How to power potentiometer with NI board

[Stefanie777]

I am attempting to use a NI AT-MIO-16E-10 board to read a potientiometer and send out a signal to a servo valve. I would like to know if the potentiometer can be powered by the digatl 5V source? If this works, does the ground go to digital or analog ground? Also, is there a better way to do this, such as an external power source.

Thank you

[Dr._Imad]

Can you use the digital out to supply a 5 V to the potentiometer ?

If you use a digital out, it will output a TTL High level when in the high state, Logic 1. This can vary from 3.5 (typical) up to 5 V. And you probably may exceed the few mA current capacity of the channel.

One of the pins of the board is a 5V signal. You can use it (as long as you do not exceed the max current value, (need to check on that))

You may want to use an external power supply to power the pot, and an optional relay that can be open/close by controlling it with a digital out.

(the grounds AO/digital are referenced w.r.t the card ground and are esentially the same)