National Homebrew Club Ireland

In my never ending pursuit to collect crap from Ali express I bought powerful fans for fridges I don't yet have.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-PFC0612DE-12V-1-68A-6038-6CM-high-speed-cooling-fan-server-for-DELTA-60-60/32254316868.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.hmP7lq

Q: Will I damage them long term by using 3Amp 12V DC adapter v's 12V 1.68Aamp it has on the fan?

No problem there at all, CH. As long as the PSU can deliver more current than the fan spec, then it will only supply what the fan needs.
I tried out your fan-in-the-fridge idea last weekend to crash chill a fermenter. Normally the fridge struggles to get it down to 5ºC and takes days. I chucked in a small fan-heater switched to fan-only mode, and closed the door. Soft seals around the door took care of the cord. From 20º to -1 in less than 24 hours. Couldn't believe the difference it made! I'm going to round up one of my old computer fans and run a 12V wire into the fridge to supply a DC fan. Thanks for a great idea.

Jeebus, didn't think it could make that much of a difference. Guess I'll be wiring this weekend!

Thanks for the heads up SkiBeagle.
My experience is based on what I see from Brewpi and I'm guessing heating cooling circuit is on less by approx 50%
those fans are savage btw as long as you dont mind the 6 week wait!

If you got a 220v fan, you could use the power for the light maybe, tap in before the door switch? I presume the small current draw (150mA) wouldn't be a problem on that circuit - something like these?

http://www.maplin.ie/p/80mm-240v-main-axial-fan-yp46a (http://www.maplin.ie/p/80mm-240v-main-axial-fan-yp46a)

or

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Ball-Bearing-AC-220V-240V-12025B-120mm-120x120x25mm-4-7in-Cooling-Industrial-Fan-/261684356012?hash=item3ced9a63ac:g:vRYAAOSwiO9Xitdl (http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Ball-Bearing-AC-220V-240V-12025B-120mm-120x120x25mm-4-7in-Cooling-Industrial-Fan-/261684356012?hash=item3ced9a63ac:g:vRYAAOSwiO9Xitdl)

I'm not an electrician though, so I could be way off....

Those delta fans are noisy as f*ck. Think you'd be better off with a larger diameter fan that will be able to do a similar job at a lower speed and less noise.

It's quieter than a bigger one I have and blows a gale
It's in the shed so won't be bothering me in any case but yeah wouldn't want that hovercraft in the house alright!

I was interested in this so I grabbed a large CPU fan from an old computer, wired it up and fired it into my fermentation fridge.

I've got a stainless steel conical fermenter with a thermowell.

I pulled up some stats from my brewpi to see how long my beer took to cold crash before I had the fan in the fridge.

I put the fan in the fridge last night and was surprised at how much faster it drops the temp of the beer.

I've attached some screenshots for reference.

I've an old server fan in my drawer that I kept for the same idea, but I wasn't sure of the correct power source to use. I think I read somewhere that you could use an old phone charger to power it.

I've tested it and it works, I was just too nervous to use it in case it was unsafe.

Quote from: Fal on January 25, 2017, 12:48:36 PM
I've an old server fan in my drawer that I kept for the same idea, but I wasn't sure of the correct power source to use. I think I read somewhere that you could use an old phone charger to power it.

I've tested it and it works, I was just too nervous to use it in case it was unsafe.

My safety barometer is obviously not as finely tuned as yours!!!

...to be honest I think there is a little procrastination involved too.

Quote from: Fal on January 25, 2017, 12:48:36 PM
I've an old server fan in my drawer that I kept for the same idea, but I wasn't sure of the correct power source to use. I think I read somewhere that you could use an old phone charger to power it.

I've tested it and it works, I was just too nervous to use it in case it was unsafe.

i think most current phone chargers are 5V - the usb ones are anyway, which may not be enough power for some server fans and if it is, it would be at a much lower rpm (read airflow) than full power. You could use a different 12V supply from something like an old modem or an old external HD or the like, which would give you more power (although also more noise :D) - just check the current rating on the power supply is higher than on the fan.

Yeah the charger adapter is 9v and the fan works fine but it might not be as effective. I'll hunt down another 12v adapter somewhere and see how noisy it is.

In a hotel room, bored - had to do this:
29/12/16 11:04      No fan   
27/12/16 17:40           Degrees    Minutes   Mins/Degree drop
               17:24:00   13.8          1044           75.6521739130435
         
25/01/17 12:08      Fan   
24/01/17 23:40           Degrees   Minutes   
              12:28:00   14.1             748            53.0496453900709

I'd say there's a Nobel prize in there somewhere!

Was gonna do something similar but wasn't arsed in the end. I used all my effort with those 2 screenshots.

And great evidence it is too, mick02!
Looks like you'll get roughly 50% faster cooling with a fan in the house. No wonder all these stars have an entourage! Chillin'.
What really surprised me wasn't just the speed, it's the temp drop. My little fermenter fridge would not go below 5º on its own, but down to -1 with the fan. I'm seriously impressed by this.
On a separate note, I think old fridges are the cheapest way to cool your beer. I got a huge 8-corny larder fridge off dundeal for €50 and a freebie small larder fridge for nuthin. Be hard to make anything for that cost if you have the space.

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised by the results too. My larder fridge also has troubles getting the beer down below 3C. I'll see what happens now with the fan but it's looking promising so far.

Top tips guys don't push your domestic fridge below 3 for prolonged periods you will burn out the compressor

I did not know that. Have changed the settings to preserve the life of the fridge. Thanks for the tip

You can drop her down to zero or below for a day or so and that should be enough to crash chill anything, 3 is more than adequate for long term conditioning. 

Good to know, CH. Thanks for the tip. Getting down to -1 in 24hrs is good enough a cold crash for me. I'll give the poor old fridge a break after that. But it is really is great to be able to get that fast cold crash going on.

I also have the fans blowing across the heat or cool source as opposed to just circulating air
That bit probably only makes very small diff tbh I just feel it's more responsive to the probe on the other side of the fridge

Quote from: SkiBeagle on January 25, 2017, 08:22:30 PM
In a hotel room, bored - had to do this:
29/12/16 11:04      No fan   
27/12/16 17:40           Degrees    Minutes   Mins/Degree drop
              01:17:24     13.8      2484           180.0
         
25/01/17 12:08      Fan   
24/01/17 23:40           Degrees   Minutes   
              12:28:00   14.1             748            53.0496453900709

I'd say there's a Nobel prize in there somewhere!

FTFY... i did the same thing and missed the full day first time I looked at it :P


edit: You'd wonder why fridge manufacturers don't include a circulation fan as standard?

Any tips for wiring fans? Is is ok to cut the wires, twist together + some electrical tape?

That's what I did

Fine for 12V DC fans. But a bit of a terminal block might be more solid, and perhaps avoid a short.
Don't think I'd recommend twist and tape for mains wiring. But then, I don't think I'd recommend a mains-powered fan for this job in any case. Much safer with low voltage DC in an environment where electricity, beer, condensation and drunkenness all meet!

+1 on 240V fan, I have one winking out at me from my project tool box, really not sure humid fridge best place for it, 12V nobody dies

Pob put me onto these things which are rally great and no faffing around with little screws.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Wago+Connectors+222+Series+2+%2C+3+%26+5+Port+Lever+Cage+Clamp+Terminal+Blocks&_id=121721102108&&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2658

These are what I use though, saves you having to cut cable on transformer

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html?_nkw=10Pairs+12v+DC+Male%26Female+Power+Balun+Connector+Adapter+Plug+Jack+For+CCTV+tu&_id=351680837725&&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2658