Dust Collector Replacement - Dummy Question

[Jacob John]

I have a Central Machinery 1hp dust collector that vents to the outside of my garage. It recently stopped working (won't turn on at all), and I might need a replacement. This is a dumb question, but since I use my dust collector to vent outside (basically it's being used as an air mover), are there any cheaper options to hook up to the industrial dryer vent hose? I tried troubleshooting it, thinking that it was a very simple issue, but so far I can't determine why it won't start. No noises at all.

EDIT: After reading a few threads, it appears that some of you have used inline fans to vent outside. I currently have a 1hp dust collector that moves 660CFM, and I don't see anything that comes close to Epilog's recommended 350-400CFM for my laser.

And if no one has an alternate option, does anyone know where I can find a dust collector blower in stock locally? Do the big box stores carry them? I don't see much on lowes or home depots site.

[Jerome Stanek]

I use a Harbor Freight unit for mine

[Nicolas Silva]

Hello Jacob,
I'm using rockler's wall mount dust collect. It's 650 CFM. It works great on my laser - even keeps the lid pulled down.
I have one in the shop as well but don't like it for it. The intake throat is too small and clogs. Same is true for the bag which
makes it difficult to empty.

[Keith Winter]

Harbor freight or Penn state

[Kev Williams]

Central Machinery IS Harbor Freight--

I've had 2 of their 'green' blowers running several hours a day 6 days a week, one for 13 years, the other for 11-- and for 10 years I've had one of their larger ones out in a rubbermaid shed that I use as a cutting chip vacuum for all my rotary machines. Half the time it runs all day because I can't hear it!

The 2 smaller blowers I have connected to individual switched power strips, which is how I turn them on, the big blower is plugged into an outlet that runs to a pair of 3-way switches for convenience.

This means I never use the power switches on the blowers. HOWEVER, about 4 years in with the big blower, it stopped working. Even though the power switch never got flipped, the contacts burned out. Since I have the thing plugged into a switched outlet, I just bypassed the switch and wire-connected the switch wires. Haven't had a problem since.

SO-- have you checked the switch? :)

[Jacob John]

Central Machinery IS Harbor Freight--

I've had 2 of their 'green' blowers running several hours a day 6 days a week, one for 13 years, the other for 11-- and for 10 years I've had one of their larger ones out in a rubbermaid shed that I use as a cutting chip vacuum for all my rotary machines. Half the time it runs all day because I can't hear it!

The 2 smaller blowers I have connected to individual switched power strips, which is how I turn them on, the big blower is plugged into an outlet that runs to a pair of 3-way switches for convenience.

This means I never use the power switches on the blowers. HOWEVER, about 4 years in with the big blower, it stopped working. Even though the power switch never got flipped, the contacts burned out. Since I have the thing plugged into a switched outlet, I just bypassed the switch and wire-connected the switch wires. Haven't had a problem since.

SO-- have you checked the switch? :)

That's the first thing I pulled apart last night! I cleaned up several points that were dirty, but I forgot one thing until I read your post this morning. I went back and removed the rocker contact points, and sure enough, they were filthy. I cleaned them up, and voila! Back to working again. Maybe I never noticed this before, but when I turn it on, there are sparks that you can see being generated where some sort of contact is being made. I'm pretty sure that's normal, but now I'm second guessing myself putting this thing back together...:D

[Bert Kemp]

Another problem solved


That's the first thing I pulled apart last night! I cleaned up several points that were dirty, but I forgot one thing until I read your post this morning. I went back and removed the rocker contact points, and sure enough, they were filthy. I cleaned them up, and voila! Back to working again. Maybe I never noticed this before, but when I turn it on, there are sparks that you can see being generated where some sort of contact is being made. I'm pretty sure that's normal, but now I'm second guessing myself putting this thing back together...:D

[Jeff Body]

These motor are super simple. 1st thing to check is the switch and the 2nd thing that goes is the starter Capacitor.

Very rarely does the motor itself go bad.

[Jacob John]

So this problem was only partially solved. After I cleaned the contacts, it worked for a few engravings, but then stopped again. I took apart the switches, and everything still looks clean, but nothing. Out of complete randomness, I blew into the little plastic screen on the side of the motor, and the blower kicked on. The same thing I noticed earlier was happening too, there was a spark on the left side (see the yellow arrow on the pic) as the motor was running, and you could smell a hint of metallic odor.

It runs for now, but I'm concerned with the arcing look, since it's only on one side. Thoughts?

322206

[Glen Monaghan]

If it is a brushed motor (and it probably is), there could be visible sparks at the brush locations. The brushes (which typically are spring loaded, long-ish boxy chunks of carbon) could be worn down and needing to be replaced. When severely worn, they can make intermittent contact, causing the motor to work or not depending on contact integrity.