Question for Unisaw and/or General 350 owners

[Ken Ventress]

I'm going through the process of drawing up plans for the new 22'x28' shop and am now figuring out electrical wiring placement and requirements. I've got tool placement and lighting figured out Thinking ahead about possible future tool acquisitions, I would like to know how many amps does either the Unisaw(3hp), single phase, or the General 350(3hp) draw. Although I'm completely satisfied with my current saw(Delta Platinum Series Contractors Saw with 30" Unifence) I want to be prepared for possible eventualities(you just never know!) I don't want to run 12guage wire(20amps 220v) only to discover that it takes 30amps(10guage 220v) to run either of these saws! Thanks for your input.
Cheers Ken ......busy putting pencil to paper.....in Penticton

[John Davidson]

I can't say about the 2 saws that you mentioned but my 3 HP Jet cabinet saw runs fine on 12 gauge /20 amp curcuit. I have never tripped the breaker.:)

[Rick Potter]

My 3 HP Unisaw draws 12.4 amps on 220. A 20 amp service is completely adequate, as long as you don't run two big tools on it.

For what it's worth:

DJ20 8" jointer.........8.5 Amps
15" Jet planer..........15 Amps
1 1/2 HP Oneida DC..5 Amps on 220, 10 Amps on 110
1 1/2 HP Delta Shaper..7.5 Amps on 220, 15 Amps on 110

Just happened to have my list next to me.

Rick Potter

[Ken Ventress]

Thanks guys! That's just what I thought, but I wanted to be sure. Neither website includes that information and I didn't want to be under wired as it's so much easier at this stage of the process!
Cheers Ken

[Von Bickley]

Ken,

If I was building a new shop, I would run two circuits under the table saw. One 220 circuit for the saw and one 120 circuit for any receptacles that I might need around an outfeed table. Just my 2 cents.

[Ken Ventress]

Von, that's what I'm planning on doing, so I can plug in my combination down draft/air cleaner/outfeed table. I'll have plenty of 120v and 240v outlets through out the shop. My 220v outlets will be run with #10 wire, capable of 30 amps, although only 1 will have a 30amp breaker installed at 1st, with the remainder at 15 and 20amps. I'll be able to switch out the breaker and outlet for a higher amp one when need be(up to 30amp)
Cheers Kenhttp://www.woodworking.org/imagepost/200305/epticleplacement.jpg

[Von Bickley]

Ken,

Do you think you have enough outlets planned? It looks like you have one on every stud. I really can't see any use in having 15 amp outlets in a work shop. I would just use 12/2 with ground everywhere and have all 20 amp outlets. How many circuits do you have planned for that 100 amp panel? When I wired my shop, it didn't cost much more to go with a 200 amp. Something to think about.

[Perry Schmidt]

Actually I can give you a use for 15amp circuits...I have all my 20 amp 120/220 wired through a single cut-off switch. (Actually the subpanel to all these outlets is wired through the cut-off switch). Then I have two higher outlets near my bench just 15 amp and one near the door of the garage. The ones on the bench are used for recharging equipment to be plugged into and the one near the door gets used a lot for the vacuum - cleaning out cars, etc. These three are 'always on' outlets. But this way when I'm done I turn off the power to all my power tools and outlets used for them. That way I don't have to worry about kids (mine or neighborhood) turning on a dangerous tool when they aren't suppose to.

Now if you're locking up your shop then you probably don't have that worry, but since my shop doubles as a garage (or the other way around :) then I like the feature of being able to disable all the power tools with one switch. The always on outlets only at 15amp means if the kids get really curious and start plugging hand-tools into the always on outlets (which are already hard to reach) then it will hopefully pop a breaker. I know it won't all the time, but I sure don't need a 20 amp for my battery charger...

Just a thought.

