Best Remote Control Start for a 2 HP DC

[lee cox]

My 2 HP Baldor motor draws 23 amps at 110 volt and 12 amps at 220 volt. A 9 amp switch is probably not going to work for my Baldor motor.

[lee cox]

This thread does not seem to be working right. I have posted twice and I don't see it.

[Jim Becker]

My 2 HP Baldor motor draws 23 amps at 110 volt and 12 amps at 220 volt. A 9 amp switch is probably not going to work for my Baldor motor.

You should not ever attempt to use a device that's not rated for at least the amperage draw of your motor. Building your own contactor setup as has been suggested will allow you to use components that are adequately rated for the job and it may even cost you less to do that, depending on how dear the commercial product folks think their unit is.

[Julie Moriarty]

I realize this thread is a year old but it's the newest I have found here addressing remote controlling of DCs. I'm at that point where I am considering installing one on my 3/4 HP Delta 50-179. I have read a lot of reviews of remote controllers from PSI & Rockler failing after a few years. Some reviews mentioned HP and all were in the 1-1/2 HP on up range. Most likely the controller couldn't handle the load over time.

In my last shop I installed 3-way switching at points around the shop that fed the DC. Since they were all wall mounted (and one on the ceiling), they worked fine when there wasn't a table saw or other machine you have to reach over the machine to get to the switch. If anyone has had success over time with the run of the mill remote DC controller on smaller DCs, I'd like to hear about it. If going to the contactor is the only reliable solution, I'll just add some 3-way switches and keep a stick handy.

So do I buy a run of the mill remote or add more 3 (and 4)-ways?

[Bill Adamsen]

I realize this thread is a year old but it's the newest I have found here addressing remote controlling of DCs. ..... So do I buy a run of the mill remote or add more 3 (and 4)-ways?

This thread has lots of info on installing relays, no need to rehash.

For about $15 you can purchase a single-channel 12v remote controlled switch from Amazon (from at least a dozen suppliers) that will switch on a relay or VFD. I've been using such a switch (a 2-channel from AGT behind the number 1 in the attached photo) since purchase in April 2014 attached to my VFD. It has been completely reliable. Double-sided tape attaches the remotes to convenient places (by the machine switches) and it works flawlessly. I bought the 2-channel because I wanted to be able to run two functions on the VFD (low speed for ambient air cleaning) but found it didn't really work as expected. Having the two buttons is actually the only problem, because pushing the wrong button turns on the wrong function. Keep it simple, stick with the single channel.

I would have loved to setup a more automated system. The options for me would have been either an open gate or current sensor triggering the relay. I think your question was at least in part about the reliability of some of manufactured current sensors. Most of my equipment is 3-phase and at the time I couldn't find a cost effective current draw switch I could connect to the remote. Also the logic of turning on more than one machine and understanding whether the DC should run or stop became overwhelmingly complex. I know how to sense if the current is on ... it was just becoming a distraction to build a system around that. Automated DC gates on the other hand would be a great way to manage the system. I would think a cheap photo/optical or even magnetic or mechanical interrupt switch could be added to the remote switch (replacing the button) to perform that function. If someone can figure it out, please let me know. In the meantime, can reach down to any tool and switch on or off the system.

[Jim Becker]

IMHO, the absolutely best way...and most versatile way...to control the on/off of a 240v dust collection system is to use a contactor (relay) and your choice of wired or wireless control for that side of the equation. And if you anticipate going larger in the future, you can use a contactor that's rated for higher amperage, such as 30 amps, on a DC that only requires 20 amps to "future proof" your setup as long as you use heavy enough gage wire for the 240v side to handle the future need. This kind of setup isn't expensive to build and and even use "really cheap" wireless controllers to "flip the switch" on the control side if that's what you want. Personally, I have a single, centrally located switch in my shop that's only a few steps away from any machine station that uses DC. I don't find that confining at all and there's no remote to misplace...

[Jacques Gagnon]

Lee:

I am using the iVac products (iVac ProSwitch remote control and iVac contactor box) on a 5hp DC system. It works well. My son runs an identical DC and used the approach described by Jim and John K; it also works perfectly.

The main differences stem from the total cost and the amount of work you want to do (as opposed to a "plug and play" approach). It boils down to personal preferences at that point.

[Julie Moriarty]

I realize I could build a bulletproof remote control for the DC but it's only a 120v, 3/4HP DC and I already have too many things I'm working on to add any more. The more I think about it the more inclined I am to just install switches. I have everything I need on hand so no additional expense. I just have to plan a little better and not fall prey to the easy fix of installing a switch where a JB already exists. I just need to take a few more minutes to add some pipe and install a box in the best location for the switches.