ADT7476
Rev. B | Page 32 of 72
Figure 37 shows a typical drive circuit for 4-wire fans.
Because the MOSFET can handle up to 3.5 A, it is simply a
matter of connecting another fan directly in parallel with the
first. Care should be taken in designing drive circuits with
transistors and FETs to ensure that the PWM outputs are not
required to source current and that they sink less than the 5 mA
maximum current specified (see Table 1).
05
38
2-
03
8
ADT7476
TACH
PWM
12V, 4-WIRE FAN
3.3V
12V 12V
2k
Ω
4.7k
Ω
10k
Ω
10k
Ω
V
CC
TACH
TACH
PWM
3.3V
Driving up to Three Fans from PWM3
TACH measurements for fans are synchronized to particular
PWM channels; for example, TACH1 is synchronized to
PWM1. TACH3 and TACH4 are both synchronized to PWM3,
so PWM3 can drive two fans. Alternatively, PWM3 can be pro-
grammed to synchronize TACH2, TACH3, and TACH4 to the
PWM3 output. This allows PWM3 to drive two or three fans. In
this case, the drive circuitry looks the same, as shown in Figure 38
and Figure 39. The SYNC bit in Register 0x62 enables this
function.
Figure 37. Driving a 4-Wire Fan
Driving Two Fans from PWM3
The ADT7476 has four TACH inputs available for fan speed
measurement but only three PWM drive outputs. If a fourth fan
is being used in the system, it should be driven from the PWM3
output in parallel with the third fan.
Synchronization is not required in high frequency mode when
used with 4-wire fans.
Figure 38 shows how to drive two fans in parallel using low cost
NPN transistors. Figure 39 shows the equivalent circuit using a
MOSFET.
Enhanced Acoustics Register 1 (0x62)
Bit 4 SYNC = 1, synchronizes TACH2, TACH3, and TACH4
to PWM3
.
05
38
2-
0
39
ADT7476
PWM3
3.3V
3.3V
12V
1N4148
Q1
MMBT3904
Q2
MMBT2222
Q3
MMBT2222
10
Ω
10
Ω
2.2k
Ω
1k
Ω
TACH3
TACH4
3.3V
3.3V
Figure 38. Interfacing Two Fans in Parallel to the PWM3 Output Using Low Cost NPN Transistors
05
38
2-
04
0
ADT7476
PWM3
TACH3
TACH4
3.3V
3.3V
3.3V
+V
+V
TACH
TACH
Q1
NDT3055L
1N4148
5V OR
12V FAN
5V OR
12V FAN
10k
Ω
TYPICAL
10k
Ω
TYPICAL
10k
Ω
TYPICAL
3.3V
3.3V
Figure 39. Interfacing Two Fans in Parallel to the PWM3 Output Using a Single N-Channel MOSFET
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