Is there such a thing as a small (~3"--5") fan that runs off a USB port? I need a small low-volume, low-speed fan to stir the air around my external dock to keep my 1 TB backup drive temperatures in check. Plugging the fan into a USB port would be simplest, but if necessary I can run it off 110v.

Recommendations?

tanstaafl.

Sure. There's a ton of them that come in USB laptop cooling pads. You could pull one out.

If I wasn't lazy, I'd google one for ya.

There are also USB disk drive enclosures which come with a built-in cooling fan. Those vertical dock thingys are cute, though.

Aren't those docks only intended to be used temporarily? I don't think you're supposed to leave the drive in there for extended periods, which lessens the need for cooling.

I've been meaning to get one of those docks. At last count I have 12 hard disks lying around.

Deal Extreme SKU #7153 (sold out).

And many similar items.
This variable-speed model looks particularly good.

Mmmm... good idea that (fan for vertical drive dock). I think I'll rummage through the fan pile here, and see if any of them can run from 5VDC. Add a small small inline resistor (to drop the fan speed/noise), and a block of wood (to adjust the height), and it ought to work well.

Cheers

It is used only intermittently -- for a few hours every ten days or so when I do a full system backup. It heats up quite rapidly, in half an hour I receive notification that it is approaching the temperature limits (Acive@ Hard Disk monitor program.) The dock is parked in a corner of my computer hutch in stagnant air, even a little bit of air circulation will keep it cool.

tanstaafl.

You shouldn't need to rip anything apart, I used one of these successfully when I needed to run a computer in a cabinet:

Thermaltake Mobile Fan II External USB Cooling Fan

As far as I know the one I installed is still going strong.

Very cool (no pun intended) product! I had no idea such a thing existed.

Though technically, isn't the little dongle all you really need? It looks to have a standard fan connector. Of course, it's nice that the fan its self has that nice little wire enclosure...

A quick GIS for 'usb fan' got loads of cute fans for personal use.