H
[email protected]
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
Hi and help
My problem is I have a strong inline extraction fan pulling air through my
cooker hood through a filter to remove smells which runs loud and is more
than adequate for the job. So I want to be able to lower its operational
speed. My first thought was to wire in a lighting dimmer switch, but was
told that this would blow the dimmer as the current drawn by the fan would
be greater than the max current load on the dimmer switch.
Now I am cheep and when I was told to spend £70.00 on a dedicated fan
controller I balked, the hood, fan and filter have all been 'recycled' from
other uses,
Well can I modify the dimmer switch in some way to enable it to cope with
the higher power device ( the fan) (450watt motor). or can a simple circuit
be built to do the job, I would prefer to use a pot to vary the fan speed,
but would be happy to settle for a 5-6 setting device at say 15% 30% 50% 65%
85% and 100%.
When I say simple circuit, I mean simple, I have not picked up a soldering
iron for a long time, and while I can still remember (I / V =R I have not
applied this since school.
Looking about I have seen 500w pots advertised at a huge price, this I
believe I could just wire into the mains supply, but at probably a higher
cost than the dedicated device. What I am struggling with conceptually is
what would such a control circuit actually do? if I used a resistor to drop
the voltage by half 240 to 120 say, wouldn't the fan then just try to draw
double the amps through the circuit and run at close to normal speed ?
Look I understand if you guys think this posting is below you to respond,
and I fully acknowledge my idiot status in this field, but I have a have a
go mentality, and if I didn't the lovely shiny purring 27yr old Honda 750
F1 in my garage would still be a rusty heap.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew here? I don't think so, I may not be
able to identify components in a catalogue so quickly, and may well have to
rely on a few reference texts and when wiring in diodes I will have 2 check
which is the cathode and which is the anode more than once, hehe, but that's
half the fun isnt it guys..
any help and advice appreciated
Thanks in advance
Phil
My problem is I have a strong inline extraction fan pulling air through my
cooker hood through a filter to remove smells which runs loud and is more
than adequate for the job. So I want to be able to lower its operational
speed. My first thought was to wire in a lighting dimmer switch, but was
told that this would blow the dimmer as the current drawn by the fan would
be greater than the max current load on the dimmer switch.
Now I am cheep and when I was told to spend £70.00 on a dedicated fan
controller I balked, the hood, fan and filter have all been 'recycled' from
other uses,
Well can I modify the dimmer switch in some way to enable it to cope with
the higher power device ( the fan) (450watt motor). or can a simple circuit
be built to do the job, I would prefer to use a pot to vary the fan speed,
but would be happy to settle for a 5-6 setting device at say 15% 30% 50% 65%
85% and 100%.
When I say simple circuit, I mean simple, I have not picked up a soldering
iron for a long time, and while I can still remember (I / V =R I have not
applied this since school.
Looking about I have seen 500w pots advertised at a huge price, this I
believe I could just wire into the mains supply, but at probably a higher
cost than the dedicated device. What I am struggling with conceptually is
what would such a control circuit actually do? if I used a resistor to drop
the voltage by half 240 to 120 say, wouldn't the fan then just try to draw
double the amps through the circuit and run at close to normal speed ?
Look I understand if you guys think this posting is below you to respond,
and I fully acknowledge my idiot status in this field, but I have a have a
go mentality, and if I didn't the lovely shiny purring 27yr old Honda 750
F1 in my garage would still be a rusty heap.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew here? I don't think so, I may not be
able to identify components in a catalogue so quickly, and may well have to
rely on a few reference texts and when wiring in diodes I will have 2 check
which is the cathode and which is the anode more than once, hehe, but that's
half the fun isnt it guys..
any help and advice appreciated
Thanks in advance
Phil