Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

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gamax92
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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by gamax92 » Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:49 pm

bicostp wrote:Yup. Just wire positive to positive and negative to negative. Just make sure your wall adapter can push enough amperage for your fans at the voltage they need. Don't worry about getting the polarity backwards the first time; the worst thing that will happen is the fans turn the wrong way!

You might not even have to chop the wall adapter's cable up. Radio Shack has a decent selection of replacement power jacks (both male and female), so you might be able to find one to match the existing plug. It's a non-destructive option in case you need the power adapter to run what it originally went with again.
Or it just might not move. Red is positive, Black is negative.
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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by Bdawg » Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:53 pm

Thanks for your prompt reply! I think the adapter should be able to push out enough power to keep the fans running at fullspeed. We don't have a Radio Shack here in New Zealand, so I was thinking of cutting the end off an old PS2 power cable/adapter, or a laptop charger.
That'll work right?

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by bicostp » Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:57 pm

As long as it pushes around the voltage your fans need (usually 12v; anywhere in that ballpark) it will work.

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by gamax92 » Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:02 pm

Most computer/other fans have a voltage requirement of 12 but can run of 5.

You could use a fan voltage controller to adjust the speed.

But yeah a playstation should have that yellow plug. Rip it of if you dont want your playstation 2
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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by Bdawg » Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:07 pm

Fan Voltage controller? Where would I accquire one of these?
My PS2 dropped, and the disk motor broke inside. I don't have time to go buy another just so I can fix it, then take it apart to make a portable :| .
Alright, thanks, I'll get right on it then.
Also, what type of materials should I be using when making my laptop cooler? I was thinking either a plastic(or metal) mesh basket with a couple holes cut out for the fans, and maybe some metal supports on the inside incase the entire think crumbles. How's that? Since, your on a roll :wink: .

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by gamax92 » Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:08 pm

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by Bdawg » Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:17 pm

Just chopped the end off a a PS2 charger, and I'm stuck. Theres only one wire in this casing! What to do?

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by Snipeye » Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:52 pm

Is the wire surrounded by something? If it is, the wire is +V, and the surrounding stuff is Ground (-V) and you can connect it as such.

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by bicostp » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:20 am

The core wire should be positive. I don't have a PS2 slim power adapter to test with, but to the best of my recollection the inner wire on the PSone adapter was positive.

Closer to the outside of the cable directly underneath the black insulation, there should be something that looks like a wire mesh or a bunch of thin wires wrapped around the core insulation. That's the other pole, should be ground. (Coaxial cables for cable TV do something similar.)

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Re: Make a USB Powered 3 pin fan?

Post by Bdawg » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:58 am

Alright. I ended up using a 17V, 400mA wall charger instead, but now that I know whats what, I'll replace that. I have a lot to replace now though, I hooked it up to a fan, made my plastic-mesh stand, and started soldering in a DP-DT switch. I had a great idea of turning the fans on while I was soldering to get rid of the flux fumes, but somehow the entire thing dropped and a couple plastic wings on each fan snapped off. Time to go find some new fans. :(

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