Larger motor On/Off cycle question

[J.R. Rutter]

I've been running my 15 HP dust collector for a couple of weeks now. One shop that I used to work for had a policy that if you weren't going to use the DC for the next 10 minutes, turn it off. If you were, then leave it on even though it wasn't collecting anything. IIRC, this was due to the startup amp draw heating the motor. Or was it just energy usage, I don't remember now.

Is this a good policy?

[Ted Miller]

J.R., I think the company said that to save on energy costs. I do know guys who leave their system running if they are inbetween cuts. Leaving the system running for a bit after cutting with some gates open will clean your shop air a bit as well, unless your filters are clogged. Depending on the size of your shop of course. I do leave my system running in between cuts but not for very long since it is the loudest item in my shop...

[Doug Arndt]

From what i've read at the ClearVue site, the Leeson 5HP motor Ed uses has a requirement of not being started more than 5-6 times an hour (if memory serves). Also have read, if ports are closed, it draws less current.
So it seems to be a heating issue. That 10 min cycle would seem to be a good practice.

[Bob Spare]

From what i've read at the ClearVue site, the Leeson 5HP motor Ed uses has a requirement of not being started more than 5-6 times an hour (if memory serves). Also have read, if ports are closed, it draws less current.
So it seems to be a heating issue. That 10 min cycle would seem to be a good practice.

How many of you leave ClearVue run all day, if it was installed in a cabinet, (noise factor)

[Chuck Saunders]

I wired up the DC at work so that when a tool was started, it started the DC. When the tool was stopped it ran a 5 minute delay timer that would shut off the DC after 5 minutes if no tools were not turned on in the meantime. Primarily I did not want the DC running all day due to noise, and I didn't want it short cycling alot due to heat in motor.
Chuck

[Greg Cole]

On small HP motors, the on off cycling isn't going to hurt them. When you get upwards of oh, about 7.5 to 10HP, you want to try to minimize the on & offs, but my idea of small HP is slightly skewed as I deal with motors up to 250 HP on a daily basis. With numerous on-off cycles in a short period of time. the in-rush current on start up can put one heck of a heat load into a motor as you don't have the fan cooling on a consistent basis (unless you have an auxillary forced vent fan on the motor that operates of a thermal switch on the motor windings).

[Joe Chritz]

I have heard that turning on the smaller motors many times may shorten the life because of heat build up.

Chances are that it will still last for many many years in anything but an industrial application.

I generally turn mine on and off unless I know I will be using it again shortly.

For Bob, I have a Dust Gorilla and it is an another room but I find that the air moving through the pipes and the filter is almost as loud as the unit itself.

Joe

[Ken Garlock]

I built my Pentz cyclone to use as a tool, not to nurse maid. I have a 10 delay on shutoff and in sometimes I manage to get my next cut in place before the motor power is removed.

I think that the Baldor warning is for startup from a dead stop. Many times I restart my DC while the motor is winding down, sometimes when I hear the starter winding reset itself. My take is if the motor is turning, don't worry.