Table saw wiring

[Paul Stroik]

I am presently planning on purchasing a cabinet table saw, by Summer's end. As I continue to research and plan one thought came to mind. My table saw will be situated in the center of my shop (where my contractors saw is located now). This is about 16 feet across from a 220 outlet (measured running along the floor and up the wall to the outlet).

What is the consensus, along with pros and cons, regarding length of wire? Should I plan to hardwire to an outlet positioned as close as possible to the Table saw, which would probably be up the wall through the ceiling and into a post (which I would need to install) near the saw. Or, could I replace the 6' wire, which comes with the table saw, with a 16' wire and then plug into the present outlet? Since this would run across the floor I would be placing a mat over it for safety reasons.

I've been checking forum shops and can't really make out what some woodworkers have done!? The obvious, where the TS is located in the center of the shop, have floor outlets (not an option here), posts located in the center of the shop with an outlet (is an option), while others appear to have long, or an extension, cord running along the floor to the wall outlet.

Paul

[Tom Veatch]

Does your owners manual say anything about gauge and length of extension cords for your saw? If you replace the existing power cord with a longer one, treat the new power cord like an extension cord and stay within the guidelines in the owners manual. If it doesn't, and the owner's manual for my 3HP saw recommends no extension cord, I'd suggest using an electrical cable no smaller than the wire used in the existing circuit (12 ga.??). The saw won't be able to tell the difference between that and the existing power cord plugged into an outlet 10 feet further from the breaker box.

If you do that, I don't see any problems other than the obvious trip hazard and potential for damage to a loose cord laying on the floor. I'd recommend something like one of these (http://cableorganizer.com/cord-covers/light-capacity-covers.htm) rather than just a mat covering the cord.

[Sonny Edmonds]

You could go either way, Paul.
But the neater and more workmanlike way is to bring a circuit to the saw, then plug connect it.
I would recommend using #10 guage wire to feed your saw. It is overkill in some ways, but you won't have to worry about voltage drop, and it is rated for a 30 amp circuit.

That's what I did in my shop. And since I have a dust collector box for side table router stations, I brought my TS plug out front so it is real easy to remember to unplug your saw when changing blades.
I also brought a 4" gate for my roll-up machines to dock to. And a four plex 20 amp 120V circuit. Oh, and compressed air to blow down my motors and inner workings.
Real convenient, since it's all right there in one place. ;)

[Scott T Smith]

You could go either way, Paul.
But the neater and more workmanlike way is to bring a circuit to the saw, then plug connect it.
I would recommend using #10 guage wire to feed your saw. It is overkill in some ways, but you won't have to worry about voltage drop, and it is rated for a 30 amp circuit.

That's what I did in my shop. And since I have a dust collector box for side table router stations, I brought my TS plug out front so it is real easy to remember to unplug your saw when changing blades.
I also brought a 4" gate for my roll-up machines to dock to. And a four plex 20 amp 120V circuit. Oh, and compressed air to blow down my motors and inner workings.
Real convenient, since it's all right there in one place. ;)


+1.

This is probably not a good application to drop from the ceiling, as the cord may get in the way of maneuvering your boards through the saw.

If you build an extension cord to come off of the wall, you can bring both 120 and 240V circuits out, and have the cord available to power any future 240VAC equipment that you may choose to add.

Look into using an "SO", "SJOW", or "SOW" type of cable for the extension cord; it's heavy jacket and flexible conductors are designed for this type of use. If you intend to carry both 120V and 240V circuits over the same cable, you'll need to use 10/3 with ground; otherwise 10/2 with ground should be sufficient for 240V only.

[Sonny Edmonds]

Scott,
I agree about dropping a cord from the ceiling. But there are work arounds.

I'd would like to point out how that circuit gets down could be like I did with conduit, copper air line, and dust collection piping.
Being as I knew I wanted my TS blade centered on my roll up 16' door, I focused on just how I could get the power, air, and collection to a usable, yet out of the way place.
Where the 6" white pipe drops down, also all of the other utilities do. You can see it in the picture above/behind the head of the drill press.
The out feed table is a full 48' x 48" and is connected to another table beyond it.
So far, I haven't found any constriction to this set-up. The SCMS is removable with 3 screws. Leaving a clear deck beyond the saw of 8+ feet long and 4+ feet wide, if/when needed.

[Rollie Meyers]

+1.m If you intend to carry both 120V and 240V circuits over the same cable, you'll need to use 10/3 with ground; otherwise 10/2 with ground should be sufficient for 240V only.

10/2 & 10/3 with ground is NM cable (Romex®). :D

Flexible cords count all the conductors so a cable w/ 3 conductors is XX/3 and a cable w/ 4 is XX/4 and so on....(Insert the cable AWG size in place of the "XX").No "with ground" is needed & should not be used,hope this does not muddy things up too much.

[Paul Stroik]

Good points to ponder. Right now I am seriously considering the Jet Deluxe Xacta 3hp 1ph over the Powermatic2000 due to $$$. Little brother should work fine for me and has the upgrades I am looking for (riving knife, 4" DC, 50" extension table, blade lock, etc.). This unit does not come with a power cable or plug for obvious reasons. Following Tom's advice I downloaded the manual to determine the safe allowable length of power cable and would need #10 which is also what I have in the wall from the outlet to the box.
I agree Sonny that it would be neater with the power outlet near the table saw. Installing a post would also allow me to run a separate 110 for other machines as well.

Thanks all for the advice and suggestions.

[Tom Grant]

One way to get the wire to the center of the garage uh.. shop is to take advantage of the concrete expansion strip. I've pulled out the rotting 3/4" wood between the back of the garage and my TS in the center. It is plenty wide to drop a good quality flexible cable into the gap. Make sure you still leave room for expansion without damaging the wires. This doesn't help with the dust collection though. ;)

Anyone know what the percent expansion is for concrete slabs?

