Remote for 3-phase dust collector

[Ernie Hobbs]

Hi everyone. I'm working on upgrading my dust collector and have recently restored a Grizzly 4-bag 3hp unit. It's 3-phase and I got it running with a VFD to use 220v power. My garage is partitioned off into two rooms (1-car section is for mechanical stuff and storage, and the 2-car side is my shop). Since I needed to add a new 220v line, I put the unit in the storage/mechanical room and am planning to run dust collector pipes to my shop and I was hoping to be able to add a remote switch so I can control it from my shop.

Would anyone have a suggestion for a switch that can run for a 3-phase switch. My original plan was to use something like this and connect it inline before the VFD, but I don't think that will work. So I need something between the VFD and the DC unit. Any suggestions would be helpful- especially if it is on a budget. I want it to be safe, but not spend any more than I have to.

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Hous...1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I suppose a backup plan would be to run a hard-wired switch across the ceiling and mount on the wall in my shop. But I'd rather not have to run 20 feet of wiring if I can avoid it.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Michael Schuch]

You are not supposed to cut the power to a VFD when it is currently powering a motor... or cut the power between the VFD and the motor while the motor is running.

The good news is you should be able to wire a remote switch directly to the VFD to turn the dust collector on and off.

The switch you linked to should probably work if it has a mechanical relay in it to control the 24v VFD logic. if that switch has a solid state AC relay I do not know if it will work for 24vdc. A 24vdc remote switch should not be too difficult to find. Your VFD will need to be programmed to use two wire power control.

[Bruce Walton]

Check out Grit Automation https://gritautomation.com/. They can control you dust collector remotely. There is a good review by a creeker sometime back on a system he installed.

[Ernie Hobbs]

You are not supposed to cut the power to a VFD when it is currently powering a motor... or cut the power between the VFD and the motor while the motor is running.

The good news is you should be able to wire a remote switch directly to the VFD to turn the dust collector on and off.

The switch you linked to should probably work if it has a mechanical relay in it to control the 24v VFD logic. if that switch has a solid state AC relay I do not know if it will work for 24vdc. A 24vdc remote switch should not be too difficult to find. Your VFD will need to be programmed to use two wire power control.

Thanks. I actually tried that first. I think I wired it up correctly, but the VFD malfunctioned and I had to send it back for a replacement. It got stuck in programming mode and wouldn't "run". Might have been just a bad VFD, but I have been hesitant to try it again. I'll take a few photos later today and maybe I'll post here to check my work before I flip the switch.

[George Yetka]

Ernie.
If your DC is setup to run when the vfd ramps up I would look into something that can trigger your VFD to start and stop. Typically a 0-10 volt signal can make a vfd go from 0-60 hz. If you can get a device that puts out a 10volt signal wired into the vfd then when you hit the button to turn it on the 10 volt signal will ramp up the vfd and when you hit it again the 10 volt dies and vfd ramps down. This would require a slight bit of vfd setup.

[Michael Schuch]

What manufacture VFD do you have? I have a couple Hitachi's that are very capable, very complex and very difficult to program. My last VFD purchase was a Huanyang. It was MUCH easier to program.

I would get the VFD working with a a simple mechanical switch, even a light switch. Once that is working then try the RF remote switch.

[Alan Lightstone]

Check out Grit Automation https://gritautomation.com/. They can control you dust collector remotely. There is a good review by a creeker sometime back on a system he installed.

That was me. I was going to suggest that too. Works flawlessly on my system, plus I have it programmed to run for 2 minutes after, for example, my wide-belt sander turns off. That way it helps clear the air, not have as many on/off cycles, and just keeps the DC piping cleaner.

[Bill Dufour]

plus I have it programmed to run for 2 minutes after, for example, my wide-belt sander turns off.

Does it run at full speed for two minutes or does it ramp down in a two minute deceleration curve? I could program a long deceleration curve but not sure how to program a delay off function.
Bill D

[Alan Lightstone]

plus I have it programmed to run for 2 minutes after, for example, my wide-belt sander turns off.

Does it run at full speed for two minutes or does it ramp down in a two minute deceleration curve? I could program a long deceleration curve but not sure how to program a delay off function.
Bill D

Full speed.

[Michael Burnside]

Alan,

You are a bad influence. I just bought a kit of items from Grit Automation. The ability to turn off power to all the major tools is a really nice feature notwithstanding the other options.

[Alan Lightstone]

Alan,

You are a bad influence. I just bought a kit of items from Grit Automation. The ability to turn off power to all the major tools is a really nice feature notwithstanding the other options.

You'll love it.

Their tech support, if you ever need it, is truly outstanding. Joel is amazing. Grit Automation really is a quality outfit.
Enjoy, and let us know how you like it, what you use it for.

[Joel Danowitz]

plus I have it programmed to run for 2 minutes after, for example, my wide-belt sander turns off.

Does it run at full speed for two minutes or does it ramp down in a two minute deceleration curve? I could program a long deceleration curve but not sure how to program a delay off function.
Bill D

Hi, I wanted to jump in and also say that GRIT has a collector device that is made to control dust collectors with VFDs. So the ability to ramp up and down depending on the tools that are running is easy.

[Ernie Hobbs]

Thanks for all the advice. I sort of tabled the remote issue for now- I spent the last few days in my spare time mapping my ducting and figuring out pipes and fittings. I'll figure out the remote once I get everything connected. I bought a cheap switch that I am going to try to get to work the VFD first- then if that doesn't work, I'll look into more complicated options. I'm kind of thinking about just mounting a hard-wired switch on the wall or a drop down from the ceiling, since that would never be more than a few feet from where I'd be working.

I'll keep you updated.

[Ernie Hobbs]

http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.p...7&d=1707457357
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.p...8&d=1707457357
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.p...9&d=1707457357

[Doug Walls]

I sort of tabled the remote issue for now-

If your VFD's owner's manual is anything like mine it can be verry hard to figure anything out!
The full pdf. version of my owner's manual is over 600 pages.

Look in your owner's manual for what's called a two-wire start set-up, basically you're just placing a switch in-between two of the VDD's terminal connections.

Here's a video that explains the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_0aLZwGRZw This is a follow up video showing how the guy wired up the Ice cube relay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTpXqouX3UM&t=2s

You could probably use the remote switch you posted in your first post, just make sure that no power is transferred to the output terminals.
the two terminals located on the VFD just close an internal 24v control circuit.