Dust bin sensors

[tvrgeek]

As my iVac unit failed ( and they don't care about customers) I presume from ESD in a week, I am looking for another solution. Many years ago, there were some posts on using garage door sensors in the tube. I have only overflowed once, but wonder if in the tube is too late?

Industrial systems use a paddle in the dust or ultrasonic sensors that cost as much as the DC. Some like the Oneida IR, some say it gets dirty too easy. It is a hostile environment between dust and ESD. I was wondering if there was a newer SOP or suggestions? I have a small bin due to ceiling, so it makes checking a more than once a day if plaining or jointing. I am looking at boxing in the ceiling to raise the system for a taller bin, but still need a sensor. It is in the corner of a different room, so just a clear window won't work.

I have added strips of foil tape to ground the cyclone ( ClearView) Seems to help a lot. Wondering if the bag in the drum is a waste. Thinking of larger wheels on the drum dolly so I could just roll it out to the garden.

 

[tvrgeek]

I ordered one of the E-bay relay boards. My thought was to use fiber optics to isolate the board from the system to reduce the chance of ESD causing damage. It has no protection.

 

[Michael Mathews]

I use a sensor that has an emitter and receiver. Both sensor heads are fiber optic and they're about 6 feet long. Electronics are safely tucked away from any static. My dust bin is a 50 gallon cardboard drum. I put two holes opposing each other about 4 inches down from the top. when the emitter and receiver have a good signal, nothing happens, but when they get blocked, the output turns on a relay which in turn illuminates a red light. I've never overfilled my drum since installing this unit!

 

[junquecol]

Over at SMC, there is a "sticky thread" in the workshops forum on building a DC sensor. You do remember SMC, as you used to post over there.

 

[tvrgeek]

Testing my feeble memory. SMC
Subwoofers, Speakers, Amplifiers, DACs, British Cars, Woodworking, Arduino, green building. I bet I am forgetting something.

 

[tvrgeek]

I use a sensor that has an emitter and receiver. Both sensor heads are fiber optic and they're about 6 feet long. Electronics are safely tucked away from any static. My dust bin is a 50 gallon cardboard drum. I put two holes opposing each other about 4 inches down from the top. when the emitter and receiver have a good signal, nothing happens, but when they get blocked, the output turns on a relay which in turn illuminates a red light. I've never overfilled my drum since installing this unit!

What I was thinking. All my years in Failure Analysis makes me quite aware of ESD.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

You can go very basic too- a simple replacement lamp post day-night sensor (from Lowes) and an incandescent or LED night light for an illumination source. Mount the sensor and light on opposite sides of the dust drum or flex hose between cyclone and drum. In absense of light (dust blocking light path) the sensor module supplies 120VAC. The 120VAC ouput can be used to power any sort of 120V audible or optical alarm and/or activate a relay with 120V coil if you want the DC to shut down. When powered, the relay's N.C. contacts can be wired in series with the DC's main contactor coil (or latching circuit) to shut the DC off when the light path is blocked. I ran one of those for a few years before I switched to a purpose-built IRLED based setup that has worked flawlessly for over 10 years. If the sensor is mounted high (flex between cyclone cone and drum, you really don't want a day-night sensor with a long false alarm rejection time delay. The system is failsafe- if the illumination light fails, the DC shuts off/alarm activates.

 

[tvrgeek]

After third attempt, ivac responded. Claimed they never got either e-mail before.

 

[junquecol]

Testing my feeble memory. SMC
Subwoofers, Speakers, Amplifiers, DACs, British Cars, Woodworking, Arduino, green building. I bet I am forgetting something.

Saw Mill Creek

 

[tvrgeek]

Saw Mill Creek

I did forget about that one. THanks.

 

[tvrgeek]

I Remember SMC, but they could not recognize my e-mail, so I re-registered. Looks like more good stuff to add to NCWOODWORKER and LumberJocks.

Been contemplating. I think I will build a two stage system. One using the E3F-DS30C1 proximity sensor and a second stage in the flex hose using the e-bay optical switch to shut it down if I don't notice.