Cant get this exaust fan going. NEED ELECTRICAL HELP!

Well I bought this bilge blower fan
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-DETMAR-4%22-IN-LINE-BLOWER-BILGE-FAN-POWERFUL-BOAT-_W0QQitemZ280332149469QQcmdZViewItem

I know the ebay ad says 12vdc 4.5a but the one I have says 12vdc 3.5a
Well I found a game cube power supply that is 12vdc and 3.2 amps, it works occasionaly (has only worked twice), but ususaly when plugged in, the fan kicks on for like .1 sec then shuts back off.

So I went and drove an hour each way to buy a LCD power supply I found online that is 12vdc and 3.5a.

http://www.papatek.com/LCD-AC-Adapter/Acer-AL715-LCD-AC-Adapter-12V-3.5A.html when plugged in it just pullses off and on, will not run continuous. I dont get it. I didn't realise finding the right power supply for this was going to be such a PITA.
ANY help is appritiated, this thing is driving me nuts and my plants are starting to get mighty skunky.

ALSO I have this computer power supply, would this work(safely) at all to power my fan?

Anyone?

You are probably kicking the internal electrical protection on the transformer. Why don't you buy a DC transformer that puts out 5 amps or more ?

You have a 3.5 amp fan and a supply that puts out 3.5 amps. The transformer probably kicks off after 3.5 amps and the fan probably takes more than 3.5 amps when it starts up.

you need a supply with more amps.

wowzerz said:

Well I bought this bilge blower fan
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-DETMAR-4"-IN-LINE-BLOWER-BILGE-FAN-POWERFUL-BOAT-_W0QQitemZ280332149469QQcmdZViewItem

I know the ebay ad says 12vdc 4.5a but the one I have says 12vdc 3.5a
Well I found a game cube power supply that is 12vdc and 3.2 amps, it works occasionaly (has only worked twice), but ususaly when plugged in, the fan kicks on for like .1 sec then shuts back off.

So I went and drove an hour each way to buy a LCD power supply I found online that is 12vdc and 3.5a.

http://www.papatek.com/LCD-AC-Adapter/Acer-AL715-LCD-AC-Adapter-12V-3.5A.html when plugged in it just pullses off and on, will not run continuous. I dont get it. I didn't realise finding the right power supply for this was going to be such a PITA.
ANY help is appritiated, this thing is driving me nuts and my plants are starting to get mighty skunky.

ALSO I have this computer power supply, would this work(safely) at all to power my fan?

Click to expand...

Ok I bought the exact same fan. Actually I bought two of them, from ebay.

Since I am an electronic pack rat, I have many power transformers ranging from different dc outputs.

Now the ac/dc adapters you use even though they say they ut out a certain amount of amp, actually they don't

What you need to do is get a ac/dc converter that puts out more amps than the fan requires. Like say 12vdc 5amp output

That was the one i use, and they work great

Now also remember these fans are loud. So if sound is an issue you may have to build some sorta muffler to muffle the sound.

Final note remember when it comes to these 12 volt fans, you can use a power converter up to 15 volt output, but ALWAYS ALWAYS make sure the amps are more than the unit requires.

keico said:

Ok I bought the exact same fan. Actually I bought two of them, from ebay.

Since I am an electronic pack rat, I have many power transformers ranging from different dc outputs.

Now the ac/dc adapters you use even though they say they ut out a certain amount of amp, actually they don't

What you need to do is get a ac/dc converter that puts out more amps than the fan requires. Like say 12vdc 5amp output

That was the one i use, and they work great

Now also remember these fans are loud. So if sound is an issue you may have to build some sorta muffler to muffle the sound.

Final note remember when it comes to these 12 volt fans, you can use a power converter up to 15 volt output, but ALWAYS ALWAYS make sure the amps are more than the unit requires.

Click to expand...

Thanks a LOT for the input, both of you. I didn't know it needed to be MORE amps. and I didnt know I could go more then 12v. I guess its back to the hunt for a power cable. Any idea if that comp power supply would work at all?
EDIT:
Will this adapter work?
http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Power-Adapter-LCD-12-Volt-5-Amp-12V-5A-DC-Supply_W0QQitemZ230332281222QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item230332281222&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:15|39:1|240:1308
It says DC in the title, but I'm not sure....

wowzerz said:

Thanks a LOT for the input, both of you. I didn't know it needed to be MORE amps. and I didnt know I could go more then 12v. I guess its back to the hunt for a power cable. Any idea if that comp power supply would work at all?

Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking that you were trying to match the amps to what it said on the fan. The computer supply won't work because it says the 12 volts is only rated at 2 amps. If you want to give it a try at your own descretion you can try the 5 volt line since it is rated for 10 amps. The fan will make up the loss in voltage by pulling more amps so it may work. Most computer supplies are pretty well protected, it will either shut itself off with an internal heat breaker or blow a fuse or kick the voltage input switch to the middle if it doesn't work. So if it kicks off you might have to wait fifteen minutes before it will work again, have to change a fuse which is probably soldered on inside the supply or move the switch back to the right spot. If that sounds like too much work then don't try it. Also being a DC fan using lower voltage will make the fan spin slower than it is rated for.

