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PC Fan vivarium cooling system
Photos for users - will write up full instructions when I have time.
Note: Parts cost me less than £8.50 or + £2.50 for an extra fan... far cheaper and far more powerful than kit you can buy off the shelf (cough lucky reptile terra fans or habistat for example) Can even fit a total of 4 fans to run a stack if needed.
Items you'll need make a home made cooling fan system click on the images to expand:
- 1000mA or less 12 DC Adaptor - Free if you search an old one in your house or approx £4 from your discount store
- 12cm low noise PC fan rated 250 mA - £2.5
- 12cm - 8cm fan bracket... includes screws £2
Finding your fans are noisy and concerned with energy consumption?..... Just switch the voltage of the adaptor to a lower setting to slow the fan down a little. Mind you, this set up will use very very little electricity anyway. This energy consumption calculator should help.
If you need information on where to fit the fans, please click here.
Items needed for fan unit
Close up of assembled fan *Note1
Assembled fan system
Fan installed behind vent *Note2
Pic with grill off
Note1: To reverse the airflow, just switch the direction of the fan (Changing the polarities won't work)
Note2: Fitting the fan is the easiest process. "No more nails" double sided tape, used this originally as a temporary measure, but 5 months on and they are still holding strong! Great stuff and easy to remove. by just twisting it off
Quoted from a forum:
When using an adaptor or nokia charger, always make sure the milliamp(mA) output of the charger is equal or greater than the milliamp input of the fan or fans otherwise you'll risk overheating/loading the adaptor.... hate to see any houses getting burnt down!!
If you have an adaptor that's rated 12v DC 1000 milliamps(mA) you can run a fan rated up to or equal that rated power (check the label on the fans, usually they will give the rated input as either 12v 250mA or similar). I recommend getting 12cm PC fans with a 12 - 8 cm converter from maplins, they create good power (air flow) for approx 250mA power consumption. You can even wire up two fans in parallel and run off one adaptor to create an inflow and out flow. I have it on one of my 4x2x2 vivs and worked wonders during the hot weather a few months ago. I just have it on a programmed timer switch for now to come on for 10 mins every hour just to give good circulation and can change the program to suit the weather. However, you can run it on a stat which won't need your attention then.
Will write some instructions with diagrams on my web site when I have time, but have attached a couple of photos to give you guys an idea of the items needed.
Cheers Tung
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