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Fan Speed Controller
Brent:
Canada is 120 v 60 hz
Jacek:
I literally picked up a fan controller for a ceiling fan. I put it into a box and hooked up wire to it. One end plugs into the outlet other end has a female end which the fan plugs into. I left a spot where I wired the fan controller to where I can Hooke in a voltage meter and see what voltage is at when the fan initially starts.
I then found what rpm the fan was turning at and did a precentage to make steps of speed at start speed, quarter, half,3/4, and full speed. All by using voltage reading on the multimeter.
Very cheap solution and is quite repeatable for fan speed when you hit those voltages.
20 bucks is what I spent.
yobasan:
I bought the fan controller that GregR and Susan linked above and used it. Also, I have never used a variac but I understand the theory.
First, I want to say I really hate using the knobs. Chaff build-up can clog it and the fan is super-powerful, almost an overkill so even a small adjustment leads to huge change in airflow.
What I wanted/expected from the fan controller was to leave the exhaust knobs completely open, and simply use the fan controller to control the airflow.
However, I found that to be impossible. Even at the lowest speed, the fan is still strong enough that I still have to close the exhaust knob a bit for the initial 2-3 minutes where i want the drum to be a bit humid, to make sure the internal temp of the beans are similar to external temp.
Yes, I agree with the experts here that PRECISE airflow is overrated and as long as you can manage to have a general low, mid, high, that's good.
but I'm not sure if low is really LOW. I think LOW with variac vs LOW with fan controller is going to be different. Low with fan controller is still (in my opinion) a bit high for the initial charge to 2-3min mark. At Variac 5%, you're really going to get 5%.
I don't know which variac you're looking up but one I found on amazon is $57
https://www.amazon.com/PHC-Enterprise-Variac-Variable-Transformer/dp/B006NGI2RS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1497881261&sr=8-2&keywords=variac
You won't need anything above 5A. The fan at full speed would be OVERKILL anyway (i'm sure the experts would agree). You only need at most 50-60% of the fan power.
CONCLUSION:
If you want to mess with knobs and other mechanics besides the fan controller, buy the fan controller. that's what I'm doing now and it works okay.
If you don't want to mess with knobs and only use the fan controller to control the airflow -- buy a variac.
I would love to hear the opposite.
Maybe my fan controller is wonky and not giving me low enough speed.
Phil
ATL, GA
SusanJoM:
Phil, you might want to invest in a cheap anemometer. That would give you an opportunity to actually test the various controller settings and see how well the fan is responding, how high and how low it goes at what settings.
I hardly mess with my fan settings during a roast, so I am not the one to advise you on 'how', but it seems as if you would have more confidence using the controller once you had air flow amounts that you could connect to each marker ???
Just a thought.
I had one. I sold it. I may end up getting another. It's a useful little tool.
yobasan:
Susan,
I actually don't mess with airflow much either (as of now) Ever since I got the fan controller, I've been putting at low setting and just adjust the knobs slightly. That is what I'm doing, but I'm not sure if that's what I should be doing.
Based on videos I saw of Mill City Roaster's Coffee of the Month series (in one episode, they use Huky 500J): They talk about how the fan setting should be low during drying, low-mid, during maillard, mid-high during cracks until drop. If I can get a wider range of controls for airflow, maybe my coffee can taste better?
Phil
ATL, GA
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