Cooling Fans?

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CrashAndBurn

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#248363 22-Mar-2019 13:12

My current fan is about to die if not already as I have to hit the blade to jump start it to spin. And since summer is over, not a lot of the big stores sell them. Anyone knows where I can find decent ones close to AKL CBD or anywhere really as long as they deliver. I have checked TM and most are coming from AU. The ones I see locally are mostly the Dyson's which I am still struggling to justify the price. My current one is a Goldair with metal blades which I think cost me about $100 and has served me for about 5 years now. Also, any thoughts on metal vs plastic and what about those high velocity fans?

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2203361 22-Mar-2019 13:22

I have one of the goldair ones, was on special at mitre 10 for like 80$ so i was like yep sure why not.

It's only since then that i've realized, when it says high velocity air flow, It means it.

Is like a wind tunnel at 1... turn it all the way up and your desk be clearing itself!

I rather regret not getting one with a cooling element within it. my room sits at 26~34C.

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blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#2203407 22-Mar-2019 15:09

I got one of those $5 dollar USB ones from the warehouse. Probably not what you are after but works great

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CrashAndBurn

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2203410 22-Mar-2019 15:12

blackjack17:

I got one of those $5 dollar USB ones from the warehouse. Probably not what you are after but works great

I will need 10 of those :) It will be for an apartment bedroom with no windows so would need to have a decent amount of airflow.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2203411 22-Mar-2019 15:12

blackjack17:
I got one of those $5 dollar USB ones from the warehouse. Probably not what you are after but works great

I made one of those our of pwm fans at one point... It just wasn't enough.

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jpoc

1043 posts

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#2203450 22-Mar-2019 16:46

I was in M10 G-Field this week and they still had some fans.

CrashAndBurn

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2203453 22-Mar-2019 16:49

jpoc:

I was in M10 G-Field this week and they still had some fans.

I guess M10 dont have a centralized inventory as there is only one fan showing on their website and its an industrial one. Do you know if the ones you saw are pedestal or desk ones?

SpartanVXL

1306 posts

Uber Geek

#2203618 22-Mar-2019 20:15

Take your current one apart and lube or clean it out so it starts spinning right?

Or am i thinking too simple?

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jpoc

1043 posts

Uber Geek

#2203639 22-Mar-2019 22:04

CrashAndBurn:

jpoc:

I was in M10 G-Field this week and they still had some fans.

I guess M10 dont have a centralized inventory as there is only one fan showing on their website and its an industrial one. Do you know if the ones you saw are pedestal or desk ones?

I think that they had 2 or 3 different types.

I doubt that I will be able to get there until April to check but the ones that I saw are not on the web site.

Sorry.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2203705 23-Mar-2019 01:26

Just nurse it through the last of this hot weather, and buy a new fan early next summer.

I have opened up lots of fans. And unless the fault is a failed motor start capacitor, it is unlikely to be repairable. As those fans all use similar motors that have extremely thin copper motor windings. One of the windings goes open circuit, or you get shorted turns. Which causes a small part of the motor to get very hot, which damages more of the windings. And also affects the inductance, which in turn means that the motor will often fail to start. While the bearings are simple bronze sleeve bearings running on a steel shaft. Oiling them is only a temporary fix at best.

CrashAndBurn

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2203722 23-Mar-2019 08:20

SpartanVXL: Take your current one apart and lube or clean it out so it starts spinning right?

Or am i thinking too simple?

I have already done this. Also did it a couple of years ago. But didnt last long which makes me think it is already on its last legs.

CrashAndBurn

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2203723 23-Mar-2019 08:22

Aredwood: Just nurse it through the last of this hot weather, and buy a new fan early next summer.

I have opened up lots of fans. And unless the fault is a failed motor start capacitor, it is unlikely to be repairable. As those fans all use similar motors that have extremely thin copper motor windings. One of the windings goes open circuit, or you get shorted turns. Which causes a small part of the motor to get very hot, which damages more of the windings. And also affects the inductance, which in turn means that the motor will often fail to start. While the bearings are simple bronze sleeve bearings running on a steel shaft. Oiling them is only a temporary fix at best.

This is exactly it. I have replaced numerous fan capacitors before. I feel its better to spend the money on a new fan than on parts given its age.

CrashAndBurn

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2203772 23-Mar-2019 11:35

jpoc:

CrashAndBurn:

jpoc:

I was in M10 G-Field this week and they still had some fans.

I guess M10 dont have a centralized inventory as there is only one fan showing on their website and its an industrial one. Do you know if the ones you saw are pedestal or desk ones?

I think that they had 2 or 3 different types.

I doubt that I will be able to get there until April to check but the ones that I saw are not on the web site.

Sorry.

I will call that store. Thanks :)

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#2204193 24-Mar-2019 12:05

CrashAndBurn

The ones I see locally are mostly the Dyson's which I am still struggling to justify the price.

I have one of the Dysons, I justified the price at the store as it seemed to be very quiet, so bought on impulse. In retrospect, I can't justify the price - it was an impulse buy mistake I'm stuck with.

FWIW, using only a cellphone app for a sound meter, about a metre in front of the fan, background noise was 15dB (it's a very quiet house away from road noise). At lowest setting, it measured about 22dB but delivers almost no air - mainly a waste of time. On medium setting that increased to 35dB, highest setting about 42dB = to quote "Library, bird calls (44 dB); lowest limit of urban ambient sound".

Yes - a cellphone app is probably close to useless for accurate measurements and I don't trust those figures. I don't even know if the reading was in dB or a weighted measure, dBA for example. I also don't really trust on line reviews that wax lyrical about the Dyson fans.

To me, in the middle of the night, I find the noise intrusive, a constant pink noise whooshing sound. It's tolerable at the lowest levels but doesn't shift enough air. At higher settings it's really really annoying.