Cruising with regular household fans?

[ohdrinkboy]

Any of you using regular household fans while out cruising? I've always had the 12v marine fans on day sailing or chartering. I imagine household fans use more power, but they also move more air on a still day.

[Chotu]

Air moved per AH discharged from your battery bank is the key.

I have some $100 a pop Guest fans that move a surprising amount of air with little power consumption. Pretty happy with them and their reliability.

However, you could buy a lot of standard fans from Walmart for $100. They’d nice more air too.

[ThereAndBack]

I use these:
https://www.amazon.com/Vornado-Energ...dp/B019VW6PDI/

They're great on power consumption and have a truly variable speed control. They move almost as much air on high as my "normal" house fans did.

[Sparx]

We have 12v fans that are great but must be mounted to the boat. We have a 120v portable fan for putting air just where it is needed, but it does chew a few amps. We found a usb driven portable that is handy while using very little power. The usb fan moves the least air of the three options but is quiet and earns its keep.

[slug]

Originally Posted by ohdrinkboy

Any of you using regular household fans while out cruising? I've always had the 12v marine fans on day sailing or chartering. I imagine household fans use more power, but they also move more air on a still day.

Sure

They are fantastic

Purchase one that compliments a deck hatch dimensions

Fit it into the hatch and turn on , it will move a huge volume of air . Use it to turbo charge the natural air movement inside the boat

Fit into the companionway with s custom plywood frame to mimic a companionway slide is also effective

Do remember power use

Best if used in conjunction with sun awnings

[astokel]

I use USB fans. They run off almost any power source including AC, power packs and (assuming you have USB ports all over your boat) boat batteries. They are quiet and move an amazing amount of air but you will need several. They hang off my hand rails and hooks as well as stand on most surfaces.

BTW: You shouldn't pay much more that $10 and the ones with the plastic blades are best.

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

I use two of these In addition to my 12v fans that are mounted.
Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator Fan Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001R1RXUG..._SEXfFbWKKTZXM

I have an inverter, plenty of battery, and can place these just where they are needed for working or sleeping.

[ohdrinkboy]

Thanks all. As I sit in my garage in 95 degree heat, I'm quite comfortable with the fan blowing on me. Thanks to those who posted links to the household fans they are using. This is in line with what I was thinking.

[s/v Jedi]

I have tested more than 10 different household fans aboard. Almost every one is better than any 12V boat fan. But the clear winners were these:

“small” fan, 9” non oscillating: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

“big” fan, 12”, oscillating: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are very quiet and can go low speed.

[ohdrinkboy]

Thanks Jedi!

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by ThereAndBack

I use these:
https://www.amazon.com/Vornado-Energ...dp/B019VW6PDI/

They're great on power consumption and have a truly variable speed control. They move almost as much air on high as my "normal" house fans did.

The Vornado is a 110v AC unit which uses 44 watts, over three amps on 12v through an inverter. Sure it moves a lot of air but that is too much power, and will one cool the whole boat? Not likely.

Use fans like this when you are at the dock or if your helo-landing pad solar array over the aft deck puts out big surpluses of power.

But for keeping cool at sea or anchor using minimum power I think it is better to have a few of the little 12v units like Hella or Caframo. Our Hella Turbos use less than .25 amps. We have them mounted all over the boat, and you can always get a nice fresh breeze blowing on you face wherever you are. When I go on a delivery I take one with alligator clips and a clamp.

[ThereAndBack]

Originally Posted by wingssail

The Vornado is a 110v AC unit which uses 44 watts, over three amps on 12v through an inverter. Sure it moves a lot of air but that is too much power, and will one cool the whole boat? Not likely.

Use fans like this when you are at the dock or if your helo-landing pad solar array over the aft deck puts out big surpluses of power.

But for keeping cool at sea or anchor using minimum power I think it is better to have a few of the little 12v units like Hella or Caframo. Our Hella Turbos use less than .25 amps. We have them mounted all over the boat, and you can always get a nice fresh breeze blowing on you face wherever you are. When I go on a delivery I take one with alligator clips and a clamp.

You're welcome to your own opinion. I have Caframo and Hellas on board and they suck.

The Vornado has a variable power consumption curve. If it is turned down very low it uses very little power and you can ramp it up as it pleases you. Using 3 amps it is blowing my Caframos away.

The OP wanted the power of a household fan. 12v fans don't move that sort of air.

[Cheechako]

I have a 10" household box fan that runs from a wall wart (can take batteries but I never have) It puts out a lot of air and has lasted 8 years or so ...so far. "02cool" brand. Has a base that makes it pretty stable too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013BOC6VC...osi&th=1&psc=1

For mounted 12V fans those Trucker fans put out a ton of air.
https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/...2Qp/s-l225.jpg

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by ThereAndBack

You're welcome to your own opinion. I have Caframo and Hellas on board and they suck.

You probably have them hooked up backwards, mine blow.

Seriously the other problem with household fans, besides power usage, (and you're kidding yourself if you think that household fans, even on low power don't use a lot) is that they clutter up the cabin and must be put away when you go sailing, then they must be stored.

I want our boat to be ready to go at a moment's notice, the absolute minimum to unplug and put away, so whenever we get the impulse to go sailing we can, right now, and house hold appliances don't fit that model. If it takes one half a day to get ready to go sailing, you won't be doing it very often.

[Gary Matthesen]

I have a cheap 24 inch mostly plastic (no rust) from Ace or Home depot. When your on a dock, with 110 volts your fine. If your motoring, run it through an inverter, your fine. If your sailing, wind is up, your fine.