'Rp2040 Connect' can only run PWM when run as 'Raspberry Pi Pico', using MBED_RP2040_PWM

Hardware Nano Family Nano RP2040 Connect
1

Hello there people!
I've been trying to get PWM going on the 'rp2040 connect' as a way of controlling pc fans. I've done this before using an 'arduino uno R3' and had no problem just connecting the pin to the pwm input of the fan.
But with the 'rp2040 connect' everything seems upside down...

I'm getting no voltage on any of my pwm pins unless i change the board to a 'raspberry pi pico' in the board manager. However now i'm only able to dim a simple LED with the pwm signal. Any fan or transistor i've tried yet hasn't responded in any way.

Now i'm thinking it's something more with this board than it's just to weak to deliver the right amount of power. The board manager issue is a big red flag for now but i have no idea how to solve it.

Any ideas or suggestions?

I'm using the MBED_RP2040_PWM library and the MBED OS Nano Core.
IDE version 2.1.1

A bit more info on this project:
i'm building an environment controller. It's main components are:
1 Nano RP2040 Connect, DHT11 sensors, 1 220v Relay, 1 rotary encoder, buttons and PC fans.

Update 1

I noticed that when i run my board from 12V through VIN it runs none of my logic, it just sits there with the green light on and i'm getting nothing from any GPIO. it only ever manages to do something, which is dim the LED, when i'm running it from the serial port by USB (5V).

Update 2

When i build my project as if it where a 'raspberry pico pi' the PWM works but not my sensors and my rotary encoder isn't registered.
If i build it as intended, namely as a Nano RP2040 Connect, PWM stops working but other functions are all in place.

Update 3

When built as a Nano RP2040 Connect the board can still run its intended logic except for the PWM when run on 12V by the VIN. Using the Pico Board when building my project only seem to get the PWM to work when i'm using USB/5V as my input Voltage.

I also ordered an Arduino Nano and Arduino Micro, hoping they can get the bulk of this project going. guess i'll have to scrap any wifi or bluetooth connectivity for the near or all future. :confused:

2

UNO gives 5 V, RP2040 only 3.3 V

3

Thanks for your reply!

I guessed as much but from what i've read most PC fans seem to be fine with 3.3V. I/it could be wrong though.

Also, i think i might solve this with a transistor and a bit of clean 5V.

4

I solved it.

I had confused GPIO with digital pin number. quite typical of an error to do when you haven't tinkered in a couple of years... :flushed:
it's still confusing how the pins managed to match when i switched to raspberry pi pico as the core for the build. that one really threw me off...

Also, now that everything works I can see that my fans have no trouble with 3V PWM, so no transistors needed.

now lets see if I can cancel that order... :disguised_face:

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