roadkill Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 I am looking for a Speed Controller for my rotary as it goes that fast it will take off one of these days i dont want to buy a named brand as they are quite expensive ... How do i go about making my own and where do you get the parts from? also how east are they to make ? cheers roadkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blowfelt Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I made mine from a varible heater switch from a lorry, i should think a volume/tuning **** from the old style radios/hifi's should be just as good. just a matter of soldering the wires in the right place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blowfelt Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 just had a after thought, maybe a dimmer light switch will work. Not sure if a 12volt battery will be enough current tho. just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogey Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 just had a after thought, maybe a dimmer light switch will work. Not sure if a 12volt battery will be enough current tho. just a thought. Hi You can get the parts from Maplins to make your own for about £15.00. Very easy only 4 wires. + & - to battery and other two wires to motor. Have a look at Maplins on line. Hogey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeXTGen Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Depends on how techie you want to get - simplest way is as above - dirty great big rheostat (variable resistor) like an electric heater/fan switch. Then you can go to transistor/mosfet current control. Beyond that, there's pulse width modulation based systems. The major difference between them is efficiency. A variable resistor wastes quite a bit of energy, so if you're using a battery, you'll get less flapper time from it. PWM systems are not actually much more expensive, as they are used for most radio control models. Gives you very fine grained control of the speed and (almost) no waste if energy. I've got circuit diagrams of simple PWM and current control versions you can cook up using a soldering iron and a few bits from maplin, usually cheaper then the kits. If anyone is interested, PM me and I'll see if i can scan and post them? Have a look at: http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects/mo.../038/index.html http://www.4qdtec.com/pwm-01.html About half way down the page is a good quality much simple design... Cheers, Edwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul hart Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 All that trouble to save a few quid they are £20 with 1year warranty so why both making one that may take you 3-4 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 i got one from xxxx bay £10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dleifnarc Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Email this chap. He has the best speed controlers available, cheap too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted December 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Email this chap. He has the best speed controlers available, cheap too. where is the email ? i have also looked on ebay and didnt find any Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dleifnarc Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Email this chap. He has the best speed controlers available, cheap too. where is the email ? i have also looked on ebay and didnt find any I am off now to give myself a birtching for posting a link that was not allowed. BTW you have a pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuck1 Posted January 2, 2008 Report Share Posted January 2, 2008 I have just followed the links to your post Edwin, and now I think to lie down! My brain hurts! I am AMAZED that some one with dextrous fingers and a soldering iron hasn't started knocking these up and flogging a few for lamp dimmer switches, instead of the £30!!! ones that Deben sell. I'd buy one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeXTGen Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 I have just followed the links to your post Edwin, and now I think to lie down! My brain hurts! I am AMAZED that some one with dextrous fingers and a soldering iron hasn't started knocking these up and flogging a few for lamp dimmer switches, instead of the £30!!! ones that Deben sell. I'd buy one! Really? Hmmm...(sound of brain gears changing). Can someone send/show me where to find/photograph a flapper motor or its spec, and I'll knock up an tutorial with piccies (and let you know how I get on at the higher-tech end...) ?? Cheers, Edwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Really? Hmmm...(sound of brain gears changing). Can someone send/show me where to find/photograph a flapper motor or its spec, and I'll knock up an tutorial with piccies (and let you know how I get on at the higher-tech end...) ?? Cheers, Edwin I looked into it, unless I was buying crucial parts (for my design) at 1000+ rates I couldn't make them reasonably for less than £14 parts cost, that's everything including solder but not factoring in my time. Considering most folk don't care about PWM type devices they won't pay over the odds for something they can get cheaper elsewhere. (EDIT: I'm talking about magnets here, not flappers, doh!) I'd love to be wrong and see someone make some money and save some energy, with the PWM controller most magnets running at 1/2 speed would end up lasting about 40% longer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommo Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Dont know if anyone will read this or not but yesterday l made my own, and its simple and cost me about £15. To start buy the speed controler and bits from Maplins, this is a printed circuit board with the **** on one side and the electric bits on the other (its about 2" x 2.5" x 2" deep). at the same time buy two crocodile clips, and some connectors bullets or spades are easily usable Total cost £14 Then get a peice of flex /cable from somewhere (not worth buying 12" of twin and earth). I pinched a tupperware pot from the kitchen with its lid, Seated the controller in the lid by drilling a hole just big enough, then get a mini screwdriver and punch 4 holes in oppisite sides of the container. Two on each side. The split the cable/flex to the seporate wires cut equal lengths to put in each of the terminals. Thread through the holes punched in the side of the container. Pull the wires and you'll find the lid (with controler) will then sit in the pot. Been told by some to fuse it, other to not bother, haven't bothered, and i'll let you know how l get on. - Oh yea and sealled the wires coming out of the pot sides by clear sealant. Job done! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted January 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Dont know if anyone will read this or not but yesterday l made my own, and its simple and cost me about £15. To start buy the speed controler and bits from Maplins, this is a printed circuit board with the **** on one side and the electric bits on the other (its about 2" x 2.5" x 2" deep). at the same time buy two crocodile clips, and some connectors bullets or spades are easily usable Total cost £14 Then get a peice of flex /cable from somewhere (not worth buying 12" of twin and earth). I pinched a tupperware pot from the kitchen with its lid, Seated the controller in the lid by drilling a hole just big enough, then get a mini screwdriver and punch 4 holes in oppisite sides of the container. Two on each side. The split the cable/flex to the seporate wires cut equal lengths to put in each of the terminals. Thread through the holes punched in the side of the container. Pull the wires and you'll find the lid (with controler) will then sit in the pot. Been told by some to fuse it, other to not bother, haven't bothered, and i'll let you know how l get on. - Oh yea and sealled the wires coming out of the pot sides by clear sealant. Job done! Tom is that all i need to know to make one ? do you have any pics and also do you have the links for the bits i need from maplins as when i look i end up getting lost lol....... i also need a dimmer switch for my lamp do you happen to know how to make one of those too cheers roadkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 A dimmer switch and a speed controller (the type built here, not the PWM type I was on about) are one in the same thing. Well, they both do the same job the same way http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ITAG=S...p;doy=15m1#spec Check how much your application draws (amps) with a meter first otherwise you'll blow this up. To do this connect the ammeter (or voltmeter with Amp setting, set to at least 10A) in line with the negative battery lead and read off the value at top speed and slow speed. If the draw is grater than 3amps this isn't for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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