Adding Manual Exhaust Fan Control

Adding Manual Exhaust Fan Control

LightBurn now has start timers built in so the fan can spool up before the job starts. There are settings for end delay time too, but leave that at 0 because end delay is controlled by the TL-Timer. More information can be found on that here.

There is also a mod to wire your inline exhaust fan so that it comes on with the Laser Switch and to provide power to the Chiller so that you can "Dry Run" the Laser and also ramp the exhaust fan up prior to starting a job: https://support.thunderlaserusa.com/portal/en/kb/articles/re-wire-fan-to-come-on-with-laser-and-chiller-with-main-switch

The Basic Modification:

This modification will allow you to manually turn the exhaust fan on and off without defeating the TL timer control of the peripheral. You can simply connect a single pole single through maintained ( SPST) switch in series between OV3 and OV7 on the TL timer board, as shown below, which will energize the  relay that controls the exhaust fan.


This, at its most basic level, will require you to tap into the 2 wires. This can be done in a few proper ways, in order of an aggregate score of complexity, skill sets, tools required, etc...:

1. Use existing screw terminations at other points in the electrical system. This would require you to strip a few wires and put them in the correct screw terminals.

2. Use a wire tap made for this purpose.

3. Cut, splice, solder, and heatshrink. No specialty tools are really needed for this but you will have to cut and splice. Or reveal the insulation without severing the wire in order to maintain better mechanical and electrical connection of the OEM wiring.

4. Fashion a 'splitter' out of the same connector type and wire. This requires some special skills, components, and tools.You may need to identify the connectors and you would have to construct this from scratch. So a proper crimper for that type on connector would be required. 
For number 4, we have no further data on procedure, the connector type, etc... available at the time of publication. We will update and expand on this article as info becomes available.

Switches that you could use:

OR.. You could access those wires at the screw terminal from which they originate and not need to splice or have specials tools, and you can add a lighted button with a 3rd wire to give the switch power for the indicator! See Below:

How to add a switch without cutting, splicing, etc... (and even add an illuminated one!)

This information was originated by Alan H. and is used here with permission. Thanks Alan!

I used the concept in the knowledge base to put in a switch to run the exhaust fan continuously.  I added a bit of an embellishment in using a latching pushbutton with a LED indicator.  

 

Here are a few details from Alan: 

I used this switch  - caught my eye because it had a 24 vdc LED indicator.  



 

Wired it up at the relay and the primary terminal blocks:

 

Put the wires in the wiring channel under the covers


Installed it on the front right panel of the machine just below the Ruida.  The wiring socket and wires are out of harm's way of the carriage.

 

Here's a video of its operation.

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