12v Fan

w4swk

.
Mar 23, 2015
185
1991 Catalina 22 Wing Keel 15202 Nocona
I was wondering what type of fan anyone is using for cooling the cabin at night. My experience with automotive fans is that they are pretty much useless. I'm looking for something that will create a small windstorm. Something like a turbo encabulator but cheaper! (Google it).

Ken
 
Apr 2, 2007
29
-Catalina C-36 Hull 1041 & Marshall 18 Catboat - W2CWL Punta Gorda, FL
Ah......A fan of the great Turbo-encabulator ! Great Device!
OK, I am assuming that you want this thing to run off 12V DC. The automotive type fans are very inefficient and use quite a bit of current - so here is a trick you can try:
There is a small fan offered by places like Wally World and Ace hardware that is sold as a 'battery operated fan' - Sometimes used and sold in the camping department and sells for about $19.00. It uses eight 'D' cells for 12VDC power but also comes with a small power brick that one can plug in to the wall and power it off 110VAC. That is to say the little power brick coverts the 110 VAC to 12 VDC.
The great thing about these fans is that they are low power consumption computer fan motors swinging an 8 or 10 inch fan blade and move quite a bit of air using minimal current..

Take the power 110 v input cord that comes with the unit and cut it off the brick. Wire on a 12v cigarette lighter plug and you'll have a high efficiency 12 VDC fan that will keep you cool using very little current.
Example; http://www.walmart.com/ip/O2-Cool-8-Battery-or-Electric-Portable-Fan/15992438 or http://www.walmart.com/ip/ROADPRO-12-Volt-Battery-10-Portable-Fan-RP8000/40082020
de W2CWL
 
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Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
I was wondering what type of fan anyone is using for cooling the cabin at night. My experience with automotive fans is that they are pretty much useless. I'm looking for something that will create a small windstorm. Something like a turbo encabulator but cheaper! (Google it).

Ken
Theres no need to pay more than you have to..
You have to pay a premium price to get a premium product...
Cheaper aint always better, but sometimes it is....
Or, you get what you pay for...

No matter what line you want to use to justify any purchase, when it comes to 12v components for a boat where low power consumption is the key to longevity of being able to use the product for a reasonable amount of time, the camframo fans cant be beat by any other manufacture.
The camframo sirroco is my choice. They are quiet, they move a lot of air and they are very power efficient... the cost may initially be a bit more than one would want to spend on a fan, but when you consider how long you can run it due to its low power draw and with as much air movement as it gives, its a hands down winner. Plus it has a built in timer that can be used to automatically turn it off after you go to sleep at night.

So you can pay now or pay later... getting the boat set up with proven equipment so you can get the most out of it now is better than having the batteries run down prematurely with the budget priced equipment and not having the use of it even though its installed, and/or having to replace it all later with the proven equipment...

The point is, even though money seems to be a requirement but is always in short supply, it shouldnt always be the only determining factor when choosing a quality product.
 

w4swk

.
Mar 23, 2015
185
1991 Catalina 22 Wing Keel 15202 Nocona
Hi All
Thanks for the input!
@ catboat...I looked at that fan from Walmart and actually tested it in the store. It seemed to work OK but I am looking for a little more airflow. I thought about building a voltage divider and running it on 15 or 16 volts but in the end would probably be better off just buying something different.

@ centerline... If I implied that I am looking for something cheap, I beg forgiveness. My earlier comment about being cheaper than the Turbo Encabulator was meant to be "tongue in cheek"! I don't mind paying a little for good moving air!:)

The CAFRAMO Sirocco is one of the fans I am considering. The airflow looks good but in researching, I seemed to find quite a few comments as to its reliability. Older reviews seem to be very positive buy newer ones talk a lot about what appears to be a lack of quality control. Nonetheless, I may still buy one and just hope for the best.

Thanks
Ken
 
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
The computer fans give you lots of air at a minimum of amps. The larger 6" (est.)is the best. Chief
 
Nov 7, 2012
678
1978 Catalina 30 Wilbur-by-the-Sea
Here is my plug for the O2 cool tent fan.

http://m.academy.com/shop/pdp/o2-co...PLA-device^m-adid^69707527398&deviceType=true

I bought our 2 fans on Amazon but now they appear to be unavailable there.

The 10" fan draws less than 1 amp on high, have magnetic bases that I screwed to the overhead and allows the fans to hang and have 360 articulation. Runs on a 12v accessory plug. Off our house batteries.
They also come with a clip when used with a large carabiner allow them to be hung from the Bimini or from handrails.

My thought is I will get some more metal plates to use as bases and put the in different locations in the cabin. The base magnets are designed to hold the fan upside down thru tent material and are strong enough to allow the fans to hang in any orientation.

Awesome fan.
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
At first I thought the "camfrano sirroco" was a joke name, then discovered that it's a real product.
But... $100 for a tiny fan ?
Holy moly ! They do screw you when it's marine parts.
It's probably made in china for $2

Is it 4 times better than the walmart fan ?
 

w4swk

.
Mar 23, 2015
185
1991 Catalina 22 Wing Keel 15202 Nocona
Pretty much how I feel too, Roy! I did some research and found enough negative comments to scare me away! Seems these fans run for a couple months and quit!

