Quote Originally Posted by PharmaCan
Light dimmers aren't designed for much of a load and most of them start (turn on) on the low side and progress to high. A fan dimmer, on the other hand, is designed for a heavier load and it starts on the high side, which is better for the motor. Taking these factors into consideration, you DON'T want to use a light dimmer on a fan.

However, since you will most likely just set the rheostat (dimmer) and turn the fan on and off with your timer, where/how the dimmer turns on is not a consideration and your concern should be to get a dimmer that is designed to handle the load from your fan. If going to Lowe's or Home dePot, unless you have a really big fan, just get the mid-priced dimmer with the slide bar not the knob; around $10 if I recall. Using a rheostat on your fan won't hurt the motor. It could theoretically shorten the useful life of the motor by a small percentage, but so what? The bearings in your fan will wear out long before the motor ever does.

PC :smokin:
Agree with everything said except the 'slider not the knob' comment. If you choose the right one you will be fine. You can get this dimmer: Rotary 600W Dual Knob that turns on with a push-in action and powers the fan up at the setting on the rheostat that you choose. In other words it doesn't require you to start at low power and dial it up. It is rated for 600W and costs less than 5 bucks.

MVP :jointsmile:
MVP Reviewed by MVP on . dimming fans?? I know i have read its a very bad idea to use a light dimmer switch to slow down a fan but what can you use then? I have a decent size squirrle cage fan, it is pushing a ton of air but its just to much. it is very loud and i think if i could just slow it down a bit it would be perfect. thanks for any help!!:rastasmoke: Rating: 5