12v Fan

[TQA]

Where have you seen a Caframo fan for £40 please?

$51 US from Island Water World online. Or about 33 quid.

 

[Pavalijo]

After a month's trial the unit it was placed next to the rubbish bin - indicative of free for all - and it disappeared within an hour.

Trying earlier to buy such a device, local Italian stores had already told me they did not stock them as they are ineffective in our area and that they are only suitable with low humidity climates such as desert regions. They are consequently popular in the dry, higher altitude US states where they are known as 'Swamp Coolers'.

Oh well, it's only money!
The good news is that if I don't put water in it will simply be a very quiet fan! :encouragement:

 

[BrianH]

The good news is that if I don't put water in it will simply be a very quiet fan! :encouragement:

After 35 years based in Italy and buying many different models, I have found that fan noise is air/blade passage and usually the quieter the fan is, the less air it moves and the less effective it is.

I know that in my case one major improvement to lower cabin temperatures will be to rip off the teak deck and paint with a light-coloured deck paint, I intend to do just that when I can tie down one of the itinerant odd-jobbers we have to perform the knee and back-breaking part. The lockers under the side decks are like pizza ovens radiating heat into the cabin.

In the meantime, what I have been doing for the last few years, is to end my cruising and on-board life by mid-July and go home to Switzerland until early September, when I return until November.

 

[Thedreamoneday]

Where have you seen a Caframo fan for £40 please?

There are outlets where you can get them for around £26 but unless you're based in the states the postage adds to about £18, you can get them from Seamark Nunn in the UK for about £47 with about £5 p&p.

 

[TQA]

Make sure you are getting the two speed one. There is a cheaper single speed version.

 

[Norman_E]

I have tried several 12 volt fans, all of them noisy and pretty useless. Even a Caframo fan, the one with two soft blades was noisy with a cheap motor made in China. My solution is to use a 12 inch mains box fan, directly on mains when on shore power or through a small inverter at other times. Mine is a 3 speed model and quiet on its lowest speed but still shifts a lot of air. With fans, diameter is the key to get good airflow at low noise. Mine is a cheap one bought in Turkey. It is not branded the same but looks very like this one on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/BLT-Blt-Box...e=UTF8&qid=1452030204&sr=1-2&keywords=box+fan

 

[boatmike]

Good point TQA Thanks!

 

[Mistroma]

I have tried several 12 volt fans, all of them noisy and pretty useless. Even a Caframo fan, the one with two soft blades was noisy with a cheap motor made in China. My solution is to use a 12 inch mains box fan, directly on mains when on shore power or through a small inverter at other times. Mine is a 3 speed model and quiet on its lowest speed but still shifts a lot of air. With fans, diameter is the key to get good airflow at low noise. Mine is a cheap one bought in Turkey. It is not branded the same but looks very like this one on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/BLT-Blt-Box...e=UTF8&qid=1452030204&sr=1-2&keywords=box+fan

We also have something very similar. I think it is rated at 50-55W and still shifts a fair bit of air on lowest setting. The fan is very quiet on shore power but a lot noisier on a modified sine (i.e. square) wave inverter. It think ours draws about 5A @12V on full blast. I haven't measured it on lowest setting but intend to do that this year. I haven't left it on overnight at anchor due to noise on inverter and likely current draw of around 2A. It has a timer so can be left on until you nod off (but you tend to wake up a couple of hours later it cabin is hot ).

 

[Chris_Robb]

That's not a bad price for the Caframo. Incidentally they're made in Canada and seem to be as cheap, and more readiy available, in the UK as anywhere else in Europe. I've had three over the years: excellent kit.
Most folk seem to prefer the version with no fan guard: the blades have a cushioned front edge, so won't do much damage if they clout you.

I have 3 of these 2 speed fans. Initially they vibrated annoyingly, but by tightening down the springed stem that became quite quiet and moved a hell of a lot of air- we never need to use them at full speed.

I understand that the motor is a digital motor - hence why it uses a tiny amount of current compared with a brushed motor. I wouldn't buy anything else - but the problems is the price has gone up hugely since I bought them (2009) as they now have a distributor in the chain here rather than just our forumite who sold them - cannot remember his name. - so the price has jumped as everyone takes a scrape at each stage.

 

[sailaboutvic]

We found being at anchor instead of an Marina or Harbour and having the for hatch open , does the job nicely and when that stop working there always the deck

 

[Bertramdriver]

So many people have so much money to spend. Just go to eBay and search for 12 v laptop fans. For £7 you can buy a very efficient fan which is light enough to be propped on a bookshelf or suspended in a hatch opening and will shift loads of hot air. Because they operate a high speeds they are quieter than bigger 220v fans

 

[vyv_cox]

We found being at anchor instead of an Marina or Harbour and having the for hatch open , does the job nicely and when that stop working there always the deck

Helped by two windscoops.

 

[TQA]

You need the fan when it rains or on those hot sticky windlass nights.