# Adafruit NeoPot

## Overview

![Adafruit NeoPot with the pot being turned to change the color on the NeoPixel](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/904/medium800thumb/adafruit_products_6387-05.jpg?1755634178 )

While researching potentiometers for a future design, we bumped into the nifty [RK09K1130D62 clear shaft linear potentiometer](https://www.digikey.com/short/44mf3frz). 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 potentiometer with a skinny NeoPixel to make the  **Adafruit NeoPot** , an easy-to-use glowing control knob.

![front view of the breakout](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/905/medium800/adafruit_products_6387-03.jpg?1754922638 )

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.

![back view of the board](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/906/medium800/adafruit_products_6387-02.jpg?1754922648 )

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!

![the pot being turned to change the color on the neopixel](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/907/medium800thumb/adafruit_products_6387-04.jpg?1754922663 )

# Adafruit NeoPot

## Pinouts

![front and back view of the board](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/980/medium800/adafruit_products_double.jpg?1755000466 )

## Power Pins

- **Vcc**  - this is the power pin for the NeoPixel LED. It can be powered by any voltage between 3V and 5V. Give it the same voltage as the logic level of your microcontroller - e.g. for a 5V micro like Arduino, use 5V; for 3.3V microcontrollers like RP2040, use 3.3V.
- **GND**  - common ground for power and logic.

## Potentiometer

In the center of the breakout is the star of the show: the clear shaft potentiometer. It is an [RK09K1130D62](https://tech.alpsalpine.com/e/products/detail/RK09K1130D62/) 10KΩ potentiometer. It has three pins:

- **P+** - this is the positive lead pin for the potentiometer
- **POT** - this is the wiper pin for the potentiometer
- **P-** - this is the negative lead pin for the potentiometer

## NeoPixel Data Pins

- **NIn** - data input for the NeoPixel
- **NOut** - data output for the NeoPixel. It can be used to daisy chain multiple NeoPixels together by carrying the data input signal

## Power Jumpers

- **V+/Vcc** - On the back on the board on the left is the **V+/Vcc jumper**. If you solder this jumper closed, it will connect **Vcc** to the positive pin ( **P+** ) on the potentiometer.
- **V-/G** - On the back on the board on the right is the **V-/G jumper**. If you solder this jumper closed, it will connect **GND** to the negative pin ( **P-** ) on the potentiometer.

# Adafruit NeoPot

## CircuitPython

## CircuitPython and Python

It's easy to use the **Adafruit NeoPot** with Python or CircuitPython, and the [Adafruit\_CircuitPython\_NeoPixel](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_NeoPixel) module. This module allows you to easily write Python code to set the color of the NeoPixel. The Potentiometer can be read with the built-in `analogio` module.

You can use the `NeoPixel` and `analogio` modules with any CircuitPython microcontroller board.

## CircuitPython Microcontroller Wiring

First wire up the breakout to your board exactly as follows. The following is the NeoPot wired to a Feather RP2040 using the STEMMA connector:

- **Board 3.3V** to **NeoPot P+ (red wire)**
- **Board GND** to **NeoPot P- (black wire)**
- **Board A0**  to **NeoPot POT (yellow wire)**
- **Board D4** to **NeoPot Nin (green wire)**

You also need make the following connections if you **did not solder closed** the jumpers on the bottom of the NeoPot:

- **NeoPot P-** to  **NeoPot GND**
- **NeoPot P+** to  **NeoPot Vcc**

See 2nd and 3rd photos for jumper location, and wiring to use when the jumpers are soldered closed.

![Fritzing diagram showing the NeoPot connected to a Feather RP2040. With the Vcc and GND jumper wires that are needed if the jumpers are not soldered closed.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/085/medium640/adafruit_products_neopot_wiring_bb_no_solder_jumpers.png?1755545838)

![Adafruit NeoPot bottom side with Vcc and GND jumpers soldered to connect power and GND between the potentiometer and NeoPixel](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/082/medium640/adafruit_products_neopot_jumpers_soldered.png?1755526871)

![Fritzing diagram showing the NeoPot connected to a Feather RP2040.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/086/medium640/adafruit_products_neopot_wiring_bb_yes_solder_jumpers.png?1755545895)

## CircuitPython Usage

To use with CircuitPython, you need to first install the **Adafruit\_CircuitPython\_NeoPixel**  library, and its dependencies, into the **lib** folder on your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Then you need to update **code.py** with the example script.

Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the **Download Project Bundle** button below to download the necessary libraries and the **code.py** file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, and copy the **entire**  **lib**  **folder** and the **code.py** file to your **CIRCUITPY** drive.

