Stir plate help
- Thread starter jmc21986
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Epimetheus
Well-Known Member
You may not need a potentiometer (pot) to slow it down. I have a 5 volt fan on 4.5 volts and I put the sir bar in, then slowly lower the flask onto the stir plate. The magnetic field gets stronger and starts it slowly and brings it up to speed. Or, I put the flask with the stir bar on the non-running fan and turn on the power. The very weak fan motor is slowed down because it is dragging along the stir bar, and slowly gets up to speed.
But answering your question directly:
This is really really simple. Imagine two wires from your power source to the stir plate, one red and one black. Now you have it running full speed Yay!. You can turn it on and off by plugging in the power supply.
Now we get fancier. It is MUCH easier to draw it than explain in words. You connect the switch, pot, and fan in series. One wire from the power supply to the switch, from there to the pot, from there to the fan. The other wire feeds back from the fan directly to the power supply.
If it is only 12 volts, you can't do too much damage. If it is 120v, don't screw with it since you state you are clueless. being clueless is OK, I am about many things. being clueless around 120V or higher can be hurtful.
But answering your question directly:
This is really really simple. Imagine two wires from your power source to the stir plate, one red and one black. Now you have it running full speed Yay!. You can turn it on and off by plugging in the power supply.
Now we get fancier. It is MUCH easier to draw it than explain in words. You connect the switch, pot, and fan in series. One wire from the power supply to the switch, from there to the pot, from there to the fan. The other wire feeds back from the fan directly to the power supply.
If it is only 12 volts, you can't do too much damage. If it is 120v, don't screw with it since you state you are clueless. being clueless is OK, I am about many things. being clueless around 120V or higher can be hurtful.
