Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of controllers that will do this without changing motors?

The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On 1/30/2018 11:24 AM, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of controllers that will do this without changing motors?

The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks






Probably not. It most likely has a start circuit that doesn't kick out
until it reaches a certain RPM. That being said, you can close the
louvers. It doesn't really affect the load from the squirrel cage if
the air flow is reduced mechanically. It just spins in its own
turbulent air.

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On 30/01/18 18:24, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of controllers that will do this without changing motors?

The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks

My understanding is that both PSC and shaded pole motors can be speed
controlled to a degree by voltage control. I have a Comair Rotron
Caravel fan, not as big as your motor, which is controlled through a ebm
ziehl REE10 speed controller and it works very well giving a wide range
of speed. It does make the fan buzz a bit at some settings so I get the
impression the controller may be a phase angle controller but haven't
put a scope on it to check and haven't checked what the fan is but it
has no external capacitor so likely shaded pole.

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

Thanks guys,

@Bob: It doesn't have shutters, but I guess I could think about making some, although not really a practical option at this point.

@David: would something like this do? I can't find the REE10 etc this side of the pond. It says "constant voltage," so I a guessing not, but can't find anything so far that is variable voltage other than a $300 variable transformer.

https://www.amazon.com/uniquegoods-5...dp/B00QLH8530/

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On 30/01/18 20:15, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Thanks guys,

@Bob: It doesn't have shutters, but I guess I could think about making some, although not really a practical option at this point.

@David: would something like this do? I can't find the REE10 etc this side of the pond. It says "constant voltage," so I a guessing not, but can't find anything so far that is variable voltage other than a $300 variable transformer.

https://www.amazon.com/uniquegoods-5...dp/B00QLH8530/

I think that may be much the same thing as the REE10. I pulled the guts
and it is all discrete components, resistors and caps, and the only
semiconductors I can see are a bridge rectifier, a small diode like a
1N4148 size glass cased job, and BTA10 triac (SCR in the US IIRC), it
also has a toroidal choke I guess for surge suppression. I looked up the
Comair Rotron part details and it is one of these
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/axial-fans/7125658/ which it says is a PSC
motor so the cap must be internal to the hub.

BTA10
http://www.st.com/content/ccc/resour...CD00004894.pdf

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

OK, thanks David, for six-bucks and change, I'll give it a try. What's the worst that could happen {VBG}

I'll signal back if the magic-smoke escaped or not later this week. Or maybe I will be buying that 1/2hp motor I pine for.

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On Tue, 30 Jan 2018 10:24:36 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of controllers that will do this without changing motors?

No


The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On 30/01/18 22:53, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
OK, thanks David, for six-bucks and change, I'll give it a try. What's the worst that could happen {VBG}

I'll signal back if the magic-smoke escaped or not later this week. Or maybe I will be buying that 1/2hp motor I pine for.

I looked up swamp cooler motors and Grainger listed a number some being
split phase where a winding is switched out when upto speed maybe like
yours as no cap info was given on the rating plate so not suitable for
speed control but they also listed PSC swamp cooler motors so maybe just
a matter of choosing the right motor to suit voltage control.

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On Tue, 30 Jan 2018 10:24:36 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of controllers that will do this without changing motors?

The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks
If your motor has a switched start winding then you cannot run it a
lower speed. The start winding is disconnected from the power when the
motor reaches about 85% of the rated lowest speed. From the link
provided it looks like the motor has a switched start winding. Turn
off the motor while listening to it and if you hear a click and/or a
whirring sound then that is the switching being heard. The motor will
overheat rapidly if run too slow. For two reasons. First, the start
winding is not made to be energized for more than the time it takes to
start the motor. It heats up rapidly. Second, the motor will draw more
current as the voltage drops in an attempt to get back up to speed.
This extra current draw will cause the windings to run very hot until
they let out the magic smoke.
Eric

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

wrote in message
...
On Tue, 30 Jan 2018 10:24:36 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the
swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of
controllers that will do this without changing motors?

The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High
speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm
range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control
that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room
if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks
If your motor has a switched start winding then you cannot run it a
lower speed. The start winding is disconnected from the power when
the
motor reaches about 85% of the rated lowest speed. From the link
provided it looks like the motor has a switched start winding. Turn
off the motor while listening to it and if you hear a click and/or a
whirring sound then that is the switching being heard. The motor
will
overheat rapidly if run too slow. For two reasons. First, the start
winding is not made to be energized for more than the time it takes
to
start the motor. It heats up rapidly. Second, the motor will draw
more
current as the voltage drops in an attempt to get back up to speed.
This extra current draw will cause the windings to run very hot
until
they let out the magic smoke.
Eric

http://www.electricaleasy.com/2014/0...ion-motor.html
Notice the lack of cheap, simple ways. The real answer is to change
the motor to a more easily controlled type.

The higher wire resistance that makes the start winding quickly
overheat is there for good engineering reasons, not just to cut the
cost or frustrate you.

Swamp cooler fan speed control
 

On Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 12:11:44 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Tue, 30 Jan 2018 10:24:36 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

Subject says it all. We have a 110vac, 1/3hp, 2-speed motor on the swamp.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-Speed-...2204/100013540

I would like to have variable speed. Are there any kinds of controllers that will do this without changing motors?

The Low speed is not low enough so I a looking to just use the High speed wire to the motor and spread control over the entire rpm range.

I am looking for a low cost thing. Kinda like a ceiling fan control that handles a 1/2hp motor. I say "1/2hp" for a little wiggle room if I have to change motors at some time in the future.

Possible?

Thanks
If your motor has a switched start winding then you cannot run it a
lower speed. The start winding is disconnected from the power when the
motor reaches about 85% of the rated lowest speed. From the link
provided it looks like the motor has a switched start winding. Turn
off the motor while listening to it and if you hear a click and/or a
whirring sound then that is the switching being heard. The motor will
overheat rapidly if run too slow. For two reasons. First, the start
winding is not made to be energized for more than the time it takes to
start the motor. It heats up rapidly. Second, the motor will draw more
current as the voltage drops in an attempt to get back up to speed.
This extra current draw will cause the windings to run very hot until
they let out the magic smoke.
Eric

Third reason: At reduced speed, there will also be reduced airflow over the windings which will contribute to overheating.