The faceplate reads a clear "13.5 Amps."
Both the Kill-A-Watt (reluctantly) and a clamp-on ammeter show about 18-18.6 amps being drawn.
Interestingly, the clamp-on shows 18.5 amps on one wire and 16 on the other. The difference must be in heat. Or condensation.
How does your actual utility voltage compare to the motor's nameplate voltage?
I don't believe the 13 amps either with no load. That 13 amps is at it's rated horsepower load.
Aren't those found in Alaska?
Not necessarily. Some type of motors still draw lot of current with little or no load. What changes is the power factor. They aren't using much power because the current isn't in phase with the voltage. In other words, they look like a big inductor rather than a resistor. The power company hates these types of loads because there are still losses (heat) in their lines due to the high current going through imperfect wires, but the customer isn't paying much due to their meter not showing much real power being used.
Cannot be. What flows in the one wire MUST flow in the other unless you have a SERIOUS ground fault.
With the clamp-on meters, it is important to center the wire within the "jaws" when taking readings. That might explain the 12% difference between the in and out wires.
In any case it needs to be resolved.
What is the current on the ground wire?
*I was wondering the same thing. It sounds as though there is leakage to ground.
You've not ever said what the motor is doing. A typical squirrel cage blower and its motor will run way over rated amps and burn the motor up. The normal process is to get it running and restrict the intake air until the amp draw is within spec. The blower wheels are normally in a housing that does this, the issue comes up if you try to run the blower out of its normal housing.
I didn't see the 15A limit on my Kilowatt. I put it on my compressor motor and it started at about 16 amps when I turned it on, and went up to 19 amps just before shutting off when it reached full pressure, about 120psi. The Kilowatt seems ok for having been overloaded.
Limits: Max voltage 125VAC Max amps 15 A Max power 1875 VA
Most likely that's the rating for continuous duty. Mine was only on for maybe 3 or 4 minutes.
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