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Post #2 made 13 years ago
by Yeasty
To be honest I think speed control is going to be a PITA. To slow things down you are going to need some sort of rheostat(which will get hot) or VSD (expensive). I'd put the 110V on flebay and use the cash to buy the gear for a DC computer fan conversion.

More control and safer.
Why is everyone talking about "Cheese"
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Post #4 made 13 years ago
by Yeasty
I wasn't really saying that it would be unsafe. Well built and properly insulated it would be fine.I was coming from an electrical engineering view point that 24V is safer than 110V which is safer than 240V etc.
Why is everyone talking about "Cheese"
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Post #5 made 13 years ago
by BobBrews
BrickBrewHaus,

I built a stir plate with a computer fan. I have 110v fans but I decided to go with a computer fan and a hard-drive magnet. Their are lots of videos on YouTube on how to construct them. I used a old case for a portable hard drive holder that came with a power supply. I threw in a rheostat to control the 5 Volts and I was in business. It's hard to get it balanced without flipping off but once it is working right it runs for days!

Here is a cheap store bought it might be easier http://www.williamsbrewing.com/STIR-STARTER-P2520.aspx
Last edited by BobBrews on 12 Apr 2012, 19:49, edited 3 times in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
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Post #6 made 13 years ago
by BrickBrewHaus
If I end up making one, I'll probably buy a couple of magnets. It seems like they would be much easier to mount correctly (centered about the center of rotation) than a odd-shaped hard drive magnet.

Post #7 made 13 years ago
by BobBrews
BrickBrewHaus wrote:If I end up making one, I'll probably buy a couple of magnets. It seems like they would be much easier to mount correctly (centered about the center of rotation) than a odd-shaped hard drive magnet.
Not really! These are powerful rare earth magnets? They are flat and mine just stick to the center of the fan. If you have a old hard drive why not? Just ask at some local PC repair shop if you don't have access to one? My only problem is getting the thing started without flinging off the stir magnet. The control is not quite right and it's not worth playing with it to tweak it for the little time I use it for.
Last edited by BobBrews on 12 Apr 2012, 20:57, edited 3 times in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Post #8 made 13 years ago
by thughes
For what it's worth BBH, I have been "meaning to get around" to building one for over a year now, even have a few of the parts I need. Until, that is, I came across this the other day:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... 0677571694

This is a stir plate, including stir bar and keeper magnet, shipped, for $49.00. I decided that price is worth it to me. The seller is in MI so you should have it in your hands within one day if you decide to order one.

---Todd
Last edited by thughes on 12 Apr 2012, 21:20, edited 3 times in total.
WWBBD?
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