What value potentiometer should i use for controlling a 5 volt cd drive motor?

Question

I have a motor from a cd drive and i need to control it for a tesla coil application and i need to know what value pot i need to use to make it go from max to off gradually.

Answer 1

CD drive motors are three phase motors. Visit your local radio control hobby shop and they will show you how to control the speed of such a motor. They will have controllers and a nice selection of motors. Of course CD units have some very nice DC motors that operate the tray and the head. These motors may be just what you want.

Answer 2

Put 5 volts to the motor and measure the current. Then figure the resistance of the motor and get a pot twice that big. That way, when the pot is set half way, the motor will be going half speed.

Answer 3

Or, try some fixed value resistors in series until you find one that gives you a slow speed. Then get a pot that size or larger.

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