# Arduino overvoltage **URL:** \ **Category:** DIY STUFF\ **Created:** [May 7, 2021, 1:01pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/arduino-overvoltage/3486 "2021-05-07T13:01:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BoneMusic](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/bonemusic/32/23323_2.png) [@BoneMusic](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/BoneMusic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 1:01pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/arduino-overvoltage/3486/1 "2021-05-07T13:01:35Z")
Hello Having just fried an arduino nano clone, I’m moving forward cautiously by making a list of things to check/ avoid next time. I’m running the nano off a synth power supply and my 12V rail is reading slightly over 12V. Is there tolerance for this or if 12V is the max specified input voltage should i see this as a hard limit? I can add a regulator before the input if it’s likely to be an issue. I don’t think that was what caused the issue I just want to eliminate as many possibly ways to damage before I laboriously unsolder and resolder my nano… Chris x ---
**Author:** ![fredrik](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/fredrik/32/682_2.png) [@fredrik](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/fredrik)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/arduino-overvoltage/3486/2 "2021-05-07T13:31:51Z")
Depends on what Nano you have, and how much power you pull through the onboard regulator: > [@Design glitches: Arduino Nano supply voltage](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/design-glitches-arduino-nano-supply-voltage/795): > > (thought I’d collect my nano supply notes in one place to make it easier to link to) A common design glitch in circuits that use an Arduino Nano is to connect regulated 5 V to the VIN pin instead of the +5V pin. This results in the Arduino running at a lower internal supply voltage, often 4 V or below, which may be a problem if the design depends on analog inputs or digital output levels. Voltages below 4.5 V are also out of spec for the 16 MHz clock used by the Nano. Details below, but TL;DR … The 1117 regulators on the common Nanos can handle 15 V, but there’s usually room for “slightly over” even for the “absolute maximum” specs (if they meant 15 V exactly, they’d written 15.0 V). ---
**Author:** ![BoneMusic](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/bonemusic/32/23323_2.png) [@BoneMusic](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/BoneMusic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/arduino-overvoltage/3486/3 "2021-05-07T13:35:37Z")
Thanks for this, very useful. I’m pretty sure I accidentally shorted an output pin to ground so I don’t think it was the input voltage that was the issue, but I’m trying ti rule things out before I have another go.