# Wiring up a footswitch



## gilljc (21 Jan 2015)

I.m sure this has been asked before, but the switch on my vacuum has gone on the blink, switched on, so can only turn vac off by unplugging it, possibly due to two years of switching it on and off with my foot - a lot...
I now have a fancy hegner footswitch with special connectors on each end to connect the saw with, and find that I like it.
Is it possible to 'rewire' this switch so that I could plug in the saw (or something else like the sander) and the vac to the footswitch so that they would both work off the footswitch? Sort of like those extension leads with two sockets. If not the hegner swich, is it possible to buy one that I could do this with?
It would have to be pretty straightforward, as my electrical skills are limited to changing a lightbulb, at a push I can reattach a plug, so long as I have the diagram with the colours on it :roll:


----------



## nadnerb (21 Jan 2015)

Hi Gill
Buy a Foot switch and an extension lead.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/TEMCo-Heavy-Duty ... 5d3b00b3a3
Cut the extension lead and reconnect the blue wire and the green wire (use block connectors available in any hardware) the brown wire you run thru the switch. now here's the difficult part, put the brown wire leading from the wall socket into the switch terminal first, there are two out terminals. 
To get the live one, turn on the power and touch the terminals one at a time with a phase tester( also available at any hardware)
The one that lights up is the one to use. Turn off the power at the wall and unplug. Wire the brown wire to the terminal that lit up, and then you have an extension lead that works off a foot switch. I am not an electrician but i have done this and it works fine.
If you need any help give me a shout
Regards
Brendan


----------



## Dai_The_Eye (21 Jan 2015)

Not really what you were discussing, but I Found this on eBay,321463877277 and it seems happy at the moment on my bandsaw/extractor combo. It allows the extractor to go on/off when the saw operates.


----------



## jolly1 (22 Jan 2015)

I take it you are aware if you use this type of switch, you will need to keep it depressed to for the vac to continue running.


----------



## martinka (22 Jan 2015)

jolly1":29in5rej said:


> I take it you are aware if you use this type of switch, you will need to keep it depressed to for the vac to continue running.



Just how I like mine to work. The footswitch switches both the vac and the saw on and off together. Actually, because my saw is powered from the vac, the vac runs on for 5 seconds to clear up any sawdust that's hanging around.


----------



## jolly1 (22 Jan 2015)

Ok just thought I would point out gilljc


----------



## gilljc (22 Jan 2015)

Thanks all  
Brendan, I am sure what you describe is easy enough for most people, but you lost me at the brown wires #-o have ordered the socket with the slave sections on it cos that looks like it will work for me, appreciate that link Dai the eye
Jolly, yes, I want it all to stop when the saw does, thanks  
Be nice to be able to use the vac again, cos my new dust system works fairly well, have seen a big improvement


----------



## gilljc (27 Jan 2015)

Just want to say thank you all again for all the help, I have just received the master/slave adapter socket, and it is just the job  I can plug in the saw/footswitch to the master and the vacuum to the slave side and it is perfect, and then when I want to use the sander/vac combination it is easy just to plug in the sander instead of saw and the vac works from the sander switch - brilliant =D>


----------

