Computer fan?

[GSCforester]

I have seen a few threads were someone has said they use a computer cooling fan to circulate air in their incubator. I am thinking of seeing if the local computer repair shop has any, then the question hit me. How do you properly wire the fan to the incubator? I have a LG and Hova Bator. Pics or advice would be great.

 

[gumbii]

i ended up stealing an turbine style pump from one of my sister's inflatable santa clause... LOL... lucky me, it was 12V... so i'll add another computer fan to circulate the air from the bottom to the top of the incubator because i noticed i have temp difference from the top to the bottom...

but, usually people just have the fan blowing across the heating element like the bulbs or whatever...

 

[midget_farms]

I did this.

The computer fan has 3 wires. Red, Black & White.

I found a 12 volt power converter - the kind that plugs in to a 120 outlet & delivers 12 volts to the item you are charging, like a cell phone.

I cut the plug off the end of the inverter. There are 2 wires inside there.

Connect 1 of them to the black wire on the fan & connect 1 to the red wire. This is how I power mine.

Make sure you protect the wires so they don't touch each other or it will short out. 12 volts is not going to hurt anything or cause a fire - but if it shorts out it wont circulate air.

 

[Rebel Rooster]

I cover these steps in this video:

 

[GSCforester]

Thanks. I was under the impression that the fan was hooked up to the heating element somehow, I didn't realize that it had its own power source. That helps a bunch. Nice video by the way, might have to try building one of those myself.

 

[jason_mazzy]

If you find the right one you can make a little "D" battery case and wire it up yourself.

 

[Cranman]

Radio shack sells plastic battery cases that hold different numbers of batteries and you should be able to find one that will give you 12v. I'm not sure how long the batteries will last though. But you need to price out the battery case and batteries and then compare that to a universal power adapter, it may be cheaper to buy the power adapter and use it on the 12v setting. Last thing...what ever you rig up make sure it's very dependable, if the fan goes out your temps will be way off since your t-stat will be adjusted to work in a forced air situation.

 

[galanie]

Just look at the diagram on the page in my signature. Too many words and stuff confuse the devil out of me. Diagram is super simple and gets the idea across at a glance. Guess it depends on how you learn. Some are visual, some audio, etc. I am visual. Give me a map or a diagram and I have it in a snap. Explain forever, and you've lost me long before you finish.