Cross-Slide wrote:

On Jan 27, 6:28 pm, wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:32:03 -0800, Bill Noble



wrote:
On 1/26/2011 3:15 PM, wrote:
On Jan 24, 12:07 pm, wrote:
I am fabricating a small box that will house a couple of "muffin" fans
to direct air behind a fireplace insert.

Thanks to all of you for the responses. The fans are 120v. I just
assumed that there were diodes available for line voltage - they make
hydraulic check valves for all sorts of pressures.

Looks like I need to find a different switch. I bought the switch a
couple of years ago for this (future) project and suddenly when I got
the meter out to check the terminals, I realised that both fans were
going to run on both fan settings. I'll look into the switches
mentioned and see how I can package them (the hole is already made -
duh!). Thanks again.

I hope this doesn't sound snide, it's not intended to be. Please look
at what a diode does. There are certainly diodes available to operate
at AC mains voltages, and they are cheap. But what a diode does is not
what you need done. There are some very simple, easy to read books and
articles about basic electricity, that explain AC and DC and some
essential concepts - one of my favorite was a military training manual
which is probably available in PDF. The question you asked shows a
basic misunderstanding of AC current and how AC motors work. Reading
even the most basic text will help you understand these responses.

A switch that fits the existing hole will not be a problem.

If he was running DC fans, a diode does EXACTLY what he wants to do -
but a diode cannot do that job on AC, no matter what kind of diode you
manage to get your hands on.

This Whole Thread is a massive.. Who Cares!
The OP was a Hit and run, and hasn't been back anyway.


Yes, he was. In fact, the orginal message and his reply are quoted
in your message.


But a lot of good discussion, and solutions, and lateral and forward
thinking.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.