Variable speed motor help..

[pvanderlugt]

Hello everyone, Pete here in Ohio.. I have a electrical motor speed question for someone with more electron knowledge then me..
Background.....I have an old 1920's hay barn converted to a shop....The upstairs I converted to a place for parties and just hang out..
On one of the gable ends I installed 1/3 hp power gable exhaust fan to get some ventilation going.. this is a variable speed 1/3 hp motor..... bought a variable speed controller, same company, for this fan.. everything works great except the horrible noise the motor makes when the speed is turned down.....
Some more reading and researching shows this in normal with the new Solid state controllers.....because at full speed it sounds like a Ultralight airplane, and at reduced speed the motor gets very noisy, this is unacceptable, this is our "living space"... further reading says, that if you get a speed controller with the "preset speeds" instead of variable , the motor will not make this noise, due to the way it works......Ok, I will buy one of those I rather have full speed control, but if that is how it needs to be done to get it silent, ok..... found a 5amp fan 3 speed controller, installed it, works great, no motor noise, except the 2 speed reductions are like 15 and 5% of the original full speed, not even enough to blow the shutters open..

Now for the question, does anyone know of a 3 , or preferable 5 speed controller, that I could use(or a fully variable speed one that will not make the motor sound horrible) that the speed reductions are more linear? Instead of 100-15 and 5%?....all I have around here are big box stores, so will have to order online..
Thanks for the help...
Pictures are what I have know...
Pete

 

[American Locomotive]

Generally when talking about "Variable speed motors" in reference to fans, the motor will have multiple winding taps on it. Can you post larger pictures of your fan, particularly the motor?

 

[pvanderlugt]

See if this works

 

[nehog]

...this is a variable speed 1/3 hp motor...

Your image is a single speed motor.

 

[pvanderlugt]

Your image is a single speed motor.

The chart on the 2nd image shows the motor, b250-4e to be a variable speed motor...sorry for the lousy pictures......if it is not variable speed, then their website and various other documents are all wrong... of course this is entirely possible.... any idea's on a direct replacement motor that would be variable speed?...
This is the fan I bought...

Thanks again..

Pete

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_cooling_fans-ft_exhaust_fans;pg109845_111944.html

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The resolution of all the images you posted are too low. Cant read any of them

 

[pvanderlugt]

The resolution of all the images you posted are too low. Cant read any of them

Yeah, let me try that agai tomorrow morning .. thanks
Pete

 

[pvanderlugt]

Some updated pictures of the motor... see if this helps any....

 

[pvanderlugt]

And this is the variable speed controller that came with it......

 

[pvanderlugt]

And this is the 5amp 3position switch that I bought, just noticed the sticker on the side , that probably has something to do with the fact that position 2 and 3 or like 15 and 5 % of rated speed.....
Thanks for everyone's help and input in advance.......
Pete

 

[American Locomotive]

Those controllers often cause larger electric motors like that to buzz pretty loud. They're basically glorified dimmer switches.

 

[pvanderlugt]

Those controllers often cause larger electric motors like that to buzz pretty loud. They're basically glorified dimmer switches.

Yup, and that loud buzzing is what I am trying to avoid.... there has to be a way to quietly slow this down... if not, I would be happy to replace both motor and/or controller if needed.....
Pete

 

[American Locomotive]

You could get a multispeed motor, or try something like a variac/variable autotransformer.

 

[dfiler2]

I don't think the noise is caused by the motor, I would bet it is the bladed fan.

 

[pvanderlugt]

I don't think the noise is caused by the motor, I would bet it is the bladed fan.

You are indeed correct at full speed, definitely blade noise, as you start rolling the speed back, it is most certainly motor noise........
Pete

 

[bjcouche]

That speed controller clearly states on the red label that it is for shaded pole or universal motors ONLY. Your motor is not either one of those. The speed control is for a ceiling fan, not the type of fan that you have. To change the speed of the type of motor you have, you need to change both the voltage and FREQUENCY. The only choices that I see are to replace the motor with a 2 or 3 speed motor, or to replace it with one that can be properly controlled with the speed control type that you have.
Brian

 

[DenisG]

I think that the specs for that fan are here:
https://www.farmtek.com/wcsstore/EngineeringServices/allbizunits/techdocs/111944.pdf
That makes it a permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor with a permanently wired run cap.
The noise probably means that the motor is constant in "start mode" and never makes it to "run mode".
Here's a comparison of PSC vs ECM (Electronic Commutated Motor):
https://www.ruppams.com/Sitedocs/RUPP/Literature/ECM Vs. PSC.pdf?v=962017
I think that you're just limited to how slow a speed you can control that fan.
Just my guess.

 

[ddawg16]

Those controllers often cause larger electric motors like that to buzz pretty loud. They're basically glorified dimmer switches.

Correct.....

That speed controller clearly states on the red label that it is for shaded pole or universal motors ONLY. Your motor is not either one of those. The speed control is for a ceiling fan, not the type of fan that you have. To change the speed of the type of motor you have, you need to change both the voltage and FREQUENCY. The only choices that I see are to replace the motor with a 2 or 3 speed motor, or to replace it with one that can be properly controlled with the speed control type that you have.
Brian

Yup

Bad news.....no cheap solution.

Good news...there are options....

 

[ddawg16]

Personally, if noise is your main issue, I'd look into squirrel cage blowers. They move a lot of air at a fraction of the noise

 

[toplessHO]

small VFD would work
that solid state controller is good for fart fans and such

 

[larry_g]

small VFD would work
that solid state controller is good for fart fans and such

VFD's are for 3 phase motors. Won't work on single phase.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[toplessHO]

VFD's are for 3 phase motors. Won't work on single phase.

lg
no neat sig line

I think you need to research that further
lots of single phase loads run off them

 

[wyliesdiesels]

That speed controller clearly states on the red label that it is for shaded pole or universal motors ONLY. Your motor is not either one of those. The speed control is for a ceiling fan, not the type of fan that you have. To change the speed of the type of motor you have, you need to change both the voltage and FREQUENCY. The only choices that I see are to replace the motor with a 2 or 3 speed motor, or to replace it with one that can be properly controlled with the speed control type that you have.
Brian

You missed the 3 words in between those 2 that says "permanent split capacitor"....

VFD's are for 3 phase motors. Won't work on single phase.

lg
no neat sig line

I think you need to research that further lots of single phase loads run off them

https://www.wolfautomation.com/blog/vfds-for-single-phase-motors/

 

[larry_g]

I'll stand corrected then..

lg
no neat sig line