Current Draw, How Much

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:57 pm

Each time we have this discussion my concern grows for when I move and need to address the power issue again. In current shop I was lucky to have sufficient power available when I bought the 520. We intentionally intend to purchase an older home and I hate the thought of needing to upgrade the power. One more reason I pray the headstock and Motor become a reality. fjimp

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:56 pm

gutterman wrote: I do know that in the state of Washington, you can always use larger wire then required in any circuit. I.e., 12ga wire with a 15 amp breaker, and Ed in Tampa's idea of wiring with 10ga wire and a 15 amp breaker is also allowed. I can knot think of a single reason why that wood be a code violation any where. It might be difficult to get the 10ga wire secured to the receptacles though, and it is darn near impossible to use 10ga wire with those receptacles that you just slip the wire into the holes. But since that style of receptacle is knot intended (or built to handle) a 30amp circuit, they have done that on purpose.

I am prone to using quite a few of those surge protector plug in strips with a 15 amp breaker built in. That way I can make use of a smaller tool or portable lighting items plugged into a heavier circuit that was wired for a heavier stationary tool and still have it fused appropriately.
When I build a piece of electrical equipment I like to fuse the circuit again right at the tool or use a heater protected switch on the tool. That way I can fuse that tool as light as I possibly can and still plug it into a heavy circuit.
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As to those receptacles with the holes with the flimsy little spring clips to grip the wire I will "NEVER" use one of those again. Never... I once used a few of them and all of them failed eventually.
In the vacuum cleaner business one of the more common problems we fixed was on a few (actually quite expensive) models that used those silly clips on internal switches. The connection would get weak due to the TINY contact area involved and then it would begin to heat and the clip would lose its spring and the connection would fail completely. Of course the fact that many had too much motor running through up to 30 feet of #18 cord didn't help keep things cool either.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:38 am

robinson46176 wrote:...As to those receptacles with the holes with the flimsy little spring clips to grip the wire I will "NEVER" use one of those again. Never... I once used a few of them and all of them failed eventually.
In the vacuum cleaner business one of the more common problems we fixed was on a few (actually quite expensive) models that used those silly clips on internal switches. The connection would get weak due to the TINY contact area involved and then it would begin to heat and the clip would lose its spring and the connection would fail completely. Of course the fact that many had too much motor running through up to 30 feet of #18 cord didn't help keep things cool either.

18ga wire??? Isn't that just light weight speaker wire??? I do knot like those receptacles either: All of the ones that I installed in my house are the screw-in-the-side type (but then, all my wire is 12ga or bigger and there is knot one 15 amp breaker in the panel).