27 Comments

  1. Danang Pratama
    22. June 2017 @ 21:27

    Excuse me sir, i want to ask something
    i want make project like your but i do not have IRLZ44N, i just have the brother (IRFZ44N) can i use it ? for replace the job of IRLZ44N ?
    Thank for your attention

    Reply

    • admin
      23. June 2017 @ 10:13

      Just try. Maybe it works. I am not sure

      Reply

    • Jan Fego
      16. January 2021 @ 19:19

      Hello,
      I also did not have IRLZ44N, so I have tried few others, and finally ended up at BS108. For my tiny 5V/0.72W fan it is just fine.
      Jan

      Reply

  2. Tzahi
    4. November 2017 @ 18:46

    Love this project. It’s just what i was looking for.
    And your tutorials and lessons are excellent.
    Thanks.
    Tzahi.

    Reply

    • admin
      11. November 2017 @ 7:01

      You are welcome!

      Reply

  3. SKR
    13. November 2017 @ 16:25

    Thank you for sharing all the Informations with the other makers!
    I learned a lot!
    Great Project(s)/Lessons!
    Please go on like that!

    Reply

    • admin
      14. November 2017 @ 7:23

      Thanks, Steffen

      Reply

  4. Umer
    25. December 2017 @ 6:14

    Thanks alot for this. just what i was looking for. my current fan is way too noisy. i will probably need to replace that but will also implement your exercise to control the speed.

    Reply

  5. Doug Fortune
    4. September 2018 @ 18:07

    In your Youtube #137 you test an IRLZ44N and say that is OK for logic level switching for RasPi PWM purposes, and in Youtube #138 you also use an IRLZ44N but have a text over-writing the video at 1:02 saying IRF3708 is better, and the reason you say (in the comments) say “a low Vgs (much lower than 3.3 volts) is important”. Does this negate your test of the IRLZ44N in video #137?

    I am interested in using the ESP32 to drive single or parallel (for higher total current) PWM …. perhaps you can consider doing the same sort of video as #138 but use ESP32, hardware PWM of single & multiple channels, and driving a much higher current load (instead of a fan). In that video maybe you can show both IRLZ44N and IRF3708 and explain why IRF3708 is a better choice.

    Related to that ESP32 above… have you seen the http://www.M5Stack.com device? It integrates an ESP32, a color screen, 3 buttons into an expandable production-ready box. I would love to see you review it.

    Keep up the great work!

    Reply

    • admin
      9. September 2018 @ 22:50

      1. You always can check the datasheets of the different FETS. The IRLZ44 worked for me under normal conditions. If I remember right, a viewer told me that the IRF3708 had a lower Vgs which is always good for our purpose
      2. I have an M5stack but so far never used it. It seems a little expensive compared with other boards. I anyway print my own box for my project. So its box is not a big advantage for me.

      Reply

  6. Mrinal
    22. December 2018 @ 15:23

    Hi Mr. Andreas,
    I made this using an NPN transistor (S9013) for my Raspberry Pi 3 model B+ but, I found the variable speed fan concept is noisier than the one you have shown in your video #131 (on-off control). I made a small change in the on-off controlled version. The fan will start 15 deg less temp thank the maximum temp (max temp considered 55degC), and checked that for light uses the fan will start after it stopped once, more than 30min.
    I will be very happy if you provide some tips/suggestions regarding noise reduction.

    Thank you very much for your swiss (I thought sweet) accent and informative videos.

    Reply

    • admin
      22. December 2018 @ 15:26

      Hi,
      I think you have to experiment what is ok for you. These small fans are quite noisy if they have to work 😉

      Reply

    • admin
      14. April 2019 @ 11:56

      I assume the noise comes from the fan (if your PWM frequency is high enough). So the only possibility is to change the fan. Silten fans are quite expensive 🙁

      Reply

  7. Andrew
    7. March 2019 @ 8:37

    Thanks greatly for such an usefull project, but on my PI3 it isn’t working properly. When I switch on my PI, the fun is running during 3-5 seconds, after this the one swith off.The PI is switching off afer 1-2 minuts. I will using siple resistor for speed control.

    Reply

    • admin
      14. April 2019 @ 11:54

      Strange. It worked for many people.

