Wiring a Tamiya Connector to a on/Off Switch to Fans

[MiK]

Anyone good with electronics/wiring ?

I can wire a simple fan to a battery box with built in on/off switch but doing something slightly more complex is currently out of my wheel house.

I want to wire 2 or 4 fans to a on/off switch then the switch to a Tamiya (or a Deans) connector. I plan to use 2 or 4 Brushless cooling fans Rated voltage: DC 5V and then to a Lipo battery, currently I use a 9v battery (rechargeable) in a battery box which easily powers 2 of the fans.

What on/off switch would I need to handle the load (use Amazon for ideas for ease of purchase) and would a 7.4V lipo be enough to power upto 4 Fans ?

Can anyone knock up a wiring diagram for me plz ? (please make it idiot proof for me)  

 

[Tommikka]

A lipo would easily run 4 mini fans

To check how long it could last take the amp rating of your fans, the mah rating of your battery and put them into the calculator below:

https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/resources/conversion-calculators/conversion-calculator-battery-life

I foresee that you would be getting hundreds of hours from a ‘normal’ lipo and a handful of mini fans

 

[Tommikka]

For switches you have an abundance of choice

Avoid anything that is described as ‘momentary’ (that means it’s only on whilst you are pressing it)

You can go for a small subtle slide switch (which will be hard to operate in gloves etc) to a larger toggle switch (which could get in the way, or get knocked on & off depending on how you build and layout your system) or something inbetween like a rocker style

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/sourcingmap-Position-Switch-Latching-Toggle/dp/B01N367QLZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=12v+slide+switch&qid=1623498737&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=AIF4G7PLKBOZY&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVFRXTTA3MFRRNE1MJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjUyMTEyMk9aWEJZT0s4TDEySiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzk5ODI5MlpVU1hGTjZaWFY3UiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/your-orders/pop/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_pop?_encoding=UTF8&gen=canonical&lineItemId=jpqkrppolmksuoy&orderId=202-2281922-6209109&packageId=1&returnSummaryId=&returnUnitIndices=&returnUnitMappingId=&shipmentId=DNMMcnpVP

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AutoEC-Toggle-Waterproof-Lighted-Motorcycle/dp/B084X6HG62/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=switch+on+off+12v+waterproof&qid=1623498398&sprefix=switch+on+off+&sr=8-13

These links are all just random, other than the goggles which I have bought recently for something else

 

[Tommikka]

There are two ways that you can build a circuit with multiples of the same item, in series or in parallel.

In series is a single circuit one after the other.

You connect your battery plus to the switch, then to the first fans plus.  Connect the first fans negative to the second fans plus …. And so on, finally connecting the last negative back to the battery.

In series you effectively reduce the voltage received by each fan.  Four fans on a 7.4v circuit will each get under 2 volts

(if one fan loses a beat and stops then the whole circuit could be broken and they all stop)

In parallel is treating each the fans as it’s own circuit.

Connect the switch to the battery’s plus again.

But connect each of the fans plus wire  directly to the switch and their negative wire back to the battery 

In parallel every fan gets the full voltage - and doesnt affect the rest other than sharing the power (but in practice the voltage might differ a little between them as in the example below)

View attachment 75001

View attachment 75002

 

[MiK]

Cheers @Tommikka the second link just takes me to my order history ^^

the fans I’m using are 

WINSINN 25mm Fan 5V DC Brushless Quiet Cooling 2510 25x10mm For 3D Printer Notebook - 2Pin 0.1A 0.5W 8500+-10% RPM
so the ampage to go into that calculator is 0.1 but as I am using 4 it will be 0.4 amps?

 

[Tommikka]

Cheers @Tommikka the second link just takes me to my order history ^^

the fans I’m using are 

WINSINN 25mm Fan 5V DC Brushless Quiet Cooling 2510 25x10mm For 3D Printer Notebook - 2Pin 0.1A 0.5W 8500+-10% RPM
so the amage to go into that calculator is 0.1 but as I am using 4 it will be 0.4 amps?

For the Amps - yes.  Add the 4 for the overall load of 0.4amps

For the link, that will be because I pulled it from my history, this link should work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ALLNICE-Position-Toggle-Connection-Arduino/dp/B07KK78RRX/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ALLNICE+12PCS+Dark+Blue+AC+125V+6A+ON-ON+3+Pins+2+Position+Mini+Toggle+Switch+Single+Connection+MTS102+for+Arduino+(Dark+Blue+3PIN+ON-ON)&qid=1623504167&sr=8-3

My education happened in the dark mists of time in another century, and I have a tendency to just wire up and see what happens.

In theory 5v fans would be a little overpowered on a 7.4v (or double powered on a 9v battery) but in real life tolerances will generally cope.

I would wire them up and see what happens - if the fan motors scream whilst blowing a gale with a burning smell then somethings wrong

The ‘right’ option is probably all 4 in parallel, but I’d be curious about trying them in two pairs - a parallel circuit of two sets of two fans in series

These are not any formally recognised symbols for circuit design, but are a rough representation of parallel, series and a combination :

View attachment 75009

 

[MiK]

Oki doki - I also like to try n see but I don’t wanna blow the fans…

according to that calculator I’ll get 2.5hrs on a 1100mah battery with 4 fans 

 

[Shamal]

Oki doki - I also like to try n see but I don’t wanna blow the fans…

according to that calculator I’ll get 2.5hrs on a 1100mah battery with 4 fans 

I thought the production/manufacturing phase was complet and you were on to the field testing.

You gotta step it up cause I might need them end of August for the n.a.e ??

Regards 

 

[MiK]

I thought the production/manufacturing phase was complet and you were on to the field testing.

You gotta step it up cause I might need them end of August for the n.a.e ??

Regards 

Well I did say I’ve started a new project just the other day, I’m trying to get that one done in the next week or so but before hand I wanna get the theory of what fans/blowers to use and the amount and the powering system

This new project even got a “Wow! That’s actually good” comment from my misses and she’s had over 27 Years of my insane ideas  

 

[Lozart]

For the Amps - yes.  Add the 4 for the overall load of 0.4amps

Errmmm...yes and no. It'll be 0.4A if they're all in parallel, 0.2 if it's two pairs in series parallel and 0.1 if they're all in series.

 

[Keldon]

For your switch I would use a latching push button, latching just meaning it holds its on/off position which is what you need.  Though they will be a little more bulky. 

With push button it's much easy to use with gloves then trying to flick some type of switch. 

Also make sure it's 12v or less type of switch. Then you should be fine.