Nvr switch on dust extractor. To be or not to be?

[benjamino613]

The nvr switch on my Itech dust extractor is driving me mental and I am just fed up with it. I saw on some older threads that suggest just removing it. Is there any reason not to just do this? It’s not a home workshop but in my warehouse, however all plugs are removed from their sockets by me religiously every day before going home so no chance of it turning on when im not there

Cheers!

 

[Bingy man]

It’s not like a power tool that could do some serious damage if the power was to fail and then be restored seconds or minutes or even hours later like a router or tablesaw so I personally don’t see any problem with removing it ( safely of course) the more experienced members may have a different take on it but it’s basically just a large hoover ..

 

[Orraloon]

You mention a warehouse so do you have workers or members of the public in there? If the answer to that is yes then I would not mess with it. With litigation being the way it is these days the removal of safety features may not be a good look. What an individual does in his garden shed is one thing but where workers or the public are in that space its best to just play by the rules.
Regards
John

 

[Sachakins]

Sounds like a commercial concern? If so DO NOT remove it.

 

[poshpaws]

In what way does it irritate you so much that you want to remove it?

 

[ChaiLatte]

As others have said, if this is in an environment where health and safety legislation applies to you, it would be unwise to remove it.

Again, as above, why does it annoy you? If the annoyance is ergonomic (i.e switch is difficult to access), the solution might be to relocate it to a better place while preserving its function.

Similarly, an industrial electrician might be able to remove it but preserve its safety features by installing alternative control circuitry.

At the same time, the electrician could install a master isolator (key operated, on the same bunch as the main door) so you do not have to go around removing individual plugs each day and reinstalling individual plugs each morning.

 

[Yojevol]

There may be some other solutions but a better description of your setup and routine would be helpful
Brian

 

[Mike Fletcher]

I have an Axminster extractor at home and we have one in our Men's Shed. In the Shed, the extractor is in a different room from the saw and other machines. Both have been rewired to remove the NVR switch. Why? All table saws have the dust port on the back of the saw, opposite where you actually cut wood. Walking back and fourth to turn in on and off is real pain. The are no exposed moving parts on an extractor so I don't see the need. Table saw, router table, etc yes, NVR switches are a good idea. Removing it is pretty simple. On my (our) extractors one simple jumper wire is all you need and install a toggle switch. I also made a new face plate on the switch housing to accommodate the toggle switch. (make sure you use a switch rated for 240 volts and sufficient amperage). Using this method, the overheat / overload switch in the motor is still in the circuit. I then use a remote socket (3kw) and turn the extractor on and off at the business end of the saw. It is just as simple to convert back to the NVR switch.

I expressed my concerns with Axminster then lo and behold their extractors now have remote control, presumably without a NVR switch. I didn't get any royalties!!

 

[Bingy man]

You mention a warehouse so do you have workers or members of the public in there? If the answer to that is yes then I would not mess with it. With litigation being the way it is these days the removal of safety features may not be a good look. What an individual does in his garden shed is one thing but where workers or the public are in that space its best to just play by the rules.
Regards
John

I missed the warehouse but so agree in a commercial setting best to leave as is . I was thinking of a home workshop tbh I’d probably had too many Chardonnays by then ..

 

[Mike Fletcher]

Chardonnays and tools are a not a god mix!!

 

[okeydokey]

If you run out of Chardonnay other drinks are available

 

[Sideways]

I agree with the others here, in a commercial setting you need to leave the NVR function in place even though the risk is minimal. But:
If there's a credible reason for improving the extractor with a wireless remote control, or relocating an NVR switch so that you turn the extractor on and off more easily, and thereby encourage it's use, that might be a sensible safety improvement.
Have an electrician do the modification and if going wireless, check that the wireless acts as an NVR meaning if you unplug it while running and plug back in, you'd need to restart it deliberately. Either way the extractor has to be hard wired to the remote control module or remote NVR switch so you can't disconnect the extractor without the wireless module or NVR also turning off.

 

[benjamino613]

Thanks everyone, I should clarify its in a warehouse for my business and used for storage of goods, completley not realted to woodworking.

I have just turned a small corner of the warehouse into my 'home workshop away from home'.

No public come in, just me and my business partner who i suppose might count as an employee side of things (as do I), but he has nothing to do with use of any wood machines or tools etc.

Having said all that, I'm assuming most would still say to keep it on, and instead hardwire a remote switch before the NVR?

thanks

 

[poshpaws]

Thanks everyone, I should clarify its in a warehouse for my business and used for storage of goods, completley not realted to woodworking.

I have just turned a small corner of the warehouse into my 'home workshop away from home'.

No public come in, just me and my business partner who i suppose might count as an employee side of things (as do I), but he has nothing to do with use of any wood machines or tools etc.

Having said all that, I'm assuming most would still say to keep it on, and instead hardwire a remote switch before the NVR?

thanks

I have the itech extractor also and looking at This Remote as an option and keeping the NVR.
With a future side project to integrate it with alexa later on.
Since its 433mhz based its quite easy to adapt a remote or should be

 

[benjamino613]

I have the itech extractor also and looking at This Remote as an option and keeping the NVR.
With a future side project to integrate it with alexa later on.
Since its 433mhz based its quite easy to adapt a remote or should be

Thanks for this I will look into it. As to your question as to why NVR is driving me mad, its the simple case of always having to go to it. A first world problem sure haha, but annoying as many others have previously noted (and why you are probably also looking at a remote)

Right now the itech is only connected to one machine, but having plans to create ductwork connecting to other machines at other ends of the room, a remote becomes more and more a neccessity. I suppose I was wondering wether I can just take it off, saving the cost for any special remote setup, and the (at least, probably) 300 quid an electrician would cost me to set it up properly.

 

[undergroundhunter]

I had an itech extractor (just sold it) I removed the NVR and replaced it with a 240v remote relay, no need to flick a switch at all, just press the on button on the remote from wherever I am in the workshop. I did refit the NVR when it went up for sale but only because I wanted the remote for my new extractor.

Matt

 

[Mike Fletcher]

Again, no exposed moving parts so I don't see the need for a NVR switch. In addition, in my home workshop I have a table saw, mitre saw, band saw, and planner / thicknesser. Having a remote control in my pocket is much easier when moving from machine to machine. In our Shed, the extractor is in a different room to the table saw, band saw, mitre saw and lathe. Having remote control is, I feel essential. Not as much a pain is, the router table and planner are in the same room as the extractor.

 

[Bob008]

As others have said, if this is in an environment where health and safety legislation applies to you, it would be unwise to remove it.

Again, as above, why does it annoy you? If the annoyance is ergonomic (i.e switch is difficult to access), the solution might be to relocate it to a better place while preserving its function.

Similarly, an industrial electrician might be able to remove it but preserve its safety features by installing alternative control circuitry.

At the same time, the electrician could install a master isolator (key operated, on the same bunch as the main door) so you do not have to go around removing individual plugs each day and reinstalling individual plugs each morning.

Absolutely not required