Rheobus project.

[Kurik]

Hello all.

Been watching these forums for a couple of weeks and I have to say that im very impressed by the skills, hardwork and soul put into the projects here.
So I figured I would share what Im currently working on.

A while back I got very annoyed by the soundlevel of my computer so I figured I should do something about it, and I wanted to create something not just buy random fancontroller #1. Before I give you pics and story about this project I have to give credits to someone out there on the internet that inspired this project, and I will post link to that computer mod If I figure out where. I really liked the ideas from there so I implemented some of it.

Basically what Im building is a Rheobus for three fans. 0-12V output.
So lets get started.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/veroboard.JPG
Here is the first picture, its a schematic (veroboard design) of the electronics.
EDIT: Little explaination... Yellow lanes are copper lanes, the black dots are connectorpoints to the copperlanes. The "blackstuff" over a copperlane is "no connection". Rest is resistor, leds, potentiometer and voltage regulator. GND, 12v, 5v, and ?v is +voltage to the fan.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20002_resize.jpg
The case im gonna put it in, its gonna be installed in the floppy bay.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20001_resize.jpg
I bought 1meter of 20mm diameter acrylic stave, this will be used for the knobs.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20003_resize.jpg
First knob i created, far from perfect, the holes are 6mm 5mm and the long one will be 2mm 1mm.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20009_resize.jpg
One of the knobs i decided was good enough for usage.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20014_resize.jpg
And after some time spent, here are the three candidates.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20021_resize.jpg
The failures also included in this picture. :D

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/IMG_%20030_resize.jpg
Wanted some frosty finish on the knobs, so I used 800 and 1200 grit wetpaper
to do this.

Next up... electronics.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik/IMG_%20006_resize.jpg
Here you can see one of the three potentiometers which will be used to regulate fan speed. I know that image is blurry but If you look closer there are two holes, 1mm each.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik/IMG_%20003_resize.jpg
Three potentiometers and a support plate in aluminium which is needed for some extra stability because the pots only have three soldering points.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik/IMG_%20010_resize.jpg
Leds are always fun dont you think? :D

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik/IMG_%20014_resize.jpg
Overview, some more components on the board, few leds resistors etc etc.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik2/IMG_%20001_resize.jpg
I bought some optics usually used for soundsystems, which i cut and removed the shield. I drilled 1mm hole in the led, and the fiberoptic matches perfectly it beeing 1mm diameter.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik2/IMG_%20013_resize.jpg
Nifty... agree? :D

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik2/IMG_%20014_resize.jpg
First testrun, and its working :D but all wasnt that pleasant, during this first testing I got chocked and badly at that :( All my fault I was clumsy but its all good now ready for some more modding :D

Two more images for you guys/gals in this first post of mine.

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik2/IMG_%20025_resize.jpg
http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/elektronik2/IMG_%20027_resize.jpg
Just to make clear this knob here is one of the not approved ones, I couldnt find the good ones in all the mess when I was testing. The other ones are much nicer I assure you :D

Anyways this is it for now, I hope you have some feedback, positiv/negative, any is good but you better make it constructive :D

Hopefully next update will be soon, probably 1st/2nd week of 2006.

Thanks for me this time.

//Kurik

[Rankenphile]

Wow, great idea. Scratch-built knobs... I'm impressed, man. Can't wait to see the rest of it.

[Xato]

Ya, those are hot.
How are you going to mod the backplate btw?

[crenn]

This is very nice. I wish I could do something like that... oh well, I'm bound to do it one day.
btw, Like your fibre optics, it gives me an idea :D

[adreamtraveler]

sweet man, that's really great. i love what you did with the fiberoptic and the LED to mark the locator on the knob, very very nice. can't wait to see it with the nice cleaned up knobs!!

[Kurik]

Cheers all.

Im glad you liked the stuff, if you check the picture of my centurion case you can see the mesh that is used for 5.25 and 3.5'' bays. Im gonna drill 3 holes in the floppy mesh approx 21mm or 22mm and have the knobs out at the front.

These pictures are 1month old or so, so I have actually come a bit further then ive posted, but due to me beeing away from home over christmas/newyear i can 't post more pics of the progress.

I can tell you though that I have started to work on the floppy mesh and that I have fixed all knobs,leds,opics. I also modified the "stabilty plate" which is in aluminium for the potentiometers as it was interfering in turning the knobs a little due to the wiring for leds and optics at front. So to sum it up all i have left to do is the mounting of the circuitboard and the front mesh.

Can also tell you that I used the covering plate from a floppy drive, turned it upside down and used it as a "holder" for the entire thing itself. More pictures to come in near future. :D

The main problem I have now is to drill 3 nice holes in the mesh. Kinda tough and no room for mistakes as I only have one such front mesh. Its hard because of the miniminiholes in the mesh so the drill wants to go other ways.

If you have any ideas to solve my problem, feel free to comment.

Thanks again.

//Kurik

[OvRiDe]

Instead of trying to drill the mesh you may have better luck with a Sheet Metal Hole Punch:
http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/images/Q-Max/q-max.jpg

They arent that expensive.. I found this website with a quick search on Google, it should give you a good idea of what they cost. This is a UK site and prices I didnt have the time to search further.. LINK (http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Hole%20Cutters)

EDIT: I did a quick search on the Harbor Freight website and here they are.. not sure what size you need but this is a set...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91201

[Kurik]

oh thats an interesting product indeed, but I wonder if it wouldnt bend the mesh, as the mesh isnt that sturdy. And how does that thing really work?

[OvRiDe]

I guess the best way to describe how it works is like a round pair of scissors. Think of them as 2 cups that face each other with sharpened edges. One fits inside the other, with a bolt that connects them thru the middle.. as you tighten the bolt it pulls the 2 cups together. They fit together pretty tightly acting like a pair of scissors as you draw it down.. You still have to have a pilot hole in the middle of the circle for the bolt to go thru, but it wouldn't have to be as clean. I think it would actually cut thru the mesh like butter. I have used a fairly large one on sheet metal and it worked as advertised.. no bending or deformation. Probably one of the cleanest circles I have ever seen.

[crenn]

One thing I would like is a circuit diagram of the a single controller.... I'm interested in this project for a couple of reasons but I can't understand the diagram you provided.

[Kurik]

One thing I would like is a circuit diagram of the a single controller.... I'm interested in this project for a couple of reasons but I can't understand the diagram you provided.

Here is the diagram, just ignore the parallellport and the LCD display included. You should be able to figure out the rest :D

http://de.elajt.se/~sebbe/gis/bestscenario/Fanbus%20med%20leds_resize.GIF


T1 and T2 is:

LM 317 T
Positive Adjustable Voltage Regulator, these can get a little hot so mount a heatsink if you can.

Resistors and leds etc etc.