router and collector together?

[twelchPTM]

well... here I go thinking again! I want to make my dust collector automatically turn on when my router does, I see two possible ways to do this 1. Siply splice into the spot where the router draws its power from or 2. Use one of the "extra" outputs in the control box and a simple on off relay then add a C# command to turn it off and on or mod the C# command that turns on the router.

Obviously the first way is the simplest and easiest, but I don't know if the equpment in the control box can handle that. The router is rated 120V 60Hz 15 amps, the collector is rated 110V 60Hz 10 amps. The fuse in the control box is rated 15 amps and I can't find specs on the relay for the router. I know as long as the combined draw does not excede 15 amps It should be fine.

any input before I make the leap would be much appreciated!

[jerry_stanek]

You could use a heavy duty relay connected to the router switch and wire both to that.

[adrianm]

Simplest, but not cheapest way, is to buy the relay control board from ShopBot. That's how I've done mine and it works a treat.

It's come up a few times before so entering "relay site:talkshopbot.com" into Google will get you lots of info.

[twelchPTM]

sometimes I hae to ask the question in order to figure it out ...
It came to me and i tried it and it worked, I have seen alot on here about a relay control board from shopbot but don't understand what it really does, I have twelve outputs inside my control box and I can turn them on or off using the SO command (just learned that like 5 minutes ago). After figuring out the SO command I checked the voltage on the output and went digging through our electronics lab and found a suitable Solid state relay, hooked the input voltage to the output in my control box and looped the hot leg of the collector through the relay. Works perfect!

New problem though... I wrote a nifty little program the reads the state of the output and changes it to the opposite saved it as Custom cut 22 so i type cn 22 and boom my collector turns on, problem is when the program finishes the output returns to it previous state, How can I make the status change stay after the program ends? or do i need a relay that will turn on when it gets the trigger and stay on until it gets the trigger again?

[steve_g]

Thomas...

Why didn't you just use the SO command to turn it off at the end?

SG

[twelchPTM]

Allow me to explain a little better, The way everthing is right now, I can add an SO 8,1 to the beginning of any part file and the collector turns on, without any other commands the collector turns off at the end off the file. This is great however I am not the only preson who uses the Bot and the other are not as tech savvy as me.

What happens now is If the output is off, the program will turn it on but it immediatly turns turns off at the end of the program. If the collector is on the program will turn it off and then it stays on after the program.

While I am perfectly comfortable with editing the SBP files directly the other guys are not, what I am trying to accomplish is making it so all they need to do is punch in CN22 and the colloctor will turn on (and stay on) or turn off (and stay off).

[twelchPTM]

Nevermind... I did what I should have done in the first place and called the good folks at shopbot they had me straigtened out in jiffy!

[steve_g]

Did they have you modify the PP file so that anyone can benefit from the convenience?

SG

[twelchPTM]

No, what I had to do was simply change the setting within the SB3 software for the type of switch I wanted output #8 to act as, literally only took 30 seconds.
I am actually just starting to look at editing the PP file but don't want to make any actual changes yet. Is there a way to add a new PP to Partworks or am i limited to just the two that came with it?

[br928]

Plug and Play

Router turns on .... Dust collector turns on
Router turns off ... Delay....Dust collector turns off

Good for 15A

i Socket 110M - Amazon $35

I have two of these.

[br928]

If the control box is starting the router then a 15A or larger relay can be used. The 120 VAC coil of the relay can be wired to the output that powers the router and a seperate AC source can be wired through the contacts to the dust collector.

[curtiss]

The above item looks slick.

I would doubt your DC and Router ever pull more than 10 amps all together. A bit heavier at start up but pretty light while running.

I have a 15 amp switch at the front of the Bot wired to an 15 amp outlet at the back of the machine.

I could run both off the same outlet but I prefer to start them up one at a time.

Not sure if I like the idea of a computer blip turning on the router when I am not expecting it....

[twelchPTM]

that box does look cool and i can think of a number of uses around the shop, but in this instance i was going for more control, what I ended up with is a relay trigered by output 8 in my contol box, the relay controls an external receptical, that my dust collector is plugged into. I can now use the SO command to turn my collector on and off. I edited my post to include the on command at the beginning of my part file and the off command at the end, also just to keep it easy I wrote a little program that will toggle the power so CN23 turns the off collector on and Vice Versa.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in to help, sometimes it seems like I'm not listening to anyof the advice I am asking for but It all helps to make the wheels in my head turn the way I need to go!

[ssflyer]

If you are limited on your amperage, a simple solution is to trigger your dc off one of your outputs, with a second or two delay. Gives it enough time to avoid all the spike voltages hitting all at once,,,

[twelchPTM]

I don't think I'm limited, I am in the "basement" of a museum and the transformer room is right next door ( I get dizzy when I go in there, some of my best ideas happen then! ). I was concerned with pulling to much amperage for the routers relay in the control box but I just avoided it rather then risk it!