12v <span class="highlight">caravan</span> fans

Submitted: Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 18:28
ThreadID: 105670 Views:8189 Replies:10 FollowUps:24
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just wondering whether I should get a 12v 8" fan ( they don't seem to come much bigger) for the van and are a bit pricey around $100 or, my preference, a nice big $15/20 job from kmart/bigW and run through a sine wave inverter? I could run direct from internal 12v sockets but believe they run quieter through a sine wave inverter.
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Reply By: Ross M - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 18:51

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 18:51
A 12v fan has absolutely no need to run off an inverter and to do so would require the use of a plug pack BUT will require Van 12v converted first UP to 240ac and then down again to 12v for the fan via that plug pack power source.

Double waste of conversion energy before ever running a fan.

What is wrong with running a 12v fan from a 12v power source ie, the Van's batteries.

How and where did you get info a 12v fan runs quieter off and inverter? One being 12v and one 240Vac requires some intermediate and unnecessary gear. Can't see how they will be quieter as the fan blade noise is usually the issue.

A computer fan or two may do what you require and use far less 12v power than a K mart special. Two will cost less than $100. Two wired in series will run slower and quieter and move quite a bit of air for sleep areas.

Cheers
Ross M
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Follow Up By: Notso - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 19:10

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 19:10
I think he is planning to buy a 240 volt fan and run it off an inverter which wouldn't be so wasteful of energy.
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:49

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:49
Not so
He hasn't mentioned buying a 240v fan! and running one would definitely be wasteful of battery energy. Ok though when at a Cvan park or at home in the doghouse.
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:02

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:02
Hi Notso - Ross is correct
Quality 12 volt fans such as 12V Camfro Sirocco Fan are built for efficiency (low power use for similar output) when compared to standard 240 volt fans. Then there are additional losses when using an inverter.
A domestic 240 volt fan is built to a price and power use isn’t a design consideration.
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Follow Up By: Notso - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:12

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:12
I wasn't advocating one way or the other. The only thing he'd get at Woolies for $12 would be a 240 volt fan. Using it with an inverter would be less wasteful of energy than what Ross thought he was planning to do.
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:19

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:19
that's right Notso. I already have a modified inverter as well as a sine wave so my only outlay is $12 for a kmart 240v fan.

I suppose as much as anything, I had doubts about how much waft you'd get from a little 8" 12v fan.....I don't know because I've never had one.
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Follow Up By: Notso - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:38

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:38
I've just had a look at a 12 inch fan from Big W that cost me $3.00. It draws 40 watts at 240 volts this is about .16 amps. For 12 volts you end up with about 3.2 amps. With a moderately efficient inverter you may need about 4 amps input into the inverter at 12 volts.
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 14:47

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 14:47
Correct – Thats quite a drain on the battery if you run it for a night.
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Follow Up By: Notso - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 15:12

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 15:12
Yep, but it does answer his question.
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 16:09

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 16:09
my 240v fan also has a timer so it wouldn't run through the night - just enough for me to nod off
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 20:01

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 20:01
Steve,

Can't beat a Caframo 12v fan from Whitworths. About 8", 3 speed, low current draw, quiet and has built-in timer, 2, 4, 6 & 8 hour timer. About $139 at moment.

No affiliation etc. we've got one in our camper, and it works well. Timer is neat too, set it for 2 or 4 hours, it's off when(or is that if??) the night gets cool.

Bob.

Seen it all, Done it all.
Can't remember most of it.

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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew & Jen - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:17

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:17
x2
Low current draw translates to about 0.1 amps cf about 2 or 3 for most 12v fans
Our Caframa Sirocco timer is 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours
We mounted it so that it can be used when we are in bed, preparing meals or seated at the dinette.
On the low setting, it is very quiet, again unlike most 12v fans
Cheers
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 23:22

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 23:22
another vote for this item...low current draw....quiet and very effective in our caravan
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Follow Up By: Member - Jack - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 12:21

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 12:21
X3 for the Caframo. I attached magnets to the base and use that in our Tvan. Best bit of kit I've bought for a while.

Jack
The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get. (Lewis Carroll-Alice In Wonderland)

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Reply By: SDG - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 20:51

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 20:51
I got one of these when I was in Darwin. Much less than the $100 your thinking of. Mine only cost $60.00 from a caravan store, but I notice this same one on ebay is also the same price from a store.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12-VOLT-BREEZEWAY-FAN-3-SPEED-3M-LEAD-great-for-camping-caravanning-boating-/111249775006?pt=Caravan_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19e700d99e#ht_1569wt_688

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Reply By: Member - Bruce and Di T (SA) - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 20:52

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 20:52
Steve,

12V Camfro Sirocco Fans; brilliant. We have two in our van and two in our camper. No need for an inverter and they draw virtually no current. They enable you to sleep really comfortably and you are able to direct their breeze almost anywhere.

Di
AnswerID: 523836

Reply By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:43

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:43
Ron - I understand what you're saying but I am talking about a kmart 240v $15 fan running off a sine inverter as I am told they run quieter rather than directly from the van's 12v sockets or a modified inverter.

I wasn't convinced about the effectiveness of a12v 8" fan and at $140.............


......now SDG, that looks more like it. ;) Will investigate after my beauty sleep

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Follow Up By: Ross M - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:55

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 21:55
So, a $15/20 job is a $15/ 240vac job as an alternative.

