Englander and Other Stoves Blower Speed Control

[BrotherBart]

I received a question about the AC-16 versus the AC-30 blowers for Englander stoves. The AC-16 is a two speed blower, high and low, while the AC-30 is infinitely adjustable. The AC-16 now comes standard with ESW stoves. The AC-30 is a hundred and eighty bucks.

For the AC-16 the answer to controlling the blower speed, noise and fact that lower speeds move hotter air I use this:



The Dial-A-Temp gives you infinite speed control of the blower. On ESW's or any other blower. You plug the blower into it. Plug it into the wall and then turn the AC-16 or other blower to its highest speed setting then control the speed with the Dial-A-Temp.

Lots of places to buy them. Google will spit'em out. The AC-16 moves plenty of air and this thing is a lot cheaper than the price of the AC-30. I got mine here a few years ago:

(broken link removed to http://tinyurl.com/lqdaft2)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That looks to be a very handy item for the stove and a few other applications. Price is right too.

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah, that looks identical to a rheostat I had years ago. Can't even remember what I was using it for. It's no doubt still around here somewhere. I'll probably dig it out when I get the Dutchwest rebuilt and try it out with the fan, which is a stock two-speed. That thing was noisy when the stove was back in the fireplace. I think the fireplace was "megaphoning" the noise. I'm hopeful that setting the stove out on the hearth will help, and that I'll be able to dial it in with the rheostat to find a happy medium between heat output and noise output.

 

[Hogwildz]

Will this thing alleviate hum in motors at low speed settings? Not for my insert, but another use.

 

[BrotherBart]

Some hum right at the slowest setting. The AC-30 had one too.

 

[Luigi]

For the tinkerers out there, here is a link to build your own rheostat with a single pole dimmer. Just a note, the post says you can do it for less than $7 but this was written back in 05. It would probably cost a lot more now.

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168

 

[BrotherBart]

A router speed controller will work too.