      Reply

  8. mac mcalpine
    9. March 2019 @ 20:51

    Hi Andras, I enjoy your channel. Thank you. Your esp32 work has helped me greatly. I’ve created an over the top high performance raspberry pi case out of billet aluminum and carbon fiber. I wanted to make a case that didn’t cut corners. Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM_7OLqvmWI
    Be sure to check out my simple hack to add a power switch.

    Reply

    • admin
      14. April 2019 @ 11:52

      Nice case!

      Reply

  9. Sheriff02
    28. May 2019 @ 11:17

    If you do not mind, made some changes in the code.

    https://github.com/sheriff02/RaspberryPy

    Reply

  10. Dragos
    16. July 2019 @ 17:01

    i used an alternative, IRFZ44N and nothing happen.. fan not working.. i have to use exactly IRLZ44N?

    regards..

    Reply

    • admin
      16. July 2019 @ 18:05

      You need a transistor which switches on at 3.3 volts. The IRFZ44N starts at about 4 volts. So it stays always off.

      Reply

  11. Stefan
    2. October 2019 @ 12:57

    Hi Andreas,
    I’m watching your YouTube channel frequently.
    Inspired by it I want to cool my Raspberry Pi 4 with a 120mm FAN.
    The Fan that I would like to use is
    https://www.arctic.ac/eu_en/arctic-f12-pwm-co.html
    by specification if needs 12V DC. To provide such power I’m thinking of using MT3608 Boost Converter.
    As source of power what would you recommend: GPIO 5V or USB 2.0?
    As this FAN can be controlled with PWM Signal on Pin 4, my presumption is that I will be able to control it with your python script. Correct?
    Pin 3 on the FAN is “RPM Signal”. To read the fan speed can it be connected directly to a GPIO pin or additional elements are needed?

    Reply

    • admin
      2. October 2019 @ 14:48

      1. Maybe 12 cm is a little too big, at least much bigger than the board.
      2. If you look at the specifications you can run it also with 5 volts if you want
      3. You should be able to use the PWM signal, but I am not sure because I did not see any specifications.

      Reply

  12. mischtkrabb
    31. October 2019 @ 22:45

    thanks for this great video.

    i used it to implement a fan control for my raspberry pi 4 with a “Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX 5V” fan. Unfortunately, the fan starts only at a fanspeed of about 70. That’s why I added the following to the code:

    def Anlaufen():
    myPWM.ChangeDutyCycle(90)
    sleep(0.2)
    myPWM.ChangeDutyCycle(fanSpeed)
    return()

    def handleFan():
    if fanSpeed>30<35:
    Anlaufen()

    This is how my fan starts to spin earlier. Once he is in motion everything is ok. since i'm not that good at python this solution is workable for me. maybe you have a better one?

    Reply

    • admin
      7. November 2019 @ 17:53

      If the solution works I would keep it. I am no Python specialist either…

      Reply

  13. Pietjepuk
    21. February 2020 @ 15:00

    Hi,

    Ein Hollander hier.
    Werde in English weiter schreiben weil vielleicht verstehen sie mein Rudi Carrell Deutsch nicht und die rest von die welt sicher nicht. 😉

    IT WORKS !!!

    However it makes a bit of 50Hz noise (maybe implementing Voltage level control with a transistor and some resistors is an option, no PWM). Next project for me is to incorperate the ambient temp (via snmp, got a Zabbix server running) in the python script, instead of the constant maxTMP, that should be fun !! 🙂

    Thank you for the explanation.
    I think the very good thing about your “practical lessons/videos” is that you give relevant extra info.
    Showing the datasheet of the FET transistor, schottky diode, and so on are good examples of this.

    So.. Thanks again!!!

    Reply

  14. Chris Rigter
    3. December 2020 @ 23:20

    Thanks for this – much better than just plugging it into 5v and letting it always run!

    Do you mind if I adapt your script to run as an OctoPrint (https://octoprint.org/) plugin?

    An idea for a small improvement – instead of cutting of the fan at min_speed (15 in your example) you could scale it from min_speed to 100% something like:

    fanspeed = min_speed + (((100-min_speed)/100))*(pDiff +iDiff))

    Reply

  15. juan
    15. December 2020 @ 3:52

    so what is the final value for R1? the diode can be a 1N4148?

    Reply

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