[Randy Johnson]

When I did the electrical part of my shop I surface mounted the panel. This makes add-ons later a lot easier because I can use conduit.

My saw has an overarm blade guard and as a result the right end of the saw is/was a good place to run conduit down from the ceiling to the saw. The DC pipe was run nearby as well.

I used EMT and with a little bending have the receptacle at the left hand corner of the saw. It's mounted on an "EL" bracket made from angle iron at a heighth that makes it easy to plug and unplug for blade changes or when using the receptacle for the planer.

[Tom Grant]

I'll answer my own question:
A 12 foot wide slab x 7x10^-6 x 100 degree F change would be under 1/8". You have two slabs coming together, so worst case is 1/4". In Oregon, my garage floor probably changes 25 degrees seasonally, so mine probably expands 1/16".
Now if I was really anal, I'd go out and measure it several times per year... :p You know, I just might. :D

[Sonny Edmonds]

Good points to ponder. Right now I am seriously considering the Jet Deluxe Xacta 3hp 1ph over the Powermatic2000 due to $$$. Little brother should work fine for me and has the upgrades I am looking for (riving knife, 4" DC, 50" extension table, blade lock, etc.). This unit does not come with a power cable or plug for obvious reasons. Following Tom's advice I downloaded the manual to determine the safe allowable length of power cable and would need #10 which is also what I have in the wall from the outlet to the box.
I agree Sonny that it would be neater with the power outlet near the table saw. Installing a post would also allow me to run a separate 110 for other machines as well.

Thanks all for the advice and suggestions.

At the front of the saw, and so prominent, it makes it really hard to forget you can unplug it, and never does that, "Oh I'm only going to___." and :eek:
When I push the big green button and realize I forgot to plug it back in, I smile and mentally give myself an atta boy for working safely.
When it was an inconvenience, complacency could run amok.

Always lower the blade when not in use.
I've personally leaned against my start switch and had the saw start when I hadn't intended for it to do so. I believe it was the keys in my pocket that bumped the recessed push button.
Doesn't matter why. It matters that a lowered blade is safe in a false start as it is below the table. ;)

[Scott T Smith]

10/2 & 10/3 with ground is NM cable (Romex®). :D

Flexible cords count all the conductors so a cable w/ 3 conductors is XX/3 and a cable w/ 4 is XX/4 and so on....(Insert the cable AWG size in place of the "XX").No "with ground" is needed & should not be used,hope this does not muddy things up too much.


Rollie, you are indeed correct. Brain cramp on my end!

Sonny - yup, there are workarounds (and nice shop by the way!). In my new shop I'm having to do drops for the equipment that is in the middle of the room; the items on the perimeter will be fed from the outer walls.

In at least one instance I'll probably do a cluster drop of dust collection, air and power, and then feed several machines from the single drop.

[Rod Sheridan]

Must be a pretty big saw to require 10 AWG cord.

My 3 HP saw has #14AWG cord and plugs into a 15 Ampere receptacle.......Rod.

[Scott Wigginton]

Always lower the blade when not in use.
I've personally leaned against my start switch and had the saw start when I hadn't intended for it to do so. I believe it was the keys in my pocket that bumped the recessed push button.
Doesn't matter why. It matters that a lowered blade is safe in a false start as it is below the table. ;)

One thing I love about my DW746, you have to pull on the switch to start it. That said I've scraped my knuckles badly while moving a board past a blade I left up (I know I know, my Shark Guard is on order!)

[Chip Lindley]

Rod? Is that 15amp/120v? (house current?) I believe Randy is referring to a 240V saw which does have an *honest* 3hp motor! There is a HUGE difference.

If your saw is 120v, your *3 HP* is really not that at all. Advertising HYPE touts the *developed* HP of consumer tools. Developed HP is not sustainable and is near the burn-out point instead of a usable constant! There is absolutely NO SUCH THING as a 6hp SHOP VAC! Sheeesh!

On 120v, a *real* 3hp motor would draw around 30A!

[Tom Veatch]

...Is that 15amp/120v? ... On 120v, a *real* 3hp motor would draw around 30A!

Chip, your're correct that a 3HP load would be pulling something around 30 amp on a 120v circuit. But, my assumption was that Rod's running on a 20 amp 240v circuit. An exception in the NEC allows 15 amp receptacles on 20 amp branch circuits (both 120 and 240v) as long as there is more than one outlet on the circuit. A duplex receptacle qualifies as two (2) outlets so a 20 amp circuit can "legally" feed a single 15 amp duplex receptacle.

However it could possibly be a 240v/15a circuit. FLA on my 3HP 240v saw is 14 amps so except for sustained overload conditions, a 15 amp breaker would support the load - and my saw started life with a 14ga power cord.

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod? Is that 15amp/120v? (house current?) I believe Randy is referring to a 240V saw which does have an *honest* 3hp motor! There is a HUGE difference.

If your saw is 120v, your *3 HP* is really not that at all. Advertising HYPE touts the *developed* HP of consumer tools. Developed HP is not sustainable and is near the burn-out point instead of a usable constant! There is absolutely NO SUCH THING as a 6hp SHOP VAC! Sheeesh!

On 120v, a *real* 3hp motor would draw around 30A!

Hi Chip, yes my saw is 3HP and has a premium efficiency motor. (It's a General 650).

My saw is rated at 12.5 Amperes at 240 Volts, so yes it plugs into a 15 Ampere receptacle, and has a 14/3 cord.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. It's fed by a 15 ampere circuit breaker.