# Bought a Jet 20 inch 1.5HP Drill Press -Electrical Help Please.



## Janderso (Nov 19, 2019)

I sold the shaper (traded actually) now I have room for a drill press.
Question for you electricians.
This is 115/230V motor. The max load is 18/9.
I have 240 access within 36" of the final location.
What advantages are there in wiring it 220? 230?
18 amps is a big load on a 115 circuit. It's a 20 amp outlet.
More torque? More efficient if I wire it with the higher voltage?
I am taking it to the shop with 2 other guys tomorrow. It's awkward to move.
Thanks guys.


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## benmychree (Nov 19, 2019)

The only advantage to high volts is you can use smaller wire and lesser rated switches.  There would be no difference in torque/horsepower.  Probably best to use high volts with a motor of that horsepower.  That guard around the chuck is pretty laughable!


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## Bi11Hudson (Nov 19, 2019)

benmychree said:


> The only advantage to high volts is you can use smaller wire and lesser rated switches.  There would be no difference in torque/horsepower.  Probably best to use high volts with a motor of that horsepower.



*Agreed*. 

If you were really concerned about circuit loading, the NEC calls for a max of 80%. On a 20 amp circuit, that's 16 amps max. So you would need a 30 amp 120 volt circuit, a PITA. Best to go with the 240 volt version. You will need to break both lines with the ON/OFF switch. But otherwise, no change and a decidedly lower current that will operate well on a 15 amp circuit.

.


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## Cadillac (Nov 19, 2019)

Higher volts less amperage. If you have a 240 box near with room it would be better for you.


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## Janderso (Nov 19, 2019)

Great,
Thanks guys.


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## gr8legs (Nov 19, 2019)

I may be the outlier on this issue but I usually run out of breakers in the panel before I run out of devices to connect. 

Your 1.5 HP drill press will draw that 18 amps on 120 volts at full load - most drill operation will be in the range of idling to half-power and there's plenty of capacity on a 20A 120 volt circuit.

My method is to run a 'shop plugs' circuit or two around the perimeter to the places where a drill press, hacksaw or whatever is located. Maybe 3 or 4 (or more)  outlets per circuit. 

I'm the only one in the shop, so it's pretty unlikely that two or more devices on a circuit will be in use simultaneously. Plenty of reserve capacity on the circuit.

If you really want to 'gild the lily' you can run a 240 volt 3- wire (plus ground) circuit and put in a mix of 120 and 240 outlets - the caveat is that the breaker feeding the circuit must be a 2-pole, common trip. That arrangement lets you plug in either 120 or 240 volt devices as needed.

YMMV

Stu

"Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it. "


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## Janderso (Nov 20, 2019)

Very true about one machine at a time.
My son, the electrician warned me about capacity when we were wiring the shop.
I had to remind him, It’s only me buddy.


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## projectnut (Nov 20, 2019)

Janderso said:


> Very true about one machine at a time.
> My son, the electrician warned me about capacity when we were wiring the shop.
> I had to remind him, It’s only me buddy.



You may be the only person in the shop, but that doesn't necessarily mean there will only be one machine running at a time.  Often times I set up something in a saw or the shaper while running one of the mills or one of the lathes.  The saws and shaper shut off automatically so there's no need to monitor them.

All the machines in my shop that can run on 220 are wired to do so.  I'm not sure it impacts the electric bill very much, but it does allow running multiple machines at one time without worrying about overloading anything.  Last year during a remodeling project we had a dedicated 100 amp sub panel installed for the shop.  There are currently 5-20 amp 220 volt circuits, and 1-50 amp 220 volt circuit running machinery.

The main purpose of installing the dedicated panel was so I could wire up the 15 hp rotary phase converter.  Somehow that doesn't look like it's going to happen in the near future.  All the 3 phase machines (4 so far) seem to be doing just fine on the static converters.  I realize they can only run at about 2/3 their rated power, but in the 20 years some have been in the shop there's never been a time when they were worked so hard they either overheated, or didn't have the power to do the job.


