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Powering a 12v fan via 5v USB

Toothless

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Basically what the title says, but will there be any issues besides the fan spinning slowly?
 
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Toothless

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I may have to get one of those later down the road, as my main concern is if the fan will burn out the USB port or not.
 
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No, as long as you connect it properly, you'll be fine.

Check the amperage rating on your fan. Most will be ~0.25A or similar. This is at 12V, so at 5V it'll be using less than half that. USB2 can supply up to .5A to each device. USB3 can supply more. (in reality, the physical ports and supply can usually provide much more, but this is what the specification allows).

Your main problem is going to be that a LOT of fans won't start at 5V
 

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I do have a USB hub that can plug into the wall, if that helps.
 

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Well a hub is generally cheaper than replacing a motherboard :), and as some one else said make sure the ampage is low on the fan so no PANA fans and such.
 

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It's just 80mm to 120mm case fans being used. Normal stuff.
 
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Simple volt logic in me asks why you can't use 2 connectors, and join the dc current to make 10V. Pretty darn close, no?

PS: If you need case fans Toothless, I can stick some freebie 120MM in your PSU you just bought. They are old dirty bitcon mining ones but they still spin. ;) Coolermaster sleeve bearing models IIRC.
 
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Simple volt logic in me asks why you can't use 2 connectors, and join the dc current to make 10V. Pretty darn close, no?

PS: If you need case fans Toothless, I can stick some freebie 120MM in your PSU you just bought. They are old dirty bitcon mining ones but they still spin. ;) Coolermaster sleeve bearing models IIRC.
That would still result in 5V, but double the amperage available.
 
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wiring usb in series is a good way to burnout the usb port or fry the motherboard
 
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The O.P. doesn't say what the source is apart from being USB, so I assumed a port on a desktop.
 
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Simple volt logic in me asks why you can't use 2 connectors, and join the dc current to make 10V. Pretty darn close, no?

PS: If you need case fans Toothless, I can stick some freebie 120MM in your PSU you just bought. They are old dirty bitcon mining ones but they still spin. ;) Coolermaster sleeve bearing models IIRC.

That would still result in 5V, but double the amperage available.


wiring usb in series is a good way to burnout the usb port or fry the motherboard

The O.P. doesn't say what the source is apart from being USB, so I assumed a port on a desktop.

No NO NO STOP

Your PSU IS NOT A BATTERY


You can't series wire PSU connections in a PC. All same-voltage connectors originate at the same place in the PSU. Trying to wire in series is a DEAD SHORT and you will either:

1) Trip the OCP in the PSU preventing it from turning on
or more likely
2) Fry everything involved and start a fire
 
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And your reason for quoting my posts in that rant?
Where did I say wiring in series was a good idea?
 

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Uh.. my power source at the moment is a USB port on my netbook that leads to a hub. I'm trying to find my wall connector for the hub because I know it gives more power.

UPDATE I FOUND THE WALL THING.

Input 120v AC 60hz
Output 5v DC 1000mA
 
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Power, yes. Voltage, no. You're making more current available. You (probably) already have enough, what you need is more voltage.

Why not pick up a 12V DC wall wart (do check that it is 12v, DC, and check the polarity of the connector) and use that? They're just as ubiquitous as USB ports. Or you could use the boost converter like Brusfantomet suggested if you're dead set on USB.
 

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Well if there was a direct outlet thing to power fans then I'd get that.
 
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No NO NO STOP

Your PSU IS NOT A BATTERY


You can't series wire PSU connections in a PC. All same-voltage connectors originate at the same place in the PSU. Trying to wire in series is a DEAD SHORT and you will either:

1) Trip the OCP in the PSU preventing it from turning on
or more likely
2) Fry everything involved and start a fire


Thanks for the quick correct. I did note I was applying simple DC logic and not aparently sensible logic, lol. Glad nothing got burned.

This is a good case in my instance of knowing just enough to be dangerous. I'll duck out now. ;)
 
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Thanks for the quick correct. I did note I was applying simple DC logic and not aparently sensible logic, lol. Glad nothing got burned.

This is a good case in my instance of knowing just enough to be dangerous. I'll duck out now. ;)

That was why I made it big and red. Wanted to be sure it got noticed.

It's an easy mistake to make if you don't know how the power supply is wired on the inside. No harm, no foul - and you learned something so you'll never make that mistake again and can correct others... a worthwhile addition to the thread.

Well if there was a direct outlet thing to power fans then I'd get that.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TJNDU4/?tag=tec06d-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BSJGL0/?tag=tec06d-20

That would do you for a whole bunch of fans, just get enough 3-pin adapters and add the amp value for each fan. (For example, say you want to use 5 fans each rated at 0.25A, that would be 1.25A - the supply in this case supports 5A aka 5000mA. As long as the total of your fans doesn't exceed that, you're golden)

The only thing you might have to watch out for is that sometimes these power bricks omit one of the two grounding pins in the four pin connector, so you'd have to bridge the center two pins on the fan adapter if the ground you need is missing. Perfectly safe, but be careful not to bridge either two center pins to an outside pin - that's a short circuit.
 
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Yeah my background is wiring two 1.5V AA batteries together to (barely) power 5V LEDs as a child... Not what I'd call an identical situation. You're right, I'll never advise that again! lol
 
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When I was a child (around six years old, I think) I tried to wire up a 120V light socket with 22AWG wire. I also created a short circuit there. It was a good thing that the wires I used were so tiny, since they just instantly evaporated all the wire out of the insulation. :fear:

BLUE SMOKE EVERYWHERE.

I've since learned to do my research first :roll: (and had some schooling in electronics as well)
 
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I did the same thing with a standard AC socket trying to power a DC project. About 6 or 7 as well. No blue smoke but that outlet is still blackened to this day.

Thankfully for me, it was a 10AMP 120V circuit so it just tripped really fast.

That was about when I stopped messing with electronic things. They seem less magical when they blow up.

Back now to NOT blowing things up...
 

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Okay, last question. Would this be okay to use directly to a fan and PSU? It's a Rosewill fan controller where I took off the part that plugs into the board, showing the three pin connector.
 
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It should be fine, yes.

Just to be sure, what do you mean when you say "I took off the part that plugs into the board"

Like I said, some of those molex power bricks omit one of the ground pins, usually the one closest to the 12V pin, which you'll be drawing power from. So if you use one of those to power it, and if that's the case that it only has 3 pins in the molex end, you'd just need to connect the two black wires in the center of that molex together on that adapter. If not, and the molex power brick has all four pins, then you don't need to do anything but plug it in.

If you're going to be using things like this that are meant mainly for use inside a PC case, it's not a bad idea to take some electrical tape and cover all the bare connection points once you've got it all hooked up and working, and of course keep it out of reach of pets and small children.
 
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I have a fan speed controller almost identical to that, it too came originally with two wires on the molex connectors and doesn't need any work or modification for it to work.
 
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