PSA: If you use a remote for an extractor, UNPLUG THEM when unattended!

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petermillard

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Hey everyone. I've just posted this in a couple of places and thought I'd share it here as I know some of you also do this. I tried posting the video but it's too large (!) so here's a link to the Instagram Live I did earlier (fair warning, InstaLive is a portrait format video which may cause consternation 😉) :-



So,TL;DR - haven't been in the workshop much this week, last time was probably Thursday, popped in this morning to shoot some 'talking heads' for a Patreon video and when I got to my door I could hear something from inside. Opened the door and was hit by a blast of heat and noise as my big extractor was running. No idea how long it had been on for, but I keep it on a domestic remote control socket for convenience, and have to assume that someone/something nearby had triggered it. All is well here, but if I hadn't popped in this morning the consequences could have been horrible.

So, unplug them when unattended; yes, I know you probably do already, and yes, it sounds obvious when you say it. But I'm saying it anyway, as it may help prevent a fire.

Have a good weekend. P
 
I considered a remote start for my DC, but my shop is small enough that I can get to the start/stop switch in a few steps. If something external can turn on your DC, then it might be possible for that same thing to turn off your DC. Do you have the capability to change the codes on the remote and receiver?

When I had my garage door installed, my neighbor asked the Hörmann installer for help with her garage door when he was finished with mine. She told him that her garage door has a mind of its own and opens and closes randomly throughout the day and she was about to call a priest.

While they were talking, the door opened as if on cue. One of the neighbors three houses down had just returned home and used his remote to open his Hörmann garage door. Problem identified. Both had the same codes in the remotes and controllers. The other neighbor noticed the same problem, but ignored it and used the hard-wired switch in his house to close the door. The installer changed the codes on my neighbor's remotes and opener, and she hasn't had any problems with it since.
 
I've left a power feed for a spindle moulder running for a weekend once, it wasn't wired through the spindle moulder so that it turns on and off with the moulder so it was quite easy to leave on and quiet enough that you don't notice that it has been left on when you wander off after turning off the moulder 😂
 
When I lock the workshop door, all but the power sockets used for charging cordless tools are disconnected automatically and a small led in the house turns from red to green to tell me I've locked up without having to go down to check.
Wow.
Your workshop is on a 32 (40 ?) Amp contactor ?
Nice !
 
Wow.
Your workshop is on a 32 (40 ?) Amp contactor ?
Nice !
Yes easy enough to do when wiring from the outset. There are two power feeds, one via C32 breaker in the house for the beefy motor loads and B32 for the normal stuff.
The switching is done at the workshop end as I need to keep one of the feeds from the house live all the time as the solar panels are on the workshop roof.
 
my compressor did the same, only a hose blew....workshop was an open barn.....just didn't hear it.....
as I walked in u could feel the heat.....even the oil was really hot, that got changed......
now all hoses run thru a ball valves and the elec is shut down as I leave without fail....
my comp is a Atlas Copco industrial, V twin..3phase.....a rebuilt pump is £1500....oops....it'll never happen again....
Take care...
 
I use the electric sockets with a neon power indicator in my workshop, I turn off and unplug everything when I leave but on the odd occasion the little red light on the socket has made me realise I have left something on.
 
Thanks Peter I have 2 on an extractor and a shop vac which I confess to always leaving connected, I've just been out and turned them off.
 
Hmm, I have "handheld" remotes for starting my dust extraction (Henry connected to ducting) and my Record ceiling mounted air filter/scrubber - both are permanently plugged in/with power up to remote controlled socket/plug adapters. I just switch on with the remotes from whichever machine I'm using (there's a reminder label for the dust system, the air filter gets switched on for the duration plus at least an hour when I start working)

I wonder if their beam signals would be affected by any outside or alien forces? [At our previous house one of the neighbours would from time to time ring our wireless doorbell with his car remote - with a different bell tone!]
 
When I lock the workshop door, all but the power sockets used for charging cordless tools are disconnected automatically and a small led in the house turns from red to green to tell me I've locked up without having to go down to check.
How is the house light wired? I've been searching for a long time to find an indoor "open / closed" signal.
 
Red and green LEDs in series with a suitable resistor to a DC supply. A single pole changeover switch with the common connected to the junction of the two leds. One remmaining wire from the switch goes to the other side of the red led and final wire to the other side of the green led.
When the switch changes state, either the red or the green led is shorted out. The door lock operated the switch. T'aint rocket science lol

This uses three wires but two wire systems are possible but as I have a something like 24 way signalling cable between workshop and house with lots of spare ways, I've done it this way.
Other uses this is put to include A 12v dc supply that goes all over the house to power gadgets, doorbell relay, PIR alerter looking down the drive, telephone pair, intercom to the catering department(!), a sounder both ways when either of us needs help etc
For other details search BRUB (Bobs Really Useful Bus) over on the woodhaven2 - OK here is the link TheWoodHaven2 • View topic - BRUB!
 
looked good until you got to the signal wire. I have no way of running a wire around the outside of the house. I need a wireless option.
 
Loads of little wireless modules on aliexpress and banggood for very little money that could be repurposed for your job with a bit of cunning.
 
I have an old phone in the shed set to trigger (via the light sensor but other sensors are available) a presence sensor in SmartThings. It'll pause music when I leave and switch on the outside lights if it's dark amongst other things. It also works as an alarm if someone enters when I'm not at home.

Coupled with a Google mini for telling me the time, broadcasting things around the house and also as an emergency hands free phone. It's a shame the shed is such a state :oops:
 
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