Ludicrous, I hear you saying- I fully understand.
I have a very large fan- pedestal- pulling nearly 7.5A @ 120V. It can move quite a bit of air and, as you imagine, can be quite loud. I've run it via a variac transformer for quite some time at as low as 60V and it spins nicely, moves air, and I don't have the blade/cage interference noise. Makes the room livable (I heat with wood burning stove and need to help move air around).
However I would like to be able to regulate the speed of the fan better without cranking the knob. I understand I could build an Arduino, some very high torque high range servos, and probably pull something off- but I'd rather find something OTS- because we all know how much 'free time' there is in the world.
The fan itself actually has 3 speeds, and I believe they're cap based- but there are also another pair of wires going in for (I assume) another set of windings. At one point I ohmed everything out and decided that the variac was the best choice.
I do not believe a chopper type circuit would work although a stepped AC Sine Wave might- it is a motor, after all.
I know it's an oddball question but I've come up blank with ideas to try, and I'll be grateful to the suggestions you have.
Thanks kindly
Fan in question:
https://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch-pedestal-shop-fan-47755.htmlAutotransformer- not the exact model, but close:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173631031654