~ Incubator Hard-wiring *Please Help* ~

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
The wall warts are the boxes with a chord on them that plug into the wall. http://blog.makezine.com/_make_x0xb0x_fab_images_acplug.jpg Even if you could use a resistor it would be dangerous.

 

[TommyVT05]

Oh!!!

I have a LOT of those rather. Haha. However, I checked and its only like 5V max, so for a 12V fan...thats only pushing less than half of what it can do. So...yeah.

Do you know where I can get those but in 12V for under $10?

Also...how do you know which is - and which is + once you cut the wire? Dun wanna shock myself now

- Tommy

 

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
I like the way your thinking. The trouble is those laptop coolers have very poor flow. Another problem is the fans in the laptop cooler do not have any type of frame of their own. The whole bottom panel of the laptop cooler is the fan frame. A PC case cooling fan is a much easier and better working alternative.

 

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
Thrift store. As far as knowing which is which just wire it to fan and plug it up if fan does not run unplug it and change it around. Trial and error will not hurt the fan or wall wart. As far as shocking you don't touch the bare wire when its plugged up. 12 volt dc generally will not shock you unless you are wet or stick it to your tongue.

When you get it all spliced in and working be sure you wrap the connections well with electrical tape. Heres one on evilbay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Wall-Wart-AC-Ad...ryZ79846QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[TommyVT05]

You are awsome bud!

Thanks. I will look into that. I will try Big Lots. Maybe the big 99 Cent only store have them? It'll be so sweet if they do.

Yeah. I think I will do that. I know, the CPU fan is like hardcore strong in comparison because it has a bigger fan and all. Do you think hooking up 2 CPU fans (80mm each)...will be good for the incubator or that will make it too cool?

About the wall wart...does it matter what the Amp reads to power the CPU fan? I found some are like 300mA, some 400, some 500. Not sure if it matters that much as long as the V is 12.

See...I am not good with this elec. stuff...thats why I am a Biochem student. Haha.

Thanks again!

- Tommy

 

[1acrefarm]

Two cpu fans would probably be overkill. A cpu fan draws so little I doubt the amps would matter but I would err to the higher side if possible.

 

[TommyVT05]

Ohhh...

So...u recommend 1 80mm, 2 80mm, or 1 120mm fan?

A wall wart with 400mA is good...for one...for two?

Thanks 4 Helping

- Tommy

 

[Kaneke]

those 120 V to 12 V adapters show up all the time in thrift stores; if you don't have one of those handy, go talk to your local computer geek or repair person ... (they might have extra fans too, that they'd otherwise just throw out)

yesterday I saw a 15V adapter and wondered if the fan would work with that extra "juice" ... got a couple extra power adapters yesterday for 59 cents, a third was half of that because it had hung around the thrift store for 3 months (colored tags, half off)

often, their power cords will be differently marked -- one all black, one black with white or yellow stripes -- the high end ones will actually have a cord-specification printed right on the plastic-coated wire ...

good idea to have the fan wired separately from the heating element in the bator, then if there is a problem with EITHER system, you don't 'lose' both ... and IMHO you are more likely to have problems with a used fan, than with the bator

good luck

Candy

 

[TommyVT05]

Candy...

Lol. I am not sure of San Diego Computer shops give free adaptors or fans. Lol. Maybe back in the days, but not anymore. You even have to buy your own firewood sometimes. Haha

Anyhow, I will check the stores when I get home today. Kinda just go relax for the early weekend because past week has just been too stressful for me with Mid-terms and all.

Well yeah, I have @ least 2 CPU fans I don't use...just need to find the right adaptor. Hopefully I can find one under $5

Yeah...so I think about hooking up da fan RIGHT in the center of the incubator. If I add two...is that better? Then I just put then side by side...im sure there is space

- Tommy

 

[Kaneke]

others can answer this better, but recommendations I've seen that I'm going to follow myself, is to have the fan blowing past the light bulb and then across whatever moisture/water you use, since the usual problem is not enough moisture ... warm air holds more ...

from a "flow" standpoint, I'd set the fan so it sends the air more or less "around" the incubator in a circular pattern .. kinda down one side so the air returning comes back the other side ...

I salvaged one fan-plus-power supply, and one additional fan, from an old computer .. I thought I might use one at each end, with the power supply probably adding to the warmth of the bator, since I'll be running this in a 55* basement .. may enclose the whole thing in a curtained-off section so the heat source doesn't have to work so hard ...

or I may build several incubators/hatchers since I wound up with quite a few styrofoam coolers along with the two plastic-over-styrofoam larger coolers which are no longer usable "as coolers" because of various damage

however, this is sort of the blind leading the blind, as I am only parroting what I've read ... no experience yet

C