pc fans for cooling

[jc1of2]

I recently swapped out the fans I use to cool my overdriven t5 bulbs. The old fans were getting rusty and one of them just gave out. I decided to use pc fans instead of my old style which were the small clip on fans you would find at walmart. I wired up three but they are kind of loud. Instead of the faster 80mm fans I want to go with some slower 140mm fans. They don't push as much air but my plan is to put put 3 on one side of the canopy and 3 on the other. Both sets blowing against the endcaps and along the length of the bulbs. So here are my questions. 1. Do you think 3 fans blowing 60.9 CFM each on either side would be enough to cool the bulbs? I don't need them cool to the touch just cool enough to let my bulbs last at least 1 to 1 1/2 years. 2. Can I wire all six fans to one 12v 1A wall plug? Each fan is DC12v .14A. Thanks.

This picture shows the 140mm fans on the outside and the 120mm on the inside. The 120 gives off a loud hum.

 

[Tnconcept]

It should be fine T5ho don't produce much heat as mh so those pc fans are just as good. Your in Tx with me so its hotttt I hope you have a-c on.

 

[mcgyvr]

6" Clip on fans are like 175 CFM
Its better to have the fans blowing towards the bulbs in this situation assuming your fixture/canopy is not sealed and is pretty open (more directed cooler intake air moving over the bulbs)
and 6x.14A=.84Amps.. The 1 Amp supply would probably be fine.. I would chose something closer to 1.5A (I like roughly a 2x safety factor for electrical stuff)

if noise is a concern you look for the fan with the CFM you need and the lowest dba.
Fans that are underdriven (9V instead of 12V or whatever) are really much quieter too.. (but of course CFM goes down too)

 

[jc1of2]

Thanks for the advice.
I keep the ac at 75 degrees. I can't stand the heat.
My canopy is open in the back and I have 6" diameter holes in the top at both ends. I lived with the noise from the clip on fan and hated it. The tank is in the living room and I am trying to keep the noise down. Not easy with a vortech mp40. I'm starting to think using icecap 660's is a bad idea. If I downgrade to 430's I can ditch the fans and only lose 120w of light.