# Whatsit, Garage Sale Find....



## Hawkrod (Mar 19, 2012)

It says Cutler Hammer and it is obviously a variable resistor and is marked "Fan Regulator" Speed regulator for a ceiling fan? Also all the exposed parts except for the main body carried juice including the handle that has the glass knob, looks like fun to adjust! LOL Going to mount it on a nice oak framed plaque for my office. Oh yeah, about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Hawkrod








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## ralpha494 (Oct 29, 2008)

It would look really nice next to a giant knife switch.


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## fdew (Mar 26, 2009)

We could be chartable and guess that the handle was connected to the neutral side of the line.

I am convinced that people were smarter back then, at least those who survived.

Frank


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Neat. What's it made out of? Will it polish up or are you gonna paint it?


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

It looks like a tap switch off of a wound rotor motor starter. Each of the dots were wired to a contactor coil, which was wired to a resistor bank connecting it to the rotor of the motor through slip rings. The coil voltage through there was likely 48VDC, considered "safe" in those days. As you moved the lever, you were adding or subtracting resistance to the rotor circuit, which changed the torque, and indirectly the speed, of the motor. Something small like that likely came off of a crane, an old ski lift / rope tow, maybe a carnival ride, even an old elevator, although usually the elevator version would have been a lot more ornate.

That's only the front faceplate, the operator portion of it. I have a picture stored on photobucket of a whole one, but when I'm on my work PC I'm blocked from photobucket access. If I remember, I'll post it later tonight.

Version where the rotor circuits and resistors were directly attached, not via contactors.









Elevator version


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Found a work-around.









I thought this photo was showing more of it, but it just shows the details I was wanting off of the front. I was replacing it at the time.

Different version of the same type of thing.









By the way, some of these go back to the 1890s, but would have been for lights or DC motors.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

JRaef said:


> Found a work-around. I thought this photo was showing more of it, but it just shows the details I was wanting off of the front. I was replacing it at the time. Different version of the same type of thing.


State of the art stuff these days. 









I wonder if Frunk has see it close up lately?


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## Hawkrod (Mar 19, 2012)

JRaef said:


> Found a work-around.
> 
> 
> I thought this photo was showing more of it, but it just shows the details I was wanting off of the front. I was replacing it at the time.
> ...


Yeah, this one is different. It is complete and has a wound coil resistor and the handle clearly says Fan Regulator and only has a power in and out tap. The handle is marked Fan Regulator 110 volts 180 ohms 1.45 amps. The research I have done today does indicate it is an 1890's era ceiling fan speed controller. They seem to be tough to find and I could not find any other examples of Cutler Hammer. This is missing a brass nut on the back on the tap for the handle but is otherwise complete. The screws seen on the back under the mortar are what attached the windings to the contacts and hold the contacts on the ceramic. It also has some mica and some asbestos insulators. The handle is a strap of steel painted black and the main body is cast iron also painted black. Looking at your picture it appears they used the same casting to make different devices. I guess I am lucky to have found one for a fan because they are probably a lot more in demand. The prices I saw today were actually a quite a bit more than I would have imagined! Hawkrod


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## samgregger (Jan 23, 2013)

Wire that puppy up to a fan and lets see it work!


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## stars13bars2 (Jun 1, 2009)

yeah let some smoke out.


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## bankofdad (Jul 11, 2010)

Fan speed control is what it is. My grandfather was a blacksmith this unit controlled the speed of his forge blower.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

You can still use it. Just hook an AFCI up to it and it will be fine. Has to be an Eaton AFCI, though.


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

Nice find !

Thanks for posting !


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

I have a book "An American Dream" which is the history of Cutler-Hammer Inc. from 1892 to 1978 ending with the acquisition of C-H, by Eaton. They do list a lot of products C-H produced & the year they were introduced, might have to spend some time & see if that product was listed in the book.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

I'd have half a mind to mount it to a single gang device box and use it as suggested.


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

Hawkrod said:


> It says Cutler Hammer and it is obviously a variable resistor and is marked "Fan Regulator" Speed regulator for a ceiling fan? Also all the exposed parts except for the main body carried juice including the handle that has the glass knob, looks like fun to adjust! LOL Going to mount it on a nice oak framed plaque for my office. Oh yeah, about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Hawkrod
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Sure would look nice polished up ?


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## AllWIRES (Apr 10, 2014)

Cool find. Don't polish or paint it, leave it as is.


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