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Brians256 · 09-11-2002, 12:52 PM

If your fans draw about one amp, you might simply replace the given power MOSFET with a beefier one. The MOSFET that Radio Shack is using is probably the IRF510 (276-2072) which is capable of handling 4 amps of continuous current. That means that it should handle two fans with continuous current draw of 2 amps. Don't worry about the current surge when the fans start up. The typical MOSFET's are capable of handling current spikes several times their limit for continuous load (16 amps in the case of the IRF510).

The IRF510 is $1.99 at RadioShack (order it by part number if they don't have it in local stock).

If you go to a real electronics store, you can get power MOSFET's capable of handling much larger loads. For example, browse Mouser Electronics at this page to see the N-channel MOSFET's. Take a look at the bottom. See the IRF510 part? Mouser sells it for $0.63 instead of $1.99. Same part. If you need more current, use IRF520 (which sells for $0.86) which can handle 9.2 amps of current.

09-11-2002, 12:52 PM	#7
Brians256 Pro/Staff Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Klamath Falls, OR Posts: 1,439	If your fans draw about one amp, you might simply replace the given power MOSFET with a beefier one. The MOSFET that Radio Shack is using is probably the IRF510 (276-2072) which is capable of handling 4 amps of continuous current. That means that it should handle two fans with continuous current draw of 2 amps. Don't worry about the current surge when the fans start up. The typical MOSFET's are capable of handling current spikes several times their limit for continuous load (16 amps in the case of the IRF510). The IRF510 is $1.99 at RadioShack (order it by part number if they don't have it in local stock). If you go to a real electronics store, you can get power MOSFET's capable of handling much larger loads. For example, browse Mouser Electronics at this page to see the N-channel MOSFET's. Take a look at the bottom. See the IRF510 part? Mouser sells it for $0.63 instead of $1.99. Same part. If you need more current, use IRF520 (which sells for $0.86) which can handle 9.2 amps of current.