Adafruit NeoPot - Clear Shaft Potentiometer with RGB NeoPixel

While researching potentiometers for a future design we bumped into the nifty RK09K1130D62 clear shaft linear potentiometer. This 10K linear pot is just like the popular Alps RK09 series but with a clear shaft that extends down to about 1mm above the underlying PCB. So, unsurprisingly, we paired this crystal trimmer with a skinny NeoPixel to make the Adafruit NeoPot, an easy-to-use glowing potentiometer.

Each board comes assembled with a NeoPixel soldered beneath the potentiometer so it lights up the shaft for full RGB color selection. The potentiometer has all three pins exposed: P-, Pot (wiper), and P+, and is rated for up to 20V. Likewise, we have NeoPixel power and data: Vcc, N-In, Gnd and on the opposite side, N-out. You can power the pixel from 3V or 5V, ideally give it the same power as the logic level you're sending in.

Since most folks use the same power for NeoPixels as for a potentiometer/analog input, you can solder the two jumpers on the bottom to tie P- to Ground and P+ to Vcc, saving two wires.

The PCB has two strips of header for mechanical stability, and four mounting holes if you need to fix it against a front plate. Comes with extra header which will need to be soldered on to plug into a breadboard. Note you need a microcontroller/microcomputer that can drive NeoPixels!

Links:

• Adafruit Guide

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