DIY Rechargeable Smoke Exhaust Fan Mod

If you have a smoke exhaust fan and the duct is not installed due to high ceiling, but you also have a desktop plug-in type, consider taking it a step further and converting it into a rechargeable version.

For portable soldering work, a rechargeable version is preferable due to its compact size.

First, prepare the fan, similar to the one shown below:

Image of the desktop plug-in fan

As seen, it has only two functions: smoke extraction and illuminating the smoke outlet.

Image of the smoke outlet with illumination

The charger specifications are 12V 2A.

Removing the cover reveals a filter mesh.

Underneath the filter mesh, there is a smoke absorption cotton. If it's not included with the original device, you'll need to buy it separately.

Below the smoke absorption cotton is the fan's air intake.

Removing the air intake cover exposes the fan and circuit board.

Image of the fan model

Actual measurements during smoke extraction: 1.88A.

Now, let's discuss the modifications:

Convert it into a rechargeable version. The battery can be placed here, using a 3S2P configuration with a capacity of 12V 5.2Ah, providing approximately two hours of usage.

The modification can be done without causing any damage, but you may need to trim off the reinforcing ribs on both sides to accommodate the two battery cells that fit snugly between the fixed columns.

This is the basic plan as described above.