AWESOME tip for my fellow micro growers!!!!

[detoneSmoker]

If your tired of ghetto rigging pc fans together then check this out, I figured out that if you jump 2 wires on the IDE cable on the power supply it tricks it into thinking its plugged into your computer and turns on Heres some pics of my latest stealth attack and how to wire the power supply. Enjoy and feel free to ask any questions about the cab or plans.


On your ide cable find the side with the tab that locks into the motherboard. jump the green wire with not the black wire next to it but the next one.

 

[Maddhatter]

very nice, but you can use A LOT less power by going to savation army and getting a random 12v power cord and just wiring it in to that

good call for those going the route of a PS

 

[detoneSmoker]

I tried that for like 3 weeks.....I found a 120mm fan that ran silent with 140cfm. Only thing is it needed .8A to run it and couldnt find anything that would support that amperage and didnt feel like linking 5 chargers to run just 1 of my 6 fans. I got a power supply from online for 10 bucks. Just think its safer and more legit looking.

 

[Can420]

Why dont you just get a 4 PIN IDE 3.5 HDD DVD PSU. Youll have more then enough power for a few fans. You can find them cheap on ebay also.

 

[exploziv]

the guys are right, I have a powersource that resembles the one in the pic posted by can420, think it's for running a dvr, has 5 amps and can run 4-6 big pc coolers with no problem.
the computer psu is just big and some of them, especially the cheap ones, waste a lot of electricity.

and a tip: in the past I used the case of a pc psu to house my ballast and igniter. pretty easy to do and cheap. (old broken psu)

 

[VerdantGreen]

this is fortuitous, as i have just had some problems with a cheep multi adaptor burning out as it tried to power a computer fan in my new grow.

the fan is 8cm, 12V DC and 0.08 amps - can anyone find me a suitable power supply on ebay UK?? those psu things look much better!

its strange because i have 3 or 4 PC fans running off multi adaptors but im using them as circulation fans. this new one is an extractor fan which presumably causes it to draw a bigger load. the adaptor just heated up and stopped working.

thanks guys,

VG

 

[governmentspy]

actually its an ATX plug, ide is for a hdd

 

[exploziv]

here you go VG:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-VOLT-...-/150764896261?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item231a49c005

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-VOLT-...ctronics_PowerAdaptors_SM&hash=item3372cd41c8

but are you sure it only 0.08 A? that sounds way too little for using it as an extractor fan.
those multi adapters usually have 1 or 2 A of power, that should be more than enaugh to power your fan. And 0.08 A is way too little to burn them. Maybe your fan is broken or has a short of some type? Or maybe that adapter you used just broke down, without help from your fan?

 

[blackosprey]

A quick question for the group here, sorry to hijack a thread but it got me thinking....can you put 2-3 fans on the same 12 v adapter or should each one be wired separately? I have mine individually wired, but only because I can't recall seeing anyone piggyback them.
Thanks

 

[exploziv]

you can add as much fans as you want, as long as you are under the max rated power of the power source.
and add them in parallel, not in series.

the psu doesn't know you have fans connected to it, and for sure doesn't know how many of them. it just supplies the current.

 

[blackosprey]

you can add as much fans as you want, as long as you are under the max rated power of the power source.
and add them in parallel, not in series.

the psu doesn't know you have fans connected to it, and for sure doesn't know how much of them. it just supplies the current.

thanks.

 

[VerdantGreen]

here you go VG:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-VOLT-...-/150764896261?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item231a49c005

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-VOLT-...ctronics_PowerAdaptors_SM&hash=item3372cd41c8

but are you sure it only 0.08 A? that sounds way too little for using it as an extractor fan.
those multi adapters usually have 1 or 2 A of power, that should be more than enaugh to power your fan. And 0.08 A is way too little to burn them. Maybe your fan is broken or has a short of some type? Or maybe that adapter you used just broke down, without help from your fan?

hey mate many thanks for that. they are similar to the one i was using but it was rated at 300 mA. i ordered another that was 600mA - will that be enough?
is it better to always use them at 12V? usually i have them turned down to 7.5 or 10 but i suppose that effects the amps it draws?? especially when its pulling as an extractor. i want to run it out through a carbon filter too eventually.

VG

 

[exploziv]

yes, your fan takes 0.08A, thats 80 mA, so 600 mA is more than enaugh.
the voltage just speeds them down, as long as it has enaugh power to spin your fan, running at any voltage is safe for pc fans. you'll have a problem only if there is not enaugh power to start the rotation, then the coil inside the fan will overheat and fail.
anway, if you have any chance of using that fan with a filter, it only be at 12V. The usual pc fans are not designed to be used with filters (ar at least not with more than a thin sheet of dust filter material), but I hope it works for you.

good luck!

 

[VerdantGreen]

cool thanks, yeah the filter isnt crucial as i wont be flowering in the cab too often.

 

[detoneSmoker]

the guys are right, I have a powersource that resembles the one in the pic posted by can420, think it's for running a dvr, has 5 amps and can run 4-6 big pc coolers with no problem.
the computer psu is just big and some of them, especially the cheap ones, waste a lot of electricity.

and a tip: in the past I used the case of a pc psu to house my ballast and igniter. pretty easy to do and cheap. (old broken psu)

Thats the problem though....I need .8 Amps or 800ma just to run my one exhaust fan. And i always suggest useing at LEAST .2 amp more power than you actually need. Not gonna hurt having extra. If you guys are going the route of still cutting up cords to power fans the best thing is a used wii power adapter!!! Stage 2 power adapter for 10 bucks online. Thanks for correcting me on the IDE cable...Late last night couldnt remember the name of that cable.

 

[detoneSmoker]

No comments on the cab?!?!?!

 

[sso]

there is also a 12v adopter thats made to run those electrical appliances for your car, at home.

pretty cheap too. probably can get it at your local hardware store.

plenty of amp on it.

 

[detoneSmoker]

there is also a 12v adopter thats made to run those electrical appliances for your car, at home.

pretty cheap too. probably can get it at your local hardware store.

plenty of amp on it.

I found a BUNCH of these around town....only thing the cheapest one was 30 bucks. Again why buy something for MORE money that looks hella jank over buying something thats suppose to run them and cost 50% less? and is much safer for average growers not to burn there houses down or burn up there fans!

 

[trichrider]

you have a nice panda overlooking your cab...

 

[detoneSmoker]

hey mate many thanks for that. they are similar to the one i was using but it was rated at 300 mA. i ordered another that was 600mA - will that be enough?
is it better to always use them at 12V? usually i have them turned down to 7.5 or 10 but i suppose that effects the amps it draws?? especially when its pulling as an extractor. i want to run it out through a carbon filter too eventually.

VG

Adjusting the volts def. affects the rated CFM. I would just set them at 12v and leave them. Cant have too much circulation with pc fans. Now it you have a big ass blower then yeah youd want to turn the power down to about half. I got this fan as my exhaust because its 3000rpm, 140+Cfm and pretty quite
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0274204
and only 15 bucks.