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bs2 voltage regulator app — Parallax Forums

bs2 voltage regulator app

nickenicke Posts: 1
edited 2005-10-07 14:06 in BASIC Stamp
i need to write an application that i can regulate voltage to a fan so i can controll the fan speed and also regulate voltage to an heat line. im kinda new to this so be nice [noparse]:)[/noparse]
its all to an microsupport product to an project in school. any help would be appreciated.

Niclas

Comments

  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-10-06 14:03
    Hello,

    ·· Do you have any idea how you want to go about this?· It sounds like a DAC might be what you'll need.· Possibly more than one from your message.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-10-06 16:39
    It all depends on what type of fan you are using, if there is a control voltage, the DAC is the way to go, if its just one of those standard computer fans (DC), typically the power is pulse width modulated (PWM).

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  • SteelSteel Posts: 313
    edited 2005-10-06 17:29
    yup.· The PWM command will rock your boxers.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-10-06 19:53
    If you look in the help file you will find the PWM command isn't really designed to control the type of motors Paul was referring to.· You would need a co-processor chip, such as the PWMPAL for something like that.· If it has a DC motor you can use either voltage or PWM.· But the voltage control is more limited, although simpler to implement.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-10-06 20:00
    This is a little off topic, but it may help Niclas decide which to use, if both are possible avenues.

    Chris do you know if driving a DC motor with a variable voltage would provide less torque in the motor than the PWM? I know that most motors require a minimum startup voltage to get it started, does providing the motor with an equivalent PWM duty cycle suffer the same problem, or does the impulse voltage within the PWM train overcome this issue?

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    ·1+1=10
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-10-06 23:05
    Paul,

    ·· I believe PWM drive provides more power to the motor (In the form of torque) than adjusting the voltage, and as I admitted, has the additional benefit of·providing more control over a wider range, which would explain why most motor controllers utilize PWM for the control system.· There is no question it is the better way to go.· Simpler would be varying the voltage, depending on how you look at it, but I don't have the details so I can't say what the OP should use.· He will have to base that on our information provided.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-10-07 12:29
    Thanks for clarifying the issue, I haven't had a "need to know" situation with analog vs PWM drive, and was curious.

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    ·1+1=10
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-10-07 14:06
    By all means, throw questions out there when you have them.· Sometimes even I learn from them.· =)· It's like being forced to use muscles you forget you have sometimes.· I guess sometimes it's "re-learn"...


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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
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