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Black Box Vac Source
Here is a project I have been working on for a while in my spare time. Now that it is up and running, I thought I would post a few pics and the specs.
There have been dozens, if not more, versions of enclosures for aftermarket vacuum motors posted and this is not that different in construction, but control. Either 2 or 4 of these motors can be operating at a time and switchover is done using relays and a vac switch from Joe Woodworkers kit parts.
The vac source consists of 4 Lighthouse Brand LH-7123 240V motors. These are 10.4 inHg/110 cfm units each. Combined they should pull close to 10 inHg and have close to 400 cfm. Testing has shown this to be a very powerful vac source, and holds over 9 inHg when applied to less than the full 4 zones.
Box is made from Melamine, full dado joints using eCabs for design. Assembled using silicone for seal/adhesive and screws with finish washers.
I used a 24V 3PDT 10A relay for each motor. A vac switch, set to approx 7 inHg, kicks in 3rd and 4th motors, should the vac fall below 7.5 inHg when cutting. There is a check valve, a' la Brady Watson between the 2 pairs of motors. Control is low voltage remote at front of table and allows full automatic, 2 only or all 4 as options.
Here are the pics of construction. I will post installed later.
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The box has a number of dividers that keep the intake cooling, exhaust cooling and vacuum exhaust separated. Both exhausts are diverted thru baffles and diected to the floor. The cooling intake is on one end and filtered. This combination has proven to be much quieter than my previous setup, but not as quiet as I wished for. Perfomance is great. Its cool to watch the vac gauge go down below 8 and hear the 2nd pair kick in. Gauge climbs to over 9.
More pics
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Gary,
Are you going to try to make it quieter? How bad is the noise?
Great job.
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Could you use a sound deadening foam to help the noise levels? I recently built some displays for a music store and they had a foam contoured padding on the walls to cut down on noise transfer from room to room.
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Guys....
No efforts to reduce noise will be taken on this end. Anything that would quiet it down would either add heat or reduce power. I can carry on a conversation with my son when it running. MUCH quiter than my previous system with 4 unenclosed motors. MUCH quieter than many of our other machines.
I dont think anything that moves that much air can be quiet. The biggest gain may have been in the high pitched intake of the cooling fans, as that noise is near gone.
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Bravo! Looks like you really put some thought into the design & functionality.
-B
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Brady...
Thanks for the kudo.
What I remembered, and sometimes forget to tell others, is to reread what you have posted. You, my friend are THE source for vac hold down information.
The check valve and article you sent to our user group some time back was the central idea behind this. Without a simple and foolproof vac valve, it couldnt work. Until I read your write up, I never realized it could be so simple.
Thanks again.
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In response to the emails for info, I think this may clear it up:
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Gary,
Could you supply this, "The check valve and article you sent to our user group". Thanks
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Gary
This is the best use for melamine I've seen in years!