Perfect fan for stir plate build - with potentiometer - $5 shipped

[purplehaze]

The two I ordered came in today, thanks for the link dirkomatic.

 

[dirkomatic]

Glad I could help everyone out. I got mine mostly together tonight. The case I got wasn't as easy to use as I wanted it to be. I'll get a video of it up tomorrow evening.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[G-Hog]

Got my fan today. I have to stop and pick up some screws and nuts on the way home tomorrow and then I can get it set up.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[worthogg]

This thread inspired me to finally build a stir plate. Got my fan today and hooked it up according to danz photos(thanks, wouldn't have been able to do it without them!). Thanks to dirkomatic for posting the thread. I was wondering, do you think this fan would spin a 5L starter? I'm still getting my magnet setup configured so the bar doesn't get thrown, but I'd like to start making some bigger starters and harvesting yeast from them for future use. Do you guys think this fan would be fine for that?

 

[G-Hog]

Got my stir plate built today. It works pretty good.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[BBQnBEER]

After almost scrapping the whole project I decided to try it with some resistance....... Can't believe I spent so much time on this when all I needed was some water.

 

[microbusbrewery]

I built mine this weekend. I already had a stir plate but I figured I'd build a backup. The speed adjustment on this one works a lot better than my old one. I'm guessing the circuitry on this one is better than my old one.

Same as my first build, I used a 6x8x3 Radio Shack project box. I also made a lid out of a piece of plexiglass I had lying around. I figured that way I can show other brewers how I built it without taking it apart; plus it looks cool with the blue light.

The power connector is also from RS (274-1576). The toggle switch I had in my spare parts bin. The rare earth magnets are from magnetic rings I picked up at Harbor Freight (item 65535).

The fan is mounted through the bottom of the box with 10-24x2" screws. The spacers between the fan and box are cut from a pex water supply line.

I trimmed the PC Card slot mount down to size then epoxied it into the box.

Looks pretty clean and works great so far. Here are some pics.





http://microbusbrewery.org

 

[hunter306]

Here's the absolute cheapest implementation of this I could come up with. Used a left over wall wart from a defunct game system, two hard disk magnets laminated, a fender washer, and some glue to put it together. Spins a great vortex all the way up to 100% speed (which is complete overkill for yeast stirring).

Total Cost, 10 bucks including the fan and stir bar.

Running at slow speed:

 

[dirkomatic]

Here's the absolute cheapest implementation of this I could come up with. Used a left over wall wart from a defunct game system, two hard disk magnets laminated, a fender washer, and some glue to put it together. Spins a great vortex all the way up to 100% speed (which is complete overkill for yeast stirring).

Total Cost, 10 bucks including the fan and stir bar.

Running at slow speed:

This is awesome! I knew someone would be creative with this!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[purplehaze]

Thanks again, here is a pic of my dual stir plate. Big enough for my 2L and 5L.

 

[danz]

Found this tool box at harbour freight for $3.99.

Sent from my HTC One using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Not bad for an I T guy...........

 

[sasky7777]

Just got one if these had to go through Amazon since newegg doesn't ship to Canada or freight forwarders. I think I have the wiring figured out but I have two questions. Does the control knob on the speed control come off to mount it through the box? How is everyone mounting the speed control? I am planning on using a cigar box and was thinking about cutting a hole for the speed knob and gluing the metal plate to the back side of the wood.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[microbusbrewery]

Just got one if these had to go through Amazon since newegg doesn't ship to Canada or freight forwarders. I think I have the wiring figured out but I have two questions. Does the control knob on the speed control come off to mount it through the box? How is everyone mounting the speed control? I am planning on using a cigar box and was thinking about cutting a hole for the speed knob and gluing the metal plate to the back side of the wood.

Yep just pull gently and it'll pull off. The problem is the part it attaches to isn't very long, do if you're planning on sandwiching the cigar box between the bracket and the knob, it might not be long enough. I used a radioshack project box for mine and made the hole just slightly bigger than the diameter of the knob. Then I epoxied the bracket to the inside of the project box.

 

[solbes]

I used a cigar box from Jo-Ann's ($3 with coupon). Yes its a manly store!

13/32" or thereabouts drill bit and I am able to grasp the knob through the box. I twisted back the 90 degree arm and just taped it with 3M stuff.

 

[thepudgeman]

What power supply are people using for their plates?

I tried a 9 volt battery charger supply I had, it worked great, but after only a few minutes of use the brick got almost too hot to touch. I installed an old cell phone charger that my roommate had that was only 5.5 volts and it worked OK but couldn't create the vortex all the way to the stir bar even with the potentiometer all the way up. I don't want to keep chopping up random power supplies with this. What are the minimum requirements for the power supply output?

 

[BBQnBEER]

I'm using a 15v laptop supply haven't run it long term yet but hasn't seemed to be a problem.

 

[microbusbrewery]

What power supply are people using for their plates?



I tried a 9 volt battery charger supply I had, it worked great, but after only a few minutes of use the brick got almost too hot to touch.

Sounds like it may have been drawing too many amps for the charger. I'm using a 12v power supply from my junk drawer and it's working great. I can't remember the amperage but I can check when I get home tonight.

 

[microbusbrewery]

Here's what I'm using.

 

[thepudgeman]

It spins...