Computer Fans...

Hey all this is my first post, and in prep for my first grow (very very small scale cfl grow) I was hoping to get a "for dummies" run down on how to wire cpu fans to a plug.

Thanks for any and all help!

Computer fans run on separate voltage, usually delegated by a computers power supply unit. You probably can't rewire a pc fan, to a dedicated power plug as it will probably blow the fan. Especially a cpu fan as it is a lot smaller then computer intake and exhaust fans.

You should be able to find PC size fans that run via power plug at indoor growing stores (or) possibly a hardware store. I do know however, of a tutorial somewhere on this site, on how to rewire/reconfigure a computers psu, to run fans specifically.

Quitekeen said:

Hey all this is my first post, and in prep for my first grow (very very small scale cfl grow) I was hoping to get a "for dummies" run down on how to wire cpu fans to a plug.

Thanks for any and all help!

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You have two options. You can make a computer power supply think it's connected to a PC by crossing the green wire with one of the blacks, on the molex connector that connects to the motherboard. Or the easier way is to take a power adapter, strip the wires off it, then connect them to the stripped fan's wires. Plug it in, if it doesn't work switch the wires and try again.

Nusky said:

Or the easier way is to take a power adapter, strip the wires off it, then connect them to the stripped fan's wires. Plug it in, if it doesn't work switch the wires and try again.

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Could that blow the fan, or is that only when its one direct plug, as appose to an adapter?

socaliboy said:

Could that blow the fan, or is that only when its one direct plug, as appose to an adapter?

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I dunno, I've been running mine about 3 or 4 months no problems. I dunno about running it straight through the wall, but I assume you need the adapter to do what ever they do for it to work.

Nusky said:

I dunno, I've been running mine about 3 or 4 months no problems. I dunno about running it straight through the wall, but I assume you need the adapter to do what ever they do for it to work.

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I've done this before as well. I used a phone charger with no probs.
Never directly to the wall though!

Get your computer fan. Strip the 2 wires (an inch from the end not the whole wire cord). You'll have a black and red, or 2 different colors. Get a cellphone charger, preferably a 12 v cell phone charger. Strip the wires like you did for the pc fan. Connect the black to black, red to red. Twist them together and use electrical tape and/or those electril orange twist nobs to connect them. Once your fan is connected correctly to the cell phone charger your fan will start. Safe planting.

ive got a pc fan wired up to a phone charger and its working fine

Xoshua said:

Get your computer fan. Strip the 2 wires (an inch from the end not the whole wire cord). You'll have a black and red, or 2 different colors. Get a cellphone charger, preferably a 12 v cell phone charger. Strip the wires like you did for the pc fan. Connect the black to black, red to red. Twist them together and use electrical tape and/or those electril orange twist nobs to connect them. Once your fan is connected correctly to the cell phone charger your fan will start. Safe planting.

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Cheers Xosh... now its time to take a screwdriver and butter knife to some old cpu's...

one more question, I am growing seedlings in a 1.5'x2.5'x1.5' box made out of flat white painted shelf panels, I have 4x 26 watt 6500k cfls 1x 26watt 2700k cfl and a 42 watt 2700k cfl, is that enough to take 6 seedlings into veg stage (by which time I will have finished proper grow box)?

The amperage is what you want to look out for, don't undershoot it as it can and will burn your fan out. The rule is that you can have more, but not less, and with hooking more than one fan up, sure you can, but you have to add the amps each fan requires together and make sure your adapter puts out at least that much. A bit more is actually better since those adapters don't push the kind of constant power a fan motor wants, and sometimes the fan won't work if your adapter is maxed out or close to it.

For example, if you hook up two .470 amp fans, you'd want around a 1 amp (1000 milliamp) adapter or more. Just splice the second (or third) fan directly to the two wires from your adapter like you did with the first. This is known as a parallel circuit where the voltage is the same for each fan, and the available amps are divided between them.

As for the bulbs, I mean, yeah those will work for vegging for a bit. I'd like to point out a few things though. First, you don't need the 2700K bulbs for veg, they're more for flowering and aren't doing you much good for what it costs to run them. Second, lumens don't add up, so if you have 5 x 26W bulbs for example, they don't equal the light output of a 125W CFL, they just give you more coverage area. With what you're spending on electric for those lights, you should really switch to a larger CFL setup, it would take one bulb to outdo what you have now substantially, and for less electricity. The quality of bud would be night and day.

Look at this thread and my posts for links to bulbs and more info explaining what I mean

https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/480964-cheapest-bulbs-i-can-get.html

Oh yes. Just put some old books under the tray an inch away from the lights.

GSTrichome79 said:

..... A bit more is actually better since those adapters don't push the kind of constant power a fan motor wants, and sometimes the fan won't work if your adapter is maxed out or close to it.
For example, if you hook up two .470 amp fans, you'd want around a 1 amp (1000 milliamp) adapter or more. ......

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personally, I have found that if you draw close to the max rating for extended periods, the transformer will not last for more than a few years. I have come across many Xformers that are 10-20+ yrs old & still working but they all have only 1/2 the load they are rated for.
just something to consider.

KnockWood said:

I've never used the vendor, but they have a variety of AC fans and accessories, i.e. speed controlers and power cord splitters.

CoolerGuys.com

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I use fans like this post recommends, and they are amazing.

22watt tubeaxial fan's that plug directly into a wall socket. I use them for moving air in all my grow cabs, they are amazing. I have been using the same fans for over 5 years and they look and run just like the day I bought them.

llamas said:

I use fans like this post recommends, and they are amazing.

22watt tubeaxial fan's that plug directly into a wall socket. I use them for moving air in all my grow cabs, they are amazing. I have been using the same fans for over 5 years and they look and run just like the day I bought them.
View attachment 1865431

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looks great llamas... where'd u pick it up? must I order it online (trying to avoid any online orders). Or is it available at like a best buy?

View attachment 1865800View attachment 1865801View attachment 1865802View attachment 1865803for the fans just find some phone chargers or of that sort and split the cords and connect them thats what i did with mine look

skinit is that a uhaul wardrobe size cardboard box? I was thinking of doing that for flowering box but was worried about heat from bulbs (i will be using the 125watt mogul based cfls prolly 3 of em). Is it pretty safe though in your experience?

it depends on the size of the box if theyre 6500k in temp and u have enough fans yea youre cool.i also have two in the closet and one of them actually grew 2 tops.i think its a mutation but yea ill post some pics in an hour or so