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Relay Support with Shakeit PWM Fans

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(@kizza42)
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Joined: 3 years ago
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G'day I am setting up a new system for a mate, So far I have the PWM controlling my fan but I notice these options for relay control. I can't find any documentation, what is their intended function? I tried putting a multi-meter across the Pins + GND but just get what seems to be AC. 🤔

I'm hoping that they're supposed to allow a relay to interrupt power to the fans when speed = 0 (Mine don't stop). 


   
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(@avatario)
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Joined: 3 years ago
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I second this! can we get some more documentation?


   
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(@avatario)
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Decided to see if i could figure it out, I think it looks right...

This post was modified 3 years ago 6 times by avatario

   
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 sgeg
(@sgeg)
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i dont know for the relay but you can just put a switch on the  power supply fan wire to stop your fan.


   
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(@moonland)
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Posted by: @avatario

Decided to see if i could figure it out, I think it looks right...

Spoiler
Wiring diagram

I tried creating my own wind simulator by using the wiring diagram you had drawn. Thanks for the help on that!

I used an official Arduino Uno R3, 2x ARCTIC BioniX P120 fans, a 12V 3A PSU, and a noname 2 channel 5VDC relay.

In SimHub I used the arduino setup tool and configured it like this:
https://imgur.com/a/LiOBRjU

Using the STATIC WIND -effect with "Run only when in race" turned off and having set all the gains to 100%. The fans seem to work fine when changing the "Wind power" -level, but not when the level is 0.

From 0-1 levels the relays click ON and the red LEDs on the board light up and the fans spin.
From 1-100 levels the fans correctly speed up accordingly up to full speed and back down again.
At 0 level the fans keep spinning at a low rpm.

Why do the fans keep spinning at 0 level even though to my understanding the circuit is open when the relays have clicked OFF and the relay board LEDs are off too? How are the fans getting power to spin?

The only way I can fully stop the fans from spinning at level 0, is if I disconnect the PWM cable between the fans and pins 9, 10. Is this correct?

My understanding about electronics is very basic, so I don't really now what is going on.

 

EDIT: Did some testing, the fans work great in games. Of course they could be stronger and react more quickly, but with a quick setup they feel great for what they are. It is probably a good thing that the fans don't fully stop spinning, since it probably helps with their reaction time.

HOWEVER, I still don't understand how they continue spinning even with the relays off. Also what I noticed is that if I set the static wind speed to ~70 and disconnect the wire from relay pin 5 the fan slows down to maybe about 30 and the when I turn the static wind speed to 0 it slows down a bit more again but never stops spinning.

This post was modified 3 years ago 4 times by Moonland

   
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(@avatario)
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@moonland If the relay is in the ground loop then when the NC or NO is triggered it will break the circuit. You may need to check the box in the programming section to flip the NC to NO


   
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(@moonland)
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@avatario 

Do you mean switching the "PWM Output 1 optional relay reversed logic" from "ON" to "OFF"?
I have already tried this. When I do it, the fans constantly spin at the very low rpm, but do not respond to the changing wind effect from 0-100 anymore.

Or do you mean checking "OFF" the checkbox for "PWM Output 1 optional on/off relay pin"?
I haven't tried this. But I assume it just removes the relay functionality all together?

 

If I remove the USB cable between my Arduino and PC and leave the PSU connected, the fans keep spinning at the low speed eventhough the relays are not activated (The two red and one green LED bulbs are off)

If I then remove the cable between the PSU GND and the Arduino GND inside my enclosure, but leave the relay GND's connected (not sure if this is safe, haha) the fans finally stop spinning.

The fans also stop spinning if I alternatively disconnect the PWM cables from the arduino pins 9 and 10.

 

Thanks for trying to help me, I really don't know how to troubleshoot this.

 

Another question: In your wiring diagram on the bottom right corner of your "Arduino housing", is that rectangular thing just a connector for the PSU cables, which then get split into two Positive power cables and two GND cables? I mean there isn't anything other going on?

This post was modified 3 years ago by Moonland

   
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(@avatario)
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@moonland 

Try removing the ground listed here:

https://imgur.com/a/Pfk4sCk

you might have to isolate the ground loop entirely based on your fans

Basically connect the 2 grounds from the arduino to each other (removing the arduino from the ground loop), so the ground goes directly from the terminal to the relay

This post was modified 3 years ago 2 times by avatario

   
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(@moonland)
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@avatario 

Okay I did some more testing (hopefully I'm not breaking anything).

So if I remove the ground between the terminal and the Arduino, but leave the ground between the Arduino and the relay.
---> The fans stop spinning continuously at the low rpm, but now if I set a wind effect to anything else than 0 in SimHub, the fans start spinning at full speed at any value between 1-100.

If I remove both grounds from the Arduino to the terminal and from the Arduino to the relay
--> The fans stop spinning continuously at the low rpm, but also don't react to any wind effect in SimHub.

If I disconnect both grounds from the arduino and connect the ends of the ground cables together (effectively connecting the relay GND to the terminal)
--> The fans stop spinning continuously at the low rpm, and when I set the wind effect in SimHub to any value from 1-100 the fans start spinning again at the low rpm. And if I sweep the effect level between 1-100 all of the LEDs on the relay board start dimming to a very faint brightness when nearing the ends of the scale 1 or 100 so something is going wrong at the relay.


   
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(@moonland)
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Joined: 3 years ago
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@avatario 

Hi, I managed to fix the wiring!
The problem was the GND cable that went from the Arduino to the PSU negative terminal in your wiring diagram.

I removed it, and connected two separate GND cables from the Arduino to the relay NO terminals along with the fan GND cables.
Now the fans turn off with the relays at 0 level and speed up accordingly at 1-100 levels!

Thanks anyways for the original wiring diagram and trying to help solve this. 

This post was modified 3 years ago 3 times by Moonland

   
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(@avatario)
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@moonland Awesome, glad to hear that!

You should post a diagram for others looking to take advantage of the feature.


   
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(@avatario)
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Made one, correct me if this is not how you have yours.

https://imgur.com/a/NIcPleD


   
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(@avatario)
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@moonland 

Or like this:


   
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(@fluoke)
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Joined: 8 months ago
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hello guys,i have my arduino rev 3 connected to my 8relaisswitch,i use channel 1 and 2.connected like the shedual and my fans keep spinning,im pretty noob in arduino and the way to set it up descent>anny help would be apreciated>when i go to simhub and go to shakelt motor and click test,the relailight goes out,fan stops for a few seconds and starts again>both red leds are lit when the fans are spinning>>>all videos i have seen are the fans not spinning and when they klik test the fan spins and stops>what could be the issue?

also removed the ground that whas shown in rfevision 1>


   
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