Plus, they are rated for damp conditions. More so, one could actually build a ducting system using dryer flex duct to pipe in the air, and keep the fan housing out of the water closet for the sump.
Or one could could design the fan to draw the heat out of the water closet and disperse it away from the tank stand, either direction, the fart fan is a very inexpensive tool and can be purchased at any HomeDepot or Lowes.
Maximo
------------- Trigger Master |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 16 2007 at 9:00am
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It might help evacuate some damp air but it wouldn't help with evaporative cooling.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: LordMaximo
Date Posted: December 16 2007 at 10:13am
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Next best tool to add to the sump designs, thermal cooling coils from a chiller unit. A sepperate chilling tower for the sump water. All can be made from hose coiled over an open rack, such like the AC coils in your car, and then having a fan to draw air over the coils to remove the heat, like the heat pumps on the you household AC system. It is pumped out of the sump and back into the sump once cooled. Fart fan can be used as a double dipper unit to move critical air. Might sound all wacked, but this kind of device is used all over the world to cool fluids for AC units, refrigerators, industrial machinery, and your very own car or truck with a transmission cooler and AC unit in front of the radiators.
Maximo
------------- Trigger Master |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 16 2007 at 11:17am
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here in Utah we have dry air, so a simple fan blowing air down onto the water in fact does a lot of cooling, now if you need to remove the resulting humidity from the room, then a fart fan vented to outside would work very well for that. most of the cooling coils(radiators) out there are either aluminum or copper, neither of which would work well in a salt water environment. in the industrial cooling towers, they have to use a biocide to keep the algae down, so as to not loose cooling effect, once you started the algae growing the effect of tower was minimized, with us not wanting biocide in our tank water, we are back to a heat exchanger system, I have seen systems mentioned on reefcentral that use a underwater tank(I think that it was 500 gallons) and then had a aquajr or temp control, to control as to when to turn the cooling pump on. this will all work, say if there was out there a plastic radiator(poor heat transfer, but would be cheep), that we could use as a heat exchanger, then it could go in the sump with water going through it, then the cold water from a cooling tower could be circulated through it. otherwise, all that I have read of are people using titanium $$$$ heat exchangers, for this same setup. I suppose that you could build a heat exchanger from 1/4 inch pvc sprinkler pipe, using a sprinkler manifold pipe,with a lot of tubes, maybe a coil of 100' pipe looped in the sump would work, you would want a slow flow to allow for the heat transfer to occur, then have you super cooled water go through the pvc pipe, with the water from the sump passing through the home made radiator, I think the cost would be the deterrent ,basically you would be building a radiator or heat exchanger inside your sump. but it would be cool to set one up, and there would not be the humidity problem that we have from the fan blowing on the water. this time of year, you could have a antifreeze in the tubing and circulate the water to a coil outside with a small pump inline. now what is a reef safe antifreeze, maybe vodka? say if we used 200' of 1/4" poly tubing coiled into the sump, with a similar coil outside with a small pump for the temp controller to circulate, and during the summer have a fan outside? I am sure that it would work with our temps outside right now, during the summer it might be a bit trickier, but I think that it would work. ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 4:23pm
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Why is it that blowing on the sump cools the water down faster? I would think it would be faster on the main tank since there is more surface area there.
------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 4:51pm
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really, I don't know myself, I had two fans on the main tank and could not keep it cool, at the time all I had for a sump was a 20 gallon tall tank, now I have a 55 gallon sump. but the tank stays cool with a fan on the sump. maybe it is lower water flow? so that the water can cool down? all I can say is try it and see if it works for you. ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: stephan
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 5:20pm
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I think (correct me if I'm wrong people who know) when people talk about a fan in the sump it's blowing directly onto the water- like close enough to make ripples in it. I think that's the difference- not just a vent fan.
Most of the time that's not the case for above the display although I guess it could be. ------------- Stephan Lovstedt Camarillo, CA 65 Gallon Glass |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 5:26pm
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That could very well be the case. I have had a fan blowing the surface of my tank, and last night moved it to the sump. So I will report on what sort of difference it made for me!
------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 7:55pm
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Stephan is right. For evaporative cooling you want the fan to blow over the surface of the water. Mike ------------- |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:18pm
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Looks like having the fan on my sump didn't change the temp at all, but.. it did make the air in my stand super hot! We'll try again tomorrow with the stand exhaust fan on! ------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:23pm
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how large is the fan that you are using and can fresh air get into and out of your sump area? ------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: jonafriendj
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:29pm
I don't think there was sufficient are going in or out. I have a stand exhaust fan that I'll run tomorrow along with the sump fan and see how that does! I am just using one of these:  ------------- Pleasant Grove |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:35pm
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That looks like the fan I used on my sump. Maybe 7" or 8" diameter.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:35pm
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that should be enough, during the summer when my sump was under the tank, I had to have a fan in the corner of the room blowing fresh air behind the tank so that there was enough fresh air getting into the fan in the sump.
------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:36pm
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I didn't have a back on my stand so there was no heat buildup either.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: December 17 2007 at 8:37pm
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that is a good point also if there is a back on your stand you may need a way to get fresh air into the sump area.
------------- Family Portraits /Google trusted Photographer for Google Maps for Businesses |