Advice on power for new jointer

[john whittaker]

New to this site and would like to thank members & moderators for a superb forum. Based on info gathered here, I have made several recent purchases related to upgrading my small WW hobby into ....a not so small hobby to take me into retirement. Now I need some advice. I'm expecting delivery on a new 8" Yorkcraft jointer later this week but have a power issue based on the following situation.

My garage (shop) does not have 220-volt and the panel has no room for a new breaker. I will be moving is less than a year so it seems a waste to spend too much $$$ adding 220 now. (New shop/garage will have 220) I WAS going to make an extension cord and plug into my dryer outlet... BUT after reading a thread on SMC earlier this month about 3-prong vs 4-prong outlets, 2 hots & ground///2 hots & neutral etc...I'm re-thinking this idea. My question is this. (questions)

The jointer comes wired 220 but can be changed to 110. Based on my using it temporarily at this location, is this a good idea? (1.5 HP approx 20 amp @ 110-volt). I'm not an electrical guy and was wondering if running it at 110 would be a problem. I also assume I'll have to upgrade my15 amp GFI garage circuit to 20 or 30 amps.
I could replace some existing breakers with mini breakers and free up some room for a dedicated 220 circuit. Is this a better option? If I were going to stay in the house I think a sub panel is the best option BUT this seems a little too expensive for temporary use. Or I could go with the extension cord idea. What would happen IF the dryer outlet was not configured properly? Explosions? Fireworks? Mayhem?

No need to re-hash the dryer outlet thread. I'm just looking for a vote or advice on "What would you do" in my shoes?

Also, another thanks for all the good info. I drove up to Steve Wall Lumber in Mayodan NC last week, which I didn't even know about until seeing it discussed on SMC, and was very pleased with the service AND the lumber (8/4 walnut & maple for some Christmas present projects) I'll post pics and my review/opinion of the new jointer. (If I ever figure out how to post pics:confused: )

Many thanks - John W

[Jim Becker]

Your 1.5hp motor will run just fine on a 20 amp 120v circuit...and that's what I would do considering your future move.

[Dev Emch]

You should be just fine for now on 110 volts. Just make sure you read the instructions on changing this thing back and forth from 110 to 220 and vice versa.

As to your comments on using dryer plugs. What in sam hill have you been told! Let me set you straight here.

Many appliances that run on 220 volts also have control items that run on 110 volts. For example, your oven. The timers and readouts and what not are 110 or run off a power supply that takes 110 volts. The rest is run off of 220 volts.

In order to run your jointer or most woodworking machines on 220 volts, you will need one red wire and one black wire. Now you need this bad boy to be safe so a chasis ground in green is nice. We are now up to 3 wires. One Red, One Black and One Green. Bear in mind that 220 volts in a household system is differential and not single ended. This takes care of having to need a neutral.

But now lets say you add some kind of wizz-gizz that takes 110 volts and you wish to run this off the main line connection to your woodworking machine tool. Well, you will need to add a neutral or White wire. Now we are up to Four wires. (Red, Black, White & Green). You can get your 110 volts by either tying the Red & White into your wizz gizz or the Black & White into your Whizz Gizz.

The neutral and green wires are at the same voltage level but there is a difference. You should never ever use the green wire to transport current back to the service center. That is what the neutral does.

So in short, you can run your jointer on Red, Black and Green. And you can run your jointer off of an extension cord from your dryer hookup. Personally, I would make my own and use Hubble twist locks just to be safe. My favorate extension cord is a homemade 25 footer using hubble 5 wire hubble twist locks and 5 conductor 10 gage SO cord. I use this to run some of my three phase stuff that has not been permanently hooked up yet.

And if this does not work, you can always hook this bad boy up to your garden facet hose bib:p Just kidding.... I think 2300 volts, three phase at 200 Kilo Watts would be a bit much... almost but a bit much.:)

Hope this helps...

[john whittaker]

Thanks Jim & Dev.

Hey Dev...what is that thing. I'm guessing an old generator, maybe off an old water powered turbine? Or probably some contraption of mass destruction and torture you have lying around your basement? In any case, it's probably a little too much power for my shop. And thanks for your "enlightening" response about that little light inside my dryer.
-John W

[Dev Emch]

Yup. I am a hydro-electric freak and I found this plant in my back yard. It was installed in 1909 and ran until a flood destroyed the diversion structure in 1982 and the department of interior copped an attitude and refused to allow the city to rebuild the dam after they restored the power house including two hydroelectric generators of which one is pictured here.

If you look closely at the left, you will see the "hood" or "bonnet" set in the open position exposing the pelton buckets of the turbine. Its a pelton wheel. The pelton wheel, generator and base weigh in at about 6000 to 10,000 pounds.

This toy can crank out 2300 volts in three phase. It will also put out more than enough to run one or almost two wal mart super stores. With this guy, you will not need to have a phase converter.:)

[Mike Cutler]

John. If I haven't already welcomed you to Sawmill Creek. Welcome.
The 1 1/2hp motor should run just fine on a 20 amp breaker/branch circuit. I would just try to not have the dust collector hooked to the same breaker/ branch circuit, this would be 3 HP on one rum and that would be a little sketchy.
I'm with Dev, I don't know what kind of conflicting info that you got about plugging into the dryer receptacle, but it is absolutely an option, and many people have done it. I can make a drawing for you later today, and attach it to show you how to wire the plugs. This is not unsafe, it may not be the best method but the electrons will never know the difference. As long as the "extension" cord doesn't have to be really long it shouldn't be a problem.

[Bill Lewis]

John,

I think I'd go with the Dryer outlet as your short term solution. However, if your panel is in the same work space as the new jointer it wouldn't be a big deal to add a circuit. You can make space in your panel by replacing some of the standard 15 and 20 amp breakers with "half height" breakers.
If you do decide to re-wire the motor to run on 110V, make sure that the existing 110V outlet circuit is capable of handling the amperage. You can not just simply change the breaker to a larger one without also changing to the correct wire size too.

[Robert Tarr]

John,

I have the very same jointer. I had the same problem you did (being out of space in the box) and I changed the motor to 110V and it is a pretty quick change over. One suggestion, do this before you put the jointer together. The motor access cover is on the bottom and it would have been much easier if I had flipped the base over and just made the changes (I was giddy and put the thing together first and then had to do hand stands to see (really, it wasn't that bad.)) All told, it should take you less than ten minutes if you do it prior to putting the thing together, including a 110V connection on the end of the cord.

It runs just fine on 110V and when you move, switching back to 220V is just as easy. Truth be told, I have run this on both a 15A and 20A 110V curcuit (sans, extension cord) and have never tripped a breaker.

I upgraded the service in the old house (since moved) and converted it back to 220V, no problem.

Enjoy the new tool.

Robert

[john whittaker]

Thanks for the advice. Looks like I have two reasonable options. Freight Co said it will be delivered tomorrow. Work schedule will keep me away from it till the weekend.

Robert, thanks for the heads up on wiring BEFORE assembly. I will be very anxious to start playing...errr working with this machine and I'm sure I would have done the same thing.

Mike, thanks for the drawing offer but it will not be necessary. If I go the extension rout, it will be approx 25' long and I plan on using 10 gage which should be plenty. I could always cut this chord down to size in my new location.

In anticipation of posting the "required" gloat pic...I have tried to attached a pic to this message just for practice sake. If the pic made the post, it is my cat and he is supposed to attack anyone trying to steal my WW equipment...but he turned out too fat & lazy. Actually it's not my cat. Mine's fatter.