Delta 46-460 Midi Lathe tripping GFCI.

[John Teichert]

Today while sanding, both forward and reverse, the 46-460 tripped the GFCI circuit on my line. It's definitely the lathe, since what little else that is on the circuit is not the fault. After sitting a bit, the lathe will start to spin, and then trips the circuit. After that, it'll trip almost immediately. Forward / Reverse makes no difference. Took the controller off the lathe and no components are smoked. Blew it out, and no joy, still trips.

Looks like a call to Delta to see what they say, as it is still within the 5 year warranty. All I have to test with is a VOM, so only basic tests are available. Anyone experienced this fault before?

Rats, I wanted to finish this project to send to my sister for her birthday, and have a backup lathe to go to, but it's not variable speed which is so nice for sanding and finishing, but I'll have to clear out a spot to set it down off the dollies it's living on now.

JT

[Roger Chandler]

John..........the use of a GFCI is not recommended with an inverter like is on your Delta lathe.......I have the same lathe in my shop, along with a big one. GFCI's will trip because the inverter varies the power output and such.............plug your lathe into an outlet without GFCI on the line and enough spare amperage and you will eliminate your issues..........

Perhaps you have yours in a garage and some codes require that as a garage is considered a "wet" area, but if you have to run a new line or just use a heavy gauge extension cord to an unused outlet........problem solved........it is not your lathe!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Had the same problem with my Jet 1220. Removed the GFCI and problem solved.

[Greg A Jones]

+1 -- same problem when I installed my Jet 1642 in my garage. Called an electrician and he swapped out the gfci outlet for standard 3 prong grounded outlet and problem solved. Said code was not an issue - he is the one that wired the house so I assume he knows what he's talking about.

[John Teichert]

OK, this is now officially relegated to the twilight zone. After running an extension cord to the non-GFCI wall circuit, and switching on the lathe, I did get a dreaded "ka-pock" sound (no smoke, no sizzle) and the overload protector on the lathe tripped. Reset, hold breathe, switched it on and it ran. Moved it back to the GFCI circuit, and it ran.

Even though I had taken off the inverter and blown it out (it really wasn't all that bad), is it possible that a shaving was on the circuit board somewhere that sizzled away when I moved to the unprotected circuit. I think before I actually turn anything on it, I'll pull off the inverter, inspect the PCB visually and blow it out once again.

Now I'm even more confused about whether to run it on GFCI, because there was actually something going on in order for the overload protector on the lathe to trip on the non-GFCI circuit. It cleared up when enough juice went through it. So, in reality, there must/may have been a short. It possibly zapped itself when enough volts/amps went through it. It no longer trips the GFCI switch on the circuit.

Is there a Bermuda​ triangle in Cobb county GA?

[Roger Chandler]

OK, this is now officially relegated to the twilight zone. After running an extension cord to the non-GFCI wall circuit, and switching on the lathe, I did get a dreaded "ka-pock" sound (no smoke, no sizzle) and the overload protector on the lathe tripped. Reset, hold breathe, switched it on and it ran. Moved it back to the GFCI circuit, and it ran.

Even though I had taken off the inverter and blown it out (it really wasn't all that bad), is it possible that a shaving was on the circuit board somewhere that sizzled away when I moved to the unprotected circuit. I think before I actually turn anything on it, I'll pull off the inverter, inspect the PCB visually and blow it out once again.

Now I'm even more confused about whether to run it on GFCI, because there was actually something going on in order for the overload protector on the lathe to trip on the non-GFCI circuit. It cleared up when enough juice went through it. So, in reality, there must/may have been a short. It possibly zapped itself when enough volts/amps went through it. It no longer trips the GFCI switch on the circuit.

Is there a Bermuda​ triangle in Cobb county GA?

John.........are you certain that the circuit you plugged into with the extension cord had enough spare amperage to run your lathe? If other items were drawing current on that line [circuit] then you would have a problem. What gauge extension cord did you use, and how long was it? The lathe pulls about 12 amps and if you had an extension cord rated for 10 amp. .... like a lot of them are, you are still drawing too heavily on the wires, and the inverter will sense this and likely shut down.

If possible, you should be running your lathe on at least a 20 amp circuit, but a 15 amp will do if there is nothing else drawing on that line. these things are important, but you definitely should not be using a circuit that has a GFCI on it for your lathe. Good luck!