Rastajedi Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 (edited) Decided to build my own fancontroller, the only problem now is that i can only find maplins that stock these variacs and there web site says there out of stock and mybe re-stocked with the next 28 days which is a nearly a month!, anybody know where i might find these things ? proving harder to find than rockin horse shit, must say all this fan controlling lark is becoming a royal pain in the arse, ho and i've tried ebay before anyone asks, any help welcome Rj :wink: e2a: just checked rs components they have em in but there nearly half as dear again as maplin.... just cant win Edited December 5, 2007 by Rastajedi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scribb|e Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Here's one of my posts from another related thread, here.: The place the description and price quotes are from is here. [www.dealec.co.uk] Hmm - the WAC-1 does look to be a good choice - nice price, too. WAC1 Single Sweep Fan Controller - 21852AWProvides on/off and five speed control. Can be connected at the time of installation to provide downward air movement or upward air movement. Surface Mounted. 2 year guarantee (UK) Order Online for:£19.23 (Excluding VAT at 17.5%) The WAC-6 looks to be an interesting one, too, for those who have more than one fan that they want to control: WAC6 Sweep Fan Controller - 21853AWProvides on/off and variable speed control for up to six fans of any size. Can be connected at the time of installation to provide downward air movement or upward air movement. 'Fan Running' indicator. Surface Mounted. 2 year guarantee (UK) Order Online for:£29.48 (Excluding VAT at 17.5%) :wink: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 9, 2007 Author Share Posted December 9, 2007 Ebay saves the day again got me 2 of these for £67 brand new and rated to 1 amp...sorted 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burstbud Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 just remember to put them in an ip56 rated box... coz the suckers CAN KILL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 A big thanks to Scraglor for his advice on fan control and electrics, credit goes to him for the diagram, what he doesnt know about motors and switches probably aint worth knowing mucho karma to you sir, the only thing i need to clarify and were unsure about is the switching from high to low regarding the relay on the thermostat, i've included 2 diagrams one switches the wrong way round meaning when it gets hot it will go to minimum extraction, and the other is the correct way ie switching to maxium extraction when it gets hot, my gut feeling is that its the one with the live out on the LEFT handside of the variac, any chance some one with this thermostat can confirm it please, Rj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 And the winner is....the one i didnt think it was, always pays to ask , thanks to Ot and Scraglor for their advice, when i get all my bits and bobs together i,ll post up the final results, Rj :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Actually this will only work correctly with a relay as terminal 1 needs a permanent 240, it will work to some degree but the temperature range will be huge inbetween switching, so its back to the drawing board and off to bnq for a different stat, again many thanks to ot and scraglor for their pm,s , eventually i,ll post a winning diagram when i get a stat that will work, Rj 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Sheriff Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Ah crap thought you're quest was nearly at the end there Rastajedi mate good read and good feedback . Wonder if we can get a mod to combine some threads as im watching three at the moment & might be help for future ref we got this thread here trying the variac to thermo , thread HERE wiring for the 5 step & h4z3's thread HERE wiring the Wac1 and finally the B&Q dimmer/thermo HERE All great reads with very helpfull advice . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Cheers Sheriff, i,ll get there eventually, i've considered all the different set ups and it would seem for the money that this method is probably the most tunable without all the effects of buzzing fans etc, the 5 step and wac1 all seem to be good methods that will serve well, but i like the flexibility that the variac offers and the silence they employ, certainly wouldnt advise the primair type controllers or dimmer switch methods theres just too much bad feedback about the fans buzzing and the potential to burn them out or worse, there are inherent risks with the variac but if used properly and they're set so they dont exceed the max volts that the fans require everything should be fine, its basically the same control method as the one that airforce fans use on there controller but with the added thermostat , but at a considerably cheaper price, i believe there charging just short of £100 for a basic contoller with no thermostat overide, good mind to start makin them, i'm sure theres a market for a decent variac fan controller at a reasonable price, Rj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Sheriff Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Dont no if you have been through the h4z3 Theres a great read from whazzup on his findings on the smaller rvk's as to there output good stuff . And im sure there a huge market mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Cheers Sheriff, good read indeed, thanks ,Rj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scraglor Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 does your thermostat have a spare terminal? if so you can disconnect the anticipator from terminal one/common and connect it to the spare, then connect mains live to it, then run with the original circuit, unless you've already got the other thermostat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 (edited) i havent bought one yet mate, i suppose it would be easier for me to just pick one up from bnq, if the thermostat is accurate then i,m not too fussy, the more idot proof the better really, never seen the honeywell one so i dont know if you can tbh, thanks anyway Scraglor, Rj e2a:if it will fit could i just put a piece of terminal strip in ? Edited December 11, 2007 by Rastajedi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scraglor Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 (edited) well you can connect it any which way, as long as it's safe, i've never seen a honeywell stat closely so i dunno how easy it would be to do, i thought you already had the honeywell stat? if not just get the b&q one without the resistor. those resistors are designed for large areas where the heat takes a long time to get from your rad to the stat, or cold air from your ventilation if cooling, so in a smaller space a standard stat will do anyway Edited December 11, 2007 by scraglor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 No mate still doing the homework/research so to speak, i thought it may have been ok to adapt since other people have used it successfully , but i,ll follow your recommend saves fannying about ,Rj 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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