rheostat knobs

[Mike K]

I need 4 rheostat knobs but not a standard kind. The part that connects to the rheo has to be shaped like a +. Anyone know where I can get these or any place I can look? If not does anyone know where I can get a knob with a big connector? I might just dremel it out then. Thanks

I looked at allectronics but they are under construction.

[dxiw]

pic or better description would be nice as we are all kinda confused on waht your talking about here....

[Mike K]

Sorry, forgot all about this thread. And to the mods, sorry but I thought this would go in cooling because it has to do with turning up/down my fan speeds. Here is a pic of my fan:
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/0702/svcompucycle_1695_80240.jpg
The fan has its own rheostat but the little knob can only be turned with a screwdriver. It is also impossible to mount anywhere in my case. Forget my first idea and look at this:
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/0702/likethis.JPG .
My idea is to cut off the existing tiny rheo and replace it with a larger one which can be mounted in my case. Will this work this easily? And also is it possible to add two fans on one rheo? I want two rheos, one to control the front intakes and another to control the back exhausts. Thanks for any help

[dxiw]

I dont know about the little + rheo, but you can buy at radio shack a 25ohm rheostat (good for fans) and a 2 nice silver knobs for like 5-7$ total. You could get something smaller than 25ohm, but you would need a pelt to cool the heat it generates when it resisting a 120mm. For an 80mm fan, I think like a 10ohm will do the trick, might as well get the 25ohm so you can brign the fan to a complete stop or near at 0.

[Mike K]

I found thishttp://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/0702/271-265sm.jpg (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F010%5F003%5F003%5F000&product%5Fid=271%2D265) at Radio Shack online. It is 25ohm and 3W. How would I connect two fans onto one rheo?
(click the pic)

Also, if you could point me to some cheaper knobs and rheos because the only I found a 2 pack of knobs for $3 pushing the cost to $12 and I didn't want to spend more than $10. Thanks

[Mike K]

Anyone have a diagram of how to wire up a rheostat? I want to put two fans onto one rheostat. Thanks

[dxiw]

i think this is how to do it....this diagram would resist the 12v+ so that like resisted from 12v+ to like 8v+ it owuld give 10v when coupld with the 12v-. if resisted to like 2v it would give 7v when with 12v-. Anyways, this may look confusing but hook the 2 fans to each other and then when you hook it the psu on the line from the psu to the fan just resist the 12v+ (yellow) with the rheostat. that way instead of sending 12v+ to fan 1 who bounces it to fan 2, you are sending as much as you want all the way down to 5-6v or so...

[Mike K]

I didn't understand all that stuff you said but I did understand the pic. Thanks alot, I get it now.

[dxiw]

no prob :) glad to help you...when you cut the wire for the rheostat if you wanna save the wire from the psu cut the wire from the 1st fans molex to the actual 1st fan....like this:
PSU
(psu wire)
(psu molex)
(fan1 molex #1)
(fan1 wire) <-----put rheostat here
FAN1
(fan1 wire)
(fan1 molex #2)
(fan2 molex #1)
(fan2 wire)
FAN2

[Mike K]

I have some old fans that I was going to cut the connectors off and put the rheostats on there but your idea is better because it doesn't make me hack up my psu and I get to keep the other fans too.:) Thanks for the help

[dxiw]

no prob...:)