DIY TV Stand cooling?

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post #1 of 4

5/16/07 at 3:18pm

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shark1987
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shark1987
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56 Posts. Joined 6/2006
Location: Austin, TX
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I purchased a TV Stand from IKEA back in August and it works just fine. It's just that it gets very hot in the cabinets as they're closed off and it's a wooden stand. So I was thinking of putting exhaust fans on the back, or maybe intake fans on the bottom and exhausts on the top, in the back. Either way I was wondering if anyone else has done similar things?

The real question I need answered is how do you power something like this? Just from what i know about I was thinking about using computer case fans, and then maybe an old PSU. But I don't know if there is a better way to do this or not?

It's just a project I was thinking about doing over the summer some time.

Thanks for any help.

EDIT:

I just found some stuff while google searching.

This is similar to what I had in my head for what I would do to the back of the stand. But they have a regular plug to a normal outlet. Is there anyone that could point me to the place that I could purchase/create one of those plugs?

post #2 of 4

5/16/07 at 11:50pm

2,281 Posts. Joined 1/2003
Location: Detroit, MI
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If you don't want to splice a standard AC adapter to the fans, you could use a power supply like this:

http://www.coolerexpress.com/actopsudc4po.html

These would connect directly to a typical computer case fan.

post #3 of 4

5/20/07 at 11:12am

2,189 Posts. Joined 11/2005
Location: West of Mt Diablo
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There have been many threads here on using computer fans to cool A/V hardware. It is easy and it works.

Take care to buy the lowest noise fans that you can find (although noise ratings can be optimistic, a 40dB fan is usually much noisier than a 20 dB fan). Larger diameter fans tend to be quieter than the smaller one. Pay extra for double ball bearing (not quieter but tend to last longer). The power brick suggested above will work and many fans will run at less than 12 volts. They turn more slowly, move less air but are quieter. If you use two fans you can wire them in series and each will turn at half speed. If you are up to a bit of cut and splice a universal AC adaptor that has variable or multiple DC output voltages will let you set the best speed/nose balance.

Using both intake and exhaust fans will not move much more air than exhaust fans alone, but it does allow more flexibilty to direct the flow. I have a cramped cabinet and use two fans inside to direct air as well as an exhast fan.

post #4 of 4

5/29/07 at 7:29am

33 Posts. Joined 10/2004
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I really like SilenX fans. I've built a couple HTPC's and these fans are very quiet and of great quality. Some things to look at when determining how to make things less noisy...

Size of the fan. Can you use a 120mm or do you have to use a 80mm or 60mm? The larger the fan, the slower the RPM to get air circulation...thus the less noise.

Variable Speed with temperature sensor. A lot of the good quality "sound sensitive" fans adjust their speed depending on temperature. To be able to set that temperature, other then default, you'll have to either run them with a PC or have a secondary temp setting ability. Most PC case fan thermostats adjust mid-80°F.

As far as how to adapt them to run from a 120v? Lots of adapters out there from 120v to 12v. Couldn't you buy a 12v wall adapter and cannibalize it?

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