This isn't anything new to most of you but I just picked up the HF wireless remote receptacles - $20 for 3 receptacles and one remote.  They're good for 15 amps each. 

 

I was looking at the high dollar versions and then kept hearing people talk about using $7 Christmas tree light remotes or picking up $5 versions on the bargain table and I really didn't want to spend a bundle on this.  But it was getting old being all set up to make cuts and then realize I had not turned on the DC or shop vac, have to put everything down, walk across the shop to turn the DC or shop vac on, and then get ready again to cut or sand.

 

My concern was the current draw so I checked them this morning and to my surprise the running current on the HF dust collector is 10.5 amps.  My '6.5 HP' shop vac pulls 12 amps.  If I recall the HF pulled nearly 12 with the 5 micron bag filter but I just changed to the Wynn 0.5 micron filter with a lot more surface area and correspondingly a bit less current draw.

 

I guess time will tell as to how these hold up but as of now I have one spare.

 

$20, not a bad deal -

David

Edited November 22, 20178 yr by Ron Dudelston
tags added

I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't last too long, but for what you paid you can consider it a consumable. I don't think it's the running amps that will kill the remote, but the start up amps. DCs really suck some juice when the spin up, for only for a split second. But repeated starting takes it's toll on the switch.....at least that's how I see it.

22 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't last too long, but for what you paid you can consider it a consumable. I don't think it's the running amps that will kill the remote, but the start up amps. DCs really suck some juice when they spin up, for only for a split second. But repeated starting takes it's toll on the switch.....at least that's how I see it.

 

Matter of fact, I checked the starting amps - 70!!!!  It's only for half a second and settles down to 10.5 pretty quickly but it hits 70 immediately.  One guy I saw on a WW forum said his have been in place for about 4 years with the HF DC and no issues.  And yes, if I can get a couple of years I'll count this as a good buy.

 

David

55 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't last too long, but for what you paid you can consider it a consumable. I don't think it's the running amps that will kill the remote, but the start up amps. DCs really suck some juice when the spin up, for only for a split second. But repeated starting takes it's toll on the switch.....at least that's how I see it.

 

agreed...

31 minutes ago, difalkner said:

And yes, if I can get a couple of years I'll count this as a good buy.

 

so go better and have one last for decades...

Nah, Stick, where's the fun in that?? LOL!

8 minutes ago, difalkner said:

Nah, Stick, where's the fun in that?? LOL!

 

think of what you can get yur wife w/ the money you don't spend on replacements

With the electronics today, there is no guarantee , that a more expensive one would last any longer.

 

Fred is right about the start-up amps...this is what will kill it not the hours of use. With that said, 70 amps on start-up, even for a split second, seems a little excessive. I would have never suspected the start-up to be 700% of the running amps. It must really be a blip not to run long enough to trip the main breaker.

 

Let us have a status report after you've had some run time with them.

guess i'm the oddball.

 

i have 4 shop vacs for my shop:  1 dedicated to the table saw, one floater that serves the bandsaw and floor clean up on the infeed side of the table saw, one that serves the planer and router, and one that serves the spindle sanders.

 

for table saw work, it's right there on the left side of the TS, lean down, turn it on, while you are half bent over, turn on the TS, and off we go.  reverse the process when done.  clean it out now and then.

 

no central ductwork to mess with, can easily move things in my shop as practices change.

 

carry on.

I bought a high dollar one from Rockler, around a hundred bucks if I remember right, lasted nearly a year. To Rockler's credit they replaced it no questions. Replacement lasted nearly a year. Bought a utilitech remote from Lowes for about 20 dollars, several people told me what junk they are. It lasted the better part of two years. It did eventually go bad and so I bought another.

Steve

I put a DPDT switch on the wall next to the workbench that controls the circuit to the Dust Collector.   We don't need no steeekin' remotes :-)

 

I have an "extension cord'  with a 120V duplex outlet controlled by a switch.  Today I was using it -- the shop vac across the room was plugged into it and it sat on the work table where I was working.  Pick up the sander, turn on the switch and sand away.  Turn off the switch and set the sander down.  Worked fine.  Way less than $20 invested, especially since I re-purposed the wire on the extension cord.

 

Another way to skin that there cat.

 

Here's a picture of the switchable extension cord right in the middle of the photo.

Edited August 15, 20178 yr by kmealy

Sometimes we just loose sight of the simple way of doing things...

Well, for me 'simple' is a three-pack of wireless remotes for $20.  Today, for instance, I set up my table saw for cutting long boards (shop is small so a 'long board' is anything over 36").  What I do for this setup is to prop a board from the table saw to a small stand about 48" away and that serves as my outfeed table.  But what it also means is that now I can't easily get to my DC to turn it on.  Sometimes I go straight from the table saw to the planer or drum sander and have to move the DC hose, which I can get to.

 

So my options are to move things around so I can get to the DC during that setup or just not use it.  The table saw cuts will be ok but the planer and drum sander need the DC.  I don't want to hardwire a switch to the DC so $20 for a wireless setup seems like a perfect solution.  If this unit doesn't handle the current then I can have the wireless setup engage the same $9 30 amp contactor I used in my CNC build and then it will last my lifetime.

 

David

In the past, I have gone through several of the cheep remotes. I finally gave up on the Dust collector being able to run from it. I actually ran a 12ga SO cord to a switch mounted in a conduit box. It resides on the front corner of my work bench in between the table saw and the bench, and just above the 4 inch DC port. What I would do is switch between the table saw port and the auxiliary port and hook up a hose to the other tools (planer, jointer and drum sander).

 

However, to make things even better, I hooked up my air compressor to the switch box and bought a Long Ranger wireless remote for the dust collector. I sure could use a larger place to work.

2 hours ago, MT Stringer said:

I sure could use a larger place to work.

I know that feeling!

 

@difalkner...appreciate the idea...keep us posted on your results. It reminded me I have a similar set somewhere I purchased from Menards a few years back for my MIL to turn on/off lights. I need to find those and try them with my two larger vacs. don't have a DC yet...no room.

I have had the "Long Ranger" remote for my dust collector for a number of years with no problems. I have it set up on a 220 circuit along with my Table Saw. The unit came in 110 or 220. I did have the remote button die on me but I was able to purchase a new remote button by itself. I would buy it again without a blink. I originally paid  $45- $50 but it is now about $60- $70

I have the Long Ranger like Allen has going on five years. At the Woodworking Shows you can get them a lot cheaper than Amazon.

13 hours ago, Allen Worsham said:

I have had the "Long Ranger" remote for my dust collector for a number of years with no problems. I have it set up on a 220 circuit along with my Table Saw. The unit came in 110 or 220. I did have the remote button die on me but I was able to purchase a new remote button by itself. I would buy it again without a blink. I originally paid  $45- $50 but it is now about $60- $70

 

 

I have the same one maybe 15 years. I did have a problem with the remote and they replaced it. Good product.

I am wondering how long my DC Laguna Cflux 2.0 220 1 phase remote will last.

 

it has always been said that the Long Ranger is the best.  I have one that I got in an auction and use it on the vacuum.  I had the cheaper box store type for a long time and only ever lost one and that was to lightening.