How to install a 120 Volt Cooling Fan?

Are you sure it is 120v? Most small and quiet cooling fans, used in computers and electronic equipment are 12v. They typically have separate small red and black wires out the back and are in a square plastic frame. If you connect these to 120v, they will disappear.

I have used 120v fans. First they are quite noisy when operated without a speed control. The put out a lot of air, most of which you really don't need, and the air flow causes noise. You will need to get a 120v 'fan' control (a light dimmer won't work) with a constantly varible speed control which includes 'off'. The you get some lamp cord. Attach the fan wires to a length of lamp cord. Terminate the lamp cord at the 'speed control unit'. Run some more lamp cord out of the 'speed control and terminate it with a plug. You can do this in an elaborate manner with a box to contain the speed control unit or just wire/tape it all to gether and hide it so long as you can easily reach the fan control. (I screwed it on tho the back of a cabinet I was using).

If you aren't handy, find an electrician to help.

Good luck.

Yes make sure it is not a 12V fan first. Zargon is right. Are the wires red and black and both very skinny (less than 2mm)? Also look at the center of the fan. There should be some kind of sticker telling what voltage it is. Do you know the Radio Shack Item number (from the packaging) - if you have that number I can look it up to see what fan you have and then tell you how to hook it up.

You might check out the products from Active Thermal Management -- www.activethermal.com.

Their stuff seems kinda expensive for what it is, until you get it set up and running . . . they're extremely quiet. They will also spend the time with you on the phone to make sure that a particular product fits what you're trying to do, and that your installation will be done in a fashion to make it work properly.

If you run a 230vac fan at 110vac, it will run very quietly.