Trying not to fry another Nano

There are people out there claiming the Earth is flat.

Nano is a 5V device. It contains a built-in regulator, connected to the Vin pin, so that it can also be powered with 7~12V. That regulator is inefficient and easy to overload and burn out, as you have found. But if a 5V supply is available, the Nano should be powered with that, through the 5V pin