PC Cooling Fans for Tube Amps

Dominguez · 18th August 2007, 06:20 AM

My tube amplifier is in semi-enclosed area. The temperature gets pretty high after a few hours of use.

Is a viable cooling solution to use a PC power supply with 4-6 80mm ultra quite PC fans attached?

Is there a better solution to power the PC fans in lieu of the PC power supply?

This website listed below has a nice cooling solution, but I’m concerned about adding 2 additional fans. Also their solution requires plugging into a power strip with an off/on button in order not to have it on all the time.

Any suggestions provided will be greatly appreciated.

THANKS!

http://www.yampanet.com/System_Setup.html

Geek · 18th August 2007, 07:11 AM

Hi,

Search is your friend

That setup looks like complete overkill for a tube project, unless you're going WELL over the ratings

Cheers!

PeteN · 18th August 2007, 08:12 PM

Hi, with that system you linked to, it looks like you could simply plug on more PC fans providing they have a 4 pin molex hard-drive (pre-sata) style power connector due to the fact that their "wiring harness" looks to me to be nothing more than 4 daisy chained molex plugs/sockets with wires taken off the 12V and GND lines for the fans.
The 3 pin plugs are also standard to many computer fans. The "unused white wire" is for RPM monitoring.

Thus, in essence, that kit appears to be nothing more than a 12V supply with some kind of temperature control. The rest is standard computer kit.

For reference: if you use a a PC supply, you have the option to run fans at one of a miriad of voltages: 5, 7, 8.3, 10, 12, 15.3, 17 and 24 volts depending on what you connect the fans between. Larger fans sometimes wont start on less than 5V. A common simple trick is to run the fan between the two outermost pins of the molex plug, yeilding 7V. The more powerful the fan motor and heavier the blades the better this works.

And just if you aren't aware; to start a PC power supply, ground the green pin on the 20 or 24pin plug to any of the black wires (it doesn't latch).

Dominguez · 18th August 2007, 09:00 PM

Thanks for the search link, but I already had checked it out. What I want to do is mount the fans into the built in cabinet, not the mono block amps. I attached a photo; hope this helps clarify my initial question.

ak_47_boy · 19th August 2007, 01:06 AM

If a wet finger does not sizzle on anything except the tubes you are fine.

If you want a fan here is the guide:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=137832

18th August 2007, 06:20 AM	#1
Dominguez diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2007	PC Cooling Fans for Tube Amps My tube amplifier is in semi-enclosed area. The temperature gets pretty high after a few hours of use. Is a viable cooling solution to use a PC power supply with 4-6 80mm ultra quite PC fans attached? Is there a better solution to power the PC fans in lieu of the PC power supply? This website listed below has a nice cooling solution, but I’m concerned about adding 2 additional fans. Also their solution requires plugging into a power strip with an off/on button in order not to have it on all the time. Any suggestions provided will be greatly appreciated. THANKS! http://www.yampanet.com/System_Setup.html

18th August 2007, 08:12 PM	#3
PeteN diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007	Hi, with that system you linked to, it looks like you could simply plug on more PC fans providing they have a 4 pin molex hard-drive (pre-sata) style power connector due to the fact that their "wiring harness" looks to me to be nothing more than 4 daisy chained molex plugs/sockets with wires taken off the 12V and GND lines for the fans. The 3 pin plugs are also standard to many computer fans. The "unused white wire" is for RPM monitoring. Thus, in essence, that kit appears to be nothing more than a 12V supply with some kind of temperature control. The rest is standard computer kit. For reference: if you use a a PC supply, you have the option to run fans at one of a miriad of voltages: 5, 7, 8.3, 10, 12, 15.3, 17 and 24 volts depending on what you connect the fans between. Larger fans sometimes wont start on less than 5V. A common simple trick is to run the fan between the two outermost pins of the molex plug, yeilding 7V. The more powerful the fan motor and heavier the blades the better this works. And just if you aren't aware; to start a PC power supply, ground the green pin on the 20 or 24pin plug to any of the black wires (it doesn't latch). __________________ -- Peter

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18th August 2007, 07:11 AM	#2
Geek diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004	Hi, Search is your friend That setup looks like complete overkill for a tube project, unless you're going WELL over the ratings Cheers!

18th August 2007, 09:00 PM	#4
Dominguez diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2007	Thanks for the search link, but I already had checked it out. What I want to do is mount the fans into the built in cabinet, not the mono block amps. I attached a photo; hope this helps clarify my initial question.

19th August 2007, 01:06 AM	#5
ak_47_boy diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006	If a wet finger does not sizzle on anything except the tubes you are fine. If you want a fan here is the guide: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=137832