Dimmer switch for pump control OK

[taxidermist]

I spoke with Taco today and they said it should be fine to run a pump with a dimmer switch. I guess it is just trial and error now so we shall see. Just a FYI.



Rob

 

[pybyr]

thanks for passing this along-

there are some "dimmers" that are specifically meant to control certain bath fans (at least fans that are meant to be used with speed controls)- I put one in when I added a 2nd bath. Not sure if they have some better specs for motors.

For what it's worth, though, unless someting about your system will benefit from slower flow, I am not sure that you actually save a lot of electricity this way- my understanding is that the motors become less efficient at converting electricity to motion when run in this mode, and the "dimmer" dissipates a fair amount of energy as heat, too.

 

[free75degrees]

I would be very interested to see how this experiment goes, please keep us posted. The voltage set variable speed circ from Taco costs like 700 bucks.

I really don't know much about electric motors, but I thought that the speed was determined by the frequency of the AC power supply and I thought dimmers only adjusted the voltage level. Is it possible that you can lower voltage level and therefore lower the power to the motor so that for a given water resistance it runs slower?

 

[chuck172]

Wouldn't slowing down the pump speed be advantageous for some storage set-ups?
Slower pump speeds may cut down on turbulence which may preserve stratification

 

[taxidermist]

I only put one in so I could circulate my water when there is no fire to prevent freeze up.I figures it did not need all the flow a 013 pump could flow. I too know nothing about elec. motors but I figured a fan is suposed to run flat out on high but then you adjust it with the slide switch? I also placed one on my circ pump in the basement just incase my short runs dont need the flow from a 007? they are both running full bore right now until I get this thing figured out.


Rob

 

[taxidermist]

Ok for what it is worth I spoke with a tech from Lutron (dimmer company) and he said you will blow out the dimmer switch if used like this... I then asked about a fan speed control and he said the same thing.............sooooo we will just have to see? I ran it for 24hrs while I was at work yesterday and it worked fine. I guess like anything we do here try it and if it works great if not just dont do it again.


Rob

 

[pybyr]

if your goal is to keep a small amount of water running to avoid freezing

then, in my not-professionally-qualified opinion, but as someone who has fooled around with and read up on AC motors and controls a fair amount-

-both your circulator motor and your electric bill will likely be happier in the long run if you can find and install a small solid state timer that kicks the pump on full throttle for a brief interval every so often (just as an illustration, every X seconds every Y minutes), and then have the timer bypassed, so that the pump runs full tilt, when your system needs full flow.

I can't/shouldn't take the time right now to point you to the type of timer that I mean, but hopefully someone here can

 

[Bad Wolf]

I haven't bought one yet but someone here was selling a unit that does just that.

http://www.bearmountaindesign.com/

Its next on my list of gagets to buy. I have a drafty mud room that freezes up every now and then.