Remote control

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
I want to add remote control to my 1.5hp, 120v dust collector. The DC is a Delta 50-850. Right now I am going to connect to my table saw and BS. I do all planning outside.

Decided to skip hours of research when we have the best info source right here on NCWW. OK, I am tired of doing research on other stuff so I am opting for the lazy way.
out. Brought the DC out of barn storage. I have been doing research on improving the DC. I also reached out to NCWW for this and have been reading and looking at alternatives based on comments and suggestions from NCWW.

Any and all help will be appreciated.
 

pop-pop

Man with many vises
Corporate Member
I tried something that did not work, Amazon Echo Dot plus a smart plug to control a shop vacuum.

Saying ”Alexa suck” work fine to start the vac. But the vac was noisy enough that Alexa could not hear any stop command.
 

marinosr

Richard
Corporate Member
I use this switch, which is much cheaper than ones sold in woodworking stores, and it is rated for the amperage that my 2HP motor needs. As you can see from the review below, I'm not entirely thrilled about it, but at 1/4 the cost of the Long Ranger, I'll stick with it. Here's the (3-star) review I wrote for Amazon:

Using this to control my shop dust collection system. Works great and its quite small. I was able to fit it in the wiring box of the DC motor, with the antenna coming out of the cable connector (reception will be poor if you leave the antenna in the box. Three things I don't like: 1. The terminals are very close together, to the point that it's a short hazard if you expose slightly too much wire 2. If you supply power to a device, (i.e. plug it in) the device turns on for ~1/4 sec. before turning off, so my dust collector starts for a second every time I turn on my shop power. I assume they used a normally-on relay, and the slight on time is related to the boot-up time of the microcontroller, before it "remembers" that it's supposed to be off. This can't be good for motors. 3. As others have noted, it only has one relay, so it switches only one side of 240v split phase power. Contrary to what others have said, this IS INDEED up to NEC code, as long as there is a disconnect (plug, or OEM switch) before the remote switch. Whether it's prudent or not is another story though.


I tried something that did not work, Amazon Echo Dot plus a smart plug to control a shop vacuum.
Saying ”Alexa suck” work fine to start the vac. But the vac was noisy enough that Alexa could not hear any stop command.

That is hilarious, and definitely not something I would have thought through beforehand.
 

creasman

Jim
Staff member
Corporate Member
I took a different approach. Instead of a remote control I wired a switch on each of the blast gates. Whenever I open one it starts the DC. Close it and the DC stops. The DC runs on 220V with a solenoid switch to turn it on/off. The solenoid is activated by low voltage current that is supplied by a 12V door bell transformer. The blast gates are wired to the solenoid.

I have half a dozen blast gates scattered around the shop, all near the tool(s) with the tools they support, plus a couple of floor sweeps. By now it's become habit that I open the gate and start the tool.
 

ScottM

Scott
Staff member
Corporate Member
I have been following this thread. I see a lot of recent bad reviews on Amazon. Those who have and like them how long have you had them?
 

cobraguy

Clay
Corporate Member
I too am looking to add remote function to my DC. My research pointed me to the Long Ranger. It's on my Christmas list, so no experience yet. You can get them from Klingspor.
 

Roger45

Roger
User
Long Ranger has treated me good for 2 years going to be upgrading to 220 volt soon but not ready for another 4 months then I may selling the old one
 

Chris C

Chris
Senior User
20201222_201400.jpg


This might work... Set it run for 30 seconds or so.

I tried something that did not work, Amazon Echo Dot plus a smart plug to control a shop vacuum.

Saying ”Alexa suck” work fine to start the vac. But the vac was noisy enough that Alexa could not hear any stop command.
 

Dreuxgrad

Ed
Senior User
Two votes for Fosmon, I got a two pack last Spring. One stopped functioning( suspected the DC was pulling too much amperage) and they replaced it for free, including shipping. Quite happy for the price.
Stay safe out there, Ed
 

Johnson

New User
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Perhaps I am alone in this. I have a small shop (two car garage) and I simply use a remote control for Christmas lights for my DC. I got it last year for less than $10 at HDepot and it hasn't failed me yet, nor have I had to change the batteries. I keep the remote in my apron.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Perhaps I am alone in this. I have a small shop (two car garage) and I simply use a remote control for Christmas lights for my DC. I got it last year for less than $10 at HDepot and it hasn't failed me yet, nor have I had to change the batteries. I keep the remote in my apron.
Add a 120 volt coil contactor, and your remote should last many years. Let the remote control the contactor, and contractor control the DC. I have a current sensor in panel box that controls the DC automatically. Has a "run on" feature to clear the pipes.
 

Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
Here's another "cheap" option that I used in my "small" shop with a low ceiling in Michigan! I used a push on/ push off heavy duty button wired to a magnetic motor starter then rigged up a lever to press the button. Attached to the wire was a rope that ran through eye bolts screwed into the bottom of the ceiling joists in the basement. The rope ran down one side of the shop to the end, then turned, ran across, turned again, and ran back down the other side. Whenever I needed DC, I could reach up and pull the rope down and the DC would come on! Pull again and it would go off!
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
I bought this one:
simply because it can handle 30 amps - I too had (have) some outdoor remote controls for Christmas lighting... but they are rated at only 15 amps and I blew one out...

Now to figure out how to power it and mount it...
I was thinking of putting it in or on a box, but nothing "neat" springs to mind...
1. "In" the box may cause problems with the antenna.
2. "On" the box leaves the wires exposed or a pain to route to a plug-in receptical...
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I also have the Fosmon that Robert posted a link to. I bought it on 1/23/2020. It is working fine. I keep the button in the chest pocket of my apron and find myself turning it on bumping things on it. But that is more my issue than the remote. For $15, I do not see how you can beat it. It will turn the DC on through the wall between my car garage and my shop garage (which is not entirely a good thing but it has good range). It controls my 2HP HF DC. Very handy. I was thinking of automating my gates but with the remote, I don't think that is necessary.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
I also have the Fosmon that Robert posted a link to. I bought it on 1/23/2020. It is working fine. I keep the button in the chest pocket of my apron and find myself turning it on bumping things on it. But that is more my issue than the remote. For $15, I do not see how you can beat it. It will turn the DC on through the wall between my car garage and my shop garage (which is not entirely a good thing but it has good range). It controls my 2HP HF DC. Very handy. I was thinking of automating my gates but with the remote, I don't think that is necessary.
Thanks Jim - how did you wire it up? (pictures?)
Just a pigtail from the "Switch" to power and a female pigtail to plug the DC into?
 

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