supahfreak99...
Per your last clarification, I will post a summary of the
information I've provided here in the official answer box,
which will also make it easier for future readers.
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I haven't been able to find an image online, but I have one,
so I know they exist, and they can be purchased at Home Depot.
It's essentially a very short extension with a hard plug that
both plugs into a standard outlet and allows you to plug any
device into it. Extending from this plug is about a 6-7 foot
cord ending in a small rectangular plastic housing with a
slide switch. As you adjust the slide switch, it reduces the
electricity (both voltage and current) to the device which is
plugged into the wall extension.
This allows you to, say, dim a lamp which is plugged in 6 feet
away, without getting out of your chair. If that distance will
suffice for your interest in remote control, this should solve
your problem handily. If you need a greater distance, you can
always plug an extension cord into the wall and then plug this
short extension into the extension cord, and the slide switch
will reach another 6 feet from the end of the extension cord.
What's even more attractive is that this cord will only cost
you around $5 or less.
---
Technically, what you're asking for goes by the name of a rheostat,
in electronic parlance. This is simply a device which reduces the
current by adding a variable amount of resistance to the circuit,
but you could also say it reduces the voltage to the target device
by creating a larger voltage drop over the variable resistor.
Rheostats are normally purchased by circuit designers and added in
before sale of the finished product, but you could buy one and
add it in yourself. Images are available on this page from Jenkins
Electric:
http://www.jenkins.com/jenkins/controls/ohmite.htm
The problem is that these can be expensive, and finding one with
a remote control, in addition to wiring it in yourself, could be
tedious. That's why I hoped to steer you toward an inexpensive
product which is readily available. A common wall dimmer switch
for overhead lighting would be another such product, and would
have a push-button for on/off in addition to the variable aspect.
Again, however, that product is designed for wall mounting, and
to use it for your project, you'd have to design a custom housing
for it and find one which accomodates remote control.
The X-10 dimmer mentioned by offbeatmammal-ga is one option
that offers remote control, and, by itself, isn't too costly,
at $20. You can view it on this page from SmartHome:
http://www.smarthome.com/2000stw.html
The thing is, as you can find from downloading and reading the
users manual available on that page, you will need to purchase
a Maxi-Controller to control it remotely, and may also need a
coupler-repeater to make sure the signal is strong enough with
your house wiring.
The Maxi-Controller is ~$23:
http://www.smarthome.com/4020.HTML
...and you may find that programming it is too complicated for
your purposes and still does not provide the degree of control
which you seek (see the previously cited owner's manual).
---
I just found a link where you could buy the Lutron dimmer online
at Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@0167500477.1130793470@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfaddgdkiehkgcgelceffdfgidgll.0&MID=9876
Also note that this dimmer cord is rated at 300W, while the
cord you initially spoke of is rated at "3amps and 125V".
Watts = amps x volts, so your cord is rated at 375W. It may
be that it is rated above the expected wattage of the device
you have plugged into it, but you should determing the wattage
rating of the device itself, and ascertain that it is equal to
or lower than 300W.
---
I should also mention that the slide dimmer switch is used
both for varying the current and for turning the device on
and off. If you achieved a specific setting which is ideal,
and wanted to preserve that when next you turned it on, I
would go the route I mentioned earlier, by plugging the
dimmer cord into an extension cord with its own on/off
switch, such as a multi-outlet strip. You could then turn
it on and off at the strip, while preserving the variable
setting you found to work.
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As for additional questions in the future, once you rate
this answer, you will not be able to add any additional
funds for future information provided. It would be simpler
to finalize this question by rating it and including any
tip at that time. You can then simply open a new question
at any time in the future, and include my name in the
question topic. If I'm able to answer it, I will certainly
respond. Otherwise, I'll post a note to let other researchers
know that it is open to them.
Best regards...
sublime1-ga
Additional information may be found from an exploration of
the links resulting from the Google searches outlined below.
Searches done, via Google:
"remote control" dimmer
://www.google.com/search?q=%22remote+control%22+dimmer
multi-outlet strip
://www.google.com/search?q=multi-outlet+strip
rheostat
://www.google.com/search?q=rheostat |
