Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Tablesaw Power ?
Gilbert
>I'm looking into purchasing a new cabinet saw. I'm going from a craftsman to a Unisaw or Steel City - I think. I see the unisaws come with a 3HP or 5HP motor? Is it worth bumping up to the 5 HP for the cost?
I'm very ignorant when it comes to electric issues. Do the 3HP & 5HP both run on 110 or is 220 required? If 220 is req'd - How do I verify I have enough service available?
Also, any thought/opinions on cabinet saws is appreciated.
Thanks
Re: Tablesaw Power ?
Kent in Emmaus, PA
>Gilbert, both saws require 240V power: usually a 240V/20A circuit for 3 HP or a 240V/30A circuit for 5 HP.
Re: Tablesaw Power ?
Gilbert
>Thanks - Does that mean they both are 220 plug (like the clothes dryer?)
Re: Tablesaw Power ?
Barry Irby
>And just "How High is UP?"
What motor is on your Craftsman saw now? Has that been powerful enough for you? Or nearly so? If it is a 1 or 1 1/2hp, wouldn't doubling or tripling to 3 likely be enough? I have a 2 on my contrators saw and do general handyman stuff, build the occasional deck, and build some furniture and have never had "issues" with the 2Hp. If you are going to rip three inch stock day in and day out, you might want the 5, but the 3 will do it for fifty or a hundred feet without much complaint.
I believe 3's and 5's come wired for 220 (or 240).
Telling if you have enough power available is considerably more complex. Do you have a breaker panel or fuses? Are there any blanks left in the cover or unused fuses? If so, its encouraging, but not totally the answer. You really need an electrician to look it over and tell you the answer. (How many total amps do you have, verses how many things are drawing on the system?) What is your saw running on now? That may give you at least half of what you need. Since I work alone in my shop 95% of the time and seldom run more than one tool and the DC, I almost never use over aobut Thirty or maybe forty amps. As I move from tool to tool, its the same AMPS. They don't really add up even thought my shop may have 80 or a 100 amps worth of breakers in the panel. So, the chances are that you can make your present panel work.
For years I ran my TS on the same breaker the dryer used. Just had to be carefull not to run both at the same time. And if I did, the breaker tripped. A PITA, but not dangerous. (Unless you leave a wet load of clothes in the dryer, they mildew, and SWMBO beats you within an inch of your life with them.)
Even if you don't have Blanks in your panel, you can replace a 240 breaker with a double or "mini" breaker and wire in the TS on that. So the limiting factor is really how many amps you have verses how many you are using.
Re: Tablesaw Power ?
bill tindall, E. TN.
>I have a 1.5 HP on a Unisaw and unless I am ripping 8/4 oak or maple it works as well as any other, and I have ripped a good bit of even these materials over the years. If you aren't going to be ripping thick lumber regularly buy the smallest motor that comes on it.
220 plug
Johanna
>Generally, you need to purchase a plug that matches your receptacle. To the best of my knowledge, 220 machines do not come with plugs for exactly that reason.
3HP Unisaw comes with plug
Hoa Dinh in Alameda
>Don't know about 5 HP Unisaw, but my 3 HP Unisaw came with a 240V/20A plug.
My Grizzly G1029 dust collector came prewired 240V, but no plug.
-- Hoa
Re: 3HP Unisaw comes with plug
Glenn Madsen near San Francisco
>but it didn't match the one I'd had installed on the wall. So I went to the hardware store, and we got the pieces, and made up a heckastrong extension cord, which I was going to need anyway.
The plug for your dryer will be different anyhow. These are very minor roadblocks to getting a new-to-you saw. Enjoy!!
Re: Tablesaw Power ?
Dave Bonde - Iowa
>I have a 3hp Powermatic, have never needed or wanted a 5hp. Dave
Re: Tablesaw Power ?
Bruce Wrenn
>I have one of the 1 1/2 hp uni's that runs on either 110, or 220. When you run the numbers for the 220 side (amps X volts/ 746), it is closer to 3 hp. Seems that Delta down rated the 110, so it could plug into a 110 recpt. My Delta contractor's saw has a 2 hp motor that I run on a twenty amp 110 circuit. Name plate says it draws 19.8 amps, but that is at MAXIMUN LOAD, which is very seldom. Probably kicked breaker five times in last four years. Probably the only shop machine that comes close to needing stated hp is air compressor at start up. It is the only machine that starts under a load.
Technically speaking…
Rod Peterson -- Ormond Beach
>…it more probably has a 240V/15A plug. At least if it's like my 3HP Uni. For 240V, two horizontal blades for the hots is 15A—two hot blades perpendicular to each other is a 20A. The chart below illustrates that:
Rod