Variable resistor for fan control?

[elfy]

this is probably a silly question that you've been asked thousands of times before, but i'm asking anyway :)

i want to put a single fan under direct control so that i can increase or decrease the voltages supplied to it without having to use software or have a big ugly fan controller, so what ohm variable resistor(same thing as a potentiometer yeh?) should i be looking for?

[henrycraig]

Yip, it has been asked thousands of times before :D
Mainly depends on the wattage/current of the fan you wish to control, but here are a few links to get you started...

try... http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/sirh25wa.html

or make your own :)
Farnell stock Ohmite rheostats in the UK. Expensive, as they have to import form the US.
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp?N=411+1002237&Ntk=gensearch_001&Ntt=ohmite&Ntx=

a lot cheaper are...
http://www.technologysupplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2etechnologys upplies%2eco%2euk%2facatalog%2fsearch%2ehtml&WD=250%2d981&PN=Wirewound_Pontentiometers%2ehtml%23a250_2d981#a 250_2d981

Your choice of rheostat will be dependant on the fan you wish to control, and you may find it cheaper to simply 'hide' one of those big ugly fan controllers :rofl:

[elfy]

nice one, cheers :up: