Introduction: Really, REALLY Easy USB Motor!
At long last, my 2nd instructable!!!
This is fan for you or your computer that runs off any avalable USB port. I reccomend it for beginners into electronics, right up to the pro's.
It is easy and fun, you can make in literally five minites!!!
REALLY FAST AND EASY!!!
Step 1: Parts and Stuff
First you'll need to find the parts and stuff.Basicly, you'l need:
1 3-9v motor with blades (out of mini fan) (pictured below (without blades)
1 USB cable (can be ANY of the three types shown below, as long as it has the same wire layout
Some (tiny amount) solder
Switch (optional)
Nescessary tools (wire stripper/cutter, soldering iron, tape)
Step 2: The Building
The buildig part is really simple.
First, cut the cable at the non-male end( its usually square or smll). Then strip the USB cable and solder thee RED and BLACK wires to their respective contacts on the motor (experiment to see which way makes the prop will push the air FORWARD)
If you're adding a switch, you might need to solder some extra wire depending on where you want it to go, but I didnt 'cause its more practical to use the plug as a switch).
Then Isolate the ramaining wires, tape it up and you're ready to go!
Step 3: You're Done!!! YAY!!!
Now Enjoy you're fan on hot summer's day!. You could also use it for cooling componants in a seriously overclocked computer.
Notes:
I did'nt bother isolating the other wires. bad choice. Now if you sxueeze the tape around the contacts herd enough, you have a speed setting cause its shorting out!! YAY!!!
This design is highly customisable. You can add s rigid bar along the wire to give it a flexible stand, or add other componants to it as welll if you wand to get really technical.
Since I used a 3-Volt motor, and the Computer's Output is 9 Volts, My motor goes spaz. If you did the same, I wouldnt reccomend leaving it on for too long for risk of blowing the motor/ power supply. Alternativley, add a resistor to suit you're needs.
As PKM said, you could add a variable resistor off a radio or something, and for all you safety freaks out there you could even soulder up a PCB with resistor, fuse and protection diode!
)))Update(((
Look, i really dont care about my computer anywas, its a piece of 3-year-old custom sh1t. It has a single core CPU, 1GB of ram and absolutley no physics processing capabilities. I mean, I cant get Phun (physics sandbox) to run past 1 FPS. Im serious!!! My halo games dont run too bad on it though.

Second Prize in the
Instructables and RoboGames Robot Contest
99 Comments
2 years ago
Just happened by this post. You may want to add a diode to the motor to protect whatever you are plugging the USB end into. The little motor will generate some noise and back emf on the line...
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-arduino-lesson-13-dc-motors/transistors
8 years ago on Introduction
nic
9 years ago on Introduction
coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
15 years ago on Step 3
put 3 motor, no need of resister:)
Reply 13 years ago on Step 3
2 Motors (USB voltage 4.5-5.8).
13 years ago on Introduction
I am not an electrical engineer,yet this will work. What I am not sure of is the effect on the internal circuitry without voltages being a constant.So in essence, it works, but prolonged usage may have consequences,( unless there is an engineer that can reiterate on this). My modem was overheating, so I placed a USB fan next to it and it works great! Your homemade version is the same thing, except I know that my fan was engineered for this purpose. See attached photo:
15 years ago on Step 3
The computer output is 5V, not 9V.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Sry, my multimetre is screwed up from the cattle prod tazer expirement i did.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
ha, same. i tried to measure the voltage on a piezo electric sparker... didn't end so well for my $10 multimeter.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
lol XD i'l tell you its about a million volts at an extremely low current
Reply 14 years ago on Step 3
I should put a couple billion in parallel and see if my step brother likes it then...
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
what is the voltage on those things?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
umm, if i remember correctly, it's several thousand, and an almost immeasurably low amperage.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Yeah, but 5v is in the 3-9 range isn't it? I'm sure it goes like 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 not just 9.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
What he said...
15 years ago on Introduction
i have a 1.5 volt motor and i used a 9 volt battery and it works fine it just goes faster
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
trust me, if you leave it on it'l eventually get really hot and die
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Unlikely.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
try it.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Ok, Just tried 60V on a 5V motor, Still works fine.