# 12v Fans......?



## F15EWSO (Feb 18, 2011)

All,
tried two searches IRT "fans" and came up with no results in Gear&Mx or Crusiing/Liveaboards? 

Last fall I grabbed a 12v clip on RV type fan from Wal-Mart and put it in the kitchen over the stove. Truth be told it is a noisy rattle box POS from China. Can anyone recommend a 12 volt fan for the bedrooms? As we return to the states I am building a list of summer must-haves for the east coast and fans for the rear cabin are big on my list. Would like 12v, quite, and good volume of air. Any recommendations? I was on amazon and there was a myriad of low cost items with the plug for the cigarette lighter (yes I could cut that of course) but was hoping for fans made for boats or RVs.

please help

Hank


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## mad_machine (Dec 16, 2012)

last time I was in Westmarine they had a nice collection of 12v fans. I imagine defender and the rest probably have similar fans for sale


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

General recommendations seem to be for Caframo and Hella as for being quiet. There are a couple that are made by cruisers. Most of them seem to be larger computer fans (12 volt) that have a "teak" frame built around them, or some other frame/mounting mechanism. I think I would pick of one of the Caframo or hella's and perhaps stop by a computer shop to see if they have some inexpensive fans, that way you can play with the computer fans to see if you can mount them in a useful way. some of them have speed controls that can be wired into them.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I had 2-speed Hella fans on my previous boats and now have 3-speed Caframo fans and can heartily recommend the latter, they are excellent quality, low power drain and even lower noise factor.


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## blowinstink (Sep 3, 2007)

These are nice: I draw way less power (like 1/10th the power) since I switched to them.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Those are the exact fans I have, the "Bora". But 10x less power compared to what, a 5-foot-diameter bladed shop fan? Seriously, unless they use some magical new technology, good fans versus run-of-the-mill fans will not show an order of magnitude difference in power consumption; it is a matter of physics to compute the energy needed to move a given volume or air a given speed or distance, so differences are going to be in fan shape and DC-drive efficiency and those are pretty old technologies where I'd be surprised to see a revolution.


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## blowinstink (Sep 3, 2007)

Zanshin said:


> Those are the exact fans I have, the "Bora". But 10x less power compared to what, a 5-foot-diameter bladed shop fan? Seriously, unless they use some magical new technology, good fans versus run-of-the-mill fans will not show an order of magnitude difference in power consumption; it is a matter of physics to compute the energy needed to move a given volume or air a given speed or distance, so differences are going to be in fan shape and DC-drive efficiency and those are pretty old technologies where I'd be surprised to see a revolution.


I had a couple noisy old fans from the mid-1980's Arnd - you know the kind with the metal cages around them . . .. Good riddance!


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

OK, now I believe the 10x more efficient claim


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

I've got a couple of 12v fans I picked up from West Marine a few years back. They have re-chargeable batteries so you have a choice of batteries or house bank. 

They're not super quiet, but I find that to be a plus. The white noise from the fans tends to block out background noise from the marina if we're sleeping at the dock.


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## kentobin (Mar 31, 2007)

My vote goes for the Caframo Sirocco Model 807 as it moves a lot of air and has been trouble free for 3 years now. 

I also have two Caframo Bora Model 748 and they don't move any where near as much air so I ended up using the Bora in the forward berth where I don't like a lot of air movement when I'm sleeping and don't need it. 

S/V Keith, 1978 Rafiki 37 ft cutter.


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## bristol299bob (Apr 13, 2011)

I've got a few Hella Fans. They are quiet, adjustable (speed and direction) and move decent air.


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## bigdogandy (Jun 21, 2008)

kentobin said:


> My vote goes for the Caframo Sirocco Model 807 as it moves a lot of air and has been trouble free for 3 years now.
> 
> I also have two Caframo Bora Model 748 and they don't move any where near as much air so I ended up using the Bora in the forward berth where I don't like a lot of air movement when I'm sleeping and don't need it.
> 
> S/V Keith, 1978 Rafiki 37 ft cutter.


+1 on the Scirocco fans.....I replaced an older Bora with a Scirocco recently and it is much quieter, moves more air at high volume, and has good adjustment from high to low. Plus there is a staged timer built-in, so I can leave it on for some background noise and breeze as I fall asleep and it will turn itself off after an hour or so.


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## fryewe (Dec 4, 2004)

Caframo is tops. And the 747 model moves more air per milliamp than any other model I've found. 400 milliamps per fan on high speed and 200 on low (but who uses low speed?). And they move more air than Scirocco or any other model. West Marine stores sometimes have a display that allows you to test the various 12V fans they sell. I ran them all and the 747 was clearly the best. One problem with them is that the suction cup provided with the fan is useless and won't stick on any surface in the boat. However when I emailed them they sent me three suction cups from older models that did work. Said they were working on a solution. West Marine sells clips that fit the fans if that is a reasonable method of making the fans portable on your boat. The fans also come with mounts for permanently mounting them that are good mounts.

The 747 is also a quiet fan.


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

In my local Fry's electronics they had a nice selecton of 12v computer fans that were composite and cheap! like $12. My next fan is gonna be something easily replaceable and a home-made mount.


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## F15EWSO (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks for the inputs, seems that having to go with the higher cost "marine" option just pays off. Looking at other fans at 1/3 the price it seems you just get a mixed bag of fans made in china with noise, reliability levels all over the map.


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## kentobin (Mar 31, 2007)

Just came across an interesting article on balancing fan blades with a strobe light. Looks like another boat project. 

Apparently I don't have enough posts to leave the link so just google:

Notes on using a stroboscope to help balance fan blades: (By John McComas)


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

I have 3 Caframo Sirocco Fans. They are quiet energy efficient and move a ton of air/

They also get an incredible amount of dust on them.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Yet another vote for Caframo. I have 4 of the two speed compacts. On slow they are quiet enough to use while you are sleeping.

Worth carrying spare blades as they do fail sometimes.


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