CFL retrofit with cooling fans

[vahluree]

Thanks to my wonderful husb, my light fixture on my 26G tank finally got upgraded!!! I went from the stock 15W flourescent to a 36W compact flourescent (6700K), and I must say the difference is stunning!

We wanted to try to use the original hood that came with the tank. When we hooked up the new light, reflector and ballast, we found that the hood also became very warm. This was a lot of stuff in a small space, mind you. My guy builds custom computers as a hobby, so solving heat issues is nothing new to him. He decided to cut out holes in the hood to install a intake and an exhaust 50mm fans powered by... an old Nokia cell phone charger!!*DRUMMER* Genius!!

Here are some pics along the way.
Photo #1 is a pic of the setup with the reflector, the bulb, and the ballast. Before the fan install.
Photo #2 is a pic of the intake fan installed just next to the ballast. The exhaust fan is located on the other end of the hood.
Photo #3 shows the molex plugs kept in place to make for easy swaps when necessary.
Photo #4 shows the entire set up completed.
Photo #5 shows the fan in action!!

 

[Orion]

A little ingenuity does a body good! On some of my lights where I've used the plastic hoods, I was able to use 80mm fans which helps. Also I've always put two fans, one input one output air on either end of the hood.

I never had a lot of luck with chargers over the long term using them as power supplies. They always seemed to die after a few years. If/when that happens you can order a 12v/5v power supply with a 4 pin molex connector for around $12-15.

 

[vahluree]

Cool, thanks, for the heads up about the charger, Orion. That's good to know, I'll keep an eye on it. We just took what we already had to see if it would work. For a first-time gig, I gotta say I'm pretty proud of it.

I could never have tackled this project on my own. I lack the ability to see "in my mind's eye" how to put things together and make them work. Luckily, my husband was willing to give it a shot. Being able to watch him and listen while he explains what he is doing and why helps me understand the whole system much better.

Here is a full tank shot... it needs a background to hide those unsightly cords. And some more plants...