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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: reptileink on June 17, 2010, 04:16:13 pm

Title: Case fans......
Post by: reptileink on June 17, 2010, 04:16:13 pm
How do you have yours running? Do they come on when you power up the unit, or do you have a thermo control for them? Also, I know most run on  12v, should I just hunt for a CPU power supply to plug into my strip?
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: Smeghead on June 17, 2010, 05:21:38 pm
Or cut the end off an AC adapter and splice  ;D
I got several things running this way including a case fan

Im also using a smartstrip so everything comes on when the pc powers up
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: reptileink on June 17, 2010, 05:27:38 pm
Good idea. I figured I could do that, but always good to have an opinion. Can I run two fans off one adapter?
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: Smeghead on June 17, 2010, 05:51:06 pm
Im kinda new to this so others please chime in, but im running 3 coinslot lights, the LED for the trackball and a 5" case fan off mine!  (12v 1000ma)
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: 92greenyj on June 17, 2010, 09:20:57 pm
I was planning to just leave the side panel off my computer tower and running my cabinet fans right off the computers internal ATX power supply
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: orchidius on June 18, 2010, 05:20:56 am
You could just go the easy way with the fans too... They come with a molex plug, use that one with your PC powersupply!!
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: reptileink on June 18, 2010, 09:33:43 am
I'm using an orignal Xbox, not a PC.....
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: 92greenyj on June 18, 2010, 01:38:39 pm
ok, so get a cheap ATX power supply. u can find them for less than 20 bucks. jump two wires together to make it turn on and run without motherboard input and you are good to go
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: gryhnd on June 18, 2010, 02:35:10 pm
Good idea. I figured I could do that, but always good to have an opinion. Can I run two fans off one adapter?

The fans will have a mAmp listing on them somewhere. Add the two up, and use a 12V wallwart/power supply of equal or greater value. Probably not hard to do at all if only two fans.

I don't see the value of buying an AT/ATX PSU for only two fans.
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: Zebidee on June 19, 2010, 08:43:52 am
PC power supplies should have a 'load' (ie a motherboard) attached in order to work properly & sustainably. There are ways to trick this load, but Gryhnd is right -  it is all fussy compared to getting a 12v wall-wart from your favourite cheap supplier (you might even find that you have a spare one lying around).

On the other hand, you can probably also tap into the 12v on your xbox if you are clever about it.

Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: reptileink on June 19, 2010, 09:15:19 am
Yeaaahh, I think I'll just go with the wall wart. My wife has a box of them laying around somewhere(she saves EVERYTHING!)  Split em off, and wire up the fans. When I hit the smart strip, everything will turn on....bingo boingo.
Title: Re: Case fans......
Post by: Ed_McCarron on June 19, 2010, 09:23:13 am
And here I am, reading the thread title and thinking "Yeah, I'm a fan of cases..."   :dizzy:

Wallwarts are easy - just make sure they provide enough current so they don't run hot and burn up.