safty switch madness

[Al]

Hi guys, I am stuck , need some help. I have a small shed and silly me, went and bought a big dust collector as you would do. the problem is that it comes with one of those safety magnetic switches (every time you cut electricity to it you have to manually turn it back on). I am getting there. to cut the long story short, I have to locate the dust collector in a hard to reach place. the previous one I had, had a normal switch on it and i just left it on and every time i needed it on i would turn it on from the wall. but this one is a pain to turn on every time. I have thought of by-passing the switch (open it up and short it from inside) but it just doesn't feel right. I was wondering if anyone else out there had to deal with it and what did you do. what do you recommend. And someone please tell me why do we need one of those bloody safety switches on dust collectors. What!!! they are worried, it might accidentally suck the owner in ?????

cheers

[dpb]

Al wrote: ...

...

If you don't want it to go off when whatever it is on goes off, wire it into a circuit that stays live.

How big is "big"? Typically magnetic starters are used for larger motors for the overload and switching as well as the "lockout" feature...

While not as directly a safety issue as a tablesaw, it is in general not a bad idea to have a device not restart "automagically" imo.

I guess another alternative would be to wire the starter remotely -- nothing says the mag starter has to be mounted on the DC itself...

[Al]

you do have a point there. I could just extend the wires and bring the switch out of the motor.

[dpb]

If you do, be sure to wire it as if it were "real" wiring...I don't know your shop arrangement, but I'd assume the DC is in a fixed, permanent location. I'd use conduit if it were in mine...

--

[Morris Dovey]

| I am stuck , need some help. I have a small shed and silly me, went | and bought a big dust collector as you would do.

Obviously, you need a larger shop! ;-)

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[goaway]

[Charley]

Why not get one of those wireless control switches like the "long ranger". That way you could just push the button on your remote control hanging from your belt whenever you want to turn it on or off and there's no additional shop wiring involved.

Charley

[dpb]

Aren't they infrared "line of sight" devices? I was presuming this was out of sight from the description...

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[Toller]

What dust collector comes with a magnetic switch? Remove it, and put a simple switch on the feed cable in a convenient place.

Like you say, it isn't going to suck you in. As long as you don't change the bag during a power outage you ought to be okay.

[B A R R Y]

No.

I can turn my DC and HVLP turbine on and off from different rooms.

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[dpb]

OK, good to know...was thinking the other way for OP would be the individual tool sensor pickup as well...

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[dpb]

If it came with it, I wouldn't blindly recommend that. First, we don't know how big this is other than "big" and I'm guessing if it did come with a mag starter, it's there mostly for the overload/starter/"heater" protection although for a very large system there are some considerations on air movement/suction/etc., as well...

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[Al]

thanks so much for all the comments. I didnt know you could have a remote control. that makes a lot of sense. I am not feeling comfortable removing the switch. apart from all the other safty considerations, I am kind of worried about the warranty issues as well. could you tell me more about this remote control business and where can i get one and what is it called ...

oh and it is only a five hourse power twin bag industrial DC. I know the sanest way to make the shed look normal again is to move couple of walls a few yards out :>.

cheers

[Say What?]

It doesn't make any difference whether it's IR or RF, the problem is that the Long Ranger (and other such devices) is nothing more than a remote controlled OUTLET placed between a live outlet and the equipment.

The OP has a piece of equipment with a magnetic relay switch which, when power is removed from the outlet it's connected to turns off. The only way - other than rewiring to defeat the magnetic switch - to turn the equipment back on is to physically push the nice little red "on" button.

Remove the magnetic switch or get your exercise walking across the shop to turn it on and off.

[dpb]

Wasn't familiar w/ the "Long Ranger" by name, but others I have seen didn't seem up to the job. Thought maybe one was an actual controller...

It's also true on reflection the remote sensors wouldn't serve, either--that was a bum suggestion in sort of a reaction to the other w/o thinking of the starter issue.

For a 5 HP motor, I'd stay with my original suggestion to move the magnetic starter to a location of convenience.

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[Larry W]

Being it is a "big dust collector" the mag switch is probably just what is appropriate for starting/stopping a motor of that size as much as for safety. It is not much trouble to add an additional ON switch to such a motor starter, or to relocate the switch. Normally 3 wires are required for the off/on switch IIRC.

s

[bridgerfafc]

OK, how about a mechanical remote control. a pull string into where you can reach it easily, a lever with a tennis ball or something positioned to hit the on button and enough weight to get the button pushed on. you pull the string till it hits the backstop, let go and the DC turns on....

[Al]

ummm, mechanical ... yep.... I think dpb is absolutely right. I did look at the remote control options and, well, useless in case of mag switches. it looks like i would have to either move the mag switch or perhaps relocate/rearrange the shop a little, yeah the exercise boots don't seem so bad either.

thanks for all your input, it is much appreciated.

cheers al

[Al]

ummm, mechanical ... yep.... I think dpb is absolutely right. I did look at the remote control options and, well, useless in case of mag switches. it looks like i would have to either move the mag switch or perhaps relocate/rearrange the shop a little, yeah the exercise boots don't seem so bad either.

thanks for all your input, it is much appreciated.

cheers al

[Pete C.]

I certainly wouldn't replace a mag starter with an ordinary switch. Remounting the mag starter in a more convenient location and extending the connection between the starter and the motor as needed should be fine.