Think I will try one of those O2 fans from Walmart for around 20 dollars.

Ken
 

ppm411

.
May 30, 2012
40
1974 Catalina 22 Port Washington, NY
I mounted a Caframo Ultimate 757 on the ceiling right behind the aft facing settee bench. It swivels to the v berth when needed. I hardwired it to the v-berth light just a few feet away. Sent my toddlers below to sit in front of it on really still days! Lol. Only burns 5W and one of the best additions of the season! WELL worth the $50
 
Jul 15, 2015
59
Catalina 22 Raleigh NC
So i literally last weekend just spent two nights at the town dock in Oriental with my c22.
I used the cheapo camping fan from wolly word for $19. Look on high it does the job. I shut the front hatch on it and used it to pull in cool air on me and the wife asleep in the v birth. It does a great job. I will for sure be wiring it into the boats 12v power. With the 8 D cells it lasted 2 full nights running on High and still has juice.
That s my 2 cents. I mean, its cheap and works pretty good.
 
Oct 21, 2009
99
Hunter 36 San Diego, Ca
Hi All
Thanks for the input!
@ catboat...I looked at that fan from Walmart and actually tested it in the store. It seemed to work OK but I am looking for a little more airflow. I thought about building a voltage divider and running it on 15 or 16 volts but in the end would probably be better off just buying something different.

@ centerline... If I implied that I am looking for something cheap, I beg forgiveness. My earlier comment about being cheaper than the Turbo Encabulator was meant to be "tongue in cheek"! I don't mind paying a little for good moving air!:)

The CAFRAMO Sirocco is one of the fans I am considering. The airflow looks good but in researching, I seemed to find quite a few comments as to its reliability. Older reviews seem to be very positive buy newer ones talk a lot about what appears to be a lack of quality control. Nonetheless, I may still buy one and just hope for the best.

Thanks
Ken
We have 3 of the CAFRAMO Sirocco fans. Yes a bit pricy but very happy with them. Have had them for 6 yrs and had to replace 1 for bad switch. Suggestion is to buy at WM and get extended warranty and no worries again.
 
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
So i literally last weekend just spent two nights at the town dock in Oriental with my c22.
I used the cheapo camping fan from wolly word for $19. Look on high it does the job. I shut the front hatch on it and used it to pull in cool air on me and the wife asleep in the v birth. It does a great job. I will for sure be wiring it into the boats 12v power. With the 8 D cells it lasted 2 full nights running on High and still has juice.
That s my 2 cents. I mean, its cheap and works pretty good.

Buying bricks of D cells gets old real quick...
 
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
Why would someone need to buy D cells when he/she is wiring it into the electrical system ?

Because some of us have great dreams of accomplishment and closure yet fail to timely realize the ultimate solution and up paying for our procrastination in D cells...
 

w4swk

.
Mar 23, 2015
185
1991 Catalina 22 Wing Keel 15202 Nocona
I'm reviving this thread because I just got off my lazy "you know what" and bought a Caframo (Ultimate 757) fan. It appears to move quite a bit of air...we are going out this weekend for a couple of nights so I will be back with a full report. I am including a couple pics of current readings I took. As you can see, at "Hi", the fan draws 420 mah and low is 290 mah. At the High setting, the battery should only drain less than 4 amps during a nights sleep. There is, however a problem! When I clipped the fan (homemade clamp) into the boat, Sharlene asked "Why didn't you buy one for yourself"? :banghead:Second fan is on the way!:)

20180815_143155.jpg 20180815_142402.jpg 20180815_142350.jpg
 
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May 23, 2016
1,024
Catalina 22 #12502 BSC
have 2 of those caframo rubber bladed, no surround housing fans one on each aft bulkhead corner, think they draw .4 on high speed, compact, unabtrusive, quiet, great air movement, think they were ~ $50ea, so one "boat buck" for the pair on sale....wouldn't be without, highly recommend!

 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
At the foot (peak) of our v-berth we have a Hella Marine, 12 Volt, 2 Speed, 'Turbo' Fan. It's very quiet, and seems to move a lot of air. I looked at their site, and on "high" it moves 200CFM, using 6.5W, or about 1/2 Amp at 12.5V.

I guess that's a lot of air! The Caframo Sirocco specs 140CFM, so this is 40% more air for a little bit more power, and less money ($82 v. $96 on this site).
 
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w4swk

.
Mar 23, 2015
185
1991 Catalina 22 Wing Keel 15202 Nocona
At the foot (peak) of our v-berth we have a Hella Marine, 12 Volt, 2 Speed, 'Turbo' Fan. It's very quiet, and seems to move a lot of air. I looked at their site, and on "high" it moves 200CFM, using 6.5W, or about 1/2 Amp at 12.5V.

I guess that's a lot of air! The Caframo Sirocco specs 140CFM, so this is 40% more air for a little bit more power, and less money ($82 v. $96 on this site).
The fan I purchased was the 757 Ultimate...West Marine shows it at 150-200 cfm. I ordered it from Amazon for 40.11 with free shipping. As mentioned earlier, the REAL test will be this weekend when I do the "real world test", AKA "does it make Sharlene happy?!" ;)