Workshop Kill Switch

[Garagewood]

Hi, new to the forum and I had a question. I've been looking around and I can't seem to find this type of switch anywhere. I was watching a New Yankee Workshop on Youtube and saw Norm building a new garage workshop on one wall. He had his electrician install a kill switch that was controlled by a key.

I am starting to plan out my shop and I think this would be a great addition to have in my garage. So my question is, are there any recommendations for models, and 2nd, are there better options as this video is probably 15+ years old.

 

[dogdog]

from your video, at 2:17 seconds you can clearly see the company that manufacture the unit maybe you can all them up "http://www.gallantelectric.com/". As far as the switch it looks like a regular "110V keyed switch" google it, the big box up there probably 1 or 2 of those 3 phase contactor/relay/motor starter. Each leg you can use it to control 1 branch circuits. so if you put 2 contactor you can control 6 branch circuits. @ 02:56 of that video you can hear the relay/contactor clicks when he switch it on/off.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Alan Gallant is the name of the electrical contractor they use a lot on This Old House. It doesn't look like a commercially built device, it appears he simply put a big contactor in a box that's controlled by a key switch.

 

[Mustang51js]

Just wire up a disconnect and put a small lock on it. Or a breaker lock out

 

[LS6 Tommy]

If you want a keyed or push button kill switch, you need to have it wired to the coil on a contactor that breaks the feed to a separate subpanel for the equipment in your shop. That way the lighting stays on but the equipment is "dead" when you hit the button/turn the key "off".

Tommy

 

[gasaxeman]

To work properly you would need a contactor with a large enough amperage rating to handle the load. Rest of wiring is pretty easy.
Most high school shops had a similar system so that a panic button could shut down all power to all machines.
I have one hanging on my wall as a display Item.
300 amp ASCO latching contactor we removed from a school shop when they turned into computer lab.

 

[dogdog]

you can always get a manual disconnect with a high enough amp rating and a pad lockable. and an extra fuse panel just for the plugs. So this will satisfy "Keyed"

One down side of having a contactor is that the coils gets energized constantly while it is on, if you left it on it still gets energized 24/7 still uses electricity. if they burned out, better learn to jumper them or find replacement fast....All dependents on how fancy you want it to be. But then I wouldn't worry about unauthorized use of my equipment if some one got into my shop. I would worry more about they clean out the tools and equipments. Sorry don't see the scenario that I would needed that unless you are sharing work space with some one that you trust not to take your tools but not Fiend enough to let him use your tools. If it is your kids, show them who is boss , put some discipline in them.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

One down side of having a contactor is that the coils gets energized constantly while it is on, if you left it on it still gets energized 24/7 still uses electricity.

If you're worried about the amp or two the coil consumes, you can use a latching contactor or there are normally closed contractors. With them the coil only gets energized when you hit the emergency button.

Tommy

 

[n8n]

another possibility, could you use an EPO switch to a shunt trip breaker feeding a subpanel that controls all the stuff that you want to shut down? Nice thing about that setup is you could keep lighting live but kill all the tools.

That assumes of course that you can get a shunt trip breaker for your existing panel. Common for commercial stuff but don't know how readily available they are for standard 1" breakers or QO.

 

[Gokart]

Shunt Trip breakers are available in the QO line, they just require an extra pole space for the shunt trip

 

[dogdog]

Yea Latching contactors nice. yes every amp counts here, they charge you by the Kilowatts hour usages then charge you for carrier usage for the kilowatt hour, then on top of that taxes you up the wazioo for having electricity, fine for corporate, you can always tax it off, but not for joe doe with a shop. Instead of the plain o keyed switch, would be even better if some one can find a finger print , retina scan, and listen to my command module. When I say compooter turn on da lights. it will turn on or burn the eye, chops off finger if all verification fails.

 

[Norcal]

My shop has 2 panels inside, 1 is lighting & such & the other is shop power so all the machines can be shut down & do not have to worry about the air compressor starting at 2 AM, the panel for the shop power has a backfed main kill power & the door has a keyed lock if wished to use it.



The main breaker is on the lower right, the breakers are bolt-on so no breaker retainer is required like it is for plug-in style breakers that are backfed.



Panel with all trim in place.

Here is a photo w/ a Allen-Bradley key operated switch, but I suspect one would shudder at the price of it & the contact block from a A-B distributer, plus a contactor too, all would be mighty expensive.



All brands of loadcenters offer a lock for the door as a accessory, that would be the cheapest way to block access to the panel, you will not find it at a big box store but a decent electrical supply house could get it.

