Connecting 18 Computer Fans to 1 Fan Control

[joemama69]

I am building a Cigar Humidor, and need to have a fan control to operate 18 3.5"Computer Fans simotaniously as well as controll there speed. Here are some specs on the fans...

Rated Voltage: 10.8~13.2VDC
Starting Voltage: 7VDC
Rated Current: 0.16A
Power Input: 1.92W

I have found fan controlls that controll up to 4... is it possible to do all 18 w/ one device.

 

[mdjensen22]

How many speeds are you looking to have?
Two speed settings, dozens of speed settings, etc?
What percentage of the nominal speed is your lowest speed?

With the DC fans, you can usually PWM them for speed control. Some computer fans have a tachometer output which makes it easy to implement feedback in your system if that is needed.

You should be able to drive the fans with a single output - transistor circuits driven by the PWM (assuming that's the preferred method) should be able to operate the array of fans.

If you want to go simple, you can make a PWM circuit from a 555 timer http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/LM555.html#17 [/URL]

 

[MATLABdude]

I don't know your setup here, but as a naive question, are you attempting to use the fans to vent air from inside the humidor and replace it with 'fresh' air?

If so isn't the point of most cigar humidors (for most places) to keep in moisture, rather than to lose it (as would be the case when you vent the humid air from the inside of a humidor and replace it with the less humid air from the outside)?