activating a central vacuum

[n0oxy]

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for what I am trying to accomplish. First, let me provide some background. I use all of my central vacuum units without pipes, I attach a utility valve to the intake and connect the hose to it. It's awesome, probably the most powerful type of cleaner you can get. Most of my central vacuum units have a manual switch as well so I don't have to mess with connecting wires. One of my units does not have a switch and for that one, I found a utility valve made by Vacuflo that has wires permanently connected to it, and I attached the other end to the wire terminals on the unit, works great. There are a couple of other units I am thinking of getting that do not have a manual switch. I have a visual impairment, so connecting wires to the screw terminals of a utility valve is difficult. Before I got the Vacuflo valve, I used this set up and the wires kept coming off of the valve and I had to get sighted help to reconnect them. I could get a remote unit but those are a couple hundred dollars so I want to see if there is a cheaper way. So, does anyone know if I could make something that I could just attach to the wire terminals of a central vacuum unit that would activate it? I guess I would need something that would short the connection and fit in to the connectors on the unit. With this set up, the unit would activate when I connected it and turn off when I disconnected it. It would need to be something that would stay in the terminals rather than having to be held there. I've tried using a coin but that doesn't work, would a piece of foil work here? Any ideas?
Mike

 

[madman]

I'm assuming you're not fooling around with coins and tin foil on a mains voltage connection, and that the connection being made is a 24 volt power like a furnace thermostat.

How about a regular light switch? What's so special about the connection terminals? Screw terminals? Blade terminals? You could just short them with a piece of wire, and have the unit permanently on whenever it's plugged in.

I'm not sure I'm understanding your problem completely.

 

[n0oxy]

you are correct

Yes, I am definitely not doing this with 120 volts, I'm talking about the low voltage connection that is used to start and stop the vacuum. Since I can't see good enough to screw the wires in to a utility valve and they tend to come loose over time, I'm wanting to make something that will activate the unit when it is connected, a piece of shorted wire perhaps? Let me know if you still are not sure about what I am trying to do and I will try and explain it better.
Mike