Your **CIRCUITPY/lib** folder should contain the following files:

- **adafruit\_pixelbuf.mpy**
- **neopixel.mpy**

![CIRCUITPY drive screenshot showing required project file and libraries](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/folder-images/Adafruit_NeoPot_CircuitPython_Rainbow_Pot.png?raw=true )

## Example Code

Once everything is saved to the **CIRCUITPY** drive, turn the knob to see it shift between the colors of the rainbow as you turn.

https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Adafruit_NeoPot/CircuitPython_Rainbow_Pot/code.py

The code stores readings in a list and takes an average of the last 10 readings, then maps the average reading into the range 0-255 so it can be passed to `rainbowio.colorwheel()` to get back a color, which is then set on the NeoPixel.

![Adafruit NeoPot demo code running showing the potentiometer knob being turned and the light shining through it shifting between the colors of the rainbow](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/083/medium800thumb/adafruit_products_neopot_circuitpython_rainbow.jpg?1755533258 )

# Adafruit NeoPot

## CircuitPython Docs analogio

# Adafruit NeoPot

## CircuitPython Docs NeoPixel

# Adafruit NeoPot

## Arduino

Using the NeoPot with Arduino involves wiring it up to your Arduino-compatible microcontroller, installing the [Adafruit\_NeoPixel](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_NeoPixel) library, and running the provided example code.

## Wiring

Wire as shown for a **5V** board like an Uno. If you are using a **3V** board, like an Adafruit Feather, wire the board's 3V pin to the sensor P+.

Here is an Adafruit Metro wired up to the NeoPot

- **Board 5V** to **NeoPot P+ (red wire)**
- **Board GND** to **NeoPot P- (black wire)**
- **Board A0**  to **NeoPot POT (yellow wire)**
- **Board 4** to **NeoPot Nin (green wire)**

You also need make the following connections if you **did not solder closed** the jumpers on the bottom of the NeoPot:

- **NeoPot P-** to  **NeoPot GND**
- **NeoPot P+** to  **NeoPot Vcc**

See 2nd and 3rd photos for jumper location, and wiring to use when the jumpers are soldered closed.

![Adafruit NeoPot wired to Adafruit Metro with Vcc and GND jumper wires required when the NeoPot jumpers are not soldered.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/090/medium640/adafruit_products_arduino_neopot_metro_bb_wiring.png?1755551608)

![Adafruit NeoPot bottom side with the Vcc / V+ and GND / V- jumpers highlighted and soldered closed.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/092/medium640/adafruit_products_neopot_jumpers_soldered.png?1755551838)

![Adafruit Metro wired to Neo Pot without any Vcc or GND jumper wires, as is allowed when the NeoPot jumpers are soldered closed.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/091/medium640/adafruit_products_arduino_neopot_metro_bb_wiring_yes_jumpers.png?1755551778)

## Library Installation

You can install the **Adafruit\_NeoPixel** library for Arduino using the Library Manager in the Arduino IDE. Click the Library Manager icon on the left tool bar, it looks like books on a shelf.

![Arduino IDE with library manager books icon highlighted.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/093/medium800/adafruit_products_arduino_ide_library_manager.png?1755552409 )

Search for **Adafruit NeoPixel** , and select the **Adafruit NeoPixel**  library:

![Arduino IDE library manager with Adafruit NeoPixel in the search box and the install button on the Adafruit NeoPixel library highlighted.](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/094/medium800/adafruit_products_arduino_ide_neopixel_install.png?1755552491 )

## Example Code
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Adafruit_NeoPot/Arduino_Rainbow_Pot/Arduino_Rainbow_Pot.ino

Upload the sketch to your board and turn the knob. The NeoPixel shining through the knob will change to different colors of the rainbow as your turn.

![Adafruit NeoPot wired to Adafruit Metro with the arduino demo code running. The knob gets turned and shifts between the colors of the rainbow](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/095/medium800thumb/adafruit_products_arduino_neopot_optimized.jpg?1755552751 )

# Adafruit NeoPot

## Arduino Docs NeoPixel

# Adafruit NeoPot

## Downloads

## Files

- [EagleCAD PCB files on GitHub](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-NeoPot-PCB)
- [3D models on GitHub](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CAD_Parts/tree/main/6387%20NeoPot)
- [Fritzing object in the Adafruit Fritzing Library](https://github.com/adafruit/Fritzing-Library/blob/master/parts/Adafruit%20NeoPot%20Breakout.fzpz)

## Schematic and Fab Print
![schematic](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/908/medium800/adafruit_products_schem.png?1754923460 )

![fab print for pcb](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/138/909/medium800/adafruit_products_fab.png?1754923479 dimensions are in inches)

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/139/371/medium800/adafruit_products_6387_NeoPot.jpg?1756906326 )


## Primary Products

### Adafruit NeoPot - Clear Shaft Potentiometer with RGB NeoPixel

[Adafruit NeoPot - Clear Shaft Potentiometer with RGB NeoPixel](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6387)
While researching potentiometers for a future design we bumped into the nifty [RK09K1130D62 clear shaft linear potentiometer](https://www.digikey.com/short/44mf3frz). This 10K linear pot is just like the popular Alps RK09 series but with a clear shaft that extends down to about 1mm...

In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6387)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/6387/guides)

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