Different specs for dimmer switch speed controls ?

[govtmule]

I'm starting my first winder and I have a newbie question.

I pulled a motor from an old sewing machine and wired up a dimmer switch bought from the local home improvement store for a speed control. The dimmer starts, stops, and controls the speed like I wanted it to but it doesn't really start from 0 rpm.

There seems to be a threshold where the dimmer is not supplying enough juice to make the motor turn and then once the dial is turned beyond that point, the motor "jumps" to a start, probably a little faster than I'd like my first few winds to be.

Do dimmer switches have different ratings and should I be using one rated higher or lower ?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

Steve

[guitician]

Since bulbs start with a low resistance, and then it rises as the current heats up the filament, you could try adding a small series resistance. Just a thought.

[Regis]

- Harbor Freight Tools - Router Speed Control

[David Schwab]

- Harbor Freight Tools - Router Speed Control

That's a better way to go for motor speed control than a dimmer. It's better for the motor too.

I have that same router speed control... I used it on a router.

[govtmule]

I stopped by harbor freight tonight and got the motor speed control. Hopefully I'll be able to test it out tomorrow. Thanks for the advice guys.

Hey David, if you don't use a dimmer or this motor speed control, what do you use ? Custom made circuit ?

Steve

[David Schwab]

Well I have a Schatten winder that had a speed control built in, of course. But that's broken, so now I power the winder with a variable speed hand drill. It was supposed to be temporary until I fixed the speed control, but it works so well I just left it that way.

I'm building a new CNC controlled winder, so I'm not in a rush to fix the Schatten.

If you use a sewing machine motor, why not use the speed pedal they come with? My very first winder was like that.

[govtmule]

If you use a sewing machine motor, why not use the speed pedal they come with? My very first winder was like that.

The speed pedal that came with the sewing machine was way too sensitive. It went from 0 rpm to max in a very short distance. I figured it would be too dificult to control and keep at a constant speed while winding.

[Neal]

- Harbor Freight Tools - Router Speed Control

Thread hijack.... would this be a safe way to control the speed of a Leslie motor? I've got a single-speed Leslie unit I scavenged out of an old organ, and I'd love to be able to control the speed without burning up the motor.

Sorry for the hijack!

[tonedeciple]

I stopped by harbor freight tonight and got the motor speed control. Hopefully I'll be able to test it out tomorrow. Thanks for the advice guys.

I use this same speed control on my sewing machine motor. When I switch from OFF to VARIABLE, the motor runs very slowly. As I turn up the knob the speed gradually increases all the way to max rpm. Overall, it's very controllable. Now I just need a reliable counter and I'm all set.

[RedHouse]

The speed pedal that came with the sewing machine was way too sensitive. It went from 0 rpm to max in a very short distance. I figured it would be too dificult to control and keep at a constant speed while winding.

Try using both.

On my 2nd winder I used a dimmer to controll the top speed (like an RPM limiter) then inserted the original sewing machine foot pedal into the motor circuit and use that for starting-up and spinning-down. With both in play the footpedal can turn my winder's bobbin flange at a crawl if I want it too, then when I have it pressed all the way down the dimmer controll the top speed, it works well.

I suppose a lot of it depends on how much pulley offset you have on yours. Mine was like a 3" bobbin flange pulley size driven by a 3/4" drive pulley on the motor, it think my particular motor was a 5000 RPM sewing machine motor like this one:

Thread hijack.... would this be a safe way to control the speed of a Leslie motor? I've got a single-speed Leslie unit I scavenged out of an old organ, and I'd love to be able to control the speed without burning up the motor.

Sorry for the hijack!

IIRC, the Leslie motors are the old "brushless" type like in old record players and such, I'm not certain but I don't think you can use this type of speed controller with brushless motors.

[Magnut]

Instead of a dimmer, use a ceiling fan speed control. (looks just like a dimmer) It is made for a motor load and will work better than a dimmer. In fact some dimmers won't work with a motor. It should work as a leslie speed control too. If it's a brushless motor then it's an induction motor just like a fan motor.

[Joe Gwinn]

Instead of a dimmer, use a ceiling fan speed control. (looks just like a dimmer) It is made for a motor load and will work better than a dimmer. In fact some dimmers won't work with a motor. It should work as a leslie speed control too. If it's a brushless motor then it's an induction motor just like a fan motor.

Be careful. Ceiling fan speed controls are a switch and a handful of capacitors that are inserted in series. The motor must be induction for this to work, while sewing-machine motors are universal wound.

Brushless DC motors contain an electronic controller plus a form of induction motor, so a ceiling fan controller probably won't work at all, and may damage something.

There are lamp dimmers that work well with universal-wound motors. Lutron is a good brand.

Feeding the motor through a fullwave rectifier bridge greatly helps at low speeds. Put the bridge between the dimmer and the motor with the AC side towards the dimmer.

[RedHouse]

...Feeding the motor through a fullwave rectifier bridge greatly helps at low speeds. Put the bridge between the dimmer and the motor with the AC side towards the dimmer.

Can you do a quick sketch of that Joe?

[Magnut]

I didn't have any issues using the fan speed control with the sewing machine motor. I have since moved away from that type of setup however. Is the Leslie motor DC?

I think using a rectifier is probably a very good idea with a universal motor. I may have to pull that out of the closet and hook one up.

[Joe Gwinn]

Is the Leslie motor DC?

I don't know this motor, but if it has brushes, it's DC (well, AC/DC most likely). The motor nameplate should say. Do you have photos?