Bulldog44[TK] Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Do the 5V blower fans use up less battery life than the 12V fans do? Sorry if this sounds like a silly question but just want to know before I start ordering a whole bunch of fans I might never use again. I just received 2 12V fans (50x40x10mm) in the mail today and one works well, the other somewhat of a dud. Would using the 5V instead draw less battery power? The specs according the seller say both the 12V & 5V put out the same Airflow of 6 CFMs. Sounds like 5Vs is adequate but I would like to know if someone has tested both and which one is the best choice. Already stuck with the 12V but one needs replacing. Any expert advice in this area is greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tray[TK] Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 all I know is 12V fans are loud as heck inside the helmet. I use 12V fans with 9V battery and it is just quiet enough I can hear well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog44[TK] Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Thanks Tray. The 12V fans I just got are housed in a lighter plastic frame than the ones I have seen on the forums here. It seems really quiet on its own but I have no helmet yet to test it out on. I thought if I could use the same housed 5V fans and run them on a 9V battery each, the airflow might be a bit weaker but I would have a longer use of the battery. I am clueless when it comes to voltage but I am hoping you can use a higher voltage battery with a lower voltage fan. Or maybe the whole thing just goes up in smoke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrooperTim Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I'm clueless with electronics, so I don't know why would a 5v fan running on a 9v battery would provide weaker airflow? My stupidity tells me that having that much battery would give the fan potential to run at max power. From experience, running a 12v fan with a 9v battery only lasts for a few hours. I run my 12v squirrel fan using 8AA batteries that velcro to the chest. It usually lasts for around 12 hours. I personally don't find it too loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboxer[501st] Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 FYI... you never want to run any electronic device at a higher voltage than it's rated at. It will burn up very fast if not instantly! The voltage rating is not the issue of how quickly it drains the battery, it's the current draw. Personally, I find the 12v fan with a 9v Lithium power source seems to work the best for trooping. The weight ratio in the helmet is much better too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog44[TK] Posted December 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 FYI... you never want to run any electronic device at a higher voltage than it's rated at. It will burn up very fast if not instantly! The voltage rating is not the issue of how quickly it drains the battery, it's the current draw. Personally, I find the 12v fan with a 9v Lithium power source seems to work the best for trooping. The weight ratio in the helmet is much better too. James, thanks for the information. I just got a few 5V fans in the mail yesterday and have not tried them with the 4 AA battery pack set up yet, so your advice will save me from burning them out! Would 2AA batteries be able to run the 5Vfan for a sufficient amount of time or am I wasting my time and just stick with the 12Vs? Hoping to salvage my wasted purchase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oztrooper[TK] Posted December 1, 2012 Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboxer[501st] Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 (edited) James, thanks for the information. I just got a few 5V fans in the mail yesterday and have not tried them with the 4 AA battery pack set up yet, so your advice will save me from burning them out! Would 2AA batteries be able to run the 5Vfan for a sufficient amount of time or am I wasting my time and just stick with the 12Vs? Hoping to salvage my wasted purchase! Yes, two 1.5v AA batteries (a total of 3 volts) will safely run a 5v fan with no issues at all... there again, lithium cells are gonna give you longer lasting performance. A 3 to 5 volt rechargeable lithium battery pack may be an even better way to go in the long run. Also, when purchasing these small fans to put in your helmet... take a look at the rpm rating and cfm the fan puts out. A higher rating can really help with better airflow and performance in heat-related trooping situations. Edited December 2, 2012 by blueboxer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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