Adafruit NeoPot – Clear Shaft Potentiometer with RGB NeoPixel

The Adafruit NeoPot combines a 10K linear potentiometer with a clear shaft and an integrated NeoPixel LED, allowing illuminated RGB control. It provides standard potentiometer pins plus NeoPixel in/out pads, jumper options, and breadboard-friendly mounting headers.

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 a header which will need to be soldered on to plug into a breadboard. Note, you need a microcontroller/microcomputer that can drive NeoPixels!

Specifications

• Product Dimensions: 25.3mm x 21.6mm x 17.7mm
• Product Weight: 3.2g

Resources

• Primary Guide: Adafruit NeoPot

Package Contents

• 1x Adafruit NeoPot – Clear Shaft Potentiometer with RGB NeoPixel
• 1x 16-pin header