I currently only have one power strip for vac, spindle, and cnc machine.
Do I need to separate the power of any of these?
I did see this Automatic vacuum switch, but not sure how it would know my spindle is on?
Ideally there would be at least two separate circuits:
- one for computer and machine
- one for spindle/vacuum
If possible, having three and putting spindle/vacuum on separate circuits is helpful/good practice. Some folks manage to make everything work on one circuit — I have two, the one for the spindle/vacuum is a dedicated 20-amp circuit, and I use a Festool CT Midi to control the power.
We mention a similar switch at:
https://carbide3d.com/hub/faq/controlling-a-vacuum-with-your-shapeoko/
such electronic devices detect the closed circuit (or other electrical aspect of powering on?) and then close a relay so as to provide power, ideally with a delay so that the draw is not too high/sudden.
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I run my CNC, CM interface Rpi & shopvac all on one circuit - but I have a speed controller on my shopvac to be able to limit it back to 550-600W vs 1200W full ON.
If I did not have the option to speed limit the shopvac, then running it off a separate circuit is the better way to go if you’re running on 15A circuits. A single 20A circuit would most likely be fine.
1st question: no. But it is HIGHLY recommended. It is surprising how much power the spindle and the vacuum need. There are few things worse than a project stopped in the middle of the run after a breaker engaged.
2nd question: That switch detects whether the primary machine -in the lower two outlets- uses power, and then it switches on the secondary (upper outlet), vice versa. So the lower ones are the masters, that tell the slave when to run. Now the cheaper ones switch off -less bad- and on -worse- at the same time, in the worse case the initial power need is sometimes double the current than when in constant action, and a breaker will probably engage. Better ones (I think probably standard) the slave will be switched on and of with a delay. Still these ones use the same circuit, that can probably can overload the power outlet.
You probably do not want that.
Now the spindle runs on a controller, a router does not. The controller itself uses power by itself already, so it might be the switch recognizes that current already as a demand to switch on the slave, although the spindle does not run yet, means the vacuum would never switch off.
An item like Ivac (pro) switch detects the current through the cable to the spindle, exactly detecting when the spindle runs and not the controller, by an induction switch that is fastened around the cable. Needs some USB-power, works wirelessly with the power switch. Advantage: no cable needed to where the vacuum works, can be quite a distance, different machines can switch on the same vacuum (or dust remover), and they also offer a very nice handy manual remote control.
Alternatively use the bitrunner, available in C3D shop, that is connected to the controller, and always when the controller is about to start the router / spindle that power outlet will switch on whatever is connected there. Advantage: you can use two different circuits for spindle and vacuum.
GL!
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“Required?” no
“Recommended?” very much so.
You “may” experience machine disconnects while running cutting programs due to Static Electrical discharges if you run all on one circuit.
It seems that static electricity builds up in the vacuum dust collection system and when it discharges it will likely disconnect the cnc from the computer driving it if everything is on the same circuit.
Personally, I went with overkill and ran 3 separate 20 amp circuits.
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