Cooling Off My Canopy

gio28

gio28

Active Member
im building a canopy that will have a 150watt MH, and in the future 2 T5HOs. anyways my MH gets very hot and i need to cool it and my tank off. a chiller is not an option because it is way to pricey. i was thinking of just buying a few fans. i dont know where to place them though...blowing above my tank would help keep it cool...but that wont cool off the MH.
if anyone can give me a good brand of fan to buy and advice on the best placement that would be great. thanks.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Is this an enclosed canopy?
It sounds like you are DIYing a system, so you are probably electrically inclined. You can just get a couple fans from a computer store and splice on a 12 volt power supply.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
i was actually just looking at a ton of PC fans at radioshack...but i didnt know how to wire them. now that you guys mention that its possible...i looked online on how to wire them but im real confused.
like it goes from the outlet...to the 12V power supply...to the fans?
 
kube

kube

Member
depending on the number fans you want to run......
Go to walmart and buy one of those 3v to 12v universal power supplies with different plugs and cut the end off it and bare back the two wires. Now go to a site like newegg and buy the case fines I used 80 MM fines (80 is just the size) 12 volt fans, find ones that use the big 4 pin molex plugs, only two of the pins will have wires to them cut the end off that and match the wires to the power supply wires. Dont worry if you get them wrong it will either not work or will spin backwards, just cross them the other way and your done......let me know if you need any of that clarified.
 
kube

kube

Member
i kinda went over board. i have 10 fans in my hood 5 wired in a row on each side blowing onto the endcaps. The wallyworld adapter was only 600 millamps and each fan is 150 mamps so i used a computer supply and spliced the power on wire with the blue wire to trick the power supply into coming on since its not hooked to a button. works great through
using an icecap ballast to overdrive 3 of the t5's in my setup is why i went a little over board.....
 
kube

kube

Member
Originally Posted by Bulldog123
http:///forum/post/3108350
I bought computer fans that can daisy chain 4 to one plug. No wiring just plug and play.
wish i would have did that, gotta alot of wires twisted in that wire nut..lol
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bulldog123
http:///forum/post/3108350
I bought computer fans that can daisy chain 4 to one plug. No wiring just plug and play.
where did you buy them at? that'd be great if i didnt have to do any wiring to them.
 
mech-a-nic

mech-a-nic

Member
PC fans are 2 wire as a rule. just go to radio shack or any electronic store and get a 12v or adjustable power source. Or you might have one laying around. old Printer cable, any charger. You are looking for a plug with the big block in it that plugs into the wall. They are labled on the backs for there output Volts and Watts.
Cut the end of the cord off it has 2 wires.
Strip them back and split them apart. the wire with a Dot or line or dash on it is + and the other is Negitive.
The fan wire do the same and twist them together or get wire nuts. Tape them with electrical tape and you are good to go.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
sweet! that just made it a whole lot easier for me to understand! im gonna give it a try tomorrow hopefully. ur always helpin me out, thanks!
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
i'll go with the phone charger way since i have a few of those so i can just wire them. i didnt know it was so easy...thanks to the way mech-a-nic explained it.
 
mech-a-nic

mech-a-nic

Member
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3108862
i'll go with the phone charger way since i have a few of those so i can just wire them. i didnt know it was so easy...thanks to the way mech-a-nic explained it.
make sure the phone charge is rated high enuff. Most phones are only 5 Volt output you need atleast 9 volts if not 12 volts. Less that 9 volts will not pull enuff air to matter. if your not sure take a pic of the writing on the Big part and Ill Decifer it for you.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
just realized...the 12V one says .3A which means 300mA i think. is that enough for a pretty big fan or does it need like 500 or 1000mA?
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
sweet thats good. i have about 5-6 chargers i can use. i might get to hooking them up later tonight. thanks for your help
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top