Wireles Switch

[cork58]

I have a Delta 50-760 collector and would like to make it wireless or at least be able to turn it on without going to it before I turn on whatever it is that I am using. Any suggestions? I tried to find the Automater DC2520 but it may be old school now since I couldn't find it listed anywhere.

Thanks, Cork

[JSCOOK]

So what I think your looking for might be something like THIS from Amazon (Thanks to a good friend )

which looks like this:



I have the 220V version myself.... it absolutely awesome .... note that it comes in either 110V or 220V pending your DC unit

[maxparot]

I use X10 modules in my shop for some automation including my HF 2hp DC

You can get them at www.x10.com or www.smarthome.com

[LinuxRandal]

If you have a tendancy to lose remotes, then another option (albeit more expensive), is the automatic gates.

Woodcraft had some on sale a while back, and they were in stores according to the flyer, however my local store said they don't carry them, as they didn't sell.


http://www.amazon.com/JDS-15000-Dust...0925557&sr=1-1

I personally like this better, as I once saw someone do something really stupid reaching for the remote, and since I know I would probably do the same stupid thing, I want to eliminate the possibility.

[jbalders]

I have a Delta 50-760 collector and would like to make it wireless or at least be able to turn it on without going to it before I turn on whatever it is that I am using. Any suggestions? I tried to find the Automater DC2520 but it may be old school now since I couldn't find it listed anywhere.

Thanks, Cork

If you're talking 120V and Depending on the layout of your shop, you could always go the low-tech route. If you could identify two or three ideal locations for an on-off switch, you could get some heavy-duty wall switches, and set up a 3-way or 4way circuit, to switch the outlet to your DC.

I'm pretty sure I remember seeing a 15A wall switch at some point in the past, although I don't know if they made them in 3-way or 4-way versions.

I'm not sure there would be a way to do this for a 220v DC (do they make 220v wall switches?), so the long-ranger suggested by JSCook might be the better option there.

I personally don't like the blast-gate switch option since I generally leave the last-used blast gate open until I need to swap tools.

[softop41]

Cork,
I have the same DC and runit on 220V using a remote unit that I got at Woodcraft for about the same price as the unit listed at Amazon. It was on sale at the time I bought, however. I carry the remote in my apron pocket and can turn the DC on from anyplace in the shop. When I had the DC running on 110V, I used a cheap($10) outdoor light control from Menard's that worked just fine but was a bit directional and had a shorter range.
HTH,
Jerry

[LCHIEN]

Some people just buy the inexpensive wireless remotes you can get at the hardware stores but these generally are rated for heaters and lights, not motors.
Sometimes they work and work and sometimes they just die silently. Its a crap shoot.

I did this to use a relay with the remote wireless switch. The remote switch just powers the relay, the relay handles the high currents: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ighlight=relay

I have the construction article linked in the post and can mail it if you PM me with your e-mail address. - my old ISP went belly up and the link in that post no longer works.

[MilDoc]

I bought this one at Ace Hardware, 2 years old and still going strong.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...entPage=family

[ryan.s]

I'm a bit confused but I'm sure you guys will clarify this for me. I have the same DC and one of those remote switches for a lamp which is rated for a max of 10amps or so but haven't tried the switch yet for the DC. My reasoning was that since it wasn't rated at 15amps I thought it could either reduce the performance or the DC motor or actually cause damage to the motor. So it's okay to use these switches, the only risk being the switch will give out?

I guess my reasoning was that since the DC is plugged into the switch box much like the one posted by Mildoc and it is only rated for 10 amps the DC wouldn't get the proper draw. Kinda like extension cords, they always say use the proper gauge extension cord depending on length of the cord and the amp draw of the tool so the tool will be able to run at full power. If not I understood it could cause damage to the tool. I'll be more than happy if my assumptions are totally off base, it'll save me $44 if I could use the switch that I already have. Thanks!

[softop41]

ryan.s
My DC ran just fine on the cheap remote switch which was rated at 12.5 amp. In fact, I had run my 6.5 hp shop vac on that same switch before converting to the DC. Both ran at normal speed and the remotes didn't get hot. Maybe I just got lucky when I grabbed a cheapy switch and others may not perform the same, I don't know.
Jerry

[LCHIEN]

I'm a bit confused but I'm sure you guys will clarify this for me. I have the same DC and one of those remote switches for a lamp which is rated for a max of 10amps or so but haven't tried the switch yet for the DC. My reasoning was that since it wasn't rated at 15amps I thought it could either reduce the performance or the DC motor or actually cause damage to the motor. So it's okay to use these switches, the only risk being the switch will give out?

I guess my reasoning was that since the DC is plugged into the switch box much like the one posted by Mildoc and it is only rated for 10 amps the DC wouldn't get the proper draw. Kinda like extension cords, they always say use the proper gauge extension cord depending on length of the cord and the amp draw of the tool so the tool will be able to run at full power. If not I understood it could cause damage to the tool. I'll be more than happy if my assumptions are totally off base, it'll save me $44 if I could use the switch that I already have. Thanks!

