Okay, I just bought a couple of 12v squirrel fans to air cool my lines going 3-4 feet to my taps in a wall. Now that they're here they look tiny. Is this way too small a fan for what I need to do?
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
12 volt squirrel fans for air cooled lines?
- Thread starter Dgonza9
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Dgonza9
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Anyone? I just hooked one up to a 12v DC power source. Puts out more air than you'd expect for a 2" long device. Not sure if it's enough, though.
Appreciate any help you guys can give me on this one. Cheers!
Appreciate any help you guys can give me on this one. Cheers!
Some pics would help. and some stats like CFPM, RPM, Size of the fan part itself output diameter. Help us help you, Heeellllppp uussss heeelllpppp yyyoooouuuu. : D (LOL been watching alot of scrubs lately)
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Dgonza9
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I thought that line was from "Jerry Maguire." LOL. Here's the model:
Delta Brushless: BFB0512HH
6500 rpm.
I just googled it myself. Must've typed it in wrong before because I got the stats this time.
Looks like 4.6 cfm. Holy crap. Puny. Couldn't even cool my testicles with that.
What's the sweet spot for cfm on an air cooled system for like four feet?
Delta Brushless: BFB0512HH
6500 rpm.
I just googled it myself. Must've typed it in wrong before because I got the stats this time.
Looks like 4.6 cfm. Holy crap. Puny. Couldn't even cool my testicles with that.
What's the sweet spot for cfm on an air cooled system for like four feet?
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
Have the same issue in my kegerator. I did the fan conversion in the thread below,but with a higher CFM fan,but its not still not enough CFM to cool the tower. I'm now thinking a Bilge Blower fan for a boat. they are 12 volt. then run the lines inside the ducting up into the tower.
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=65288&sid=f5293df98f8856a78d95a7838def331f
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=65288&sid=f5293df98f8856a78d95a7838def331f
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Dgonza9
Well-Known Member
What cfm did you have and how long were your lines? Were you just cooling a tower?
I'm thinking of buying this one...
http://www.buyextras.com/b12dc12vdoba.html
Assuming 5 cfm isn't enough air movement here. I have two of those 5 cfm squirrel fans, so i could blow one in and one sucking out, but seems too tiny to work.
I'm thinking of buying this one...
http://www.buyextras.com/b12dc12vdoba.html
Assuming 5 cfm isn't enough air movement here. I have two of those 5 cfm squirrel fans, so i could blow one in and one sucking out, but seems too tiny to work.
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
Yes, just a tower.Lines no longer than 24" This is what I used,but its not enough
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185054
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Dgonza9
Well-Known Member
Whoa! Hefeluver, that fan is rated over 100 cfm and it wasn't enough to cool 24" in a tower? Something seems wrong there. Can you post a pic? I can't imagine needing 200 cfm to air cool 4 feet of beer line.
Yeah, the copper is a clever way to go. But I'm told it'll only work for a foot or two and my lines will be longer than that. Also, it's rigid and I may need some flexibility in my setup. Good idea though.
What would really help is some idea of how many cfm in a fan I'd need for 2" lines running 4 or so feet to my tap box. I don't sense that the little fans I got will work at 5cfm. You can buy 12v squirrel fans at 30 cfm. Would that be enough? Some muffin fans are over 100 cfm. Too much? Too noisy?
Then there are these boater ventilation fans. Pretty cheap. Bigger cfm. Too noisy? Too much?
http://www.boatersland.com/blowers.html
If there's anyone else out there with air cooled lines, some help dialing in the cfm would be much appreciated.
Yeah, the copper is a clever way to go. But I'm told it'll only work for a foot or two and my lines will be longer than that. Also, it's rigid and I may need some flexibility in my setup. Good idea though.
What would really help is some idea of how many cfm in a fan I'd need for 2" lines running 4 or so feet to my tap box. I don't sense that the little fans I got will work at 5cfm. You can buy 12v squirrel fans at 30 cfm. Would that be enough? Some muffin fans are over 100 cfm. Too much? Too noisy?
Then there are these boater ventilation fans. Pretty cheap. Bigger cfm. Too noisy? Too much?
http://www.boatersland.com/blowers.html
If there's anyone else out there with air cooled lines, some help dialing in the cfm would be much appreciated.
SweetSounds
Well-Known Member
How is your system set up?
Is the cold air send inside the return?
Is the send separate from the return?
Is it insulated well?
Is the cold air send inside the return?
Is the send separate from the return?
Is it insulated well?
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Dgonza9
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Hey, thanks for the help SweetSounds. I was planning on having a separate return line.
The cold air line will run to a box on the back of the wall insulated with rigid foam, then a return line from the bottom of the box to the keezer.
Just need to size the fan, really.
