During multiple or drawn out processes in a project there are pauses in the use of my equipment attached to the cyclone. I'm wondering what the best practice is for using the cyclone where it relates to turning it on and off or just letting it run? I'm not talking about running it all day or anything but one could turn the machine off many times in a day of woodworking. What is better for the cyclone? Running for an hour or two or turning it on and off as needed multiple times? What are your practices? Thanks, Stuart
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When do you turn your cyclone off?
- Thread starter gstuartw
- Start date
I'm attaching a link to a post started by Fred Sotcher back in 2011. He implemented a system with automatic gates and control of the cyclone by power to his machines. At that time he had replaced the starting cap twice. I turn my cyclone on at the start of work and leave it on until I'm done including shop clean-up because that cleans the air and does not overwork the starting circuit. Other's have suggested starting no more than very 15 minutes but I do not know any basis for the number. Hope this link works and be sure to read all the responses.
bababrown
Problem with blower motor
bababrown
Problem with blower motor
It varies a lot but usually I spend about 4 hours turning a bowl and cleaning up. The cyclone and hoods do a good job during sanding but I've never found a way to collect the shavings when turning a bowl because they are thrown so far. So I do not collect a lot of bulk in the bin.
bababrown
bababrown
Gstuartw,
What is better for the cyclone?
I cannot definitively say which is better: leaving the cyclone (i.e. motor) on for a continuous period or turning it on and off only when needed is best. But by my reasoning, there is a lot of energy required to get the impeller spinning from a cold start compared to keeping the impeller spinning. Even if the motor and impeller assembly are well balanced, starting the CV1800 (my machine) is seems to me to be more stressing on parts than when the cyclone is running. But leaving the CV1800 on when not needed for a prolonged period does not make sense to me since the Cv1800 is consuming about 5.2 kilowatts-hours (22 amps @240 volts).
Running for an hour or two or turning it on and off as needed multiple times? What are your practices?
I usually leave the dust collector running, but not to the extent described by bababrown. I leave the CV1800 running unless I foresee more than a few minutes before making more dust. Probably the longest period the CV1800 has run without collecting dust has been about 15 minutes or so (I have never measured the duration). While this is somewhat nebulous, I can say that I do not turn the CV1800 off after a cross cut of a rough board for the brief time it takes to for me to walk to the jointer, open its blast gate, and begin jointing the cut board; I leave the dust collector running. In short, if I believe that if the cyclone is running too long without sucking dust, I turn it off; otherwise I leave it running. I try not to short-cycle the cyclone whenever I can.
What is better for the cyclone?
I cannot definitively say which is better: leaving the cyclone (i.e. motor) on for a continuous period or turning it on and off only when needed is best. But by my reasoning, there is a lot of energy required to get the impeller spinning from a cold start compared to keeping the impeller spinning. Even if the motor and impeller assembly are well balanced, starting the CV1800 (my machine) is seems to me to be more stressing on parts than when the cyclone is running. But leaving the CV1800 on when not needed for a prolonged period does not make sense to me since the Cv1800 is consuming about 5.2 kilowatts-hours (22 amps @240 volts).
Running for an hour or two or turning it on and off as needed multiple times? What are your practices?
I usually leave the dust collector running, but not to the extent described by bababrown. I leave the CV1800 running unless I foresee more than a few minutes before making more dust. Probably the longest period the CV1800 has run without collecting dust has been about 15 minutes or so (I have never measured the duration). While this is somewhat nebulous, I can say that I do not turn the CV1800 off after a cross cut of a rough board for the brief time it takes to for me to walk to the jointer, open its blast gate, and begin jointing the cut board; I leave the dust collector running. In short, if I believe that if the cyclone is running too long without sucking dust, I turn it off; otherwise I leave it running. I try not to short-cycle the cyclone whenever I can.
A CV1800 running without any blast gates opens is consuming much lower amperage than when bast gates are opened or certainly way less than when doing a cold start. Typically, full load amps at startup may run close to 22 amps, but one can expect well less than half that draw when no air is being drawn in. If you really want to know how much current is being used, there are low-cost digital Ammeters like this one that you can easily add to your installation. The mass of the impeller puts a significant load on startup and the motor can easily overheat if cycled on and off more than a few times per hour. I usually leave mine running if I expect to extract dust within 1/2 hour from the end of a given operation.
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I put a amp meter on 3 of my 5HP motor circuits. The CV1800 Leeson 5HP does not go much past 60A in rush, settling down to around 8A when gates are closed, 15A with all gates open. I thought something was wrong with the meter as I was expecting to see over 20A on all 3 motors. Load and motor design
My old bandsaw has a 5HP Baldor driver that hits over 100A inrush, then settles down to 11 Amp. My Laguna planer draws 3.5 A no load, maybe 5A inrush. All of these motors have FLA of 22-25.
This is why the circuit and stop/stop relay have to be sized to motor HP, not FLA.
Somewhere along the way, I recall reading that these Leeson motors that CV supply should not be restarted more than 5-6 times/hour.
My old bandsaw has a 5HP Baldor driver that hits over 100A inrush, then settles down to 11 Amp. My Laguna planer draws 3.5 A no load, maybe 5A inrush. All of these motors have FLA of 22-25.
This is why the circuit and stop/stop relay have to be sized to motor HP, not FLA.
Somewhere along the way, I recall reading that these Leeson motors that CV supply should not be restarted more than 5-6 times/hour.
Woodwringer
New member
I set up my system with microswitches on the blast gates that turn the cyclone on when I open them. I have a time delay off timer in the circuit that lets the system run for a few minutes after I close the blast gate. That way, if I am going from machine to machine, I can close one blast gate and open another without turning the system off. If I quit using any machines, the system turns off a few minutes after the blast gate is closed. Works for me so far, and I never leave a blast gate open by mistake.