USB Fan

This is how to make your own awesome usb fan.

my first intractable so give suggestions :)

ummm... not liable for shorted out usb ports, broken computers, flying fan blades of doom or anything else people can get sued for :)

overall... don't blow your self up.

Step 1 Supplies

supplies

tiny motor (I used a zip zap truck motor yellow one)

nail gun nails (or some flat conductor)

plastic or something flat and NOT a conductor (thats cuttable)

fan blade

soldering iron - solder

hot glue (super glue works better but is a pain to deal with)

switch (optional)

usb port thing

wire cutters

some kind of knife (to cut the plastic)

Comments

[legano]

OHNOES! please don't blow your self up with 5v :o haha. lol, nice guide. i liked this one.

[bluegirltulbo]

wow nice.... i will try to make this...... tanx for your instructables.

[Padlock]

It would be smart to add a protective diode to it across the motor terminals so when the motor turns off (or stalls), their isn't a voltage spike.

[TATcreator]

Observant.

[Padlock]

Just like every other 13 year old ADD geek...

[coolchris1225]

Hey that was my first instructable plus a computer power supply has built in safty features to prevent "voltage spikes" and as long as you don't put your finger in the blade then it doesn't stall

[Padlock]

Computer PSU's have protection from mains spikes, not internally. Voltage internally is regulated by a 3.3volt sense line (usually the brown wire). The computer PSU will stop the voltage if it detects that IT is regulating improperly, but has no sense over other inputs. Also, we know not to stick our fingers in it. But do toddlers? Can cats brush up against it unknowingly? I just think it's a safety measure worth the time. A 5-cent piece of hardware compared to a new motherboard/USB driver (depends on how old your computer is...)

[coolchris1225]

thanks... I'll try that

[emdarcher]

where did you get the propeller?

[coolchris1225]

I got it from a wind up plane. probably an old happy meal.

[thefunktopus]

Its actuallya fan, a fan PUSHES air away from the motor whilst a propeller PULLS air toward the motor. I'd also like to know where you got the fan, if someone could post a link that would be great!! Nice instructable!!

[TheKingpin]

Where did you get the switch?

[coolchris1225]

I got it from an old junk tape recorder in my pile of electronic crap but radio shack has similar ones

[Mr_lonely]

hey can you tell me how to make it work with batteries??

[coolchris1225]

wire 2 AA battries in series (+ to - on one side of each) and put the other + and negative to the motor terminals or if you like small use AAA or even smaller and my personal favorite a CR2032 3v watch battery go to radioshack and pick up a battery holder