Power and plugs??

Re: Power and plugs??

john Lucas

>Russ

I used to unplug my Powermatic all the time but now I have to walk right past the circuit breakers so I just flip of the switch. That lathe is on a dedicated circuit. John

Re: Power and plugs??

JamieDonaldson

>Russ- the answer is obvious- we have to remember to do it!!

Re: Power and plugs?? *LINK*

Sean Troy

>I just use an on/off switch in line. Works fine. If I,m leaving for more than the day, I unplug the lathe. If it's storming, I unplug it. Being electronic, I couldn't see that it would be any good for the controller to be left on all the time. Sean


http://www.desertwoodturningroundup.com

Re: Power and plugs??

Arch

>Power and plugs can be a potential risk that some might not realize or might forget. These days there are so many powered devices in our shops that we often have to add circuits and outlets or run extension cords from other rooms. If the hot wires are powered from opposite legs of the panel there will be 220 volts, not 110 volts, between them. Many devices such as cheap radios,lamps, pencil sharpeners etc. have two pronged plugs and barely adequate 110 Volt insulation. Remember this when plugging marginal devices into extensions or added circuits that are near each other.

Turn to Safety, Arch

Re: Power and plugs??

Bill Howatt

>Well, its 6 of one, half a dozen of the other in this case. If you had said, being Mechanical, I couldn't see that it would be any good for the controller to be left on all the time, I would agree with you. However, I don't believe in needless power cycling for electronics since the parts get thermal cycles and start-up surges. Admittedly, shutting it off at the end of the day isn't exactly over doing it.

The Altivar (Square-D) inverter in my General is an industrial piece of equipment and is made to be running continuously. Also, it goes into an idle mode when the lathe is stopped so it really isn't working hard when the lathe isn't turning.

Do you run around unplugging your TVs, stereos,computers at the end of the day? They are all partially powered up ready for you to turn them on with the remote or the press of a keyboard button.

Unplug when storms likely - sure!

Bill

I Agree 100%

Barbara Gill, Remlik VA

>One of the questions I asked when I got my Oneway was about lightening jumping the open circuit breaker. I was told that with a direct hit to the line it as possible. That was enough for me as it s not at all unusual for lightening to come into a structure via the electric line around here. As for unplugging only when a storm threatens that too is not a cut and dry situation. Week before last during the ice/snow/sleet storm we had an electrical storm. It is a matter of habit; turn off lights, open circuit breaker, unplug lathe.

Ever since Ellis had his shop fire I try to keep my circuit breaker boxes blown out. I also keep all other boxes in the shop open unless I will be using the equipment.

I do it all the time!

Dominic Greco at home in Richboro, PA

>Russ,

I see nothing wrong with pulling the my lathe's plug (or ANY shop tool) out of the wall socket when I leave the shop! I do it all the time.

Besides the obvious safety reasons, I guess I am just being careful to throughly isolate my lathe's variable speed drive from ANY chance of it getting zapped by a surge.

And yes, I do have it plugged into a surge suppressor. But I have seen computers get fried by a lightening strike, and THEY had were plugged into surge suppressors.

See ya around,

Dominic