Table Saw Breaker keeps tripping.. Cold weather?

[marty fretheim]

"I feel like someone should invent a little extra startup motor to assist the big motor when its cold"

They did and its called a start capacitor. If you spun the blade and it started and ran fine, then I would look at replacing the start capacitor. Pretty cheap to replace.

Marty

[Doug Garson]

"I feel like someone should invent a little extra startup motor to assist the big motor when its cold"

They did and its called a start capacitor. If you spun the blade and it started and ran fine, then I would look at replacing the start capacitor. Pretty cheap to replace.

Marty

I think Marty may have hit the nail on the proverbial head. Don't know if start capacitors are affected by temperature but what you described (won't start without a little help) sounds just like a start capacitor problem. So maybe replace both or at least inspect the capacitor for signs of bulging or leakage.

[Jared Hendrix]

"I feel like someone should invent a little extra startup motor to assist the big motor when its cold"

They did and its called a start capacitor. If you spun the blade and it started and ran fine, then I would look at replacing the start capacitor. Pretty cheap to replace.

Ah, ok. I can see how that could cause an issue if it is bad. I'll check it today and give grizzly a call as well.

[Jared Hendrix]

Side note..

I got started in woodworking with hand tools... I never thought i'd be doing much electrical work.. Boy was i wrong. Since then, i've bought a house, had to run new wiring in the garage for new tools, replace lights and switches, replace the AC unit motors and capacitors, and now i have to replace the water heater... But at least i save alot of money learning to do it all myself!!

[Julie Moriarty]

I plan on getting a new breaker though, as this one has tripped at least 20 times now.

After you replace the breaker, put an amp probe on one hot leg and have someone start up the motor. Then do the same thing on the other leg. At least then you'll know what that motor is drawing on start up and once it's running. If it's say, 12-15 amps, then you probably had a bad breaker. If it's pushing ~20 or more amps while running, then something is wrong at the machine end and you should call Grizzly to see what they recommend.

[Brian Hall]

your best bet is to ship the saw north to me in cold Michigan , I will test for free next 20 years or so

If the saw truly hates cold I will kick the heat up to 70* in the garage

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I run a 4 HP saw on a 15 ampere circuit.

It sounds like a motor issue, probably a stuck centrifugal switch, as evidenced by the successful start after rotating the motor.

You can also check the start capacitor.

Regards, Rod.

[Bill Dufour]

The lathe mootr with bad bearings in cold weather I mentioned was three phase so no capacitors to go bad.

[Kevin Beitz]

Things turn much harder when cold...

[Robert Engel]

Jared,

Don't buy a breaker yet!!

I guarantee its the start capacitor.

Does your machine have 2 capacitors? If so, you need to see which one is the start.

Check if it has a bulge or oil coating, thats proof. Even if it doesn't, replace it.

They are easy to replace and cheap.

Good luck!! You'll be up and running in no time.

[Brice Rogers]

Robert Engel and Rod Sheridan, bring up likely culprits. Centrifugal switch contacts or capacitor. When a motor is stalled, it will draw a bunch more current.

Most bad caps will show external issues like bulges, but not always. When I was recently testing for a bad cap with no physical issues, I used a (free) Harbor Freight digital voltmeter set on the 2M ohm scale. Starting with a discharged capacitor removed from the saw, it will momentarily show a low resistance which will increase in number as it charges up (from the DVM). Eventually the ohm number will exceed the 1.999 max and will go off scale. I took a known good cap (around 50 mfd) and compared the time it took to go from discharged to off-scale. It was around 45 seconds on the 2M scale. Then I took the suspect cap and it took only 5 or 6 seconds. A new cap fixed the problem. It cost around $15 or 20 at the appliance store. Make sure that you get an AC cap of the right value and voltage range.

Centrifugal switches are pretty easy to test and also to clean up/re-adjust. Come back if you need some guidance.

[Jim Dwight]

My tools all run on a 20 amp 110V circuit. That includes a shop vac triggered by the other tools which includes a 1.75hp SawStop PCS. My breaker started tripping and I figured that was an added reason to add a circuit and a DC. But then the breaker tripped on my lunchbox planner which was not under heavy load at the time. I am sure at this point the breaker needs to be replaced. It didn't trip at all today but tripped twice yesterday.

Breakers do go bad and my loading the circuit close to the breakers rating may have accelerated things. I still have a DC in the long range plans (the shop vac doesn't get nearly all the dust of the PCS) but I think a breaker will get me back to nearly no trips.

[liam c murphy]

I experienced similar problems with my Grizzly 20” planer. As others have pointed out, it might be the capacitors and centrifugal switch. If you’re ordering parts from Grizzly, I’d get replacements for all three.