Adding fans to a consule cab?

[bsoder52]

Wonding if anyone has experience or knowledge in how to hook up fans in a console cab?
Unlike a pc cab, there is no motherboard to jack into.
Would you tap into some other power supply?

Thanks in advance!
Bsoder52

[daywane]

I would not think you need one.
if you still want one buy a small box fan and plug it into power strip.
me I would skip it.

[bsoder52]

Hey, great idea!
I didn't even think of that!

I'm not building a very large cabinet, it's a cocktail cab just big enough for a 15inch monitor.
I'm using the left over glass from my old end tables, heheheh.

[Dave_K.]

Most console power supplies have +12v you could tap into with a simple PC style fan.  But simpler solution was stated, to just a small desk type fan and use the powerstrip.

[richms]

A desk fan will stuff a monitor image up from about 500mm away, sitting on a cubical wall, so I hate to think what it will do inside the same box as the monitor

otherwise just find a 9-12v adaptor off an old cordless phone or something else that has a wall wart and use that to run the fan.

Or, if its a xbox, I think it has 12v on one of the controller wires.

[daywane]

box fan don't mess with any of my tv's.
blender will but not a fan. I guess I got lucky

[forbiddenlyrics]

You could always jumper an ATX power supply to run without a PC, then you could just plug in regular computer fans. A couple of 120mm fans should be enough to keep anything cool.

[bsoder52]

I do have a power supply that I pulled from a P2/3 machine here are the specs on it:

HIPRO
Model: HP-M1454A3 Rev:05
Ac Input (47-63hz): 100-127VAC/5A
                                200-240VAC/3A
DC Output: +5=18A           +12=/4.2A
                   +3.3V=10A      -12V=/0.4A
                   +5SB=/0.72A
The total combined +3.3V and +5Vpower should not exceed 100w
The maximum total power shall not exceed 145w
\

Is this a reasonalble power supply to use to run 2 fans?
If so, any help on how or where to wire into it would really help, there are all kinds of harnesses coming off the power suply, none of which have the same connectors as the left over fans I have.

Thanks in advance guys!

[richms]

Is this a reasonalble power supply to use to run 2 fans?

Not really, its extreme overkill and you ahve to hack the wires meaning its useless if you want to stick it in a PC at a later stage.

If so, any help on how or where to wire into it would really help, there are all kinds of harnesses coming off the power suply, none of which have the same connectors as the left over fans I have.

Thanks in advance guys!

On the motherboard connector, you will need to join the green and black wires together to make the power supply turn on all the time.

Then, you take a yellow and black, yellow is positive, and black is negative, your fan most likly has red as its positive, so connect fan red to psu yellow, and black to black, leave the third wire to the fan unconnected.

All this is assuming its a standard PSU and standard fans. If its some oddball from a weird computer like an old dell or compaq then all bets are off and I would go to ratshack for a 12v wallwart to be safe.

[daywane]

I still want to know why you need one ?
I have tossed consoles in my entertainment systems for years. Never added a fan. turn system on shut doors and play.

I do not have a fan on any of my cabs but one (my first one, and its a box fan)
never had a problem with them eather

[bsoder52]

Guess I just assumed I'd need some air circulation in there.  I've looked at alot of other prjojects posted on this site, about a thousand, and most all of them have fans.

Thanks for the post on the powersupply connection, question, on the motherboard connector there is a green wire, but there are about 8 black ones, how do I know which green and black to wire together to keep it contstantly on?

Thanks again,
Bsoder52

[forbiddenlyrics]

Not really, its extreme overkill and you ahve to hack the wires meaning its useless if you want to stick it in a PC at a later stage.

It wouldn't ruin the PS if you have a couple female molex connectors around. Just solder the molex connectors onto the fan leads and there you go!

[bsoder52]

OK, feeling real dumb to ask this, but what is a female molex conector?
Could you point to a pic of one and I'm sure it will make sense?

Thanks,
Bsoder52

[SOAPboy]

[bsoder52]

I don't have any of those, know where to get em?

[forbiddenlyrics]

Well it appears from the picture above that Voyeurmods.com has them, pretty much any PC modding site should have something like SOAPboy posted. But that picture is just the shell of the molex you will need the inside pins and a crimping tool. My advice to you is to goto a surplus electronics store or a PC repair store and ask for a couple broken computer fans. I prolly have a few myself lying around at my parents house I could give you, but I don't go over there much and it might be a week or so before I could check on it.

[richms]

I was more meaning that you would be messing up the motherboard connector, mind you, power supplies are so cheap now it doesnt really matter. I was thinking of parting out some old CD servers (4 speed scsi cd roms, a couple of scsi 1 HDDs (2.somethign gig) and a couple of little 12+5v power supplies.

I gave up, because I can just get an ATX "250 watt" for less then NZ$30, theres no point keeping something else lying around incase I may use it...

Just dont buther the cables on an enermax or something good up eh

[SOAPboy]

Well it appears from the picture above that Voyeurmods.com has them, pretty much any PC modding site should have something like SOAPboy posted. But that picture is just the shell of the molex you will need the inside pins and a crimping tool. My advice to you is to goto a surplus electronics store or a PC repair store and ask for a couple broken computer fans. I prolly have a few myself lying around at my parents house I could give you, but I don't go over there much and it might be a week or so before I could check on it.

all of which you can get from those same mod sites..

i beleive directron has that stuff cheap and in bulk..

[bsoder52]

 OK, I just picked up a couple pc fans at Radio Shack with the Modulex connectors. 

I connected the fan to the power supply, plugged the powersupply in and nothing.   The built in fan on the powersupply isn't even coming on.

Any suggestions? 

Bsoder52

[forbiddenlyrics]

Did you jumper a black and green wire together on the ATX connector? You have to do this in order for the PS to start without a computer connected.

[bsoder52]

The ATX connector is the big one right?
There is a green wire and about 6 black ones, how do I know which ones to solder together?

[Franco]

This should help.

Either cut the two wires and solder them or you can use quick connects like I did. You could always just conect a piece of wire between the two like on the diagram. That way you arnt cutting your wires which is handy if you want to use the PSU in a computer or something at a later date.

Edit:

All the wires should be numbered on the face where the arrow is pointing. It is pin 13 (black wire) and pin 14 (green wire) that you want to bridge.

[bsoder52]

Awesome information! 

I think I'll just solder the wires together as I don't have an connectors.  Should I pull the wires out of the molex connector and then solder them together, or should I cut the wires and solder them together?

Does it make a difference?

Thanks,
Bsoder52

[Franco]

I cut the wires about half way down and then joined them. That way if I decide I need to use the PSU in a PC or something in the future  can just rejoin the wires. You may want to do something similar.

[daywane]

or you could use the older style power supply (AT I think thet were called)
no jumper needed.  ( just incase you have any around)
I have about 6 just for power of extra stuff in cabs

[bsoder52]

OK, my new nick name is Bad Luck MaGoo!


First I tried to hack an ATX power supply by crossing the #13/#14 green and black wires, that didn't work. 

Then I went to the used pc parts store and alas the had just gotten in an old AT power supply!!!!! 

Took it home, doesn't work!

Think you might want to part with one of yours that works'?

Bsoder52

[daywane]

got you coverd.
just hooked 1 of mine up.
pluged in my side case fan. lights up and is spinning. Tried to take a pic but batt's are dead. recharging and will send a pic

[daywane]

fell asleep 
hard to tell but in the corners of the fan the leds are lit. still spinning