adapt-a-damper questions


 
J

J.Diggs

New member
I ordered the adaptadamper kit. It got here day before yesterday so I've been kind of checking it over and such. I have a couple of questions...

  • the kit comes with two adapter mounts. One is threaded. At HD I determined that it fits a 1" galvanized plumbing nipple (which is kind of heavy, actually). The other is unthreaded. I assume that's for a press fit type of thing. The hole measure at just a skosh less than 1-3/8 inches. Biggest copper tube HD have is one inch, which is too small. I tried to find something lightweight and heat tolerant (and hopefully not outgassing prone) to fit the adapter....no luck. So what tube/pipe/?? do folks use in this unthreaded adapter?
  • I read in the wiki that it's a good idea to put a 100uF or so capacitor on the damper end of the servo run (and I understand why). Should there also be a protection zener across the capacitor as well?
  • Does anybody put any silicon lube or graphite or similar on the rotating contact surfaces of the damper?

Thanks in advance. I'm sure I'll have more as I progress.
 
  • The unthreaded adapter fits the BBQ Guru adapter tubing, so it can be used with any of their mounts. I believe it is exactly 1.375" so it is a tight fit on 1 3/8" tubing
  • I've never put any diode across the 5V line going to the servo. These small servos have far more voltage drop on them than back EMF from the motor so it doesn't seem necessary.
  • I don't lube any of my dampers, but I do do a real good cleaning of them before assembly to make sure they're not sticky from the 3D printing process. I also make sure to not tighten them down to mate fully because they will bind harder than the servo can drive them.
 
I forgot to say I usually just get a 1" nipple from the black iron pipe section and a "nut" from the conduit section. The nipple threads into the damper, then I cut a hole in a plate of metal for the other end that attaches to the grill, then use the nuts to lock it on.
 
good to hear. this was the method I was going to use until I could do something better, except I have a 6" x 1" galvanized ridgid nipple. Is that ok? Or is galvanized a bad idea because of toxicity, temperature, some other reason? Why did you choose black pipe? Just cost? Or you had it laying around? :)

I also discovered that 1-1/4 in type L copper pipe can be used with the unthreaded adapter. It just needs to be lightly tapped into place with a soft mallet and voila! press-fit (or will be). At some time in the future I'll probably braze the other end (first) to some 22ga mild steel that I just happen have laying around for project boxes and use that to mount the adaptadamper to the sliding damper door.
 
J.Diggs said:
good to hear. this was the method I was going to use until I could do something better, except I have a 6" x 1" galvanized ridgid nipple. Is that ok? Or is galvanized a bad idea because of toxicity, temperature, some other reason? Why did you choose black pipe? Just cost? Or you had it laying around? :)
Click to expand...
I got the black iron pipe because they had it available when I was looking, but now that's just the default recommendation so nobody brings up the zinc thing. I don't think there's any way we can vaporize zinc at smoking temps, and if anyone is concerned about it then it can be just burned off before put into use (although that might be more hazardous to force it to vaporize while you're holding it).
 
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