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## matthewsx (Nov 20, 2019)

I guess if I already had a 120v plug near the location I would try that before changing it. Since you have a mill it's likely any really heavy drilling would be with that so unlikely to trip the 20 amp breaker. 

1ohn


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## Janderso (Nov 20, 2019)

projectnut said:


> All the machines in my shop that can run on 220 are wired to do so. I'm not sure it impacts the electric bill very much, but it does allow running multiple machines at one time without worrying about overloading anything. Last year during a remodeling project we had a dedicated 100 amp sub panel installed for the shop. There are currently 5-20 amp 220 volt circuits, and 1-50 amp 220 volt circuit running machinery.


projectnut,
Sounds like you have your machine tools set up ready to work when needed.
That's my goal in the end. To be able to step up to a machine and hit the go button without having to deal with rigging an extension cord or unplugging one to plug in another.
Even though it's just me and I'm not in any hurry, I know what I like.

The drill press is going next to the mill, if I have a large piece I can set the tables at the same height if needed for support or work holding.
I miss having a drill press, I've been using the mill. Yeah, it does the job, but a drill press is just easier and quicker to get the job done.

Shhh, I'm telling my wife I am doing some horse trading to pay for it. We kind of made an agreement we were done buying stuff, after the fire. 
Just this last piece, wink.


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## Janderso (Nov 20, 2019)

gr8legs said:


> 'gild the lily'


Never heard that one.


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## Bi11Hudson (Nov 20, 2019)

A sore subject to bring up, but for a home shop and type of tool it *would* matter. With the line adjusted for 120 volts, you would be exceeding the breaker capacity under a heavy load. Not all the time, but often enough to possibly cause problems. 
Further, the inrush current (startup) will be several times the rated full load amps. (FLA) This only occurs for a second or so at startup, but for repetitive startups, the heating effect on the breaker is additive, causing nuisence trips. A consideration~~~

.


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## markba633csi (Nov 20, 2019)

Agree.  240v for that bad boy Jeff, but you could use it on 120v for the time being
Mark


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## projectnut (Nov 20, 2019)

Janderso said:


> projectnut,
> Sounds like you have your machine tools set up ready to work when needed.
> That's my goal in the end. To be able to step up to a machine and hit the go button without having to deal with rigging an extension cord or unplugging one to plug in another.
> Even though it's just me and I'm not in any hurry, I know what I like.
> ...



When I first started setting up the shop I hard wired in a mill and a lathe.  It didn't take long to see that wasn't the best idea.  The shop has gone from 2 machines to just under 2 dozen.  I've moved machines around more times than I can count.  

I finally decided the best coarse of action was to put a 10' to 15' flexible cord and plug on each machine, and attach outlets to the ceiling joists every 10'or so.  Now I can move the machines wherever I wish as long as the cord will reach an outlet.  In most cases the machines haven't needed to move for a while, so the outlet in the ceiling is only a couple feet away.  All machines are plugged in all the time.  I shut off the circuit breakers when not in the shop, and generally only turn on the circuits needed.  It is nice to just flip the switch to use the machines rather than drag a cord across the room.  Even nicer is that I'm not tripping over cords, and it's easy to sweep or vacuum the floor.


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## Bi11Hudson (Nov 20, 2019)

Food for thought;
Magnetic/Thermal circuit breakers degrade a very small amount each time they are operated and should not be regularly used as a switch.

.


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## Janderso (Nov 20, 2019)

Somewhere in the back of my brain the number 100 comes up for circuit breaker cycle life??
I could be talking out of my posterior here. Not uncommon in my case.


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## projectnut (Nov 20, 2019)

Bi11Hudson said:


> Food for thought;
> Magnetic/Thermal circuit breakers degrade a very small amount each time they are operated and should not be regularly used as a switch.
> 
> .





Janderso said:


> Somewhere in the back of my brain the number 100 comes up for circuit breaker cycle life??
> I could be talking out of my posterior here. Not uncommon in my case.



