I think we can all agree we appreciate your herculean efforts in the expansion. Seems like every time I look up you’re doing heavy lifting
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Just as an FYI, this is not 100% confirmed, but I believe part of the warranty with Felder required professional installation. I remember this same question coming up before we approved this dust collector, we asked why we can’t install ducting ourselves and I believe the warranty was the reason why.
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With the possible exception of someone cutting off a body part with a sharp moving blade, there is probably no issue that is a greater health and safety issue in the Woodshop than dust management. The shop is routinely dirtier than it needs to be, the air has too much of the very fine dust that is the worst type for a person’s lungs, the existing dust collectors have no inventory notification system and are often overfilled. Clearing out an overfilled collector and hauling out the accumulated sawdust is a nasty and ergonomically challenging task, especially for smaller members. Dust and electrical devices have already had some uncomfortable encounters. In addition, it is commonplace to have 3 dust collectors running at the same time in the Woodshop and the noise associated with those units is a significant nuisance or worse. Probably the one single best thing DMS could do to improve the “curb appeal” of the Woodshop for potential new members is to have a cleaner workshop than people have in their garage or wherever they may be trying to work on their own.
I recommend the question be not “when” is the system installed, but “how fast” and economically can we start to get benefits from the new system? What is the most cost effective way to get temporary power to the unit? What temporary connections to existing or modestly modified ducting can be made to get the lion’s share of the benefits? It will be great when the final system is in place with automatic gating, etc., but that is a nicety … not a necessity at this particular point in time. If there is a warranty issue, then let’s meet with Felder and work it out. If we need to buy some ducting design assistance, let’s meet with Felder and get a lower cost, stop gap recommendation that protects the actual Felder machine and makes the best of what’s in place duct-wise.
Dust control impacts the safety of woodworking members, the safety of guests and visitors, the curb appeal for potential new members, the fire hazard for all of DMS … we must not let “can’t” be the outcome. There has to be a makery solution that can be afforded and installed post haste.
I will help however I can. Let’s do this.
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I’m available to help with the install. Once we know where it’s going the first thing is to get electrical pulled to it, I don’t know of any circuit large enough in the shop. It shouldn’t be too difficult to fit it in with the existing ducting in the shop.
The warranty terms (http://us.feldershop.com/en-us/terms-and-conditions-of-sale/) state that installation is available as an option, but don’t require it be done professionally.
Now that we’ve all offered our gratuitous opinions - myself included (and some people have generously volunteered to help) … it’s up to the committee to vote on what they want to do and when they want to do it.
Unless Woodshop is willing to unplug two existing 208V/30A tools to free up the circuits, the Board needs to authorize the electrical changes required to install it in WS’s current location. It will also have to coordinate with the Expansion team because AFAIK there is precious little extra capacity in Suite 104.
Actually, unplugging tools might be a viable solution. One of the two cabinet/table saws could be unplugged until the move, freeing up a 30A circuit. There are two 30A circuits by the drum/surface sander and whatever is in that location could possibly share a plug by unplugging when not in use. Those two circuits combined with the 30A circuit for the existing DC would be enough; although some recircuiting/breaker work would still be necessary. It’s not a good long term solution but if WS wants to install the Felder now, these changes might make it viable.
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From my understanding the system has to be professionally installed for them to honor any type of warranty. Also we were informed that the person delivering the unit was here to start installation. Some better coordination is certainly needed.
Thanks to Stan and others for moving it around until we can get this installed.
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Chris, there are two large dust collectors that I would guess are each on their own circuits. Good guess? If so, would that enable keeping both table saws operational?
Here is what I think I know about Woodshop’s power. It’s probably about 95% accurate. There is power for the second DC; I don’t know how much.
According to Felder’s engineer, it requires a 65A breaker at 230V. We don’t have 230V; only 208V - so we will likely need 75A to run it.
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The guy that delivered it told me it would work fine with 208v, and that it main box required a 40A circuit.
Edit to add: he stated 32A running current, 40A circuit to maintain the 80% rule.
Here is an idea that came to me in the middle of the night:
What do you think about putting the main unit in 102, on the other side of the wall where the opening will eventually be after woodshop moves? The duct can go thru the demising wall. 208 power (of whatever amperage we need) can be easily run to that location without interfering with existing operations, the box won’t be in the way of construction (much), and the removal of the existing air handlers will free up precious WS floor space.
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Some back-of-the-napkin calculations …
That would be great news. Felder’s manual doesn’t contain any information about “site preparation”, etc. and here is the information I received (it was based on 230V calculation):
It sounds like we just need to get clarification from Felder. We have two different opinions and don’t know which one to trust. BTW, FWIW, the circuit in the new WS was sized based upon the higher requirement and if unnecessary should be reduced.
EDIT: If we’re lucky, the requirement is listed on the rating plate on the machine.
Stan - you are full of awesomeness!! This is a great idea (IMO). It requires compressed air but that could also be run through the demising wall. Remembering to empty it might be an issue but it certainly seems to address the other big problems.
Yeh, I came up with the same answer but I figured there was no such thing as a 72A breaker. 
And I suppose 100% efficiency is too much to hope for?
Surely not stock, thus roundup to save on custom ordering.
the second law of thermodynamics always taxes you somehow. If we’re going to avoid the various electrical problems plaguing the other woodshop equipment we should install a transformer for it, which will operate at some loss. Going to spitball and guess that the breaker is sized for startup power demands and once the thing has spun up will draw less than half the rated current, thus transformer losses won’t be as high as they could be with the transformer similarly operating well below its rated limit.
I just looked at the plug that came installed on the Feldar box, and it is an L15-30P, 3 phase 30A I’m not at all sure what that means in regards to the actual needed power capacity.
Warranty starts now, right? It counts down whether collector is used or not?
No, warranty is not until it is installed professionally
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The Felder can’t be installed in the current woodshop because it requires the ceiling grid to be removed to access the rafters. It will have to wait until the new woodshop is being built out. On the plus side, they are going to refund the money for the installation portion of the bid until we have the new shop ready.
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Could the Feldar box be connected thru the wall to the existing piping, tying the two existing systems together.
Perhaps Feldar cen do that as a temporary measure for us.
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