Well as some of you know all to well, I have had numerous connectivity issues.
Inventables has worked closely with me to resolve these problems.
They have recently provided me with a new (modified) control board and now my machine run perfectly.
HOWEVER, I think that now I have a new (or leftover) problem and it seems to be with my dust collector.
If I run my machine with the dust collector connected to the same circuit, I will once again loose connection with the controller.
If I run my dust collector on another circuit I have absolutely no problems.
What is the dust collector doing that would cause this problem?
What can I do about it?
That is the solution.
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Sounds like electrical noise.
Your best option is separate circuits like Larry mentioned. If you are set on only using a single circuit, you could try something like this:
It may or may not fix it completely but could help/reduce it.
The only reason I want to run it on the same circuit is so I can run it through my IOT relay for auto on and off.
You could buy a 2nd IOT relay. You can use a single turn on source from the Xcontroller to trigger individual relays, just wire the 2nd relay’s DC wires to the first relay.
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But if I buy a second relay and connect it to the controller, won’t I have a the same problem?
What causes this “noise”?
Is it the type of motor?
Most likely it’s noise on your A/C line that goes from the dust collector to the Xcontroller and not noise on the low voltage output of the Xcontroller to trigger the relay(s). The dust collector motor would be the most likely source of this. Some AC/DC motors can be pretty noisy and cause problems.
I have some computer speakers that when connected to the same circuit as a particular ceiling fan, the fan turning on/off would cause the speakers to thump.
You really should never run a high freq motor or fan on the same line as computer or audio equipment.
I think it has to do with the 60 cycle hum. Larry may know better and correct me.
It also sounds like your trying to run two high current draw devices on a circuit that isn’t designed for that kind of load. This could be causing a voltage drop that would cause a connectivity issue. Two separate circuits is best.
Is there where I bring my whiskey jokes?
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I gave up on being neat and ran everything on it’s own circuit. Dewalt power cord ran outside of dragchain now
. Problems of disconnects solved.
Marc,
I have only the DeWalt and the dust collector on this (20 amp) circuit.
I didn’t think that would be an over load.
I never tripped a breaker or the reset on the IOT relay.
Phil,
I don’t mind putting the dust collector on it own circuit, but I want it to turn on and off with the X controller.
How do you control yours?
Robert, Bob,
Yes this was thought to be my problem awhile back.
And I also at that time tried to run it on a separate circuit with no change in my connectivity issue. (I was still getting disconnected and error messages from the controller)
But if you recall, I have had connectivity issues ever since I bought the machine in October of last year.
I did not have a dust collector until January of this year.
So in hind sight, it appears to me that I did have two issues that were (overlapping) each other and causing confusion.
I with the new control board installed, I can now run without any issue, as long as I don’t run my dust collector on the same circuit.
Bob,
Yes neatness counts in my world.
I’m first going to exhaust all other options i.e. A/C noise filters before I go that route.
So now I just need to figure out how to control both with my X controller while being on separate circuits, or install some kind of noise suppression.
I wired my dust collector with a light switch about 3 steps from my xcarve… If I were an NBA player I probably wouldn’t even have to move…
Phil,
I may very well end up doing just that.
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I have the Harbor Freight dust collector. It draws 15 amps at startup. I’m not certain what the startup surge is on the DeWalt, but I’m certain it is significant. I have a dedicated 20 amp circuit just for the dust collector. I have two separate 30 amp circuits for other tools.
I have a Grizzly and it draws 8 amps.
I think the DeWalt is 7 amps.
I don’t have a problem running a separate circuit for the Dust collector.
I have a 200 amp panel just for my shop with only 6 spaces used up (15 and 20 amp)
I just have to get it through my pea brain how to control it.
I may end up using Phil’s idea.
I have the harbor freight dust collector on a separate circuit. I use this remote to control the dust collector and my air compressor. I keep the remote on my X-Carve controller box and just start the dust collector before I hit carve.
That looks interesting. I may have to get one of these.
I love this thing…since the dust collector is in the far corner of the shop and turned so the switch is in the back it was a pain to get up and turn it on and off (I know I could have just left it on, but I always shut it off when it wasn’t being used). I bought a second set and use that on outdoor Christmas lights as well…it is nice to turn everything on or off from inside 
Yeah, I was just talking to one of the electricians here at work, and he said the dust collector is most likely acting like a generator when it is slowing down (it takes ~30 seconds for it to wind down) and sending that current back through the relay to the controller.
So, I will most likely run a separate circuit to the CNC machine area and hook up a separate relay for the dust collector and run parallel low voltage control wires from the X controller.
Yep… you win.
Its not going to be as neat as I would like.