Convert 110v power to run 220v table saw

[Dan Dill]

I was given a nice older Craftsman 220v 12 inch tablesaw. I would like to use it to resaw some of my small blocks of wood. I do not have a 220v outlet in my shop, but I am told there is converters to be had. The head on the saw looks like my wife's washer/dryer. Can you guys help?

 

[woodshop]

Problem going from 220V to 110V is you still have to produce the same amount of power (watts) needed to run that saw. Halve the voltage and you then need to double the current to do that. You don't want to be pushing more than 20 amps through 12-2 wiring. An electrician can easily take two of your breakers in your box and make them into a 220V circuit. Thats is one reason why most large motors are 220V... the amount of current needed to run them is lower than if it was only 110V. Less current means you can get away with relatively thinner wiring. I'm not an electrician, but those are the quick and dirty facts.

 

[trimmmed]

Have an electrician or a pal run a 220 outlet for you. It's not too difficult. There are converters that enable you to use 3 phase motors on single phase current, maybe that's what you were thinking of.

 

[olyman]

and--most 220 motors--by switching wires inside the motor--can go 110--but it doubles the amps--thats why they suggest to put in a 220 outlet--just depends on how many amps its pulling at 220 volts--

 

[Dan Dill]

I do have an outlet marked 30 amp in the shop on a 110v line

 

[olyman]

on the data plate on the motor--it will tell if can run both 110 and 220--look at the amps---:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Frank Boyer]

3 phase converters

Have an electrician or a pal run a 220 outlet for you. It's not too difficult. There are converters that enable you to use 3 phase motors on single phase current, maybe that's what you were thinking of.

The three phase converters work, but there is a 30 percent or so loss of power. My Bridgeport is three phase with a converter.

 

[porta mill]

converting 220v to 110v

first thing you must do is find out weather it is 220 single phase or 220 three phase. There should be a metal tage in the motor with the specs listed if it si single phaase you could either rewire the motor to run 110 or run new wire and receptical , not very hard to do. The saw wil run more efficant and better running 220 . If it is three phase you can buy a phase inverter which is very expensive and you will still need to run a new 220 single phase line and recepticall . hope this info is helpfull.

 

[infomet]

Or buy a double breaker and rewire an existing receptacle for 240V. Look for the circuit with the fewest receptacles, because all will be changed over.
If you know what you are doing, you can make a pigtail that plugs into two 120V receptacles, on separate legs in the breaker box, and feeds a 240 V receptacle for the saw. You can even use a double breaker to feed the two 120V circuits and have full protection.
The trouble with using separate breakers is that you can blow one and still have 120V on the tool, both sides of the 240 plug since one side would feed through the windings to the other side.
This ain't code, but will work fine.

 

[aquan8tor]

The three phase converters work, but there is a 30 percent or so loss of power. My Bridgeport is three phase with a converter.

This is true with a static converter. Rotary phase converters have (supposedly) no loss in power, or almost none when compared to a static converter. I've veen researching them a bit lately.