Has anyone installed cold cathode cpu fans in their car? I have my amp wired in the compartment in the back but during these hot summer days in NC, the amp will get really hot and shut off. So I have elevated the amp to get air circulating under it and want to install two cpu fans to continuously run (they also glow blue to match my interior lighting). To finish, I am installing an acrylic window into the cover and drilling a few holes (in a cool pattern) for ventilation. I have no idea how to wire the cpu fans as the wires are set up to plug into a computer. Any thoughts or ideas?

 

12v. either to your cigarette lighter or if in mo mistaken even to the power of them amp. ,<-- dont do it until somebody verifies.

 

I thought about just wiring it into the amp itself but there seems to be more to it than that. Here is the link to what the fan looks like and the wiring.

http://www.aselabs.com/img.php?id=13...92a588489f5281

The lighting is wired into an inverter and the fan wiring has a red,yellow and black wire running from it with a three-pin plug.

Here are the specs on the fan:

This 3 x 3-Inch Round Cold Cathode Fan glows a bright blue light inside your system. Simply press the rocker switch to turn off or on the light as desired. Not only does it make your case look cool but it will also keep your system cool!

General Features:
Clear fan
3 x 3-inch Round Cold Cathode Fan
Fan lights up blue
Rocker switch with power inverter
12V input voltage
620V output voltage
2.4 watts power consumption
8-inches length from 3-pin connector to fan
34-inches length from rocker switch to fan

Retail Package Includes:
3 x 3-Inch Round Cold Cathode Fan
3-pin to 4-pin male/female extension power cable (14" length, approximate)
Screws
Double sided tape
Metal washer

I don't need the rocker switch and can't use the 3-pin plug for the fan - any suggestions on how to wire into my amp?

I know I could go with a standard amp fan and then add lighting but this would be much cooler (and take up less space) if this could work.

 

hey -
what you have is a fan, and a CCFL
that pic looks like they're seperate plugs.
I'm guessing that maybe the fan is +5v and teh CCFL +12v.
YEL = +12v and RED = +5v

You can feed it off the amp

the CCFL part is easy, just bite in to the +12v going to your amp. I'm guessing it is already switched power? you want it to shut off when the amp goes off anyway...

but if that fan is +5v - (red wire IS +5v on a 4-pin molex connector) you could get a resistor and take the +12v down to +5v, or a more better idea is maybe to use the remote wire on the amp - it should only be +5v.

If it's all switched power already... you could elect to not use the switch that came with it.

Use a proper fuse - see what milliamps this thing draws (200 mA based on the 2.4W power..) and get a fuse and in-line fuse holder... go from the amp power wire to the in-line fuse then out to your device.

- Saylor

 

Thanks for the help - I'll give it a try! :D

 

plus you could use a relay, which i recomend

 

I'm pretty sure PC fans are 12V... also.. make sure you use a relay thats triggered by the remote turn on lead for the amp.

 

Sure a fan may help, but if your amps are over heating, you've really got another problem. Most amps' temp cutoff range is 150-190. Unless you hop in after it sitting in the sun all day with the windows up and jam on it hard, you need to make sure your amps can handle your subs. Honestly, you're likely to be over driving your amp. Unless you've put the amp under the pad of your back seat, any other place in the car is open enough to let it air our sufficantly.

 

voltage controled speed?? i think more voltage higher fan speed...

 

FoDo,

It is only during really hot days that I have this problem because I do have the amp in the compartment in the back where there is little air circulating.

 

I recommend drilling small holes in the compartment for the air to escape out. keeping it cooler! If not then install the fans!

 

Well, right now, I have two 3" x 3" holes in the compartment where the fans will go Taking a road trip this weekend - we'll see if that will suffice. Would like to get thos fans installed eventually though - even if only for looks.

 

Maybe I missed the part where you said that's where the amp is. Then yes a fan would definately do better. Flip one of the fans around so one's blowing and one's sucking. so you can get the hot air out.