A fan is a simple device that creates a flow within some fluid - such as the air, causing the heat accumulated in one section of the fluid to be moved away from the heat source, effectively cooling the affected area. The faster the fan rotates, the faster the fluid moves. This movement causes an audible noise which is one of the most obvious reasons why the fan speed control is needed, especially when the fan is used to cool down electronic components, such as the personal computer.
Fan 3 click is the perfect choice for speed control and it can operate in seven discrete speed steps. Unlike the PWM regulation which can sometimes cause the infamous coil whining effect on some types of fans, this click board outputs the selected voltage via the MIC29152 voltage regulator from Microchip, driven through the MIC74 - a serial to parallel I/O expander and a fan controller from the same company, keeping it constant at the output. Fan 3 click works with 12V to 25V on its input connector and can be used whenever a noiseless solution with a variable fan speed is needed, for example - cooling of electronic components with the minimal possible noise produced.