12V Micro fan to USB-C not working

• 12V Micro fan to USB-C not working
  Posted by jbs on 27 Feb, 2024 20:51
• So I cut a male to male USB-C cable in half and connected the positiv and negativ of my fan to the red(+) and black(-) of the USB-C respectively.
  I cut off the green and white (data) cables and made sure that nothing came in contact (electrical tape).
  
  I was following the steps explained in this video:
  
  
  However, when I plug the USB-C to a power source (power supply from my macbook pro, or power supply from my gopro, or cigarette lighter outlet in my car) my fan does not move.
  
  Q: Why doesn't it get 9V from the USB-C PD, or at least 5V if it was no PD cable and what can I do to make it work?
  
  The data of my micro fan (article nr. MF25101V2-1000U-A99):
  12 V
  0,36 W
  25x25x10 mm3 (dimension)
  
  Thanks in advance,
  Joël
  
• #1 Reply
  Posted by electr_peter on 27 Feb, 2024 21:01
• Most USB-C PSU ports expect to see specific conditions on data lines (5kOhm) before enabling power. The simplest solution is to get USB-C decoy boards for specific voltage.
• #2 Reply
  Posted by radiolistener on 27 Feb, 2024 21:03
• by default USB provides 5V, if you want more you're needs to request it from power supply with PD/QC protocol over USB data line.
  You can use PD trigger module for 12V to get 12V from USB PD/QC charger.
  
  Like this one:
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003828144045.html
• #3 Reply
  Posted by jbs on 27 Feb, 2024 22:03
• Quote from: electr_peter on 27 Feb, 2024 21:01

  Most USB-C PSU ports expect to see specific conditions on data lines (5kOhm) before enabling power. The simplest solution is to get USB-C decoy boards for specific voltage.
  

  Thanks for your reply. However, why does it work without a trigger module in the video? When I plug it into my laptop, it doesn't.
• #4 Reply
  Posted by janoc on 27 Feb, 2024 22:06
• I suggest you read this series of articles:
  
  https://hackaday.com/series_of_posts/all-about-usb-c/
  
  It explains what you have to do and how things work. Cutting up a cable is not enough - you must put in those pull-down resistors otherwise the upstream port has no idea that you have connected anything to it and won't enable power. Some cheap chargers and non-standard compliant stuff may have the 5V on all the time but that isn't something you can rely on - as you have discovered. Specifically laptop ports that both can't deliver a lot of current and support various other things than just powering stuff from them/plain USB need to be 100% sure that the connection is safe and won't damage anything before enabling power. That's why the system is designed the way it is.
  
  This is quite different from the old USB A!
• #5 Reply
  Posted by electr_peter on 27 Feb, 2024 22:37
• Quote from: jbs on 27 Feb, 2024 22:03

  Quote from: electr_peter on 27 Feb, 2024 21:01

  Most USB-C PSU ports expect to see specific conditions on data lines (5kOhm) before enabling power. The simplest solution is to get USB-C decoy boards for specific voltage.
  

  Thanks for your reply. However, why does it work without a trigger module in the video? When I plug it into my laptop, it doesn't.
  

  Video shows USB-A connection - it is simpler with 5V enabled by default (limited to 100mA without negotiation if implemented properly). USB-C connection is more complicated.
• #6 Reply
  Posted by radiolistener on 28 Feb, 2024 18:27
• Quote from: jbs on 27 Feb, 2024 22:03

  Thanks for your reply. However, why does it work without a trigger module in the video? When I plug it into my laptop, it doesn't.
  

  
  PD/QC chargers expecting voltage request with data packets over USB data line. If you don't request voltage, it just provide you with 5V. Laptop has PD trigger inside, this is how it requests high voltage from PD/QC charger. It cannot be done with resistors. It requires to send/receive datapackets in order to implement PD protocol to request proper voltage from charger.
  
  In short it works in the following way:
  1) Device is connected to charger
  2) Charger provides 5V by default
  3) Device send request packet to get supported charge protocols from charger
  4) Charger responds with a list of protocol that it supports
  5) Device requests one of supported voltage
  6) Charger switch voltage to requested one (if it supports it)
  
  Also note that a fan can be designed for different voltage. Some fan is designed for 5V and can work from USB with no needs for additional circuit. But if your fan is 9 or 12V, you're needs PD trigger module, as I mentioned before.
  
  You can use this PD trigger module, it allows to setup desired voltage with micro switches:
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003828144045.html
  
  But note, USB port should support PD charge and should support requested voltage in order to provide voltage that you setup on PD trigger. Usual USB port with no PD protocol support cannot provide more than 5V.
  
  Also note that most of 24W PD chargers with USB-A port don't support voltage above 12V.