Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
just purchased the chiller off of ebay... I wasn't as fortunate to find it as cheap as $20, rather $55 but hey at least its not full price and it was hardly ever used. I'm testing it out now. I have a few questions...
you said:
"Fan quietening: The chiller uses a computer fan that runs all the time. On larger tanks the sound is not noticeable, but on smaller or quieter tanks, or tanks in your bedroom, the fan could be made slower/quieter by inserting a resister into the power lead of the fan. The chiller is powerful and freezes as is; less chilling won't hurt anything. You'll have to experiment with the resistor size."
Oh man is this fan annoying... I don't understand why the vinotem runs the fan 24/7 when obviously there is an internal thermostat. when it reaches set temp it stops cooling but fan remains on. and then there is that anoying clicking when cooling comes on/off. First why would they need the fan to run continuously. I've read of peltier and electrostatic cooling. I know the peltier gets hot on the hot side so it would make sence to run the fan on a slight delay once the unit reaches temp. but the dran thing never shuts down. I looked inside and its pretty well insulated and I would think that it can hold temp for at the least an hour or so befor having to turn cooling back on...?
ANYWAY, as per your statement above... I am electronically challenged... lol :) I know what resistors are but wouldn't know what to do with it or where or how to install one... do you know what resistor I could start expieramenting with??? better yet is there any way instead of installing a resistor to SLOW the fan, but rather to have it shut down completly when the unit reaches temp? I thought to ask if you might know. thanks again...
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
You would need to set-up a relay on the circuit that turns the compressor on and off. A for pin relay is good for this. The relay would engage the fan when the compressor triggers to on. Search the net, there are plenty of wiring illustrations and how-to's on wiring these relays up.
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry
You would need to set-up a relay on the circuit that turns the compressor on and off. A for pin relay is good for this. The relay would engage the fan when the compressor triggers to on. Search the net, there are plenty of wiring illustrations and how-to's on wiring these relays up.
so been doing some digging and figured why not just replace the fan with a more advanced and more quiet fan? found the Noctua NF-B9 92 mm fan. measures the same and it is 12v just like the fan in the chiller. However, the fan that comes with the chiller shows .35a and this fan is .11a so not sure if this will work??? the Noctua also comes with three wires and the fan in the chiller only has a black and a red wire so I'm not too sure what to do with the yellow wire... do I just connect the red and black and leave the yellow disconnected??? will the Noctua fan still work by just connecting the red and black? I'm assuming that you need the yellow wire for something (guessing its for the speed adjustment or resistor???). I'd like to go ahead and purchase this but want to be sure it will work. LMK thanks again
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
The yellow wire is used to send info back to the bios for the computer, its used to measure fan speed, not needed in your case. The amp rating is just draw, it should work OK for you.
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
I probably should not give any electrical advice, since you are dealing with 120v.
I just let the fan run all the time.
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
Quote:
Originally Posted by SantaMonica
I probably should not give any electrical advice, since you are dealing with 120v.
I just let the fan run all the time.
but doesn't the transformer step down to 12v??? I'm thinking it has to because the fan runs on only 12v.
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
Most of those fans do run off of a transformer. Sometimes it says on the label on the fan. Otherwise you might want to take a multimeter to it to be sure.
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
It it's not an isolation transformer, however, one line could still be tied to the house 120.
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
ok hooked up a much more quit fan... It works and is rated at 1600 RPM without the provided resistors. I cant imagine that its spining at 1600 RPM's though. tested the unit in the chiller and it does cool down to the 37 degree set point on the chiller so it must be spining and blowing enough air to cool the heat sink.
does anyone know what the RPM rating is on the fan that comes inside the chiller??? Just wondering...
Re: Automatic Continuous Feeder - DIY
I've got 2 wine chillers, brand spankin new, 1 is still in the box and not opened. $30 each, or both for $50. I also have one of the Zevex pumps that is also new. I purchased the Zevex unit several months back, but just have not had the time to set this stuff up. Been sitting in my fish room for over 6 months. Paid $400 for the Zevex unit, sell for $300.
Plus shipping for all of the above...located in South Orange County if anyone is interested in picking up.