Simple (Hopefully) 5v Question for Fan Usage on the Acorn CNC

[silver2row]

Hello...I have two G251 Gecko drivers and the company, from their manual, states that these drivers need cooling for use.

I have two, dual fans each with a 5v and GND supply. Should I use the DB25 or the DB9 in this respect?

I mean...I want to be able to cool the drivers continuously while in heavy applications. So, ON/OFF is fine with this idea. I do not need PWM peripherals or the slowing of the fan RPM at all.

Seth

P.S. If using the DB25, okay. I can manage, e.g. this is for lathe use and the drivers need to be able to stay cool when the motors are at work. I only have two drivers and two motors for this Sherline miniature lathe. I got the standard version of the lathe and therefore the CNC12 source will be in inches. As this may be an easy answer for some, I seem to remember me having some difficulty in the past with a three wire, 5v pump question that I still have no available solution. COM or GND in the DB25 is all good with me and I think the DB25 pushes out 5v supplies along with 5v input.

So, would it be an alternative to use the DB25 ports or is the DB25 the preferred way to use 5v supplies along with COM? I mean...I get it sort of.

5v output and COM should allow for fans to be sensed and utilized. I just want to make sure I am not needing another circuit somewhere that I am not thinking about...

For instance, I noticed the DB9 have 5v but I have not used the 5v on the DB9 before today, i.e. thus I am reluctant to use it right now.

Dual, smaller Fans with HeatSink...

I wanted to just stick the fans on the drivers and make a makeshift, 3D Printed housing on the box in question. I am still "planning."

[silver2row]

Sorry for the elongated text.

[silver2row]

Okay...scratch whatever it is about the DB9 I was thinking. The more I read, the more I understand. It seems part of the DB9 use case scenario is to handle an encoder and not for actual I/O like fans. Done. Okay.

Seth

[suntravel]

The power supply for a fan should be directly and not run through the acorn board.
You can use a relay to turn them on/off.

Uwe

[silver2row]

Okay. So, relays. Okay. I will use the 5v relays on the board. I have some advancement here...

With photo:

AcornCNC with Case...

Seth

P.S. I am getting closer!

[silver2row]

How would I go about using Output 1 and 2 on the relay board?

I tried with RedLight and AmberLight but got nowhere. There is not anything for turning on fans on the relay board outputs or is there a selection I can make?

Seth

[silver2row]

Okay...

I think I am getting it now!

Seth

P.S. I just put in an ON/OFF switch on the 1 and 2 outputs and call it whatever. FAN1 and/or FAN2 or something like that idea, right? Now, can I configure VCP yet. No but I shall try soon.

[ShawnM]

If the fans are for cooling the Gecko drives they should be on all the time. There's no need to run them through the Acorn relays.

[Richards]

You can easily purchase 24VDC fans that are the same size as your existing 5VDC fans. A 24VDC fan can be powered by the same power supply that powers the Acorn. In that way, if the Acorn is on, the fans would be on.

I've installed auxiliary fans in Mikrotik network routers. Before installing the 24VDC fans, the routers ran at high temperature and lasted about one year. Since adding the fans three years ago, not one router has failed.

The box fans cost about $15 each on Amazon regardless of their size. Lower speed fans should work perfectly without causing the "whine" that high speed fans create.

[ShawnM]

I feel an even better option is to install 110v or 220v fans depending on your main input voltage to your electrical cabinet. No extra power supply needed or the need to piggy back on the Acorn (or another) power supply.