refrigerator heat exchanger 80mm fan holder

Summary

This fan holder is suitable for standard 80 mm PC fans. It allows you to click the fans into place on your refrigerator's heat exchanger. Thanks to the improved cooling, the compressor runs for less time to maintain the temperature in the refrigerator. This effectively saves me 5% on electricity.

Compatibility

I designed the bracket for my refrigerator heat exchanger, but I am very confident that the brackets can also be used with other refrigerators. The energy saving effect may be greater or lesser depending on the age, design, and location of the refrigerator.

Fan

I used 5V fans from amazon (with USB port - 2.2W total power consuption).
You can also use computer/PC fans (12V) and run them at 5V USB – this is very, very quiet and ensures even lower power consumption (probably <1W per fan).

Idea: If you use smart home technology, you can switch on your fans via a power outlet when the refrigerator compressor is running.

Print

0.2 to 0.3mm layer height
3 outer walls / perimeter
Better use PETG for better heat resistance, but PLA should be ok.

Installation

Buy
You can buy one or more USB fans on Amazon.

DIY

1. Expose USB cable: +5V (red), ground (black).
2. Prepare fan cable: + (red), – (black).
3. Solder (alternatively with luster terminal): red to red, black to black.
4. Don't forget insulation!

Finally, attach the brackets to the fan (the small tab on the inside must be at the top!) and click everything together into the heat exchanger with light pressure.

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