My remote control dust collection system

[Kenton Keller]

I am rearranging the shop and trying to make room for a couple more tools. I had to move the dust collector to a corner that wasn't convent to get to when using any of the tools. I checked out some of the commercial options and decided to do my own home spun remote.

So far I am really pleased with how it turned out. I have 3 remotes that I plan on using Velcro or something to attach them to the various tools, and an extra 110 receiver that I can use if I ever get a dust filtration system, all for $53

I went to Amazon and got
2 pole 30 amp contactor https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
110 volt remote with two recievers and two remotes https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A third remote https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also went to the box store and got a 4 x 4 junction box.

mounted the contactor in the box, and removed the wire from the wall to the switch in the switch box and hooked it up to the contactor,
I had a short piece of similar 3 wire cable that I ran from the other side of the contactor to the switch.
finally I took an old computer cable and cut off the power supply end, and hooked that to the coil on the switch Plug it into the remote outlet and turn on the switch. Now all I have to do is hit the on or off button from any one of the 3 remotes and the collector fires up.

I could try to draw a diagram if my description isn't clear.

[Wade Lippman]

I did it a few years back with a X10 switch and a relay; a bit cheaper.
I used the other button to control my vacuum.

[Allen Lung]

I've never seen one of these contactors used. Can you please provide a diagram. I think there is probably a lot of good uses for something like this, I just don't have any experience.

I am rearranging the shop and trying to make room for a couple more tools. I had to move the dust collector to a corner that wasn't convent to get to when using any of the tools. I checked out some of the commercial options and decided to do my own home spun remote.

So far I am really pleased with how it turned out. I have 3 remotes that I plan on using Velcro or something to attach them to the various tools, and an extra 110 receiver that I can use if I ever get a dust filtration system, all for $53

I went to Amazon and got
2 pole 30 amp contactor https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
110 volt remote with two recievers and two remotes https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A third remote https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also went to the box store and got a 4 x 4 junction box.

mounted the contactor in the box, and removed the wire from the wall to the switch in the switch box and hooked it up to the contactor,
I had a short piece of similar 3 wire cable that I ran from the other side of the contactor to the switch.
finally I took an old computer cable and cut off the power supply end, and hooked that to the coil on the switch Plug it into the remote outlet and turn on the switch. Now all I have to do is hit the on or off button from any one of the 3 remotes and the collector fires up.

I could try to draw a diagram if my description isn't clear.

[Kenton Keller]

Hopefully this pdf will explain it a bit better. Basically a contactor is just a switch, and to control that switch you are using the remote control 110. There are other contactors that the coil is 24 volt or 12 volt etc.

[Wade Lippman]

Hopefully this pdf will explain it a bit better. Basically a contactor is just a switch, and to control that switch you are using the remote control 110. There are other contactors that the coil is 24 volt or 12 volt etc.

If its a magnetic switch you have to put the relay after the switch. Well, you don't have to, but will work better that way.

[Kenton Keller]

If its a magnetic switch you have to put the relay after the switch. Well, you don't have to, but will work better that way.

Interesting, I have no experience with magnetic switches. Why would it matter? Mine is a basic DPST switch

[Robert Payne]

A contactor (really a relay) like the one the OP uses is commonly used for low voltage switching of higher amperage motor power leads (2-pole for 240 VAC, 3-pole for 3-phase or even 4-pole for other feeds). They posses a low amperage coil (commonly 24 Volt, 120 Volt or 240 Volt) that can be supplied through a simple circuit (a wall switched 120 Volt source or the output from a small wireless remote outlet equipped with a cord leading to the coil leads. As can be seen in the linked literature from FASCO (see the table on page 3), only a few milliamps of current to the coil will close the relay contacts allowing the higher amperage power to pass from a source to the motor. Cyclone makers include an appropriate contactor with their 3-5HP motors. A simple low capacity wireless remote outlet such as the one shown by the OP will easily supply a switched 120 volt source that can supply the contactor coil leads and, as they say, "Bob's your Uncle!". I use a 30 Amp H230B Fasco Contactor for my ClearVue Cyclone and have another on a separate remote for an air compressor.

[Wade Lippman]

Interesting, I have no experience with magnetic switches. Why would it matter? Mine is a basic DPST switch

Then it doesn't matter where you put it. With a magnetic switch (which is on nearly all larger WW machines...) putting it before the switch would open the switch each time you turn the machine off with the remote. Then you would have to use both switches to turn it back on.

I had JDS cyclone, which cleaned the filter every time you turned it off; which was really obnoxious. By putting a relay between the switch and the blower, I could turn it on/off remotely, and it would only clean at the end of the day when I turned off the main switch.

[Mike Heidrick]

I wired mine so could easily change out the remote setup. Wire a male plug to the coil contacts on the contactor. Over the years the $10 remotes modules fail. Easy enough to unplug it and plug in a new one. My cyclone is 5hp. Get a correctly sized contactor. Ideally buy an overload module for the contactor as well. Factorymation sells parts as well.

[Lornie McCullough]

Good Job Kenton....

The use of contactors and cheap remotes or switches to control them opens up a world of possibilities: dust cyclones, air compressor, air filtration units, on-demand hot-water units...... heck, you could even use them for xmas lights.

Lornie