Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Varying voltage

Petr Kocour

Mar 10, 2018
2
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
2
Hi,
I know it may be a stupid question, but I'd like to vary voltage between 5 and 12 V using a potentiometer to control my PC fans. The PSU has 12 and 5 V cables. I was thinking about using the pot as voltage devider , but instead of connecting one lead to ground and the other one to 5V ,connecting one to 5V and the other one to 12V. Would that work? Thanks in advance
 

Alec_t

Jul 7, 2015
3,587
Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Messages
3,587
Welcome to EP!
Your PC fans are probably already controlled by the PC, using a PWM technique rather than simply varying the fan voltage, so you would need to avoid interfering with that.
How exactly do you plan to use the potentiometer to control speed?
 

Petr Kocour

Mar 10, 2018
2
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
2
Welcome to EP!
Your PC fans are probably already controlled by the PC, using a PWM technique rather than simply varying the fan voltage, so you would need to avoid interfering with that.
How exactly do you plan to use the potentiometer to control speed?
The fans are simple DC motors with two wires coming from them.
 

CTP4500

Mar 3, 2018
21
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Messages
21
Doesn't it automatically adjust? pc fans. Just like the voltage regulators in a car alternator.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
6,514
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
6,514
Top