How to Turn a PC Fan into an Exhaust or Intake Fan?

mogie

Well-Known Member
How to turn a PC fan into an exhaust or intake fan?

Contributed by: Flowerman
Images archived: 2001

Just for fun, I wanted to show how easy it is to turn a PC fan into an intake, or into an exhaust fan. The fan I am using is quite small, but the objective is still the same. The first step is to find or buy a 12v DC plug adapter. This fan here is rated at 80cfm, which will work for a small box set-up.

Here's is some info on the 12v DC adapter: (Model 420A4141)

Output (DC) 12.0V @ 500mA
Output Voltage VDC(1)
Input 108VAC
Output Volts @ 100% Load 10.20
Input 132VAC
Output Volts @ 100% Load 13.60
Input 132VAC
Output Volts @ 10% Load 17.40
UL(2) UL*
CSA(3) L
Plug(4) 1



Simply cut the wires at the end, and strip down about a ¼ inch of bare wire is showing.

If you don’t know which wire to wire up, for instance they’re all black wires, don’t worry, it will only work one way, and if wired wrong, will simply not work at all. But the idea is, black to black, red to red. This one here that I used, had one black and one red coming from the fan, and from the adapter, one black and one black and white. The black and white wire from the adapter got wired to the all black wire from the fan. And the all black wire from the adapter, gets wired to the all red wire from the fan.

To add another fan, just connect the wires of the same together. All black goes with black, all red goes with red. So you would still only use 2 connectors all together. Here’s a few more pictures. But for the most part, I just wanted to show how simple it is. Make sure you get an adapter which is rated DC for the output.



Finished


Testing


Also a worthwhile consideration is places like radio shack and grainger also have nice 4" muffin fans that move as much as 200 cfm and more, which run on 110 vac. They come with a handy power cord that has a special connector on one end for the fan and a plug on the other end for plugging into the wall socket or humistat / thermostat.​
 

7th1der

Well-Known Member
Just want to say this thread is the shiznit! I hesitated a little but it worked out for me.

I am gonna try that strong one from radio shack though for my exhaust.
 

Bullethead21

Well-Known Member
Im using a fan from a PC water cooling kit, the 5 inch fan that cools the radiator is the one Im using. Its a Thermaltake TT-1225A. It has a 3rd yellow wire coming off of it along with a red and a black one. What should I do with the extra yellow wire?

Thanks, this is a AWSOME idea for exhust or intake fan to a small room!
 

jj7645

Active Member
You dont need that yellow wire. Its a sensor wire that would tell the computer motherboard what the fan's RPMs are.
 

dvldog

Active Member
this is awsome thought i would make some of you smarter ones laugh (some one with a little elec. no how) i set down with 3 pc fans and a volt meter and some wires fired one instantly heard a snap well shit thats not it one down 2 to go tryed using the ground and one hot wire snap that one is gone tryed using the power supply and shocked my damn self and said f it now i have read this and now have ONE working fan thanks alot for this
 

Yendi Zen

Active Member
hey i got a question... i have a bathroom like thing.. but it has 3 sockets so i want to use it in my grow room... but instead of an outlet plug... it just has a red and black wire... could i just cut a plug off of something else and do just about the same thing you did up there?
 

bigjohn4prez

Active Member
ok i just did this before reading your thread. awesome idea for a small grow op.

My fan cost me 17.99 and the pushy salesman got me to buy something else to connect it to a computer... didn't feel like b.s.in my way through with him so i just bought it. was like 3 bux.

but my question is where can i find a 12v power cord thingy? right now i'm usin an old cell phone charger and it works but i want more power. it only puts 5.3v. i'm gonna look on ebay right quick but if anyone knows where to find one at a decent price i would me much obliged thx
 

Hulk Nugs

Well-Known Member
ALRIGHT WHATS GOING ON i tried it thought it was going to work for me well first i did the wrong wire thing so i was worried but i read the thread agian and tried agian ..........but its still not working i got 3 -12v pc fans from radio shack and the 3 12v power adapters and i cut all the wires so i cant take them back witch i dont want to i just wanna make them work......but yea i hooked up the wires and the fan barley moved it like flickers and turns put it dosnt spin like it should whats wrong any one can you help ?????
 

Hulk Nugs

Well-Known Member
grrr this sucks i have three plugs i cant use $18 a piece grrr wasted money i better find something ealse i can use them for they said 12vdc 300ma and the fans were 12vdc go figure.......be make sure you have the right plugs for your fans
 

Eddie McPot

Well-Known Member
Guys check out the multi-volt adapters. I bought my last one at Target for like $15. They have a slider switch and go from 1-12 volts. I run mine at 6v to keep quiet.
 

DankBudds

Well-Known Member
Apart 2 PC's. Used the whole unit inside that was connected to the power cord and 2 fans. I plugged them both in, now I have 4 fans....
 
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