Heating using the hot water tank.

[lrrowe]

MtnDon, the searches I have made show many fan models with 3 or 4 wires coming from the motors. How do you hook them up?

The older computer/printer (old technology) fans I have only have two connectors.

[MtnDon]

The "extra" wires do special things on some motherboards. 4 wire fans can bhave their speed controlled by the motherboard. There will be a positive and a negative for running the fans at normal speed. Usually red (+) and black (-), but that rule is not always followed. There is always a black for negative. Positive can sometimes be yellow. If there is a red it should be the positive. Once you have it running in the right direction the extra wire(s)can be cut off or bundled with tape.


The 90 CFM I used have only 2 wires.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171106911950?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

[lrrowe]

I figured it would be something like that.
I was thinking of this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-SickleFlow-120-Radiators/dp/B0026ZPFDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423452086&sr=8-1&keywords=Cooler+Master+SickleFlow+120+-+Sleeve+Bearing+120mm+Silent+Fan+for+Computer+Cases%2C+CPU+Coolers%2C+and+Radiators+%28Smoke+Color%29
90CFM
.35 amp
19 db
$9.76 each. Might get two if more cfm's make a difference.

[Socal Tom]

MtnDon, the searches I have made show many fan models with 3 or 4 wires coming from the motors. How do you hook them up?

The older computer/printer (old technology) fans I have only have two connectors.

Those extra wires report the fan speed to the motherboard.
Tom

[MtnDon]

Bob,

1. I fixed the link to the fan I am now using, in case you tried and could not get to it.

2. The fan you linked to has decent static pressure, that's good. Full specs over here... http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cas ... m-red-led/ It does draw twice the amps that mine does, which is likely because it has sleeve bearings and mine has ball bearings. I'm probably just too anal about things like that but I do prefer ball bearings because of less friction. They are both rated at the same service length (50,000 hours) but one uses less current and moves more CFM.

I am glad I tried the second set of fans (90 CFM) as the additional air movement does make a difference. But there is a trade off... my 90 CFM are noisier than the one you linked to. Decisions, decisions.... darn near anything will work.

[Socal Tom]

Bob,

1. I fixed the link to the fan I am now using, in case you tried and could not get to it.

2. The fan you linked to has decent static pressure, that's good. Full specs over here... http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cas ... m-red-led/ It does draw twice the amps that mine does, which is likely because it has sleeve bearings and mine has ball bearings. I'm probably just too anal about things like that but I do prefer ball bearings because of less friction. They are both rated at the same service length (50,000 hours) but one uses less current and moves more CFM.

I am glad I tried the second set of fans (90 CFM) as the additional air movement does make a difference. But there is a trade off... my 90 CFM are noisier than the one you linked to. Decisions, decisions.... darn near anything will work.

If it were me, I'd put the speed controller on the 90 cfm fans. Slowing them will reduce the noise, but you will likely still have more than the 45 would do.
Tom

[lrrowe]

My next challenge will be to find a lesser amp unit with otherwise similar specs.....if possible at similar cost.

[lrrowe]

Bob,

1. I fixed the link to the fan I am now using, in case you tried and could not get to it.

2. The fan you linked to has decent static pressure, that's good. Full specs over here... http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cas ... m-red-led/ It does draw twice the amps that mine does, which is likely because it has sleeve bearings and mine has ball bearings. I'm probably just too anal about things like that but I do prefer ball bearings because of less friction. They are both rated at the same service length (50,000 hours) but one uses less current and moves more CFM.

I am glad I tried the second set of fans (90 CFM) as the additional air movement does make a difference. But there is a trade off... my 90 CFM are noisier than the one you linked to. Decisions, decisions.... darn near anything will work.

If it were me, I'd put the speed controller on the 90 cfm fans. Slowing them will reduce the noise, but you will likely still have more than the 45 would do.

Don't you think that enclosing this system in the cabinets or whatever will reduce some of the noise by absorption?

[MtnDon]

Re fan noise. I am not going to be enclosing them in a cabinet. I am going to install the PWM controller since I have one that is not doing anything, so if we want to we can slow the fan. Slowing the fan might be better than simply allowing the temperature controller to cycle everything off and on, at times. Anyhow; easier to include it from the beginning than adding later.

Here's a few pictures of my heater unit, final assembled version. After I complete the plumbing hookup tomorrow I'll do another photo. Just waiting for the temperature controller to arrive and then we'll button it all up.








I need to dig through my metal scaps; I think I have some expanded metal that would be suitable for a grille/protector

[lrrowe]

A picture sure is worth a thousand words. Thanks for leading the way. It is time for me to get the parts on order.

[lrrowe]

I've got a couple of heater cores I got off eBay for cheap. I was planning on doing Don's experiment but lost interest. Maybe I'll dust them off and do a little bit of experimenting.

Bruce

Hi Bruce. Where you able to start your experiment? It would be nice to have two approaches to look at before one makes the final buy decision on the required parts.

[MtnDon]

This is just my way of doing this. I'll be watching to see if anyone does something that makes me wish I was the follower.


FWIW, I bought the water pump for this back on October 14. The germ of the idea formed last summer while camping in the mountains of northern CO. I had the two 45 CFM fans laying about from a set of four that were priced too good to pass up several years ago. All I needed was a kick in the pants to get my act together. I have to thank Shadow Catcher for that.

[Shadow Catcher]

I have the wood cut and bought aluminum angel and got it cut and ready to drill and realized I had not allowed enough leg length to be able screw in to both box sides. I picked up more aluminum angel this morning with longer leg length. I should be able to rough assemble in the next couple of days and get some pictures. I am looking for some aluminum expanded mesh.

[MtnDon]

Shadow Catcher, I have all sorts of metal pieces that were somehow drilled wrong, cut wrong, weldedwrong, ... .... wrong one way or the other.

I had meant to include that it may not be best practice to place the fans directly on the radiator. It may be better to have a space between the fans and the fins, a plenum to direct the airflow through the entire core. I can't say if it will make all that much difference. Someone could possibly test that. I was not interested in that path because of space constraints. You'll see what I mean when I show the installation in the trailer.

[Shadow Catcher]

Don
One of the problems I am running into is not being able fully pre-visualize all the bits and pieces and how they will be fit together. On top of this are some great ideas that have come from this thread that will be incorporated changing some details, i.e. I will pick up so expanded mesh to protect the heater core and fan. I am also trying to figure out how to do a plenum or even if I want to. Attaching directly to the core is easy suspending the fan not so, but sealing around the top and creating a 200mm hole in what ever...
The Ringder thermostat arrived today from China I am hoping the pump will follow shortly