Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

I was watching the EEVBlog when i noticed this on the side:

http://www.digikey.com/us/en/ph/Suno...yMiniFans.html
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dk...part=UF385-100

8x8x5mm, now that's a ridiculously tiny fan. And 14k RPM at 3 volts! Insane. I bet that thing flies if it's left on its own... But it sure doesn't come cheap. The slightly larger models are cheaper, say this: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dk...part=UF3C3-500 12x12x3mm. 16500 rpm. And a staggering... 0.2 CFM.

Can you say WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE ???

[Topcat]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

1 50.75000 50.75

Yea....at 50 bucks a piece, I'll run right out and buy a bunch of those....

[brethin]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

I have a few these of various tiny sizes and while they dont move alot of air sometimes just moving a little bit of air helps, esp when you are talking about a switch/router or nas that you cant live without.

[c_hegge]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

hahaha. The 2nd one (the 12mm one) doesn't even mention the noise. I bet at 16k rpm it sounds like a 747 taking off. Erm, on 2nd thoughts, it must be even louder. The Rolls Royce RB211 only spins at just under 4k RPM at full throttle.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

I had a tiny (well, not this tiny, i think it was 30x30x10mm) fan recovered from an old laptop. It originally ran at 5v. I ran it at 20v. It took off and started flying. Unfortunately it quickly got that familiar smell... so i stopped it as not to burn it. Still have it somewhere, not that i'd have any use for such a noisemaker.

[momaka]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

Now stack about 100 of them on the heatsink of a 3.2 GHz Pentium 4 Prescott and try to play Crysis without going deaf . Anyone?

I had a tiny (well, not this tiny, i think it was 30x30x10mm) fan recovered from an old laptop. It originally ran at 5v. I ran it at 20v. It took off and started flying.

I should try that too. I have a box full of old Pentium 2 laptops and I think 1 or 2 are not working.

[Ami Sapphire]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

I saw those things a while ago, but I can't remember where...

I had a tiny (well, not this tiny, i think it was 30x30x10mm) fan recovered from an old laptop. It originally ran at 5v. I ran it at 20v. It took off and started flying.

Wow. I wish I was there to see that.

[PlainBill]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

hahaha. The 2nd one (the 12mm one) doesn't even mention the noise. I bet at 16k rpm it sounds like a 747 taking off. Erm, on 2nd thoughts, it must be even louder. The Rolls Royce RB211 only spins at just under 4k RPM at full throttle.

Not even close. It's rated at 17.3 dBA at .3 meter. That's well below whisper level.

PlainBill

[c_hegge]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

OK. I couldn't find any mention of the noise on the datasheet.

[ipman]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

Generated noise is proportional with blade area in contact with moving air.
Because is that small, it will not move much air, so very little noise.
That Rolls Royce RB211 fan is moving slowly, but moves a lot more air through it, that's why is a lot louder. It has a diameter between 1.86 and 2.19 meter

[c_hegge]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

I know, I was joking. (which is why the ). Of course a jet engine would be louder.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

Not even close. It's rated at 17.3 dBA at .3 meter. That's well below whisper level.

But it would still be like "wheeeeeee" when you do notice it. Not only the level but also the frequency matters... And small fans are likely to emit a high-pitched whine instead of just a buzz.

[PlainBill]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

But it would still be like "wheeeeeee" when you do notice it. Not only the level but also the frequency matters... And small fans are likely to emit a high-pitched whine instead of just a buzz.

True. But consider the numbers. 30dBA is 'A whisper in a quiet library'. This is 17.1 dBA at 30 cm. And since the dBA scale is logarithmic, this would be less than half as loud. I think an approximate analogy would be a baby mosquito at arms length. Of course, at $50 each, you wouldn't want to swat one....

PlainBill

[ipman]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

So far as I know, 3dB less is half the initial value.
17dB will be several waaaay less than 30dB ...

[pentium]

Re: Look at this - super tiny fans!!!

Mechanical mosquito.