Most things which run on 240v run better on a sine wave as it is what they are designed for rather than square lumpy electricity ie modified square wave.

The three speed ones mentioned sound good.
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:09

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:09
Hi Steve
You will be using a lot more battery capacity, for the same air flow, if using a cheap 240 volt fan compared to a 12 volt Sirocco Fan.
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:23

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:23
ok Ross - that's what I was getting at and what I was planning to do.

Having said that.....Dennis has also explained what I didn't realise; that I'll get the same airflow from a decent 12v fan? (I think) albeit for much greater outlay but less power use.
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Reply By: Allen R - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:05

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:05
You don't need to carry an inverter as 12v fans doesn't require it. Moreover, do check your vehicle for any automatic transmission repair, as it may be affected if socket and other inverter is used for long.
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:38

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:38
Allen,
I realise I don't need an inverter for a 12v fan but I actually have a couple of $12 12v kmart/bigW fans and a couple of inverters so needn't go to the trouble of buying a 12v fan in the short term but if I want to conserve battery energy I should buy a 12v fan and I'll probably do that when I eventually get around to extended off power offroad trips. Got to get the youngest out of school first.

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Reply By: The Bantam - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:15

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:15
The word is that good 12 volt fans are not cheap...but is worth buying a good one.

The idea of buying a 240v fan and running it off an inverter is plainly rediculous.

Ya talking about cheap fans...but then ya talking about buying an inverter....what the.

yes then we start talking about the inefficencies of running inverters and conversion losses.

The other thing is introducing an unnecessary source of unprotected 240V supply.

As for the computer or muffin fans...if you are feeling handy and dont mind fabing up a pivot bracket, you can get into a 5 inch computer fan that will shift quite a bit of air for under $30.
If you buy a good brand they will run continuously for quite a while....I've had em run 4 or 5 years contunuous in commercial applications....try that one with almost any domestic box fan.
The good ones are quiet.......look for one with magnetic levitation bearings.

If you take a 12 volt fan and run it thru a voltage regulator as a speed control they will run to below 6 volts, and when you drop the speed the noise level drops dramaticly as does the current drain.

If you want fixed speed and quiet, and dont mind a loss of air flow a 24 volt fan will run fine on 12 volts.

cheers
AnswerID: 523844

Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:25

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:25
I already have inverters mod and sine.
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:41

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:41
and the 240v fans for that matter
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Follow Up By: The Bantam - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 12:06

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 12:06
yeh I got a spare 4 cylinder petrol motor lying arround too, that does not make it appropriate, practical or efficient.

Hope ya got big batteries.

cheers
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 12:21

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 12:21
enough for the short term - as previously indicated
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Reply By: Gone Bush (WA) - Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:24

Friday, Jan 03, 2014 at 22:24
This is how I installed a fan in my caravan:

Installing a Fan
I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
- Augustus McCrae (Lonesome Dove)

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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:29

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 10:29
yep - that's neat. Looks a decent size too.

I just had doubts about these smaller 6 or 8" 12v fans but it seems they do shift a fair bit of air around.
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew & Jen - Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 11:42

Saturday, Jan 04, 2014 at 11:42
Steve M1
We have our Sirocco in a similar place to Gone Bush but without the extra arm, as I found I could mount it near the edge of the front facing top cupboard bulkhead and it would swivel around to face the rear (180 degrees) without fouling the airstream.
These fans are ingeniously built, flexible re mounting position and robustly built.
Because of the strength of the airflow, we hardly ever have it on high - low or medium will almost always do.
Cheers
Andrew
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Reply By: Lakers - Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 14:44

Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 14:44
G'day Steve M1, as you already have the inverter and the 240v fan, go for it. I do exactly what you contemplate and all works well... just manage your battery state of charge. After all, it's not in use 365 nights of the year. I did try one of the cheaper 12v Breezeway fans that SDG suggests, but gave it away as it was too noisy, and I cannot justify (usage vs cost) the more expensive Sirroco fans that others suggest.

Cheers
Greg
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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 15:17

Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 15:17
cheers Greg.

Pretty much my line of thought. My SOC isn't life or death as I'll only be using it occasionally and for short periods and have good solar and a generator.


Your comment on the Breezaway is similar to what I'd heard before and I gathered from what others had said that they were less noisy on Sine wave as opposed to modified.

I think we got there in the end ;)

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Reply By: xray tango - Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 17:41

Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 17:41
It is easy to over complicate and over spend on this issue.

For many years we have used a Kmart $18 240 volt fan from Kmart using a 400watt modified sine wave inverter connected to the 12 volt house battery on a houseboat. The inverter was quite cheap at about $40. The fan is rated at 60 watts and runs just as quietly and efficiently using the inverter as on the household mains voltage. The inverter may not be extremely efficient, but considering the battery is 100ah plus, and the fan consumes only 60watts at maximum speed, we have never had a problem with a flat battery.

The inverter has also been useful in charging mobile phone and laptop batteries.

I suggest you try a cheap 240 volt fan first on the modified sine wave inverter that it appears you may already have and potentially save yourself quite a few dollars!
AnswerID: 523936

Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 18:15

Sunday, Jan 05, 2014 at 18:15
yes mate - think I'll do this for now, at least. I have already tried it - I just thought I'd get input on alternatives. Might go 12v if I feel SOC levels are crucial in a more demanding scenario.

cheers
Stevo
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