Black Box Vac Source

[tom_m]

Does someone have a wiring diagram on how to connect the relays to the vacuum switch and motors?
I have the relays and motors on order but what adjustable vacuum switch regulator is recommended for the 4 lighthouse motors. I plan on running 2 motors and regulate the other 2 to turn on like the original design by Gary.
Thanks

[aschutsky]

Awesome post! Any new success stories to share? Looking like I will be building one of these guys in the near future once my bot has arrived home. Huge thanks to Gary, Brady, and Daren! DXF files look great and very helpful.

[Gary Campbell]

Thomas...
If you look at Thread page #2, Post #53, I posted that in the long run, and mostly due to weather and spoilboard condition, the "automatic" switching of the second set of vac motors was determined as being very unreliable. I suppose with a digital vac switch and a small processor, you could make a system that followed the moving target of initial vacuum setting. As stated there, the vast majority have either built with, or switched over to manual second stage vac switches.

Good luck & post pics when done.

Andrew..
You are welcome, but I had the easy part. Those before me laid all the groundwork.

[TheSniper]

I am happy to give back to this community Gary, thanks for asking.

I agree with Gary about the limits of this information that we're sharing (ie: non-commercial use, etc...) and have added those notes in my file. Here is a DXF file that can be imported as vectors into your choice of CAM software for your final touches. It does not contain step-by-step instructions or a complete materials list, but that info can be easily acquired from this forum.

Cheers

All,
I know this thread has been going on for awhile. I have Dl'd the DXF file on several diff machines Mac and Windows. it claims to Dl okay. but opening it says its not an Acad file. help?
As far as my app is concerned my error is
"dxf is not valid DXF file
Invalid or incomplete DXF input -- drawing discarded."
-S

[TheSniper]

says its not an Acad file. help?
As far as my app is concerned my error is
"dxf is not valid DXF file
Invalid or incomplete DXF input -- drawing discarded."
-S

All,
After many attempts to open the file. seems like renaming it from a DXF file to a DWG file did the trick.. odd but it worked. So cry for help averted!
-S

[aschutsky]

A few questions for the experts -

-For the sake of simplicity, if one already has a shopbot with a 4 zoned 4x8 table, would it be easiest just to plumb one lighthouse motor directly to each zone? I realize that more holding power would be realized combining motors, but would this be needed for each 2x4 section? I'd likely not be cutting anything smaller than 12x24", and even then I could use masking panels to minimize leakage, correct?

-I've read through this thread a few times but I'm new to all of this and I'm a bit dense. In the original blackbox design, do all of the motors run in parallel?

Many thanks,
Andrew

[aschutsky]

Ugh, a few more since I can no longer edit -

-In the original design, my understanding is the check valve is used to keep the pairs of motors from fighting each other. Are these implemented at each zone right before hooking to the table? Brady's pictures in page 3 appear that is the case, but I wasn't totally clear.

-Does anyone have a good, clear picture of how the motors can be hooked together in series? I'm an electronics guy and the definition of series/parallel is clear to me, just want to visualize how the same is done in terms of the plumbing.

[Brady Watson]

I'm pretty sure serial setups are frowned upon by Lighthouse/Ward at this point. Parallel is the way to go if you want them to last. Just throw all the motors in one box to maximize airflow - then plumb from the box to your zones.

-B

[aschutsky]

I'm pretty sure serial setups are frowned upon by Lighthouse/Ward at this point. Parallel is the way to go if you want them to last. Just throw all the motors in one box to maximize airflow - then plumb from the box to your zones.

-B

Thanks Brady. If all four are always running is the check valve still needed? Anyone here using any type of a filter to prevent debris from entering the motors?

[jerry_stanek]

If you use a spoil board there is nothing that will get sucked in