air conditioner soft starter for Honda eu2000i generator - part 2

 

One more thing. As I wanted to keep the Westfalia interior unadulterated, I adapted the air conditioner controls to use with the Coleman Mach 8 Cub AC. For the blower speed the Coleman has a fan high/low selection switch, while Westfalia had a variable speed control. One with think it should be easy to just swap out the potentiometer and put in a SPDT toggle switch. No. the nut and lock washer for the potentiometer is hidden behind the aluminum sheet that forms the faceplate of the controls. It is secured by high strength double sided pressure sensitive adhesive tape. To remove the faceplate you have to destroy it.As the diameter of the thread stud is 3/8" you cannot find switches of that stud size. All this time I have been relying on a jumper wire allowing me to experiment to set it HI or LO.

Today I finally bit the bullet and have this pesky challenge resolved. I installed a AC motor speed control for the blower and wired it to the HI connection. This speed control module does not lend itself to be installed into the location of the Westfalia location due to crowding and exposed AC voltages right next to the thermostat contacts. How to solve this problem?

As there is the access door in the bath to the soft start module I fabricated, I realize I can mount the speed controller there and still allow one to easily adjust the speed at will. I wanted to first test the speed controller against the blower fan first, but it would be too difficult to scab it into the connections. I decided to take a gamble and went ahead and construct it onto the soft start module I built. If it does not perform as I anticipate it, I would have to undo all the work I invested.

this $6 Chinese made AC motor speed control module on the left is what I planned to use to solve this waxing challenge

you can see this thing is a electrical shock hazard and there is no provision to securely mounting it except at the shaft boss

I did have to relocate the contactor slightly to make space for the speed controller

all the wires from the soft start module board are protected by a cable shield; there is a steel panel that cover all these up so there is no expose wire or contact points

the speed control module has a 10-turn trim pot which I set the minimum limit of the blower speed control with the knob; this prevent one from running the motor too slow and risk overheating it

One remaining thing to tidy up is to fabricate something to cover up the 120V AC terminals on this module board so no one will get electrocuted messing with it, especially in the wet shower.

I am extremely pleased with the result, and that luck would have it that I happen to have this piece of Westfalia plywood laying around. It has perfect dimensions for the application that all the components fit onto it and it in turn, fit into the AC air return duct which is a perfect location for it.

One thing that I considered doing was to install the speed controller's potentiometer at the Westfalia's control panel. It can be done which would involve routing two more wires there. I would also need to find one with 3/8" shaft boss diameter as the existing one is about 1/4". I decided it is not worth the effort except it would be preserving the functionalities of the Westfalia control panel 100%. May be I will when I have too much time on my hands. In fact that is less work than safety proving the module from electrical shock.