DVR XP Help

[Clint Baxter]

Needing help on my new DVR XP. I've been turning with the unit plugged into a 120V outlet. All too frequently, it trips the GFCI outlet that protects the circuit. My entire shop is set up with 20A GFCI protected outlets. I'm guessing the electronics might be somehow causing a current imbalance that the GFCI interprets as current leakage. Otherwise, the lathe is drawing enough current to trip the outlet, (no circuit breakers have tripped yet.) I tried connecting it to another circuit and had similar results.

My proposed fix is to hook it up to a 220V circuit, thereby halving the amperage draw and eliminating the GFCI protection. I picked up a surge arresting double breaker to protect the circuit, (added benefit is that it provides surge protection to the entire panel), and now have 220V, surge protected power just waiting to be used.

I can't find anything, however, that tells me how to convert my DVR XP to run on that 220V. I've found several guides describing how to convert the Nova 3000 to 220V, but the jumper referenced in that procedure is not in my lathe. I do not have the two blue capacitors referenced either, (only one.) Is anyone familiar with the procedure necessary for converting a very recent vintage, (hopefully), DVR XP to run on 220V?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Clint

[Steve Vaughan]

Clint, I haven't seen anything where they've made any changes to the DVR, but here's (http://www.teknatool.com/support/Changing%20Voltage%20input%20fron%20115V%20to%2022 0V.pdf) the instructions that I used from the Teknatool website.

You might make contact with their new support folks by emailing them at service@teknatool.com or calling their number - 1-866-748-3025. Hope that helps!

[Bill Bolen]

Steve, take the dvr off of the gfci and onto a normal breaker and all will be fine. Same thing happened to me and since changing to a regular breaker no more problems...Bill..

[Clint Baxter]

Was thinking that might do the trick. Electrical inspector required all the circuits to be GFCI protected when I built my shop addition. As such, I'm reluctant to circumvent his directions. Don't have that issue if I connect to the 220. Will try contacting their service center I guess.

Clint

[Jim Sebring]

While you have the red end panel off, take the nut off the index stop pin and apply some blue Loctite to the threads. Every DVR I've seen has a loose index stop within about 39 nanoseconds of being put into service. The factory starlock washer and nut just doesn't work very well to hold the assembly in place.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree first thing is to get rid of the GFIC. I guess I don't understand why you would have to have GFIC's? When the electrician wired my shop they only GFI's were the two near the sink. Other than that I have 21 outlets in my shop and not one GFI. My electrician said there wouldn't be one of my machine's that would work with one.

[Clint Baxter]

According to my inspector, he considers the shop to still be part of the garage, (the building is a detached garage with a separate shop area.) Garages are required to have GFCI protected outlets so he wanted all of them to be protected as such. I haven't really had any other issues prior to this with the GFCI's tripping.

I may rewire the outlet the lathe plugs in to, removing the GF protection, until I get guidance on how to set up for 220.

Once I've gotten the guidance for the 220 setup, (hopefully :D), will post let others know of the solution.

Clint

[Jeff Nicol]

Clint, My brother-in-law is an electrician and depending on maunufacturer and lets say "Grade" of the GFCI the initial start up of a tool may be more than the outlet can handle. I had bought some inexpensive ones and put them in when I redid my kitchen and bathroom, 3 out of 5 that I put in have failed and started tripping for no reason at all. So for a few bucks more on a good GFCI is worth the money and I have had no troubles since. I don't have a lathe hooked to them, but even my hair trimmer would trip them before. Also over time some of them can basically "Wear" out and weaken their ability to hold at the max amperage rated for. That being said I agree with the others that having a standard non GFCI outlet would be the best way to go.

Good luck and stay safe around the "CURRENT",

Jeff

[Ralph Lindberg]

Clint

Em... I have a DVR-XP plugged into a GFI with ZERO issues.

IMO, the advise to ditch the GFI is just not bad, it's well dangerous. It's also contrary to every electrical code I am aware of.

GFI's fail. I've had to replace more then one.

The advise to replace your GFI with a good (brand name, high quality) is 100% spot on. It's quite possible you will not be able to find what you require in a Big Box Store, you may have to go to a commercial electrical supply store.

Just so you understand where I am coming from, I used to hold my Electricians license, and have wired more then a few shops. I earned not a little of my college money wiring. I also have a BS in Electrical Engineering and over 30 years of work experience as an EE.

[Alan Trout]

I am a professional inspector I have done over 5700 inspections in my carer. In the previous NEC code garages were allowed to have dedicated appliance outlets that were not GFCI protected. In the last code revision that was dropped and even appliance outlets need to be GFCI protected. Now if the was a dedicated shop space and could not be used as a garage you could still use dedicated appliance outlets without trouble and still fall within code. However if the space is designated as a garage then you can't. Now you can still hard wire 110V appliance in a garage and be code compliant but that would mean that you do not have the freedom of a plug. Or you can just convert it to 220V and be done with it.

GFCI are intended to protect wet areas of a home. Garages are very rarely a true wet area compared to kitchen, baths, and exteriors so the risk of not having a GFCI while still there is pretty low.

With all this being said If the circuit is #12 wire on a 20amp circuit I would try a good quality 20A GFCI first. If that does not work than I personally would wire it for 220V.

Good Luck

Alan

[Darryl Hansen]

According to Roger at the new Teknatool site in Florida the newer xp's sense the voltage and you do not need to change the jumper when you go to 220 volts. He did say though that you need to change the power switch to a 2 pole double throw type switch. Darryl

[Ray Bell]

When I changed mine over to 220, the electricians happened to be here installing the new service, so they did this for me. I know it wasn't too complicated though. They did install a new switch, and a 220 plug, but not sure about the jumper wire. Also Jim's idea about the index stop is a good one. I have had mine apart twice now to tighten the nut, and it is loose again. This time I will use loc-tite.

[Darryl Hansen]

Clint try 1-866-748-3025 and ask for Roger. Darryl Hansen

[Bill Buchanan IN]

Another vote . . . from experience . No problems after getting rid of the GFI.