Dimmer switch powerhead controller?

[DarthRaiderBob]

So sitting here thinking, has anyone ever tried controlling 120v powerheads with a dimmer switch? As long as you were withing the wattage range of the switch would it work to control the speed of the powerheads?

 

[gbroadbridge]

So sitting here thinking, has anyone ever tried controlling 120v powerheads with a dimmer switch? As long as you were withing the wattage range of the switch would it work to control the speed of the powerheads?

Electronic dimmers use phase controlled switching which will not work with AC electric motors.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

Ahhh, I see. Don't know electronics all that well. Is there any way to control standard 120v wavermakers/powerheads?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Ahhh, I see. Don't know electronics all that well. Is there any way to control standard 120v wavermakers/powerheads?

Not easily :-). There are speed controllers available for drills and the like but I don't know how well they would work, if at all.

If you really need speed control a low voltage dc pump is the go.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

Yeah, I will upgrade to DC pumps at some point but not in the budget atm. Was hoping to find something that would get me by for. Abita and happen to have 3 or 4 dimmer switches in the garage and some spare outlets lol. Was going to try and build something.