Need a variac

[[OC]Lucifer]

Just got a cool new AC powered blower, but its made so it cant run at full speed without getting really hot, according to my Dad. Anyone know where I could find a variac online to cut its speed down?

 

[Nightingale]

check ebay. I got my variac for 20 bucks even though its an older model(and weights about 30lbs because of the tranformer core).

 

[phoenix111384]

just curious, but what is a variac exactly?

 

[RickyJ]

just curious, but what is a variac exactly?

It's a variable output transformer. Think: "potentiometer for AC".

edit: But much bigger than the small DC pots you buy. The ones we use for our labwork are about the size of a canteloupe.

 

[[OC]Lucifer]

Or..

Maybe I should look for a good like 120mm or 90mm 12VDC powered blower. Anyone got any links? I looked, and had no luck.

 

[greenman100]

Maybe I should look for a good like 120mm or 90mm 12VDC powered blower. Anyone got any links? I looked, and had no luck.

all AC motors I've seen are frequency dependent, not voltage dependent.

ebay for blowers

 

[n17ikh]

Variacs?

Get em from www.mpja.com or www.allelectronics.com
However...
It might be cheaper (though not easier) to build an AC motor controller with off-the-shelf parts from either of those sites. Also, even though a variac just controls voltage, it will still work, just inefficiently, to reduce voltage to an AC motor, it will effectively control speed if you don't reduce voltage so much the motor can't get started (it might help to start at full voltage and then bring it down to a lower speed, it will start easier like that.)