Computer Fans in Ice House

[FullTilt]

I've heard computer fans work great for moving the air in an ice house and don't use much juice. For starters, where's the best place to get a good price on these. Also, how many is suggested for a 6.5'x16' ice house? Where's the best place to put these things. I have a direct vent heater mounted on the wall about half way down one of the 16' sides. The heat radiates off the top of the heater. Should I have fans that push the hot air from the ceiling down or blow the cold air up from the floor?

[captkev]

Not sure where to place them, but I was at a garbage dump this fall dropping off the cleaned out garage and seen a stack of computers sitting in a pile, I'm sure you could tear a few apart and get all the fans you need. Or <a href="allaspectcomputers.com" target="_blank">web page</a> Just a thought, Try'n to help out a fello FMer

Can't get the link to work try WwW dot allaspectcomputers. COM

[Kodiak]

hsolist

[eel pout hunter]

Full,

I recently asked this question. What I was told by the peeps here is to mount them above your heater and blow the warm air downward. I'm also going to mount one above my stove as well. I would check the dump for them, just take some tools with you and most people at the dump will let you dismantle them, as long as you clean up after yourself.

I do know that Milaca Unclaimed Frieght carries them by the gross.

pout

[cold one sd]

I bought two new in the box on hsolist for 99 cents each. About 8 dollars including shipping. They are about nineteen bucks each at Radio Shack.I mounted them on the ceiling above my heater and when you turn them on it is like turning a heat lamp on my shoulders.

[Bob Horn]

What do you use for a power supply?

[Unclefluffy]

All the fans out of a computer run on 12V DC. You'll probably want to look to see if you can find a higher RPM rating to move more air, but more importantly, only use fans that have ball bearings as opposed to sleeve bearings. Some of the fans won't say what kind of bearings they use. These typically use sleeve bearings and should be avoided.

[hanson]

Interesting thought you guys and one I'd have never considered.

I was chatting with my grandpa this weekend about moving air in the ice shack. He commented to me that you want your fans to blow the air up. What? I thought!!

Most ceiling fans circulate the air up. The thought is the air will go up, bounce off the ceiling, and move down the walls on the side.

He heats his garage with a ceiling mounted gas heater and has a single ceiling fan in the middle of the garage. The garage becomes quite warm in the winter when the fan is going on low.

I think the critical thing in an ice shack is moving air but I'm interested to here any comments on fans blowing up at the ceiling from about 6-12" below the ceiling.

[tashit]

I get 99% of my computer related items from Newegg. Great prices and fast shipping. I never thought to use a computer fan in my ice house. I should have a couple laying around here so I will have to give it a try.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Check out northern tool. I believe they are in the same isle as the electric motors. They are used but gauranteed and anywhere from $5 - $10. They also sell 12 volt fans at some part stores. They come with a clamp / flexible tube for mounting and have a 12volt accessorie plug already installed.

[Unclefluffy]

I was always under the impression that the main reason for reversing a ceiling fan in the winter was to cut down on the cooling effect of air being forced right down onto you. By pushing the air upward first, it moves the higher, warmer air, but doesn't make it feel drafty in the process.

[luckyc]

If you live close to Univ & Snelling or the 694/Central area, you should go to AxeMan surplus. They have all kinds of them and other do-dads. I've also seen 12 volt batteries like your vex batt for 6-7 dollars, I think they were taken out of emergency lighting boxes.

[ktjig]

I've been using a fan for years. It is incredible how nicely they circulate the air. I mount mine about 6" from the ceiling on the opposite side of the house as the stove. This circulates the air perfectly in a circular motion around the house. It also keeps ALL the holes open (8), no matter how cold or windy. The noise sucks a little but once you get used to it, the sound kind of fades away. Be sure to put a switch on it.

Good Luck

[eyehunter]

Check out your local truck stop. They sell small 5"-6" fans for truck drivers that usually have a large clip on them and have a regular 12v plug (cigarette lighter type) on them. I have one and plug it into my portable jump start pack. Mounted mine up by the ceiling on the opposite end from the heater and it works great, it will not only melt the snow off of the carpet, but it will also dry the carpet, that's how well this works. Also these type of fans ocilate as well.

[FullTilt]

Thanks for the info, it sounds like it won't take much to get the air moving. I like the idea of a fan above the heater and one near the ceiling on the opposite wall.

[HUNTINGBAILEY]

Try Axeman they have alot of motors, probabley have computer motors cheap. I bought cheap motors for making spinning wing decoys from these guys.

[nitroant]

This was mentioned in a different post, but Coleman makes a D size battery powered one that runs for about 15-20 hours. It has a magnet and plate that you seperate and "sandwich" the fabric between the magnet and plate. I picked one up at Fleet Farm for $12.00 and it is super quiet. It should be the perfect size for my Otter. The magnet is pretty big and seems to be really strong, but I plan to hang mine to the side of the Mr. Heater.

One a side note- I had a portable jump start station that I bought at Fleet Farm last year that I used for my 12 volt clip light that I got at the Ice Show last year, but the juice would start to run out after about an 1 1/2 so then I had to use the lantern so I just took it back. I plug it into the truck once I start to drive out. I see somebody else is using one, how has it worked out on the ice for you?? Just planning on using the lantern this year until I can drive out. Fleet Farm has 1 pounders on sale for $8.25 per 4.

I too bought some computer fans at Northern Tool.

[MN Mike]

DigiKey has a big selection of fans.

[Biggerfish]

I second axeman. I bought them for $3.00 still brand new in the box. Very quiet and move air well.....

[bigtruckderbuck]

I own an 8x16 house with a few other guys and we and put computer fans in it last winter. It may have been overkill, but we put 6 fans in the house (one near each corner and one at the midpoint of each of the longest walls). All of the fans are mounted about half way up the walls, and are at about a 45 degree angle (angled with air blowing toward the floor). We found that this keeps the air moving enough to keep our holes open and feet warm. We wired all of the fans together, and attached alligator clips so that all six fans turn on once the clips are hooked to a battery stowed at the front of the house.

The fans use very little juice and are so quiet that it is hard to tell whether they are on.

[MNice]

In my buddies house (8 x 16) we have 2 running constantly, through conceiled cavities,under the bunks, and releived though the bunk storage to the living area to keep condensation under control in the storage areas.Another is wired to a 12V AC thermostat to come on when the ceiling gets really hot. This system keeps the temps pretty constant and comfy

[jigstick44]

We have a 8 x 11 house and we mounted 1 fan above the heater and also 2 on each end on the ceiling above our holes. It worked great last year, the air moved around very well and your holes don't start to freeze up at all. I work for a Telecommunications company and I got our fans out of old phone switches that were scrapped. I never thought my job would benefit my ice fishing.

[cold one sd]

jigstick44, I retired from a telecommunications company and I have eight batteries from a NEC carrier system in my icehouse. Works great!!

[KrashR]

MNice, what type of 12V AC thermostat do you use. What brand and how much?

[MNice]

I don't recall a brand, just a cheap-o stat from a RV. check any RV place and they should be able to hook you up.