 

[sands35]

I have to ask: Why? (might be a cool project - not like I haven't done something like that just 'cause it's cool)

Fire hazard? (NEC code book)

Kids playing with tools? (lock the door - stuff like table saw blades should be fully retracted when not in use, hand tools unplugged and put away without bits or blades, etc.)

Theft of electrical power? (lock the door, perhaps switch the outside outlets - or just throw the breaker or trip the GFCI [if inside mounted])

Killing power to the garage? I like my garage above freezing in the winter. I guess there are a few vampires in there (wall warts for battery chargers, etc.), but they draw milli-amps when not in use. I have plans to put a NAS backup hard-drive in there (physically separate from house).

I dunno - there are blade disconnect switches with padlock keyholes on them if you must.

 

[Garagewood]

I have to ask: Why? (might be a cool project - not like I haven't done something like that just 'cause it's cool)

Fire hazard? (NEC code book)

Kids playing with tools? (lock the door - stuff like table saw blades should be fully retracted when not in use, hand tools unplugged and put away without bits or blades, etc.)

Theft of electrical power? (lock the door, perhaps switch the outside outlets - or just throw the breaker or trip the GFCI [if inside mounted])

Killing power to the garage? I like my garage above freezing in the winter. I guess there are a few vampires in there (wall warts for battery chargers, etc.), but they draw milli-amps when not in use. I have plans to put a NAS backup hard-drive in there (physically separate from house).

I dunno - there are blade disconnect switches with padlock keyholes on them if you must.

Mostly for kids playing with the tools. I was wanting to be able to keep everything safe. Granted my kids are still young, but I want to plan ahead.

It doesn't need to be keyed, I really just want an easy way to shut off power to the tools when not in use. A locked button or switch would be fine as well.

 

[sands35]

Ah - makes sense now.

Suggest a key on the breaker box. Then separate or consolidate the breakers you want to turn off from the rest so they are easy to find and you can turn them off all in one go.

If you want a "project" you could put the circuits you want to kill in a subpanel so you only need to throw one switch.

Then teach your kids they aren't to go into the garage or touch anything without Dad's permission or there will be hell to pay. (my kids are 7 and 9).

 

[MBfreak]

Hi.

Live in a country where even a modest house has three phase 400 V , 231 Volts singlephase infeed.

I have wired my garage with a separate 3ph GFCI and one phase goes to lighting and two to various outlets.

The single 3ph outlet is on a separate feed and gets used once in a blue moon for a cement mixer or a ESAB 180 TIG.

The feed from the main panel to the garage subpanel goes thru a contactor which has a self hold circuit.
Push ON and all is energized.
Push OFF and all save for the threephase separately fed outlet all goes off.

Power here is stable but there are occasional glitches/dips maybe every second year.

If the voltage (duration of the glitch is below 160 V and longer than 40 ms the contactor will drop out. No machines etc will start by themselves when power comes back, I have to push the ON button .

Best regards,

Ola

 

[gasaxeman]

Wish we had 3 phase in USA for residential services.


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[Milton Shaw]

Look for a lighting relay. They have 120 volt coil to engage and are like 12 -15 poles for separate circuits. That type should cover any number of tools. One switch to engage and power off all the circuits open up. Key switch to activate it and you are done.

 

[gasaxeman]

This would work

 

[RPH]

90 amp contactor from grainger will run about $1300.00.
270 amp $6600.00.
Little rich for estop/ disconnect.

 

[Norcal]

Look for a lighting relay. They have 120 volt coil to engage and are like 12 -15 poles for separate circuits. That type should cover any number of tools. One switch to engage and power off all the circuits open up. Key switch to activate it and you are done.

Lighting contactors are expensive, a simple lock on the panel would be a cheap & effective solution.

 

[Garagewood]

I think a lock on the panel is probably the solution I'll go with.

Thanks everybody for the great responses!

 

[Charles_Las Vegas]

Shunt trip main breaker controlled by the switch, in my opinion not needed.


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[LS6 Tommy]

This would work

It would, if you could still get them...

Tommy

 

[sberry]

I like the scheme Norcal cooked up. Its cheap and simple but there is a difference betweern Norcal and Norm and the gang and you,,,, they can. In your case use a panel with enough spaces and shut a few breakers off if its a deal or unplug.

Its neat to see the difference in answers when the question is worded different. How do I do this is different than whats likely the practical thing for you.

 

[sberry]

I should hire Norcal to finish my boxes which resemble spaghetti in a blender. I should charge the extra wire rent.