Do i need a potentiometer on my stir plate?

I finally got my stir plate to function correctly!
My fan has 3 speeds and I get a good vortex in 500ml of water which is what I make my starters at.
I'm wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are to having a potentiometer are?

Congratulations! I love it when a plan comes together! I end up cranking mine to 11 anyway =] Sometimes it helps to get it started on a lower speed to get the flask centered then crank it up but if it ain't broke...

JayWeezie said:

I finally got my stir plate to function correctly!
My fan has 3 speeds and I get a good vortex in 500ml of water which is what I make my starters at.
I'm wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are to having a potentiometer are?

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If you are happy with your 3 speed selection you don't need one.

500ml sounds like a very small starter. I doubt you'll get much growth in each step.

From Mrmalty.com Fourteen Essential Questions about Yeast Starters:

"Q: I've heard that too small or too large a starter can be bad for the yeast. How is that possible?

Parker says putting a fresh vial of yeast into 500 ml of wort and letting such a small starter go to completion can actually leave the yeast less ready to ferment a batch of beer. The yeast do not rebuild their reserves and have very little increase in cell mass.

The minimum starter size for significant yeast growth from a vial or pack of yeast is 1 liter. One vial or pack into 1 liter results in approximately a 50% increase in cell mass."

raouliii said:

500ml sounds like a very small starter. I doubt you'll get much growth in each step.

From Mrmalty.com Fourteen Essential Questions about Yeast Starters:

"Q: I've heard that too small or too large a starter can be bad for the yeast. How is that possible?

Parker says putting a fresh vial of yeast into 500 ml of wort and letting such a small starter go to completion can actually leave the yeast less ready to ferment a batch of beer. The yeast do not rebuild their reserves and have very little increase in cell mass.

The minimum starter size for significant yeast growth from a vial or pack of yeast is 1 liter. One vial or pack into 1 liter results in approximately a 50% increase in cell mass."

Click to expand...

I agree. Invest in the 2L flask and make 1500 ml starters...or go bigger so you are already ready for those big beers!

Post some pix of your stir plate.

I have 8 speed selections on mine. The lowest speed barely turns the fan, the last speed makes it into a blender. I generally start it at low, so it doesn't throw the stir bar, then click it up to around 4 and get a great vortex. Any higher is too loud and doesn't seem to give any advantage. Yeast don't like to be dizzy ;>

I originally bought a 1L flask but moved to a 2L. Wish I had started there and saved a few bucks.