Another stir plate Question

Has anyone tried using a 115VAC fan and a light dimmer to control speed? I figure it works on ceiling fans, why not small fans.

blaze379 said:

Has anyone tried using a 115VAC fan and a light dimmer to control speed? I figure it works on ceiling fans, why not small fans.

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Small computer fans don't run on 115. Are you talking about taking apart a ceiling fan motor?

Taipans said:

Small computer fans don't run on 115. Are you talking about taking apart a ceiling fan motor?

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That would rock. Get some really big REM's and mount a small ceiling fan in a wooden box, then make huge starters in a 5-gallon bucket using an 8" stirbar. :rockin:

Sweet, you could make huge starters, use this as your stirbar

http://catalog.miniscience.com/catalog/Magnets/Cow_Magnet.html
Cow magnets are rod magnets with rounded ends. They are usually about 3" (75mm) long and 1/2" (12mm) diameter. (Some are encased in food grade stainless steel)

Oh and I actually use a dimmer switch to control my stirplate. I have it wired in-line in a small extension cord, then have my wall-wort plugged into that (to convert to 18 volt) and run that to my fan. I don't recommend doing it this way, but it worked for me (so far...)

blaze379 said:

Has anyone tried using a 115VAC fan and a light dimmer to control speed? I figure it works on ceiling fans, why not small fans.

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Yes. I got an $8 fan dimmer switch from ACE hardware and used a 115vac case cooling fan from Radio Shack $24. Put it in a $7 Project box from RS and used an old computer power cord and an old hard drive magnet. Total cost was right at $40.

Took about 30 minutes to build and it works better than the $75 stirplate that I bought from cynmar.

My son picked up a couple plated rare earth magnets 2" x 1/2" x 1/4" dang they are strong and hard to pull / slide apart. What would be wrong with placing one of these instead of puter magnets epoxy centered on the fan motor? My thinking a bar magnet against a stir bar magnet would stay centered better unless i'm all wet?

BrewBeemer said:

My son picked up a couple plated rare earth magnets 2" x 1/2" x 1/4" dang they are strong and hard to pull / slide apart. What would be wrong with placing one of these instead of puter magnets epoxy centered on the fan motor? My thinking a bar magnet against a stir bar magnet would stay centered better unless i'm all wet?

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It should work just fine.

The trick is to get the magnet centered on the fan hub. I placed the Hd Magnet on the fan hub as close to center as I could tell then attached the stirbar to the magnet and turned on the fan. If you watch the center of the stirbar while it spins you can tell if everything is centered ok. If you see what looks like a hole in the center where the stirbar is spinning then it is not centered. Just make small adjustments to the magnet until the center of the stirbar looks solid while it is spinning.

bwitt said:

Yes. I got an $8 fan dimmer switch from ACE hardware and used a 115vac case cooling fan from Radio Shack $24. Put it in a $7 Project box from RS and used an old computer power cord and an old hard drive magnet. Total cost was right at $40.

Took about 30 minutes to build and it works better than the $75 stirplate that I bought from cynmar.

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i have all the same stuff how did you power it? can you post a picture? or explain in detail? thank you so much