auto shut off

[dabullseye]

i know enough about electricity to make things dangerous. but im playing with the idea of a photo eye inside the trash can for an auto shut off.
saw this video on amazon and since it has a pot and can be tailored to the light i thought it could control the motor. like i said i dont know $#!&. but i would like some input on auto shut off ideas.

http://www.amazon.com/Photoelectric-Switch-Sensor-Module-50mmx25mm/dp/B00BLZ93T2/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1424992082&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=photo+eye+relay#customerReviews   

[retired2]

I'd be looking at a load cell instead of a photo eye.  I think a photo cell is going to tricked by the dust clouds, and the dust clouds will be different with the material and tool you are using.

A load cell is going to shut off at a set weight regardless whether the drum is full or not.  That is probably a good thing because if you are using a large drum, you can keep the weight manageable this way.

I have never investigated a load cell so I don't know what kind of money is involved.

[dabullseye]

oh wow . just did a quick search on load cells, big bucks. guess ill go with a window on side of can

[retired2]

How about building your own with a simple microswitch and some springs, either compression or tension?  Come to think of it, there might have been a thread on that thought a long tome ago.

[jgt1942]

Just about a year ago I communicated with Robert R. Payne, Owner of McRabbet Woodworks, LLC. He makes a bin sensor which he sells for $200 plus $20 for shipping. As I convert from my portable DC unit to a fixed unit I plan to add his control for the auto shutoff when the bin is full.

[retired2]

Just about a year ago I communicated with Robert R. Payne, Owner of McRabbet Woodworks, LLC. He makes a bin sensor which he sells for $200 plus $20 for shipping. As I convert from my portable DC unit to a fixed unit I plan to add his control for the auto shutoff when the bin is full.

Yikes!  That's not cheap either.  I sure hope at that price it works as planned and is not fooled by dust clouds in the drum.

I would have thought you could find load cells for less money than that, but as I said I never checked.  I just assumed the cheap ones are not much more that a spring and a switch - accuracy is not critical in this application.  I can see how a load cell requiring great accuracy could get expensive.

[dabullseye]

did a quick look at amazon,ebay and some diy sites. most seem to work off mass so planer shavings are more a volume problem compared to table saw or drum sander dust. cant find out a lot of info on circuits.
with my setup i would have to place a sensor under bottom of can and relay on deflection of bottom to trigger sensor otherwise i could preload sensor when i jack up can. that would make sliding heavy can off support difficult. this is why im leaning toward a photo eye. if i keep eye in air stream that should keep it clean but with the one i posted i think i would still need a window so sensor would sense light change or install an led diode infront of sensor so when dust builds up it would block light and trigger sensor.     
anyway i look at i think a window on side of can is the best way   

[BernardNaish]

I think you are getting into a lot of electronic complexity. How about cutting a window ang glazing it with clear plastic. This link also gives a low tech solution:

http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=170.msg954;topicseen#msg954

Please let us know how you get on.

[jgt1942]

did a quick look at amazon,ebay and some diy sites. most seem to work off mass so planer shavings are more a volume problem compared to table saw or drum sander dust. cant find out a lot of info on circuits.
with my setup i would have to place a sensor under bottom of can and relay on deflection of bottom to trigger sensor otherwise i could preload sensor when i jack up can. that would make sliding heavy can off support difficult. this is why im leaning toward a photo eye. if i keep eye in air stream that should keep it clean but with the one i posted i think i would still need a window so sensor would sense light change or install an led diode infront of sensor so when dust builds up it would block light and trigger sensor.     
anyway i look at i think a window on side of can is the best way   

When I communicated with Robert I mentioned that I planned to install to the underside of the TopHat and he suspected it would work. BTW his unit does use a photo eye and they are included in the $200 price as I understand. I did a quick search for photo-eye and found prices ranging from a low of $41 to a high of $79 thus if Roberts unit includes everything it really is not that expensive. :)

Another low-tech solution (without cutoff) is to cut a hole in the side of the can and cover the hole with Plexiglass.

[dabullseye]

yep i know about windows but now im thinking i could put in 2 windows around 3/4 full and shoot the beam through windows. then i dont have to worry about swirling dust and i can even just keep an eye on dust. and im thinking installing a blinking xmas light instead of controlling the motor since it draws so much amps on start up even though its 220 and the amazon box is rated at 10a 

[phil (admin)]

My translucent (plastic) drum kind of allows me to see the level of debris.  If I backlight the thing, I can easily see how much is in there.  I thought of adding an LED light either behind or inside the thing to make determining the level a little easier, but haven't got around to it.

I have overfilled the thing a few times, with the result being my shop vac bag fills REAL fast.  This typically happens when preparing rough lumber.

[dabullseye]

sure wish brute made a translucent one it would solve alot of greef.

[AndyF]

Continental 3200CL 32 Gallon Clear Huskee Trash Can

  http://www.webstaurantstore.com/continental-3200cl-32-gallon-clear-huskee-trash-can/6902632CL.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=Cj0KEQiA1NWnBRDchObfnYrbo78BEiQA-2jqBZzOkDUiVqd1-qWmeu9OcRuNqecreK_zhB1y-FZrV4waAm758P8HAQ

or

http://www.amazon.com/Continental-Huskee-Gallon-Clear-Trash/dp/B004FNW71S

[retired2]

Continental 3200CL 32 Gallon Clear Huskee Trash Can

  http://www.webstaurantstore.com/continental-3200cl-32-gallon-clear-huskee-trash-can/6902632CL.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=Cj0KEQiA1NWnBRDchObfnYrbo78BEiQA-2jqBZzOkDUiVqd1-qWmeu9OcRuNqecreK_zhB1y-FZrV4waAm758P8HAQ

or

http://www.amazon.com/Continental-Huskee-Gallon-Clear-Trash/dp/B004FNW71S

Wow, that sure looks like a Brute.  I would even consider replacing my Brute with this one if I could be sure the wall thickness and strength were the same.  And of course, since my separator is already built to receive the Brute top lip, the Huskee would need to be dimensionally the same. 

[NVRider46]

For what it's worth, at the printing plant we blow paper waste (trim) into a cyclone and baler system, same principal as wood shop dust collection.  It uses a very simple electric eye, looks like the safety sensor setup on your garage door,  to cycle the baler when the hopper gets full.  What makes it work is a timing mechanism that requires the break in the light beam to be 5 minutes before it cycles.  So it undoubtedly gets blocked when we're blowing paper in, but even when the paper flow is from multiple machines the flow isn't continuous. 

So I think you would need the timer to, especially when using something like a planer.  I go for the translucent garbage can.