emc2101 fan controller

[nic_marshall]

hello everyone,

Can someone help me with basic advice on running a 5v 3 pin fan from the emc2101 fan controller? I made the (probably naive) assumption the emc2101 pcb could run the fan directly, but when i attempted to do this i didn't get any response from the fan. Here's a crude wiring diagram of the emc2101 and fan I'm attempting to run.

fan controller wiring.png (962.06 KiB) Viewed 175 times

This drawing should probably tell you where my electronics skill level is at. Be kind please!

If the fan can be run directly by the emc2101 can someone help me out and tell me what I need to do.

many thanks in advance,
Nic

[rooppoorali]

For 4-pin fan control, they added a transistor. https://learn.adafruit.com/emc2101-fan- ... or/arduino

I think it's essential for a 3-pin one too.

[nic_marshall]

hiya thanks for responding. Do you know if i need a specific transistor? Further reading tells me i need a NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor, but i can't get spec or a model number to work with.

[Rcayot]

The red wire should go to 'fan' black to gnd, and blue to tach.

3 wire fans have power, ground, tach.

The v-in is from power supply, or 3v out from microcontroller.
Gnd is gnd.

Roger

[nic_marshall]

thanks roger, but this didn't seem to work. when the fans red wire was on fan , black on ground, blue on tach the fan still didnt run, even with heat applied.

[Franklin97355]

Does https://learn.adafruit.com/emc2101-fan- ... or#pinouts help? I'm not sure how this works but will ask the techs.

[nic_marshall]

Hi franklin, thanks a lot for replying. This overview and the pinouts page is what gave me the confidence to hook up the emc2101 to 5v and the fan. Without success though. :(

[adafruit2]

what is the exact url or datasheet of the fan? what code are you running on the microcontroller and do you know it found the EMC. show all wiring.

[nic_marshall]

Hi there,

this is the fan:
https://thepihut.com/products/highpi-pr ... controlled

I'm hoping to run the fan as shown in the first posts image: A 5v supply, the fan controller, and the fan. Is this possible?

[adafruit2]

where is the microcontroller? it isnt an optional part

[nic_marshall]

where is the microcontroller? it isnt an optional part

ah ok, i think i have my answer, thanks for this. I was hoping the emc2101 would run the fan as a stand alone pcb ie. it has a microcontroller built in with default settings you can run a fan with like this VHM-802 pcb: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384937420048 ... R964tLfDYA

I'm now guessing this assumption was wrong. My design only has small amount of space. Is there a tiny microcontroller i can add? ideally it'd be a beginner's plug and play level to work with.

There is a raspberry pi to work with but its the pi400 and its locked away in the keyboard.

[adafruit2]

many folks start with an 'arduino uno' or compatible! some soldering or wiring will be required
you may also just want to go with a different controller - this one is designed for digital control and maybe thats just not interesting/useful to you.