Quick 4h Build – PID Fan Controller

I added a fan and temperature controller to my printer enclosure with this quick 4h build. You may need to adjust things a little bit, but I am sure you can build one for yourself in less than a day.

Used Material

• Adafruit Feather M0 Proto
• Adafruit Monochrome 1.3″ 128×64 OLED Graphic Display
• DHT22 Temperature and Humidity Sensor
• 5V Fan with PWM control (I used Noctua NF-A12x25 5V)
• Cheap N-Channel Mosfet (e.g. 2N7000)
• One 1kOhm Resistor for the voltage converter
• One 10kOhm Resistor for the DHT22
• 9×M2.5 Screws 10-16mm
• Wires, Solderiron, etc.

Step 1: Start Printing the Case

Warm up your 3D Printer and start printing the case.

If you use exactly the components from above, you just download the STL files and print them. For both case parts, the flat side to the printer bed. In case you like to use different parts, use the Fusion360 design and adjust the sockets to your needs.

Step 2: Wire the Components

While the printer is running, solder all wires as shown. Use the prototyping area on the Feather board to set up the MOSFET and resistors.

• Connecting the MOSFET:
  • The blue wire goes to the base pin.
  • The purple wire goes to the source pin.
  • The black wire goes to the drain pin.
• Connecting the fan:
  • The yellow wires go to 5V USB power and to the power input.
  • The purple wire goes to the PWM input of the fan.
  • The black wire connects the ground of the fan.

Step 3: Setup the Firmware

Install the latest version of the Arduino Environment on your computer and set up the Adafruit libraries as described on their website. Install the Adafruit Libraries DHT22 and Adafruit_SSD1306.

Adjust the set temperature cControlTargetTemperature in the firmware, and minimum and maximum fan speed as you like.

Compile and upload the firmware and check if everything works as expected.

Step 4: Assemble Everything

Use the M2.5 screws to fasten all components in the case.

Attach the fan, done!

Conclusion

This was a quick build and this guide is meant as an inspiration to start an own project. If you need a fan controller, grab some components you may already have, print your own case and you will have a nice device which is doing its job in no time. 🎉

If you have any questions, missed information, or simply want to provide feedback, feel free to comment below or contact me on Twitter. 😄

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