Dust collector power question

[TD]

I got a steal (maybe) on a Jet dust collector. The tag says it draws 23 amps, which I assume is the peak amperagw on start up. I have a new 30 amp circuit in the shop. It's popping the 30 amp fuse each time I try to start her up. Any ideas? I need to get my $2/BF 4/4 clear walnut (minor gloat) cleaned up and the planer is spitting shavings all over the shop, some of which I managed to track across SWMBO's rug. Not pleased with me, is she. She fails to see the value in me spending six of what we used to call boat units on this set up when I could buy perfectly good finished stock at the lumber yard.

Larry

[Jay Pique]

Do you have anything else running on that circuit - like the planer?

JP

[Martin H. Eastburn]

How good is the circuit ?

Is the cable going to the collector dropping voltage - making the collector draw more to get it on ?

Might be wire size.

[e-mail] wrote:

[Lew Hodgett]

Think INRUSH.

23A on a nameplate would indicate FLA, not PEAK.

My guess you are going to need a 50A service to handle the inrush problem.

Lew

TEMPORARILY,

[dpb]

What voltage? 23A @ 120V would be something otoh 2 hp so I'm guessing that's it. Running a 240V circuit would probably be cheaper than a time delay relay if it is simply the starting surge.

Of course, as someone else noted, you got anything else on that circuit? And it's run w/ 10ga, right?

--

[Leon]

I seriousely doubt the tag is indicating peek. That is probably indicating normal draw and starting up is going to be considerably more.

23 amp is pretty high, how big is the motor?

[TD]

Nothing else running on the circuit. It's 10 wire. I know just enough about electricity to know not to stick my fingers in the socket. So ... can I swap use the #10 wire and up the circuit to 50 amps or do I need to run #8?

[Lew Hodgett]

You need #6AWG for a 50A service.

Do your self a favor and post the following name plate data from the motor as follows:

Volts:_____________

Amps:_____________

Life may not be all that difficult.

Lew

[TD]

Here's all the data from the plate, Lew:

Here's all the data from the motor plate, Lew.

Volts: 115/230 Amps: 23/15

2 hp 1 ph 3450 RPM 2 pole 60 cycle

Any ideas will be appreciated.

Lew Hodgett wrote:

[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ...

...

...

As I suspected, it's 2hp dual-voltage motor--convert the circuit to 230V and rewire the motor connections for 230V and you'll halve the current draw.

--

[Allen98]

Is the motor jamming up? It may have a large chip in the impeller stopping it from turning...that would cause it to overload your cb. If the impeller is turning it should suck air. Does it start sucking air right away? If not unplug it and take it apart to check for obstruction near or within the impeller assebly.

[TD]

It sucks for a few seconds on start up, then pops the fuse. The top bag fills up with air.

[Lew Hodgett]

Bingo,

This is a classic case where you want to operate at 240V.

Reconnect the motor to operate at 240V.

Pull a 2P-30A service from your service panel and you are good to go.

Ain't life grand?

Have fuin.

Lew

[DanG]

Contact your electrician or electrical supply house. You need a "slow blow" fuse to get everything up and running. The newer SquareD breakers wouldn't run in my shop - the electrician changed them all out in the panel. No problems.

[Jim Weisgram]

[...snip...]

I'd suggest putting a 240V 30A type plug on your DC and matching socket on that circuit as well. In the future, you don't want someone plugging in a 120V device to that outlet.

[charlieb]

746 watts per horsepower volts x amps = watts

[BillyBob]

Don't forget this is AC, not DC (arghh - electrical threads and harangues emerging) - For ac, its volts x amps x power factor.

Bob

[BillyBob]

Not only a good idea, but required by code.

[BillyBob]

You could run an experiment to find out if its startup (temporary peak current) that's popping the breaker, or its the normal load that is doing it.

A dust collector is a centrifugal device. The amount of load (aka current) is dependent on the amount of air its moving. If you completely close the blast gate(s) in your DC system, the only air that will move is small (leaks in the system) and should pose minimum load on the motor.

Close the blast gates and start the dust collector and let it run. If it continues running, then gradually slide open the blast gate to your planer. If it continues running after a few seconds, then its the startup current that's popping the breaker and changing to a different characteristic breaker will fix the problem. You won't need to increase your wire size or change to 220v service.

Having said all that, I am with the others and recommend changing to

220v service. Your DC motor will start faster and last longer running on 220v.

Bob

[Tom Veatch]

You got the DC used. It's a 120/240 dual voltage motor. Is it setup for 120v or 240v? Is your new 30amp circuit 240 or 120. 120v/30a circuits are not particularly common so I'm guessing that it's 240v. If your DC is setup for 120 and you're plugging it into 240, that might be your problem.

If you got it used, don't go by what kind of plug is on the power cord. Who knows what kind of games the previous owner might have played. Open the motor's J-box (unplug it first, of course), compare the wiring diagram on the motor to the way it's actually wired and insure that it's connected for low voltage if your circuit is 120 and for high voltage if your circuit is 240.

The motor should run perfectly well on a 30 amp circuit, even at 120v, if the motor is set up to match the voltage being supplied. A properly functioning 30 amp breaker will not trip from the startup surge from a

23 amp motor unless the motor is mechanically prevented from starting or the motor is defective. A 50 amp circuit is definitely not required.

Tom Veatch Wichita, KS USA