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Laser on a miter saw

Jasons34

Mar 15, 2013
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Mar 15, 2013
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Hello. This doesnt concern actual chipboards but rather rewiring electrical work. I just bought a miter saw that has a laser guide thats only activated when you pull the trigger to start the saw and I want to redo it so I use a rocker switch to power the laser instead. Here is how the saw is factory wired up. Theres 3 wires coming into the saw from the power cord. The black wire (hot) a white wire (nutrual) and a green wire (ground). The black power wire runs to the trigger switch. Out of the trigger switch are 2 wires. One wire (same awg as black wire going into switch) goes to the motor itself. The other black wire which is much smaller is awg goes to a little box (looks like something to reduce power output as thats what it says on the sticker). Out of the other end of that box are 2 wires that go to the laser itself. Red and black. Im assuming red would be the hot wire and black would be the nutral. There is another black wire that comes out of that box which splices into the nutral (white wires) coming from the power cord and the motor. What I was thinking is if I remove the small awg wire from the trigger switch and solder that to a rocker switch and then on the other end of that rocker switch I run a wire and splice that into the power wire that goes from the power cord to the trigger switch..... that would work. The box says 110-120 ac ouput: 3v 30ma so im guessing thats just a reducer.
 

john monks

Mar 9, 2012
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Mar 9, 2012
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I see nothing wrong with your logic.
Just to be sure it would be good to have a make and model of your miter saw so I could check this out more throughly. Another thing to consider is the life expectancy of your laser. Red lasers don't seem to last as long as other lasers and this may be why the manufacturer did what they did.
 

Jasons34

Mar 15, 2013
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Mar 15, 2013
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Oh I dont care how long the laser works because I will only need it when I need to follow a line mostly miter cuts. The brand really doesnt matter because its a saw I got from Harbor Freight. At work we have Hitachi miter saws that have a rocker switch on the side you simply turn on when you need to use it. With mine I just hate the fact the trigger activates the laser which is extremly annoying when you have a line on your board you need to follow.
 

john monks

Mar 9, 2012
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I see nothing wrong with what you intend to do. But I do wonder where the fuse is and if you are circumventing it. There is probably a separate fuse inside the laser box or mechanism. If your worried about that you might install a 1/4 amp fuse in series with the laser circuit.
 

Jasons34

Mar 15, 2013
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Mar 15, 2013
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I know it sounds complicated the way I am saying it but maybe this will clear it up. The power wire goes from the cord to the trigger. From the trigger there are 2 wires. One wire goes to the motor. The other smaller wire goes to that chip box. The laser itself has 2 wires coming from it that go to that chip box. There is also another thin black wire that goes from the chip box and splices into the white wire that comes from the motor and from the power cord. Those white wires would be the "common" nutral wires. So basically all I want to do is remove that tiny black wire from the trigger switch and instead run it to a rocker switch. The other end of the rocker switch I would splice into the power power (cord to trigger). I wouldnt touch the chip box at all and wouldnt alter anything. All I would be doing is using a rocker switch instead of the trigger to power the laser. Another question. Would a toggle thats rated for 16 amps at 125 volts AC work for this?
 

john monks

Mar 9, 2012
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Yes. That is the way I understood it. I don't see any problem with what you intend to do. All as I see is that you want a separate switch for the box. Don't see any problem with that.
 

Jasons34

Mar 15, 2013
4
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Mar 15, 2013
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And a rocker switch rated for 16 amps at 125 ac will work. I would think so since the saw is rated 15 amps at 120 volts ac.
 

john monks

Mar 9, 2012
685
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Mar 9, 2012
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Yes and whatever the current required by the laser circuitry its going to be much less than the total current draw of the miter saw. It's probably around 50ma (0.05amperes).
 
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