Holy Fans Batman

02-16-2004, 04:26 AM

Help here please.

Recently my fan in my hood stopped working.
I went to Fry's and got 2 more fans and installed them.
When these 2 fans are on it sound like you are standing behind a Boeing 747 during take off. I can not even hear the T.V. when these things are on.

I have been looking at the ICE Cap 4" fan and have found them for 42 bucks a piece. My question is are these really low noise?
Are they worth the extra cost?

Or do you think I can get a dimmer switch of some kind and attach the fans to it to slow the speed down which in turn will lower the noise level?

Any ideas are well come.

omard · 02-16-2004, 08:03 AM

Heya Nautilus...

"Cheap / Quiet" fans here -

Take your pick - only need a 12v DC powersupply (available from any Radio Shack) to make work.

I put 4 of the 120mm fans in my stand/canopy and connected up to a thermostat - works great and pretty quiet also.

Mine were $11.00 each - arrived two days after ordering. Could have gotten even "quieter" for more $ - all have "sound ratings" -

KDC Computers

http://www.kdcomputers.com/eui/prime...mponent/21.htm

Rgds,

OmarD

Matt Rogers · 02-16-2004, 08:07 AM

Dimmer switch is a cool idea Naut, worth a try.
While shopping look at the specs if they have them, some will list the noise rating. Can remember the tech term for that, it's early

.

02-16-2004, 09:05 AM

The ones I have were the only ones they had that would work with the wires I had.
I never thought I would hear such power from these little 4" fans. Had to turn them off as the water temp went down to 76 degrees and I said wow.
I am going to try and make these work just need some ideas with the fan speed control and maybe a thermostat like Scott mentioned.

Scott do you have a photo with your thermostat up and running... maybe a diagram of some find?

omard · 02-16-2004, 12:42 PM

For a thermostat to run the fans, I used:

PORTABLE HEATER/COOLER THERMOSTAT

HarborFreight.com

ITEM 90870-0VGA - $39.99

Not being an electrician I had to go this way ... but am fairly certain you could hook up a normal thermostat and make work. (you would have to reverse wire it somehow, so it goes on when it raises to a certain temperature, instead of normal way of turning on when it cools to a set temp) ???

I just did not know how to do - this "gizmo" was easy to setup that way (instructions included) - and was just a matter of plugging in the power supply to the provided thermostat output plug. - Works great.

Scott

CG · 02-16-2004, 01:42 PM

I used one of those medium size clip on fans, works amazing not much noise. You can probably get them at wall mart, only problem is they have a pretty big depth. Fry's is awesome, do they have it anywhere else besides Texas

Jason McKenzie · 02-16-2004, 04:22 PM

I don't know if you have RadioShack in the US but they have bearing fans for $16.00. it's the ball bearings that make a fan quite.

J

02-17-2004, 01:24 PM

[quote author=Jakets link=board=General;num=1076945164;start=0#6 date=02/16/04 at 19:22:57]I don't know if you have RadioShack in the US but they have bearing fans for $16.00. *it's the ball bearings that make a fan quite.

J[/quote]
Jakets, these fans I have now are ball bearing fans. the seal on some fans are better then other. I think this is high speed fan noise and buddy they are going at a high rate of speed.
Thats why I am thinking about a dimmer switch. Since I already have these may as well try it and thinking of some kind of thermostat which would be cool but in the end it may cost me more money then the cost of the ice cap fans with a thermostat in them.

Still thinking about this... any more suggestions?

omard · 02-18-2004, 03:19 AM

If I had to do over, this is the fan I would get - 1/3 the noise of mine, only $4 ea more.

http://www.kdcomputers.com/eui/prime.../component.htm

Vantec Stealth Fan - 120mm - "Power in Silence"
$16 ea.

Dimension: 120x120x25mm
Rated Voltage: 12V
Power Input: 0.96W
Fan Speed: 1500 RPM
Air Flow: 53 CFM
Noise: 28 dBA
Bearing Type: Double Ball Bearing

80% Quieter Than Standard Case Fan.
Double Ball Bearing Fans for Extended Life.
Smart Fan with Speed Detection.
Comes W/A 3 to 4 Pin Adapter & 4 Fan Screws.
Life Time Warranty through Vantec

Rgds,

OmarD

Matt Rogers · 02-18-2004, 09:56 AM

[quote author=omard link=board=General;num=1076945164;start=0#8 date=02/18/04 at 06:19:39]Noise: 28 dBA
[/quote]

dBA, that's what I couldn't think of earlier.
28 still seems high to me, am I off?
I recall looking at power supplies for my computer that had fans and they only put out 14 dBA.