Dimmer switch for Yogurt Maker?

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toocool6600 said:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYEF6...lid=14OGYV5C5PX1I&coliid=I1DWS7NQP3D4DH&psc=1

need alternative for this in india , its costing 1500 rs , just for a damn switch , can i get something like this here in india itself?
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Try a fan regulator. Should cost around Rs100. I use one as a dimmer for my table lamp (made my own housing using plastic box). Works great for incandescent bulbs.

EDIT: If the appliance is a simple heater, this should work great. If it has complex electronics (which is highly unlikely), you might face issues. The fan regulator didn't work well with an LED lamp.
 
dpandey said:
Try a fan regulator. Should cost around Rs100. I use one for my table lamp (made my own housing using plastic box). Works great for incandescent lamps.
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Does it not matter what wattage is of appliance to be used with it?

I have to use it with the yogurt maker I have ordered from America, which will be of only 12 watts, i also ordered a voltage step down converter from eBay
 
toocool6600 said:
Does it not matter what wattage is of appliance to be used with it?

I have to use it with the yogurt maker I have ordered from America, which will be of only 12 watts, i also ordered a voltage step down converter from eBay
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As long as the wattage of the appliance is lower than the rating of the dimmer, you should be ok. 12 watts should pose no issue. I use it with 40 watt bulbs.

Though on second thoughts, I am not sure how well the fan regulator designed for 240 volts will work on 120. You could try connecting it before the transformer, but the transformer may not like the chopped sine wave.

Worth a try though.
 
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toocool6600 said:
But there will be a step down voltage converter involved too, I am unsure but should it not be ok?
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I was thinking about where to put the fan regulator. Before or after the step down. You could try both ways (with a bulb as load) and see which works better before connecting the appliance.
 
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dpandey said:
I was thinking about where to put the fan regulator. Before or after the step down. You could try both ways (with a bulb as load) and see which works better before connecting the appliance.
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Incase it doesn't work out, then I might have to buy dimmer or fan regulator from Amazon.com itself?
 
Basic question. I am assuming the appliance will have temp control. What is the dimmer expected to do?

If controlling input voltage is the goal, there are other methods besides a dimmer.
 
Sorry. Hadn't read the original article. Quote from the article:

"Note: You want the yogurt to be between 105-115 during the entire 24 hour period. Some yogurt makers heat too much, so be sure the first few times you are making it to check on the yogurt with a thermometer. Check after 3 hours then again another 8 hours later. If it is getting too hot, you can buy a dimmer switch (Walmart, Canadian Tire, anywhere that sells light switches) and reduce the power to the yogurt maker. Play around with it until you get the perfect setting."

Does the appliance you bought have temp control?
 
Is there absolutely no way to know for sure........ At this point If Indian regulator will work ok or not?

Thing is this yogurt maker is some sort of Medicine maker for the patient, and I ordered it today after many months of waiting and research, and if American regulator is needed then I can order today itself, if I order after arrival of yogurt maker it will delay our medicine for another 2 weeks or so.......... :(

What to do?
 
Hate to say this, but a constant output heating element is a crap shoot, dimmer or no dimmer. The temperature inside the vessel will change with the environmental temperature.

I would say save your money and invest in an device which can maintain a near constant temperature.

EDIT: See if you can get help from someone who dabbles in electronics. If you are in bangalore, you can drop by.
 
dpandey said:
Hate to say this, but a constant output heating element is a crap shoot, dimmer or no dimmer. The temperature inside the vessel will change with the environmental temperature.

I would say save your money and invest in an device which can maintain a near constant temperature.
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I understand your point but this yogurt maker is supposed to be best for our usage as it's been used by IBD patients quite a lot and the consumer says it's good quality product specifically made for the IBD patients usage.

This is the only yogurt maker which has water filling option for equal heat all around the milk jar to make a consistent temperature around so that the best quality yogurt is made.

All other yogurt maker are also mostly constant temperature type, only some are even more expensive with temp control.

All in all this is the product for us, no major option

Also since this thing overheats is a plus point for us as in winters we can use dimmer at high settings to make right temperature
 
Ok yogurt maker arrived and so did step down voltage converter............ I have got fan regulator installed too and checked with the bulb directly without step down voltage converter involved, obviously the regulator is working ok and dimming the bulb.


When I tried to lower voltage via regulator and step down converter connected the step down converter switch light gets dim for sure but at lowest point the converter sounds and vibrates a bit............ My question is

Is lowering voltage is bad for step down voltage converter and connected yogurt machine?

I have not yet connected the yogurt maker
 
toocool6600 said:
Ok yogurt maker arrived and so did step down voltage converter............ I have got fan regulator installed too and checked with the bulb directly without step down voltage converter involved, obviously the regulator is working ok and dimming the bulb.


When I tried to lower voltage via regulator and step down converter connected the step down converter switch light gets dim for sure but at lowest point the converter sounds and vibrates a bit............ My question is

Is lowering voltage is bad for step down voltage converter and connected yogurt machine?

I have not yet connected the yogurt maker
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I am assuming you connected the regulator before the step down. I.e. mains ----> Regulator ----> Step down ---> Bulb.

The small solid state regulators work by chopping the incoming sine wave. The transformers, which are designed for sine wave may not like what the regulator is giving it.

Try another topology. mains ----> Step down ----> Regulator ---> Bulb. See if dimmer works and the growling is lower. If the transformer is quieter this way, use this configuration.

If the yogurt maker is a simple heating element, the regulator can do no harm. AFAIK, it should not harm the step down either. However, I would rather that an practicing electrical engineer weighs in.
 
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Criminal said:
don't fuss over it... OP has short-term memory [emoji14]



step down transformer expects ~240V. why would you put a regulator before it?
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Dear criminal

As I said before, 110 volt dimmer was too expensive at 1500 rs....... I thought why pay so much, when we can get 40 rs fan regulator here in india, though that will be 240 volt thing

Can you tell me about what you think if step down voltage converter which is expecting 240 volts....... But given lower voltage........ Will it hurt the converter?


As a layman i think high voltage is a problem and low voltage is not..... Am I wrong?


If I am wrong then can i use a 240 volt regulator on 120 volt output to give low voltage to yogurt maker?
 
forget about the 110V dimmer/regulator part... i just wanted to say that the dimmer/regulator comes after the converter.
 
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