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Replacement fans for vector inverters


By freshair, Section Controls
Posted on Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 10:52:28 PM MST
Looking for a replacement fan

Every inverter I have, the fans were either very noisy or only made it through a day... then got noisy. I have found a few replacements on ebay... not sure how good they are, and I haven't been able to find the CFM of the stock fans. Any one replaced there fans? Found one they can recommend?

Thanks
Replacement fans for vector inverters | 15 comments (15 topical)

Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by ghurd on Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 05:54:09 PM MST

Find one that "looks" the same, with the same voltage, and about the same watt rating.
G-
Ghurd.info


Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by Airstream on Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 07:35:03 PM MST

Ball bearing - double ball bearing are mandatory if you want it to last, sleeve bearings are not meant for continuous duty... There are some other high tech methods but usually you get what you pay for.


Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by jimjjnn on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:32:05 AM MST

I agree with Airstream.
Sleeve bearings are always going bad in many appliances. Last motor in range hood in my kitchen failed after 2 months. I found a ball-bearing motor that has lasted over 3 years ,so far and is very quiet

I've replaced a lot of computer fans in the last 10 years that had sleeve bearings. Only replaced 2 with ball bearings in that same time frame. 1 had broken wire and other fan was loose due to someone had forgotten a circlip
Denver,CO
[ Parent ]



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by freshair on Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 09:14:14 PM MST

The pictured fan is the stock fan from one of my inverters. Its the only one that didn't make any noise. (Figures, I burnt that inverter up) I replaced one of the bad ones with it... but its noisy now too.

I found a few... that are BB, but the watts are higher... really don't want that. But I'll try some... just wondered if any one had replaced theres. They are very loud and noisy... out of the box.



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by freshair on Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 09:19:17 PM MST

Most of the fans I found have the CFM on them. I couldn't find that info on the stock fan. I would think the BB fans would be a lower wattage... but they might move more air.


Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by ghurd on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:19:42 AM MST

BB fans tend to use more power and be louder.
We just replace a bad fan with one that "looks the same".  No fan related problems that I am aware of.

If this is on the cash register cart, and a 700W inverter, like Opera House said, there is no great need for the fan.  
Mount the inverter to get natural flow.  Might put 1" spacers under the "foot" area to get a bit of flow around the bottom / back.

Most of the internal parts that get hot are mounted to the inverter body as a heat sink.  Not always.
G-
Ghurd.info
[ Parent ]



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by freshair on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 01:10:58 PM MST

Yup... its been a while. I doesn't get used to much for its original purpose... but I try to use it every day.

Its been rebuilt, and just about everything is DC now... and I use a 400w at the track (700w at home). The fan in the 400w is twice as loud as the 700w.. was that way from the start.

I'm sure I don't use the inverter to its full potential but I'd like to have some fan in it.. found one, about a third of the wattage... just have to modify it a little to counter sink the nuts.











[ Parent ]



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Opera House on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 04:17:47 AM MST

Buy a bigger inverter.   Every inverter I have has the fans removed or disconnected.  I put one inch spacers on the bottom plate and orient the inverter for the best natural air flow.  Each fan pulls about 100mA.  If you feel you need a little help with air flow, put two fans in series.


Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by vtpeaknik on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 11:33:04 AM MST

Besides skipping the fan altogether, you can also run a fan on less than its original full power.  That way it can be very quiet, and still move some air (and probably last longer).  A bit of airflow is a lot better than none.  To reduce the power, I've used the following methods:

Small 115-120VAC fans: put a capacitor in series, about 1 uF, experiment to find the right size.  Must be a high-voltage (400V, better 600V) non-electrolytic capacitor.  (If the capacitor fails (shorts out due to a power spike) the fan will go to full power but nothing else bad will happen.)

Small 115-120VAC fans: replace with a 230VAC fan of same physical size.  It'll usually run on 115VAC, but slowly and quietly.  I've found some 230VAC fans at "All Electronics", but they run VERY slowly on 115VAC, perhaps too slow to bother.

