cooler camping

[wpbfjr]

hi all,

one thing i learned as a new motorcycle camper: tents are HOT!!!

i eventually decided that if i used the interior loops of my 2 person (better not be strangers!!) tent (they are the offsets of the hooks/clips that connect externally to the tent poles) i could hang a 12 volt fan that would run off of a sealed gelcell battery. the battery being charged from the bike during daytime running.

i've narrowed my choices down to:

8" metal 12v fan, abandoning the mounting post, and hanging the fan from the guard housing.

OR

4" plastic 12v fan and mounting 4 together in a square shape. these fans are advertised at 100 cfm. theoretically, these would pack flatter and more compactly.

what i don't know is: is there some formula or physics principle that would reduce/increase the output when combined? while more expensive, i'm GUESSING the total power draw would be less, and that the arrangment would still be QUIETER than the one larger fan mentioned above.

comments? suggestions? reasons i'm barking up the wrong tree?

dana

 

[madmike2]

So you want a way to circulate HOT air in your tent? If you plan to recharge a battery that is more than half discharged, I believe the FJR alternator would be taxed beyond its capacity.

Tents is all hot 'cause em suckers is purdy thin en awl. Whin the hot dang ol' sun comes a beatin' down on thet sucker thet heet is jist let right on enta the insdey thet tent, en awl. Yew gots tuh get anuther layer uh somethin' tuh shade the tent skin, soes alla thet dye-rect sunshine don't be gettin' threw tuh heet up thuh insidey yer tent. Yew gots tuh make sum shaid.

Anuther thang, whin ets hot on the outsidey thet thang, it'll be hot on the insidey then thang, tew. Y'all needs tuh be openin' the flaps en vents. Er goe swimmin'....at thuh moe-tell yew jist registerred yerseff intuh. Er git yerseff up en goe ridin'.

 

[twowheelnut]

Nekkid campin' (better not be strangers!).

 

[Geezer]

Get a bigger tent. One with a lot of screen in the roof and a fly to keep you dry. Leave the fly off on hot nights unless you expect rain. You could carry a pretty roomy tent for less weight than carrying a spare gel cell.

 

[slapnpop]

if you ARE going to go that route, look into specialty computer fans. They make serveral sizes, special quite ones, and most importantly, hi-flow ones. There are also fan controls for speed adjustment on multiple fans at once. You could theoretically array them into the tent to generate the best flow with an intake and an exhuast.

Computer modding and parts sites like xoxide.com usually have a decent selection.

 

[boogahboogah]

What Slappy said... High volume low noise 12v computer fans. A couple to blow in & a couple to exhaust out.

Gotta get quiet ones though, otherwise you'll think you're in the tent with a thousand mosquitos...

When selecting, you want low current drain (in addition to high volume low noise), so compare to find lowest dba & lowest current drain. Note: 100 mills (milliamps) is 1/10th of an amp. So if you're running 4 fans (2 intake 2 exhaust) that draw 100 mills each, you're gonna draw 4/10ts of an amp an hour from the battery. Round up to 1/2 an amp for safety's sake. Over a ten hour period, that's 5 amp hours of battry juice you've burned.

Let us know if it works out!

 

[wpbfjr]

Nekkid campin' (better not be strangers!).

if'n i end up with a skeeter on my peter, can i wack it off?

One with a lot of screen in the roof and a fly to keep you dry.

this is what i gots, and i figured with the screen in the roof, it'd help with the ventilation...

What Slappy said... High volume low noise 12v computer fans. A couple to blow in & a couple to exhaust out....lowest dba & lowest current drain....if you're running 4 fans (2 intake 2 exhaust) that draw 100 mills each, you're gonna draw 4/10ts of an amp an hour from the battery. Round up to 1/2 an amp for safety's sake. Over a ten hour period, that's 5 amp hours of battry juice you've burned.

ya baby!!! techinical math i know nutting about... thanks for the tip!!!

 

[650cent]

You could also look at allelectronics.com. Lots of fans, different sizes and voltages. Also other cool stuff for projects.

Bill

 

[TWILKIN650]

+1 on the bigger (they call 'em 3 person) tend with a mesh top and a fly in case of rain. Places like Academy or any of the other big sporting goods stores sell 3" diameter fold up fans that run on 2-D cells. A new set of D cells will run a fan like this for maybe two nights, three if you are lucky. Set it up so that it's wafting air on your face; you might want two fans if you like a lot of air. It usually cools off about midnight, so have a drink or two, fire up your fans and enjoy the stars through the mesh. I've spent lots of night camping in this setup at B.S.A. summer camps, and lived to tell about it.

 

[jestal]

Some of the fans might be spec'ed in watts. Volts X amps = watts A 12 volt fan that requires 24 watts draws 2 amps. Just in case you need to convert to figure out how much battery you need.

You might find that a small gel cel battery can run a fan like a computer cooling fan for quite awhile just as a total loss system. Look at a computer store or electronics shop for a miniature battery charger (like is often used in alarm systems for charging 12 volt gelcels from 120 AC) and you could then charge the battery every few days if you happen on a campsite with a 120 plug...

 

[wpbfjr]

Computer modding and parts sites like xoxide.com usually have a decent selection.

slappy's excellent suggestion yielded this: https://xoxide.com/thermaltake-silent-wheel-130mm-fan.html

a small power draw, and quiet, and ON SALE!!! :yahoo: :yahoo:

You might find that a small gel cel battery can run a fan like a computer cooling fan for quite awhile just as a total loss system. Look at a computer store or electronics shop for a miniature battery charger (like is often used in alarm systems for charging 12 volt gelcels from 120 AC) and you could then charge the battery every few days if you happen on a campsite with a 120 plug...

since i carry the small battery tender with me (under the seat), i'm guessing i can canabalize the 12v cell from an unused cambell-hausfeld 'portable' air inflator.

thanks again for your collected knowledge!!!

nite!!!

dana

 

[FlyingLow]

Don't camp in Death Valley?

You got me here. Been on many a road trip, including Sturgis, British Columbia, Colorado, and can't ever remember any "too hot!".

Too cold, if anything.

 

[fjrchooser]

If you camp correctly, you'll be too drunk by bedtime to notice the weather !