Perry

[Von Bickley]

Originally posted by Perry Schmidt
Actually I can give you a use for 15amp circuits...I have all my 20 amp 120/220 wired through a single cut-off switch. (Actually the subpanel to all these outlets is wired through the cut-off switch). Then I have two higher outlets near my bench just 15 amp and one near the door of the garage. The ones on the bench are used for recharging equipment to be plugged into and the one near the door gets used a lot for the vacuum - cleaning out cars, etc. These three are 'always on' outlets.

Why go to the expense of buying a different type of wire (#14) to wire up 3 receptacles. If you are already running #12, put everything on 20 amp circuits and be done with it. You could still wire up the 3 receptacles to be hot all the time.

[Perry Schmidt]

I ran #12, but like Ken deliberately put in a 15 amp breaker so they'd pop if used w/ the 'big' power tools.

Perry

[Dick Webb]

Hi Ken,
Your concerns sure sound familiar - I went through the same thought process and nagging doubts about a year ago when I finished off my garage interior and converted to woodshop. Although I haven't needed 30amps yet, I pulled #10 to all my 220 outlets and #12 to all 120 outlets, and used all 20 amp breakers and outlets to avoid plug conversion issues for my existing tools. If a future 30A draw turns up, then I'll change breaker and outlet as needed.

Be sure to split your ceiling lights into at least two circuits, and if possible, be able to switch off individual fixtures. It's really annoying to be working on something where you have to look up and a bright light is backlighting the workpiece and straining your eyes. I have 12 fixtures, two circuits and a pull cord on each fixture.

No big regrets so far, but a couple of niggles:

1 - As diligently as you plan, something is bound to change in your layout as your style of work evolves; some outlets may become inconvenient or inaccessible, so the more circuits and outlets the better. Although I don't really like them, I went to half-width breakers to gain more circuits in the biggest box I could fit in available space. And already I wish there were more.

2 - Put some outlets high, some low. High outlets are great for clearing benchtops etc., but for some reason I feel better when I don't have 10 lbs of SO cord dangling from an outlet because machine feed is at the floor. On the other hand, sometimes higher is better, and while 44 - 48" is good for kitchen counter outlet height because not many people have 48-49" wide sheet goods "temporarily" leaning around the kitchen blocking them, about 48-54" works better in a shop. DAMHIKT

Good luck - I'm envious of your floorspace
Cheers, Dick

[Ken Ventress]

Thanks Dick. Yes the lights will be on 3 separate circuits. The fluorescents will be on 2 and the 3 incandescent fixtures will be on another. I know it looks like a lot of outlets but they will be staggered height wise as you've mentioned. Yes, it seems like quite a bit of floor space but once you get things set up, it diminishes, It will seem like a palace to me though as I have all this PACKED into my current shop, which in reality is a spare 9'x10' spare bedroom!:cool:
Thanks for your input
Cheers Ken

[Jim Izat]

Originally posted by Dick Webb
Hi Ken,
Although I haven't needed 30amps yet, I pulled #10 to all my 220 outlets and #12 to all 120 outlets, and used all 20 amp breakers and outlets to avoid plug conversion issues for my existing tools. If a future 30A draw turns up, then I'll change breaker and outlet as needed.

I did the same as Dick, I figured #10 was a bit safer as I couldn't overload it, and if I ever needed to upgrade to 30amp in the future, I'd just have to change the breaker. I don't remember the price differential between the two gauges as being significant.

Jim

[Jerry Martin]

Von, that's what I'm planning on doing, so I can plug in my combination down draft/air cleaner/outfeed table. I'll have plenty of 120v and 240v outlets through out the shop. My 220v outlets will be run with #10 wire, capable of 30 amps, although only 1 will have a 30amp breaker installed at 1st, with the remainder at 15 and 20amps. I'll be able to switch out the breaker and outlet for a higher amp one when need be(up to 30amp)
Cheers Kenhttp://www.woodworking.org/imagepost/200305/epticleplacement.jpg

Ken if you are planning to do any work close to a wall such as lathe or work bench, I would place a light directly above. I have placed lights above and behind where I stand and I cast a shadow on what I am trying to do. Just an old mans experience. Jerry