blower speed control

[jimsudz]

I have a furnace blower on my rig it has a capaciter and it has 4 speeds depending on how you wire it. The lowest speed is still to high,I want to put a fan reostat on it. The motor draws 6.4 amps I found 6amp reostat at local store can this be used if I wire it at the low speed setting. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Jim

[Jerome]

just block some of the air going into the fan with a piece of tin.

[xulgiy]

Jerome is right, block the air flow. A rheostat will burn that motor up. Well....it did on mine!

[valleyman]

I have a similar dilemma with my 2 speed leaf blower.

I was going to rig a "Y" pvc fitting and a valve(s) to control the exiting air but Jerome, I'm going to use your advise and see if I can cut a piece of metal and fasten it with one screw over the intake on the bottom of the blower. That way I can slide the plate adjust the air flow that way.

I dont have the leaf blower in front of me right now so I just have to wait and see what I have to work with later.

Thanks
Greg

[jluckay]

i have a single speed fan on the bottom of my ash cleanout. i mounted it on with a pc of sheetmetal between the fan & the cleanout door, acting as a damper. pulling it out opens the airway & pushing it in closes. i dont know if that will help you ?

[RileySugarbush]

A further advantage of regulating the flow inlet is that it reduces the load on the motor and therefore electrical power usage. I am in process if setting up my air over fire system, with two blowers. My old 200 cfm low pressed blower for under the grate and a new half horse high pressure blower through the nozzles. I will be regulating both with independant inlet dampers.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I installed a blacksmithing forge for a friend and the dang thing had a dimmer switch from the factory and it was a pain in the arse. I was at a guys shop and he was working his forge and he had a smoldering fire going and he walked up the rig and hit a lever and it opened a gate valve and Shazam things started cooking instantly. No fiddling with a motor that was over heating from being regulated down and it was a constant stream of air. Look on blacksmithing supply for the gate valves.