Can I convert my headstock to 220VAC?

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:32 pm

Frankly I believe if a house is wired in such a way that plugging a UL approved device into a circuit blows a fuse (trips a breaker) your severely under powered and that should be corrected.

In a normal house lights, tv and such draw so little amperage that a circuit should be able to handle a sudden surge caused by turning on a Shopsmith. The lights may dim (an indication that you need to start thinking about an electrical update) but not a big problem. However if turning on the Shopsmith started tripping breakers you have problems. Yes I understand bogging the tools down is a different matter, that is why I'm only talking about starting it up now.

When we consider the number of house fires caused by circuit overloads I think a blown breaker should trigger a call to the local electrian not a search for a circumvention around it by changing to 220. I had a house destroyed by fire, caused by a furnance that I should have had inspected yearly. I now know I would rather spend a couple thousand now than 10's of thousands later.

That said I do believe the Shopsmith is much much happier being on it own 110 circuit! I also think it is a lot happier with a 12 gauge line cord.
Ed

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:57 pm

Hi Chris,
I would check before trying this idea:

georgebevan wrote:Chris,

You can't convert your existing motor, but you can either change the motor to a 230VAC or buy an European headstock as over here we run 230VAC.

Not sure what amperage it is (230VAC) but it's rated at 2hp

Hope that helps

George, ShopSmith owner in the UK

The US version of the motor runs on 60hz where as I believe that the European electrical supply is 50hz. That would not be compatible.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:04 pm

georgebevan wrote:Chris,

You can't convert your existing motor, but you can either change the motor to a 230VAC or buy an European headstock as over here we run 230VAC.

Not sure what amperage it is (230VAC) but it's rated at 2hp

Hope that helps

George, ShopSmith owner in the UK

Hi George,
Thanks for joining the forum! I am thinking that, while your idea has merit, the European supply of electricity runs at 50hz. Am I wrong?

Our US power is delivered at 60hz.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:11 am

Ignoring the compatibility issue of 50 Hz vs. 60 Hz, I am very surprised to see the European version advertised at 2 HP. If you could really get 2 HP out of the same size motor I would think Shopsmith would have offered one in the US at least as an upgrade. This would address the people who complain the Shopsmith is underpowered, I am not one of them.

chrispitude · Post by **chrispitude** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:37 am

Hi Tim,

Good point. I checked and the motor is the same for 50/60Hz. Here is the parts page:

MARK V Models 500/510/520 Headstock Assembly

The motor parts are listed as:

513964 Motor Assembly, 60 hz, 120 Volt (incl. 121, 122-124) $333.74
513968 Motor Assembly, 50/60 hz, 240 Volt (incl. 121A-124) $367.18

- Chris

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:34 am

paulmcohen wrote:Ignoring the compatibility issue of 50 Hz vs. 60 Hz, I am very surprised to see the European version advertised at 2 HP. If you could really get 2 HP out of the same size motor I would think Shopsmith would have offered one in the US at least as an upgrade. This would address the people who complain the Shopsmith is underpowered, I am not one of them.

http://users.goldengate.net/~kbrady/motors.pdf

I guess it depends on what you mean when you say it produces 2hp.

solicitr · Post by **solicitr** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:32 am

Horsepower ratings are usually concocted from horsefeathers. Amps is amps (halve or double for 110 v. 220).

Cycle frequenccy (50 vs 60) is not a problem, except that for any given speed setting the spindle will turn 17% slower at 50 hz. The manual actually has a conversion chart for 50 hz operation. It doesn't hurt a thing.

james.miller · Post by **james.miller** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:19 am

If I remember correctly from many years ago, a motor built for 50 Hz could run on 60 Hz but would run 20% faster. A 60 Hz motor running on 50 Hz would overheat and burn up because it wasn't designed to dissipate the heat.

Do we have any electric motor people out there that can tell me if I am remembering this correctly.

120 vs 240, the 240v motor will run cooler because it draws less amps and the SS shouldn't have any problems starting at a higher speed with tripping the breaker even when it is cold in the winter. The last time I looked at my local home center the smallest 240 breaker was 20 A.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:55 am

chrispitude wrote:Hi Tim,

Good point. I checked and the motor is the same for 50/60Hz. Here is the parts page:

MARK V Models 500/510/520 Headstock Assembly

The motor parts are listed as:

513964 Motor Assembly, 60 hz, 120 Volt (incl. 121, 122-124) $333.74
513968 Motor Assembly, 50/60 hz, 240 Volt (incl. 121A-124) $367.18

- Chris

Hi Chris,
That is good. Then, you have that as an option.

bigjohn1 · Post by **bigjohn1** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:30 am

reible wrote:Hi,

I guess I'm wondering why one would want to go to 220 motor?

From what I've read here I see no compelling reason for a change except change.

You get no more power from a 220 setup, and you loose the ability to use it almost everywhere. My shopsmith has moved between two homes with me and has been sent off on some missions to friends houses along with me to operate it. At this point I have two machines so 2 of my 3 kids will be getting one (have to see about a third one I guess) and when they get them I feel it will be much easier for them the way they are.

So what am I missing??

Ed

Well I would think it's not a bad Idea because your power cost to run at 220 should be a lot cheaper then 110 not sure how long it would take to make up 300 and change for the change.