I take back what I said, don't try the 5 volt line because the fan has a 5 amp fuse on it so it will blow the fuse in your fan and won't work.

I am also still wondering why, when plugged into the LCD adapter (12v 3.5A) it just pulses off and on, it doesn't just shut off. I am a little hesitant to buiy another LCD adapter because of this.

wowzerz said:

Thanks a LOT for the input, both of you. I didn't know it needed to be MORE amps. and I didnt know I could go more then 12v. I guess its back to the hunt for a power cable. Any idea if that comp power supply would work at all?
EDIT:
Will this adapter work?
http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Power-Adapter-LCD-12-Volt-5-Amp-12V-5A-DC-Supply_W0QQitemZ230332281222QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item230332281222&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1308
It says DC in the title, but I'm not sure....

Click to expand...

Yes it will work, as a matter of fact I bought that same one also.

One last note, if you don't have a multimeter then get one. When you have to cut the wire to hook up the fan, you need to know which is negative and positive

And yes get one from ebay, they are really cheap.

wowzerz said:

I am also still wondering why, when plugged into the LCD adapter (12v 3.5A) it just pulses off and on, it doesn't just shut off. I am a little hesitant to buiy another LCD adapter because of this.

Click to expand...

The reason it pulses is because as the fan draws more than the adapter can handle the adapter is try to cut it says off.

It is built into the adapter so that the adapter won't overload itself.

awesome, thanks a lot.

keico said:

Yes it will work, as a matter of fact I bought that same one also.

One last note, if you don't have a multimeter then get one. When you have to cut the wire to hook up the fan, you need to know which is negative and positive

And yes get one from ebay, they are really cheap.

Click to expand...

I do have a multimeter, how would I test for neg and pos? Will it just give me roughly 12v for pos, and roughly -12v for neg?
And when I hooked up this other coard, it would work eaither way the wires were connected, it would just run in reverse when hooked up wrong, will this hurt the fan?

wowzerz said:

I do have a multimeter, how would I test for neg and pos? Will it just give me roughly 12v for pos, and roughly -12v for neg?
And when I hooked up this other coard, it would work eaither way the wires were connected, it would just run in reverse when hooked up wrong, will this hurt the fan?

Click to expand...

You look for the meter to say 12 volt. then note the red meter wire is the positive wire on the power adapter, and the black meter wire would be the negative wire.

If the meter reads -12 volts then it is opposite.

keico said:

The reason it pulses is because as the fan draws more than the adapter can handle the adapter is try to cut it says off.

It is built into the adapter so that the adapter won't overload itself.

Click to expand...

well got the power supply in the mail today, and when wired up it does the same as the last plug, just pulses off and on, does not run constant..........I dont get it.

A transformer will be needed,the best thing to do is take it to a electrical repair shop and have it repaired.it may not be broke but it can most likely be repaired to use the power output in your country.you have the name of the company that made it ask them.but don't put anything in a grow area that you are not sure of.otherwise it will be fire fire ya better bring some water.

wowzerz said:

well got the power supply in the mail today, and when wired up it does the same as the last plug, just pulses off and on, does not run constant..........I dont get it.

Click to expand...

which one did you buy.

Also it is not the fan. I have two of them. Depending on which transformer i use it will pulse. or work

Don't get discouraged.

I bought an LCD power supply off ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Power-Adapter-LCD-12-Volt-5-Amp-12V-5A-DC-Supply_W0QQitemZ230332281222QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item230332281222&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:15|39:1|240:1308

wowzerz said:

I bought an LCD power supply off ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Power-Adapter-LCD-12-Volt-5-Amp-12V-5A-DC-Supply_W0QQitemZ230332281222QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item230332281222&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1308

Click to expand...

Ok you are gonna need a power adapter that puts out more than 5 amps at 12vdc

I read through the description on ebay and the power adapter you bought will put out 5amps, but I have learned to never trust them

This one is better http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-12V-10A-Adapter-Power-Supply-for-LCD-monitor-Cord_W0QQitemZ390045166273QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item390045166273&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

this one is better http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-10A-DC-Universal-Regulated-Switching-Power-Supply_W0QQitemZ260396041044QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item260396041044&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

Before you spend more money try some thrift stores also. They are a gold mine when it comes to power adapters

keico said:

Ok you are gonna need a power adapter that puts out more than 5 amps at 12vdc

I read through the description on ebay and the power adapter you bought will put out 5amps, but I have learned to never trust them

This one is better http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-12V-10A-Adapter-Power-Supply-for-LCD-monitor-Cord_W0QQitemZ390045166273QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item390045166273&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

this one is better http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-10A-DC-Universal-Regulated-Switching-Power-Supply_W0QQitemZ260396041044QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item260396041044&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

Before you spend more money try some thrift stores also. They are a gold mine when it comes to power adapters

Click to expand...

I think I will check some thrift stores tomorrow. I tried the flea market but had no luck there.

wowzerz said:

I think I will check some thrift stores tomorrow. I tried the flea market but had no luck there.

Click to expand...

well I picked up a 12v 6amp car battery charger, will tryi it out tonight when I get home......wish me luck.
Fuck, this is about $80 I have spent on a $25 fan. The cheap ends up expensive, i should have just spent the money on a proper fan in the first place.