I can live with that.  The price of a couple breakers is well worth the peace of mind knowing there won't be any problems when I'm out of the shop.  The oldest machines date from the early 1900's, with a few in the 1940's and 50's.  There are some from the 60's 70's and 80's with the newest being about 15 years old.  All "appear" to be in good shape but I'm not willing to take the chance that a 75 year old motor will not fail at some point.

At the shop I worked in for nearly 20 years we shut off the machine breakers every night and locked the box.  The lights still worked, but no one could power up the machines.  Even though the building was separate from all others in the complex there was always the chance some bozo would get in and try to use the machines for a little "government work".  The last thing the boss wanted to see first thing in the morning was blood spattered walls and body parts laying on the floor from some guy who "thought" he knew how to operate the machines, and found out too late he didn't.


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## Janderso (Nov 20, 2019)

projectnut said:


> there was always the chance some bozo would get in and try to use the machines for a little "government work". The last thing the boss wanted to see first thing in the morning was blood spattered walls and body parts laying on the floor from some guy who "thought" he knew how to operate the machines, and found out too late he didn't.


That reminds me of the time I was hanging around on a Saturday at Dad's Ford dealership.
I worked Saturday's quite often cleaning up and washing cars etc.
When I got my permit I was more interested in testing out the trade-ins. I learned how to drive a stick this way.
I was messing with the welding equipment, started a greasy rag on fire, rather than stomping it out I decided to use an ABC dry powder extinguisher. You know what mess that made.
Oh, and the time I was giving my 1970 Ranchero an oil change and lube. I replaced the fitting on the oiler thinking it was grease, it pumped the remainder of a 55 gallon drum of 30wt. oil on the shop floor.
I spent a few weekends working off that mess.
I'm sure glad they didn't have a lathe laying around. On the other hand, I was using the South Bend 13 in metal shop....
Yes, good idea to keep bozo out of the shop.


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## Janderso (Nov 20, 2019)

benmychree said:


> That guard around the chuck is pretty laughable!


That guard has been removed, permanently.
Maybe OSHA got involved with that silly thing.


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## markba633csi (Nov 21, 2019)

I'm guessing the moving Bakelite parts in a breaker wear with frequent use?
I've heard they get sticky and unreliable sometimes from old hardened grease


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## Firstgear (Nov 21, 2019)

Janderso said:


> That guard has been removed, permanently.
> Maybe OSHA got involved with that silly thing.


Attorneys


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## Tim9 (Nov 21, 2019)

Most electric motors last a long time providing they don’t get starved from voltage drop. Put a 15 amp electric tool at the end of a undersized 100 ft extension cord and you have a recipe for premature failure.  Voltage drop kills electric motors.
    I make every effort possible to wire most of my bench or freestanding shop tools to run at 240v whenever possible. You’re almost guaranteed longer life of the motor.


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## Janderso (Nov 21, 2019)

Tim9
Great news, thanks for the advice.


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## Tim9 (Nov 22, 2019)

By the way.... I’ll add this little tidbit. When I went to look at the RF45 clone I purchased...as soon as I went into the sellers workshop I noticed a few things. He had the 1.5hp motor wired for 120v. This detached workshop was small... probably 12x12. He had a small 120v A/c running and it surely appeared to me that his workshop only had a single 20a circuit feeding everything.  Could have been 2 120v circuits but I don’t think so and also he even mentioned that he wired the mill for 120v because he didn’t have 220v in his workshop. 
I even noticed that the lights would dim if he turned on his little atlas lathe and also they’d dim when the ac compressor kicked on. I was paying attention to these details because the mill was advertised that the motor was bad.

Long story short....I was very inclined to think that the motor died due to insufficient wiring in the workshop and had most likely suffered Voltage drop. FWIW, when I got it home... I disassembled the motor and the windings were fine. No shorts. Checked the capacitor and I had a bad start capacitor. I changed bearings, the start capacitor.... changed motor to run on 230v..... and added a heavy duty manual push button on/off 2-pole 250v switch. Been working like a champ for almost 3 years now.


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