Small DC fans: put a resistor in series.  E.g., for a 12VDC 0.1A fan, that's a 120 ohm load (12 / 0.1), put something of same order of magnitude in series, e.g. 50 ohms (1 watt - put the resistor in the airfow area, that'll keep it cool).

Small 12VDC fans: replace with a 24VDC fan of same physical size.  It'll usually run on 12VDC, but slowly and quietly.  I've found some 24VDC fans at "All Electronics" and they run usefully fast down to about 6VDC!


[ Parent ]



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by vtpeaknik on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 11:36:53 AM MST

Forgot to mention one more method I've used: run a 115VAC fan on lower voltage, provided by a step-down transformer.  E.g., find a 230->115V transformer (e.g. made for US travelers in Europe) and feed 115VAC to its input - that'll give about 60 volts output.  I've also used a variable-voltage "Variac" type transformer, they're handy (if you can find one), but not very energy efficient.

[ Parent ]


Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by freshair on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 03:17:49 PM MST

Its not an "air movement noise", but a bearing/bushing noise. Of the 4, 700/1400w inverters I have, three went bad after a days use. Of the 2 "NEW" 400-500w and 3 used 400w... they are much worse. The 500 maxx (looks like a B&D model) is so loud I might as well have a gas generator running!

Some good ideas but its only a little 40mm X 40mm X 20mm 12volt fan, inside an inverter. Might try a switch, or the resistor.... or maybe both. Would have liked to find the "specs" on the stock fan so I had something to compare it to. I've found fans with 7 different RPM's and multible CFM's, amp, and watt ratings. The fans I have coming are at the high end in RPM, but about 1/3 the wattage.

Just figured somebody else had issues too... guess they have... just removed them LOL



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by ghurd on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 04:25:38 PM MST

Vector and B&D are in bed together, maybe with Craftsman.

The 24V fans, rated the same in all other respects, should be a decent choice.
Or a 12V version with a 51 - 56 ohm 1W resistor.

Not sure if you are having bad luck or simply expect the fans to be quieter than they are.
My laptop makes as much noise as my 800W Vector.  More noise than from my 1500W.
G-
Ghurd.info
[ Parent ]



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by freshair on Sat Jul 18, 2009 at 10:38:23 AM MST

Guess I'm having bad luck!!! Hard to picture I seven inverters that are all LOUD.. and no one else does. Its not air movment noise... The 700's were quiet for a day... then sqeeeeeeeeel like they are screaming for oil! I've gotten them to quiet down by, turning them on... letting it run for a bit... then turning the switch off and on 10 - 15 times. I'd rather just plug and play... and walk away from it.

We'll see how the new BB fans are.

Well, the suns out, its making power, and I have some soldering to do... Use it while I can.

[ Parent ]



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by Ungrounded Lightning Rod on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 05:12:47 PM MST

Another possibility:  Get a "snap thermostat switch" for a suitable temperature, put it in series with the fan, and mount it inside the inverter near the major heat-producing components.  The fan will run full-power but only momentarily when it is really needed.

Such switches (along with very low-power 12-volt DC fans) can be found at recreational-vehicle supplies.  They're in a kit used to improve the efficiency of propane refrigerators in hot weather (avoiding overheating of the 'fridge compartment) by forcing ventilation of the heat-dump side of the ammonia/water cycle cooler, supplementing the too-small "stack" formed by the trailer's walls and vent.

You might switch to the low-power fan, too.  (It's intended for use when the vehicle is running on the house battery and doesn't pull much power.)  Supplement it with a duct to limit losses around the blade ends if you're forcing air through an enclosed box.  A piece of PVC pipe about like half a toilet-paper roll ought to do it.  B-)



Re: Replacement fans for vector inverters (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by GlutealCleft on Mon Jul 20, 2009 at 12:39:31 PM MST

If I were in your boat, I would look for as high of a CFM as I could get without making the thing unbearably loud.  The cooler you keep the capacitors in your inverter, the longer they'll last.   It's some cheap security.


Replacement fans for vector inverters | 15 comments (15 topical)
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