Cheapest means to control a 20 amp load?

[beelzerob]

I asked the engineer, and he said the simple RIB01P would do what I wanted, for 120v and 230v. The contacts are rated for 1HP @ 120 v (which is what my current dust collector is) and 2HP @ 230 V (which is what an eventual upgrade would be), and the switch is still 110v input, separate from the contacts completely.

So it appears to be a single simple solution for my current and future needs. Excellent!

 

[apostolakisl]

I have one of these controlling an island garbage disposal. It is rated for 40 amps. http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Solid-State-Relay-...=item255d66ce28 I have a little toggle switch from radio shack turning on power from a 9 volt battery. It works perfectly and I was able to hide the switch under the lip of the counter (I hated the idea of cutting a hole in the granite for one of those air powered switches). It has been working for 2 years now without a glitch and the same battery. If you use a wall wart for the dc side no need to worry about the battery.

You could easily run some LV wire around your shop and put switches anywhere you like, no need for conduit or other wire protection schemes. Just run them all in parrallel so any one of the switches would turn on the relay.

Dirt cheap, easy to install, works perfectly. Hard to beat!

(I didn't get the heat sink, totally not necessary for a garbage disposal that is only on for a few seconds at a time, but probably a good idea if it stays on for long periods of time)

 

[nogero]

You might find X10 fun and useful around your shop. You can get a 20amp X10 switch on eBay for $ 11.00 (new), a keychain remote control and wall plug transceiver for another $20. So for around $30 you have a switch that you run from a tiny remote and get a start on X10. X10 is very easy and simple to set up. Save a bunch by using some of the regular X10 dealers on eBay. If your DC is a simple plug-in, consider using a simple X10 appliance module.

 

[dave w]

You might find X10 fun and useful around your shop. You can get a 20amp X10 switch on eBay for $ 11.00 (new), a keychain remote control and wall plug transceiver for another $20. So for around $30 you have a switch that you run from a tiny remote and get a start on X10. X10 is very easy and simple to set up. Save a bunch by using some of the regular X10 dealers on eBay. If your DC is a simple plug-in, consider using a simple X10 appliance module.

Plus you can get X10's Slim Line switches and stick all over your shop if you think you will mis-place the key chain remote.

 

[apostolakisl]

You might find X10 fun and useful around your shop. You can get a 20amp X10 switch on eBay for $ 11.00 (new), a keychain remote control and wall plug transceiver for another $20. So for around $30 you have a switch that you run from a tiny remote and get a start on X10. X10 is very easy and simple to set up. Save a bunch by using some of the regular X10 dealers on eBay. If your DC is a simple plug-in, consider using a simple X10 appliance module.

I just get a little nervous with x10. I have had x10 stuff that randomly turned on as a result of who knows what power line noise. No big deal if you are talking about a light or something, but would you want your 20 amp shop vac switching on randomly? If you were out of town or just away for a few hours that could burn out your vac motor not to mention the fun of having it turn on at 3 am.

 

[gatchel]

I wouldn't go back to X-10 again if all of the product was given to me.
K.I.S.S.

 

[edge]

maybe not cheap but saw this on the setnet website http://www.setnetpro.com/product.asp?3=4199

 

[beelzerob]

Good link. I actually ended up getting pretty much that exact thing (though it's DPDT), but a RIB from functional devices.

It's probably not the cheapest, but it will let me use my ALC relay seamlessly with this thing, and that's a big plus.

thanks for all the help ya'll.

 

[beelzerob]

Well, the setup works perfect, except for one small issue....

I had thought that if power was removed from the ALC relay, it would revert to off, instead of keeping its state. It doesn't. What this means is...if someone is using the dust collector and the power goes out (to the whole house), then when the power comes back it will start right back up.

Now granted, that's quite a narrow set of circumstances where a problem could occur, but if it did, then it's quite likely that whoever was using the dust collector will be somewhere else when it comes back on, and who knows how long it will then run before someone realizes it.

I'm not sure if it's worth worrying about, or just making sure all affected parties (that's me and my wife) know to shut down the dust collector if the power goes out while using it. I'm not sure I want to add more complexity to the system just to prevent this narrow case issue.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Can you link the specs of the relay you purchased?

 

[beelzerob]

Can you link the specs of the relay you purchased?

Surely

Wiring was pretty straightforward. I bought an extra wall box to attach to the bottom of it to have room to work in...lots of wires. If I remember and anyone cares for it, I can post a pic of the install, but there's not much to see.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Maybe I'm not seeing the entire picture here, but if you have it wired like Post #12 above, can you just have the orange 'hot from panel' wire provide the 'hot' power to the ALC relay?

Again, I only looked at this for a few minutes...

 

[beelzerob]

Normally yes, that would work, but the hot from panel going to the orange is on a 20 amp breaker, and the ALC relay is only rated for 15 amps, so it's powered via a 15 amp breaker (which it shares with the closet outlets and lights).

 

[WayneW]

Well, the setup works perfect, except for one small issue....

I had thought that if power was removed from the ALC relay, it would revert to off, instead of keeping its state. It doesn't. What this means is...if someone is using the dust collector and the power goes out (to the whole house), then when the power comes back it will start right back up.

Can you protect yourself with software? i.e., make some rules?
1) when power is restored ALWAYS turn off the dust relay?
2) If the dust relay has been on for 1 hour (or whatever max is logical), then turn dust relay off?

 

[beelzerob]

Heh, ya I suppose I could at that. I hadn't actually planned on using computer control with this relay...it was just a spare ALC relay and I knew I could add other simple contact buttons to extend the useful range throughout the shop....but it'd be trivial to hook it up to the system I have currently. Not a bad idea at all.