Attatching controls to popcorn machine.

[nickthorpie]

Hey there, this is my first post on the forums, and I'm just looking for some guidance on a few modifications I'm looking to do on a popcorn machine.

It's an AC circuit that runs a DC fan through a bridge rectifier, parallel to a heating coil(quick schematic attatched).
Id like to independantly control fan speed and coil heat.

I dont see anything wrong with attatching something as simple as a lamp dimmer switch in series with and on the left of tye the B.R.
And another in series with and to the left of the heating coil.

Anyone want to point out any potential for sparks in my face?

 

[duke37]

A lamp dimmer could well be used to control the speed of the fan but I doubt if a dimmer could be man enough to supply the heater.

Have you thought about what would happen if the fan speed was set too low?

 

[nickthorpie]

A lamp dimmer could well be used to control the speed of the fan but I doubt if a dimmer could be man enough to supply the heater.

Have you thought about what would happen if the fan speed was set too low?

Yea that is a concern, but I intend to keep the fan at almost full speed the whole time. Any proposals to handle the heating element?

I've set up the entire circuit with a lamp dimmer in the past and ran it for 20min at a time. The dimmer got pretty hot (it dims through running current through an aluminum piece), but it was fine at the time. The present goal is to control the two independantly now.