Making a Central Vacuum Control unit

[gregvacs28]

Removing the electronic control board from a central vacuum and installing in it's own isolated plastic electrical enclosure is one way of protecting from dust, noise, and vibration that can cause it to fail.

I found these pics from when I made this a few years back.

I used a Carlon electrical box which is quite heavy duty. I wanted something that could be mounted in the house in a convenient place where it could be easily accessed.

In addition to having the controller safe from damage, I wanted to be able to :
1. Have a simple on/off switch for the whole system. I like to be able turn off electronic appliances during electric storms so they don't get fried.
2. Have an easy way of turning on the motor if needed.
3. With the board removed from the vacuum motor compartment there is more room for sound insulation which I installed.

The low voltage terminals from the tubing systems inlets gets connected to the terminals on the side.
The switch on the front is the main power.
The outlet is for plugging in the vacuum wire from the garage.
the switch on the side is for turning on the motor directly.
With a typical board there would be an indicator light indicating power and there would also be a fuse. I sold the first central vacuum I bought and put the board back in the vacuum that's why the holes are there.
The unit has a heavy 12 gauge cord to power the system.



I also started working on another control box using the older style relay system and 24 volt transformer but haven't finished it.

 

[luxlife]

Looks better than it needs to be

And things like that will usually weather well.

 

[lesinutah]

Idea

The breaker you could use GFI or GFCI breaker. You run the wires directly to a power panel. It's a seperate breaker like hot tubs and central air units have. From the panel direct wire to the system instead of running a switch. If you get an electrical storm the GFI and or the panel auto shuts down the power.
I only mention the panel because you can run direct power wires to it and have stability of GFI and have on off ability all in one.
I'm pretty sure my suggestion is overkill when a gfi breaker would suffice.
Les

 

[madman]

Nice mod. Personally, if I was going to go through that much trouble, I would eliminate the PCB and use a 24v transformer and a relay. Then again, that's all that's on that PCB anyway.

Les - a GFCI is not meant to protect from surges and such. It's designed for the sole purpose of not letting you make toast and take a bath at the same time.

 

[centralvacs1928]

Pretty cool! I do like the idea of the relay and transformer (or integrated control board) mounted separately, though it makes the installer's life a little more complicated.

The controls are made to last as long as or longer than the motor, and usually they do, even when mounted in the same enclosure. I would be curious to see some life cycle testing, with the components mounted in with the motor, vs in their own enclosure, to see what sort of difference it makes. You would certainly be isolating the control components from heat and vibration, but I find more often than not dead boards seem to be the result of motor current draw (fries relays if they aren't sized conservatively) or voltage spikes (fries transformers). The old standalone components were much bigger and harder to kill.

I've built several similar external control box setups, one to activate an industrial three-phase machine (smaller 24v relay switching the big three pole contactor's 208v coil), another to allow push-button inlets to activate a latching relay on the same system as other (standard type) inlets which activated a conventional relay. This stuff is so neat! To me anyway