Making Your Own Computer Fan Controller

[Ghobar]

I honestly don't remember (it was a while back). I think I just used a battery to test which connections to make so that the fan would increase/decrease speed with the turning of the pot.

 

The wiring that the website shows is for volume or lighting control. It assumes three wires, but we only have two for a fan. So I think one wire needs to be connected to two ports on the pot.

 

 

I can't access the webpage, but I will try to guess its content.

 

The difference is the configuration of the potentiometer, it can be used as a variable resistor (which will control current passing through the fan), or can be used as a voltage divider (which will control the voltage across the fan). Basically:

 

Variable resistor -> Potentiometer (also named rheostat only for this configuration) is connected in series with the fan, therefore, both of them will have the same current, but different voltages.

Voltage divider -> Potentiometer is in parallel with the fan, therefore, both of them will have the same voltage, but different currents passing through each one.

 

 

I connected the potentiometer as told by ajnl in his tutorial.

Now there is a problem:

The turning of potentiometer can reduce the speed ONLY by ONE THIRD! My fan's full speed is about 1530; turning the pot to the lowest only reduces the speed to about 930.

I want to have the full range of potentiometer, or at least a wider range. 

 

What is your idea? What is your solution?

 

Good luck