The cold air line will run to a box on the back of the wall insulated with rigid foam, then a return line from the bottom of the box to the keezer.
Just need to size the fan, really.
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Dgonza9
Well-Known Member
Micromatic suggests a 12cfm blower for runs up to five feet. The larger 50cfm blowers are cautioned against because they generate a lot of heat and only commercial coolers can handle it.
Of course, micromatic's 12cfm blower is $100. Maybe going to aim for 25-30cfm in a 12v squirrel cage model. http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/air-cooled-pid-2C782.html
I'm not sure I understand how to set up to use one pipe both to send cold air to the tap box and to return warm air. Do I just use a 2" pvc pipe with the beer lines in it, then put a 1" pvc pipe inside of this assembly, leaving the bear lines outside of the 1" pipe?
How then, do you install the fan? I had pictured it blowing directly into the 2" pipe, thus blocking air from returning.
Bit confused, but hopefully closer to working this out.
Of course, micromatic's 12cfm blower is $100. Maybe going to aim for 25-30cfm in a 12v squirrel cage model. http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/air-cooled-pid-2C782.html
I'm not sure I understand how to set up to use one pipe both to send cold air to the tap box and to return warm air. Do I just use a 2" pvc pipe with the beer lines in it, then put a 1" pvc pipe inside of this assembly, leaving the bear lines outside of the 1" pipe?
How then, do you install the fan? I had pictured it blowing directly into the 2" pipe, thus blocking air from returning.
Bit confused, but hopefully closer to working this out.
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
i mounted the high CFM muffin fan in a hobby box with a hole cut in the side. I used flexible white 1" hose about 24"l. through a piece of 2" PVC out the top of the kegerator through a hole in the bar. attached the tower over the stub of PVC . I the filled the whole cavity surrounding the hose (ducting) and beer lines with liquid foam in a can. But i just dont feel much air flow coming out the white hose. It might be the design of the hobby box, but I need something that blows more air
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Dgonza9
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking the 1" white hose might be what limits your airflow, hefeluver. Try keeping it 2".
I'm going with the fan below. I'll let you know how it goes for anyone in a similar situation.
http://www.buyextras.com/b12dc12vdoba.html
I'm going with the fan below. I'll let you know how it goes for anyone in a similar situation.
http://www.buyextras.com/b12dc12vdoba.html
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
How do you plan on ducting that up the tower ?? That looks like a Circuit card fan
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Dgonza9
Well-Known Member
I don't have a tower. I've got taps going from my keezer thru a wall a few feet away.
I'm going to build a box around the taps and attempt to keep the lines and shanks cool with the airflow. If you can get a 2" line going to your tower you may have more airflow. I would think that a 100cfm fan would have no problem for you. Then again, I don't know the layout and mechanics of towers.
Let me know if you figure it out. Good luck. I was hoping for some more advice from people who've done this type of thing on their systems but not much luck so far.
Cheers!
I'm going to build a box around the taps and attempt to keep the lines and shanks cool with the airflow. If you can get a 2" line going to your tower you may have more airflow. I would think that a 100cfm fan would have no problem for you. Then again, I don't know the layout and mechanics of towers.
Let me know if you figure it out. Good luck. I was hoping for some more advice from people who've done this type of thing on their systems but not much luck so far.
Cheers!
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Dgonza9
Well-Known Member
Figured I'd update this post so it's all in one place.
Looks like very little in the way of CFM is needed. Micromatic's numbers may be correct. the 35 CFM squirrel fan was more than what I needed. Since it was too loud I hooked it up to a 6v outlet instead of 12. It still moves enough air and is silent.
Hefeluver, I wonder why your 115 CFM fan isn't doing the job for you. Did you try the larger line? Mine is 2".
Good luck.
Looks like very little in the way of CFM is needed. Micromatic's numbers may be correct. the 35 CFM squirrel fan was more than what I needed. Since it was too loud I hooked it up to a 6v outlet instead of 12. It still moves enough air and is silent.
Hefeluver, I wonder why your 115 CFM fan isn't doing the job for you. Did you try the larger line? Mine is 2".
Good luck.
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
I reworked my whole system this weekend. My kegerator sits under my outside bar with the tower attached to the bar top. I rebuilt the 2" PVC from the kegerator to the tower by inserting a piece of 1" copper pipe up the middle, running the beer lines through the copper pipe. on the stub of copper pipe in the top of the kegerator i put a copper 'T'. the lines go through 1 leg, and the fan duct attaches to the other leg of the T. I incapsulated this whole assembly with liquid expanding insulation. so now the fan blows air up the copper pipe cooling the lines all the way to the top of the tower. I measured the temp at the top of the pipe with a digital thermometer and it read 43 dg.I also lengthend my lines to 10' will give this a few days to set up and see how she does
