Thread: Load sensing relay for shop-vac

G'day Vern

IMO remote control power sockets are a better idea. I almost never use the tool-trigering on the vac. You can shut off all three sockets at the one time. In fact, I'm in the middle of trying to find a supplier for something like 10 sockets on the one remote.

Aldis sell them a couple of times per year but they give you 2x 2400w, and 2x 300w dimmable (which are useless for most things). That means you have to buy two sets to get 4x 2400w (which can be pgmed to run from one controller.

These are like Liogier rasps - quite addictive once you know how good they are.

Cheers
Brett

Thanks for the link Brett.
Just bought some of those for the Shop Vac and whatever else seems useful.
Only problem is that I only have one power point in the shed!

My pleasure Geoff. There's a coupla ways to go about that (my whole shed runs off an extension out of the kitchen). You can do the obvious thing, or for a tool triggered Vac you can run (say) a four point board into the tool trigger socket, and have the four remote sockets on the board. Pick up one of four tools, use it, vac comes on. You don't get the after-tool Vac run, but I'm not really convinced of how necessary that is anyway (or just let the tool run for 1 second at the end - the air is flowing at around 20 metres per sec in a 3m hose).

The stupid thing is that my shed has 3 phase connected but only a single 10A GPO and ancient 3 phase socket. The socket has no neutral so I can't use it for a power connection.
It's a rented place so I'm not inclined to fork out for an electrician.

The other thing I did with those sockets was to control the lounge room with a single button. One sockets runs the TV, Amp, DVD; and one each for the three lamps. At the end of the night the master switch kills them all (after manually turning off the AV gear of course).

In the Barn I have the Fan on a 300w dimmable which is kinda cute, but I don't think it runs at full power. I'm desperate for them to come on at Aldis again so I can get the Barn Radio on remote to kill those super annoying ads.

I have one set on a controller labelled "Comfort" (Fan & Heater, and Radio in the future) and another set on a controller labelled "TOOLS".

Just the thing for the guy that has a thousand remotes a few more to turn everything off a second time

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

IMO remote control power sockets are a better idea. I almost never use the tool-trigering on the vac. You can shut off all three sockets at the one time. In fact, I'm in the middle of trying to find a supplier for something like 10 sockets on the one remote.

Hmmm . . . . nah! I reckon if I had to reach for a remote, I might as well reach for the vac switch
It was bearable with the ROS but I didn't realise how many times I would be turning the vac on and off with the Domino - first simple frame I used it on used 32 dominoes - and the vac is too noisy to leave running all the time.
I looked at getting a shop vac with the load switch on it but I would have to downsize from my 60litre drum to a 30litre and the best price I could find was $190 - doesn't seem worth it just to appease my laziness
Gotta be something out there???? . . . . . . anybody!?

Actually I just thought of something Vern. BobL incorporated a fan into his air compressor housing that he made a about 6? months ago. He wanted to get the fan to turn on when the compressor did (and I believe he succeeded). I don't think that this was in his shed-build thread, but another specifically devoted to the compressor housing, so if you do a search of his threads you should turn it up I reckon.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Actually I just thought of something Vern. BobL incorporated a fan into his air compressor housing that he made a about 6? months ago. He wanted to get the fan to turn on when the compressor did (and I believe he succeeded). I don't think that this was in his shed-build thread, but another specifically devoted to the compressor housing, so if you do a search of his threads you should turn it up I reckon.

What I did was wire a 240 V socket to the switchable side of the compressor. However, the device connected to this socket is only a 100W fan so it does not add significantly to the electrical load on the compressor and given that both the compressor and fan are operated whilst stationary in the same place. This is not advisable in the case of running a 1200W vacuum cleaner via a 750W power tool as the load may be too great even for a 15A socket or the power tool itself.Adding a 240V socket to the switch of a power tool represents significant danger that almost certainly violates some electrical code or other. My modification almost certainly does as well.

Bunnies (and doubtless others, they are all that survives around here) are selling remote control power systems at the moment in 2 flavours - IP44 water resistant and regular duty. They also sometimes have the extra remote plugs as well.

IIRC they are Kambrook, the waterproof ones have 2 plug packs and the regular ones 3.

Yes, Jaycar is a bit like Dick Smith used ot be in the 'good old days' - they get a good item in but never seem to restock it at the warehouse, just one pallet/container load & never again. PITA. They used to sell a system that you could have 250+ individually identifiable plug packs & each remote control could handle 16 without reprogramming - discontinued. Grump.

They would have been brillo bsrlee, they most i can find now is 5 per controller (non-Aussie) or 4 for Aussie.

Could you just use one of the energy save power boards? In theory, plug the tool in master, vac in slave socket. Turn tool on, power board switches on slave outlets and vac comes on.

Originally Posted by richmond68

Could you just use one of the energy save power boards? In theory, plug the tool in master, vac in slave socket. Turn tool on, power board switches on slave outlets and vac comes on.

That would do the trick nicely but I've only been able to find 120V units in the USA. Do you know of a source for them in Oz???

Don't worry about a source Richmond - Googling your terminology just bought them up by the dozen and I might even be able to find one way out here in the sticks. Google might be your friend but only if you use the right terminology - I was searching for things like 'load sensing switch' or 'current sensing relay' etc. Never would have thought of it as a 'energy saving power board' - live and learn eh!