Hello,

Hoping someone can help, I have an interest that outweighs my knowledge.

I would like to build a piece of equipment that basically houses vacuum motor in an enclosure and can be controlled via panel mounted button/dial.

Operation sequence I would like is dial set to desired motor run time between 15 mins and 90 mins, start button pressed (10 second delay) then motor runs for chosen time period before turning off.

I assume with this basic sequences I could potentially purchase off the shelf components.

Any help would be great

 

Do any of these suit?
https://industrial.omron.co.uk/en/products/timers

 

It could be a fine project to start you into Arduinos.
have you looked at them?
Here, for example...
https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-projects/arduino-relay-control
It would very well suit the application.
The advantages of Arduinos are that the programming environment is free, there is massive amount of on line info, they are quite cheap and they were designed originally as a teaching platform for electronic control and programming.
If you purchased from Ebay or the like, the total cost would be well under $20 for parts, but local electronic store will have them too, at a higher price.
Arduinos are capable of quite extensive control tasks. My 3D printers are Arduino driven.
As are the ham radios I've modified.
Besides that, it is good fun.

If you search for "ASKmanual.pdf" you can find a good, if not a bit old, introduction to them.
I do like randomnerdtutorials.com/ myself, and have purchased their products. (I have no affiliation with them other than a happy customer)
You will find on this forum some folk whom look down on Arduinos, and I find that quite puzzling. Still, Arduinos are well worth your time to chase up.
And you never know, it may start you on an interesting electronics adventure.

 

Thank you,

Do any of these suit?
https://industrial.omron.co.uk/en/products/timers

From what I can see they would manage the delay part, however it's how I would couple together to make full function.

It could be a fine project to start you into Arduinos.
have you looked at them?
Here, for example...
https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-projects/arduino-relay-control
It would very well suit the application.
The advantages of Arduinos are that the programming environment is free, there is massive amount of on line info, they are quite cheap and they were designed originally as a teaching platform for electronic control and programming.
If you purchased from Ebay or the like, the total cost would be well under $20 for parts, but local electronic store will have them too, at a higher price.
Arduinos are capable of quite extensive control tasks. My 3D printers are Arduino driven.
As are the ham radios I've modified.
Besides that, it is good fun.

If you search for "ASKmanual.pdf" you can find a good, if not a bit old, introduction to them.
I do like randomnerdtutorials.com/ myself, and have purchased their products. (I have no affiliation with them other than a happy customer)
You will find on this forum some folk whom look down on Arduinos, and I find that quite puzzling. Still, Arduinos are well worth your time to chase up.
And you never know, it may start you on an interesting electronics adventure.

This also looks great, but how does this allow for live change on running time. For instance I want to be able to quickly select running time one installed in enclosure?

 

I assume I could use a keypad to enter run run time

 

I assume I could use a keypad to enter run run time

If you have any sort of display, you can also use a menu to select run time with fewer buttons.

 

If precise accuracy is not an issue, and you choose to use an Arduino, a potentiometer to an analog input would work. That gives you both an electrical and visual input.

 

but how does this allow for live change on running time. For instance I want to be able to quickly select running time one installed in enclosure?

As mentioned above, you can adjust the timing quite easily in a number of ways when you use an Arduino.
I do encourage you to buy an Arrduino starter kit and work your way through that. It should include instructions on the various functions the Arduino can do, and example programs.
Here is a retail one from an Australian store...
https://www.jaycar.com.au/arduino-starter-kit/p/XC9200
Or something similar from Ebay...

Or you can just purchase the bits you think you need. But a kit is a good way to start with it all.

 

Operation sequence I would like is dial set to desired motor run time between 15 mins and 90 mins, start button pressed (10 second delay) then motor runs for chosen time period before turning off.

Pretty much up to you. What you have is a delay on make timer with a 10 second setting followed by a one shot timer with an adjustable on time between 15 ~ 90 min. So your delay on make triggers your one shot. Doing it with discreet components can be done with off the shelf timer components making for turn key and simple. Then as mentioned beyond discreet components it can be done using a uC (micro-controller) like an Arduino, PICAXE or any of several available out there. Each method has its good and bad. Discrete components is pretty much what I call plug and play connecting a few timers together. Using a uC will require you to apply some programming.

Other hardware will depend on your vacuum motor, things like size or more specific voltage and current. The pump will likely be turned On/Off with a motor starter and that will be based on the pump motor HP rating. All of that figures into cost. Some vacuum chambers rely on maintaining a constant manifold pressure. Pumping down when the pressure is below a certain point. Nice thing about a uC is besides timing it can also monitor vacuum pressure with the addition of a vacuum transducer.

All comes down to exactly what you want and price point. You make no mention of project budget?

Ron