Small exhaust fan modification

[Philipp Pap]

Luckily I have a separate switch to turn on just the laser.
I rewired to exhaust fan cable (after making sure of the correct voltage) to the laser input power connector (so I didn't have to solder) and now, voila, the exhaust fan only runs when switching on the laser power.
No need for a new, quiet fan or having to install an extra switch and the possibility to forget to turn it on.

What do you think, is this a bad idea?

[Gene Uselman]

When you start to cut you normally get a lot of smoke and I like to have airflow going to catch that, also my fan is on a 30sec delay to finish clearing the smoke [and smell]. So if it works for you... that is the important thing.

[Philipp Pap]

Are we both talking about the big rear exhaust fan?
How do you that automatically, especially the advanced airflow and the 30s second delay? I thought the "If Blowing"-option is just for the air assist. I really would like to have as little noise as necessary.
Right now my rear exhaust fan only runs if I switch the physically laser button on, before the modification it was alway on.

[Gene Uselman]

It is not automagic- I have a button on the top of the machine in the control panel that turns on the fan before I send the job and a delay that keeps it energized for 30 sec after I toggle the button off. And I understand the noise, my fan is 6" behind the port into my cabinet and really howls.
The 'wind' on and off function of the layers setup is indeed controlling the Air Assist while the cut is occurring.

[Jeffrey Aley]

On my laser, the exhaust fan is wired to the same switch that controls the High Voltage power supply. I think Philipp's modification makes his laser work the same way (mine came from the factory this way).

I do all the setup stuff with the HV supply (and exhaust fan) off. (The Ruida controller and steppers work off the low-voltage supply -- a different switch). Then I turn on the High-Voltage, run the job, and after the smells go away, I shut it off.