Potential consequences with running an undersized remote switch
(an engineer’s viewpoint)
(from least to worst)
Assuming a 2HP HF-type DC, with a $20 remote wireless switch rated at 1500W
(and if you can find the small print it may say that’s only for resistive loads -like heaters-
incandescent lights to 1000W and motor loads to 850W) The reason for the different ratings is the in-rush loads are greater for light bulbs and even more for motors. The running current of the HF DC is 15 amps, the startup surge is around 67 amps, I’ve measured.

I’ll do a quick analysis of potential failures modes and make an educated guess as to the probability of each:

• maybe it’ll work for all time and you’ll never have a problem even though the unit is operated beyond specification and the parts internally are operated beyond specification. 70%
• maybe it will work for N times and then fail. N is somewhat unpredictable, it may depend upon where exactly in the AC cycle you turn it on, at minimum voltage point or maximum voltage point, you never really know. It may fail from repeated thermal stresses. It (N) may be one, it may be 100. It may be more. It may even be zero (instant failure). 30%

The following 3, 4, 5, 6 are an analysis of failures as in (2) above, so it should add up to about 30%. 4 and 5 are mutually exclusive so should add up to the same percentage each.

• Many of these wireless remotes are known to fail under over-loads by having a circuit board trace act as a fuse – its one of the traces between the input prongs or wire and the relay or Triac that switches the load. The printed traces are too small and literally melt or peel from the heat. The load won’t come on. You can replace these with a short piece of bus wire if you know what you are doing and it will work again. 20%
• The switching element, if it’s a solid state device (TRIAC or SCR switch) may (total 10%)
  • Fail open (load will not come on) 9%
  • Fail shorted (load will stay on) 1%
  • Will operate but at excessive temperature (due to the on-resistance of the switch) and may cause a fire 0.05%
• The switching element, if it’s an electromagnetic relay, may (total 10%)
  • Contacts will pit and fail to come on one day 1%
  • Contacts will arc when opening and weld closed (on) one day when you try and turn it off – unit will continue running 9%
  • Contacts will be pitted and have excessive on-resistance and the relay may overheat and catch the unit on fire. 0.05%
• The switch will have high on-resistance and drop the voltage enough to cause your motor to burn out after running for a while. Though this is theoretically possible, I think unlikely because the switch will catch fire from internal overheating way before the motor dies from undervoltage overload. Consider that a .66 ohm loss will cause a 10-v drop at 15Amps, the remote box will dissipate 150 watts but the DC will operate at 105 Volts instead of 115, not a big problem. 0%

From a manufacturer’s standpoint 30% failure is unacceptable and that’s why they rated it for lower loads. From a user perspective, a 70% chance that it will work, or at least work for some time, may be acceptable, especially if the alternative is a $80 switch with the correct rating. If you try two or three devices, there’s a greater than 90% chance it will work for a long time.

But, I think there’s a minor but finite chance for fire hazard (red items). Maybe you’ll be there when it catches fire but its not really safe. If your insurance company had a claim for fire loss and you admitted to knowingly running a device over it’s rating, there’s a good grounds from them to deny your claim. Personally, I considered trying to use the devices over-rating but decided not to on the basis of not-likely but possible fire hazard.

P.S. I toyed with rating the "catch fire and burn up" scenario at 1%, .1% or .05% (1 in a hundred, 1 in a thousand, or 1 in 2000) and opted for the conservative approach. Nonetheless, it's my house and my family in the house, I decided not to take this chance...
The "dots" were numbered 1,2,3,4,5,6 in my editor but when I copied and pasted the forum SW turned them into dots. In the text I refer to numbered sections, just count the dots and use your imagination

[ragswl4]

Very nice analysis. I personally would never run an electric/electronic device beyond or even close to its limits. It is inviting disaster and Murphy to visit your life.

An example of this is military electrical/electronic equipment. It is all designed to run at way less than its designed limit and for good reason. Don't want it to fail at exactly the wrong time, can you say "INCOMING" and its more cost effective and safe. Best to get the right device at twice the cost and skip the headache later, especially when the headache is a firetruck in your driveway. My 2 cents.

[footprintsinconc]

I have the same DC and just bought the following remote. you get 15% or 25% coupons all the time from rockler. buy the following unit at that time (if you can wait):

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...eless%20remote

infact, take the coupon and woodcraft will accept it (if one located closer to you).

Loring: i can get the pdf file. the link give me an error? would you be able to post it again or email it to me? i am interested in looking at it. thanks

regards,

[LCHIEN]

Footprints,
the link is broken because my ISP went OOB.
The present forum SW does not allow ataaching PDF files.
I can e-mail it to you IF you give me you e-mail address.
send me a PM.

[cork58]

Switch

Wow! All this information to digest! I have x-10 stuff here but lost the remote which answeres on question. Not really, I have just moved and haven't found it yet, I think? I will weight all the information and let everyone know what fits best for my shop. I really appreciate all the input. Sorry that Dick is feeling poor. I wish him all the best.

Cork