RE: [TCML] LTR/STR and spark length

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>]

I agree - I'm not sure I see any reason to throttle down power to a FAN.  Unlike a vacuum cleaner motor, fans don't put out a huge amount of air, make a lot of noise, or draw a lot of power.  A fan should be good to go as-is.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of bartb
> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 10:10 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] LTR/STR and spark length
>
> Yes, but a dimmer for a fan speed control is fine (if desired).
> I would personally use a mechanical means unless electronic control was
> either required or cheaper (work ethic mostly).
>
> Bart
>
> G Hunter wrote:
> > Lamp dimmers have some limited uses in coiling.  I
> > have found that cheap, 120vac/600W lamp dimmers sold
> > at Wal-Mart and similar outlets make dandy speed
> > controls for vacuum cleaner motors (used on sucker
> > gaps).  I have also used dimmers as speed controls for
> > asynchronous rotary spark gaps based on universal-type
> > brush motors.  One ARSG was based on an angle grinder.
> >  Another was based on a small Black & Decker router.
> > Dimmers controlled these with no issues.  Lastly, a
> > dimmer and a series motor run capacitor work well for
> > exciting a 12v car ignition coil from a 120vac outlet.
> >  I've tried this with various caps and ignition coils,
> > and it has always worked with no damage to the dimmer.
> >
> > Not all motors will tolerate a dimmer.  Most AC
> > induction motors--even the cheap little shaded pole
> > motors--will seize up when placed in series with a
> > dimmer.  I've never ruined a motor or a dimmer this
> > way--the motors simply refused to rotate and made
> > scary buzzing sounds.
> >
> > On the other hand, most brush-type "universal" motors
> > used in vacuum cleaners and many common power tools
> > respond very smoothly to dimmer speed control.
> >
> > My cheesy, homebrew secondary coil winding jig uses a
> > gear motor from an ice cream maker (low RPM, lotsa
> > torque, great for coil winding).  Unfortunately, the
> > little shaded pole induction motor inside the thing
> > balks at dimmer speed control--won't budge.  With a
> > 10A variac in series, the thing can be smoothly
> > throttled across its whole RPM range.  Sometimes, you
> > just gotta bite the bullet and shell out for a variac.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Greg
> >
> > --- neal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Hi Scott,
> >> You think a dimmer wouldn't work properly even on a
> >> cooling fan? I do have a
> >> smaller (5 amp)variac that I could use, but like
> >> previously suggested, I may
> >> not adjust the flow at all. If I had to, I could go
> >> the baffle route. I've
> >> heard this before about dimmer switches. What is the
> >> problem with them, in
> >> relation to coils? Thanks for your help,
> >>
> >> Neal.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Quoting Scott Bogard <teslas-intern@xxxxxxxxxxx>:
> >>
> >>
> >>> Neal,
> >>>      Never use a dimmer with anything coil
> >>>
> >> related, it will not work
> >>
> >>> properly.  Many of us have been down this road, it
> >>>
> >> never ends well.
> >>
> >>> Either buy a variac, or in this circumstance I
> >>>
> >> would suggest that you
> >>
> >>> just build a baffle like Bart said.  It can be as
> >>>
> >> simple as a piece of
> >>
> >>> cardboard taped to the back or your fan covering
> >>>
> >> it partly.  Best of luck!
> >>
> >>> Scott Bogard.
> >>>
> >>
> >>
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