PWM Stir Plate Plans

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That should work with 9V & 12V power supplies for a 12V fan.

I would be nice if they listed the frequency it operates (some controllers can be audible) and duty cycle (determines minimum output voltage at the "off" knob position). That's a good price and a high probability it'll work fine.
 
Cellphone chargers for modern smartphones will typically be 5V at 1A. Too low on the voltage and overkill on the amperage (although that part's fine. The fan will only draw the amperage it needs regardless of how much higher the power supply can go.)
 
You know I am not trying to sell this methods but just watching the posts fly by about circuits and resistors... etc etc kind of makes me cringe when in a matter of minutes you can go to a hardware store and build a pwm controlled outlet. Then just get a universal adapter with a decent voltage range (for example 1-12v) and wala you're up and running. I started down that avenue of circuits, LM317T, yada yada and quickly decided why bother. Also when things go bad it's hard to get up and running again fast if you have a circuit. Radio Shack blows for electronic parts these days. Just more food for thought.
 
I always bought my electronic parts from Jameco anyway. Better selection once you know what you're looking for. The Radio shack clerks know little to nothing about components.
 
Ya, my Radio Shack does have everything I would need to build the circuit. Prices kinda suck, and selection is slim, but the have at lease a couple of most common components.

If you plan on building a PWM 555 timer IC using everything from Radio Shack, you might as well buy one of those $13 setups, cause you'll spend more than that there.
 
So I have run into a snag, I can not find capacitor 2 which is supposes to be a 680 pF but it does not say how many volts? Thoughts?
 
680pf might also be listed as a .680nf where you are looking...maybe not, just thought I'd throw that out there.

If all else fails, I don't see any reason why THIS one wouldn't work as well.

Part-List.jpg


The caps in this one are avail at Radio Shack, but listed as .1uf instead of 100nf.
 
I just filled my shopping cart at mouser and was about to hit "buy" when I happened across this thing. Computer case fan w/ speed controller for $6.99.

Any reason this thing wont work? I figure I will get it, mount it in a box, add a magnet, then wire a wall wort to it and call it a day.

Either way, if it sucks, not a substantial loss...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200027
 
Do try it and let us know how it works. It says it has a "control set" and the speed is adjustable but I don't see a knob anywhere. So I dunno..
 
HenryVance3 said:
Looks good to me what are the capacitor and diode ratings?
Click to expand...

Caps are .1uf or 100nf (same thing, different scale)

Diodes are 1N4148.

I have all this stuff at home, but heading to Hawaii tomorrow or I'd stick it in my bread board and make sure it works for ya.

flying_circus said:
I just filled my shopping cart at mouser and was about to hit "buy" when I happened across this thing. Computer case fan w/ speed controller for $6.99.

Any reason this thing wont work? I figure I will get it, mount it in a box, add a magnet, then wire a wall wort to it and call it a day.

Either way, if it sucks, not a substantial loss...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200027
Click to expand...

I have a 120mm fan that looks like that one and is speed adjustable, but it has a 3 position switch to select the RPM, not a pot. I use it in my ferm cabinet. Who knows, you might find one of those speeds is perfect, which is likely with a less than 12v wall wort.

Either way, with that blue led fan, you need to make some holes in the case so it lights up your wort pretty blue....lol.
 
flying_circus said:
I just filled my shopping cart at mouser and was about to hit "buy" when I happened across this thing. Computer case fan w/ speed controller for $6.99.

Any reason this thing wont work? I figure I will get it, mount it in a box, add a magnet, then wire a wall wort to it and call it a day.

Either way, if it sucks, not a substantial loss...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200027
Click to expand...

YES YES YES>....

that is my setup after trial and error with the other DIY Fan, potenimeter etc etc. .....

I never could find a combo of working fans and power supplies that would get along.

I bought this fan http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00080G0BK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

and it works splendidly well. while I can't "stop" my fan all together, I can dial it down pretty slow. I am using a cell phone charger usb wall wort to plug it into.

-=Jason=-
 
Last edited by a moderator:
flying_circus said:
I just filled my shopping cart at mouser and was about to hit "buy" when I happened across this thing. Computer case fan w/ speed controller for $6.99.

Any reason this thing wont work? I figure I will get it, mount it in a box, add a magnet, then wire a wall wort to it and call it a day.

Either way, if it sucks, not a substantial loss...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200027
Click to expand...


I have the exact same setup with the non LED fan. I got it for the same price as that one, but now see it's $8.99.

It works great. I cleaned up all the wiring (took out everything that was unnecessary to my task because I'm just like that), wired in a switch, and put it all in a box. Even TheWife says it looks professionally made.

I'm going to test it with a 9v and 5v wall wart this week. It works fine with the 12v supply, but it would be nice to have it just a bit slower at times and besides, I like to tinker. :)
 
Lost said:
Do try it and let us know how it works. It says it has a "control set" and the speed is adjustable but I don't see a knob anywhere. So I dunno..
Click to expand...

You have to click on the images. Here is a direct link to the fan controller. It's mounted on a metal gang to be installed in the rear of your computer (heh...)

Fan Controller
 
I bought a 1.5-12 volt adjustable power supply with interchangable plug ends from Frys electronics. I put a female end on the fan cable and it works pretty well. Ill post a picture later
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I am throwing the larger stir bars does this have to do with my magnet placement?
Do you use stir bars with the ring in the middle or not?
 
I realize this an older thread, but, in the hopes that one of you guys are still tracking this...

I just got a PWM controller off ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251356345922?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I hooked up a fan directly with my 12v wall wart DC power plug to make sure the fan was working. The fan ran just fine.

I hooked the power to the controller and then wired to the fan to make sure the controller would work before I put it all on a nice box.

As soon as I applied power, I smelled buring electronics and saw a puff of smoke from my fan. WTF?

It's been a long time since I putted around with electronic circuits, but I'm not understanding what happened.

Before I buy a brand new fan, could someone help me understand what I did wrong, please?

Thanks for your help!
 
Either something is wrong with the controller, or the components were mis-wired. A photo maybe? Photos of the data plate of the fan and power supply? Instructions for the controller? The photo of the controller bottom indicates simple wiring.
 
I built a pair of stir plates using that same PWM module and they work great.
I use 1/2 liter, 2 liter and 5 liter flasks with 1" and 2" stir bars and can dial from "dimple" to "tornado" on any of them.

Either a miswire (seems unlikely) or you were unlucky and received a defective module...

Cheers!

ab_stirplates_apr_25_2013_01_sm.jpg


ab_stirplates_apr_25_2013_06_sm.jpg
 
I found a nintendo enclosure to be perfect when building my stir plate. I don't have any special components inside. No potentiometer or anything. I just use a 16 volt computer power supply and it spins my 12 volt computer fan sufficiently fast. I like the nintendo cause it has internal parts like a power button and power receptacle that can be soldered to. It looks bad ass as well.

image-1621217538.jpg
 
I tossed the fan after it smoked. It was a rescue from some electronics. It was a 3" Chinese model.

Here are some photos...

image.jpg
 
If you smoked the fan, you have way more than 12 volts. Bad power supply.

A voltmeter would be helpful.
 
Having trouble with photos on the iPad. Will jump to the laptop shortly.

Checked the voltage out on the PWM board. 12.3v with pot thrown to right. 11.9v with pot thrown to left.

Although it's only 0.4v difference, I thought the voltage out of the PWB should be stable but the pulses of power out change with the throw of the pot.

Is it possible to wire the fan backwards? ie - + to - and vice versa.
 

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