Hi. My Delta table saw model 34-670 now keeps tripping the circuit breaker of the line it is connected to. I’ve had this problem before but now it seems that all my previous solutions don’t work. I’ve made sure the vents of the motor are not clogged with dust. The belt is new. The brushes are in great shape. There is nothing else that is on this electrical circuit like lights or other motors or anything else. Everytime I flip the switch to On on the saw the 20amp circuit breaker trips off. I’ve even switched to a smaller kerf blade but that didn’t work either. It just trips off with nothing on the saw at all anyway. I’ve plugged it directly into the outlet with no extension cords (like I normally have) and it still trips the breaker.
Any suggestions? I’ve had this saw for over 15 years or more, bought it new. I know it’s not the best, with that whining universal type motor, but it has given me pretty good service for not being any where near a good cabinet saw. It’s amazing what you can do with out a high end saw. I’ve learned to work with it.
The owner’s manual actually says that this saw should be connected to a breaker or fuse with a time lag on it but I haven’t been able to find or buy one like that. No one seems to have heard of such a thing. Plus I’ve never needed one in the past.
Thanks to all in advance
Replies
Personally, I'd try a new but identical breaker in the panel. If the saw trips the new breaker once or twice I'd bring in a competent electrician. Could be the switch, the motor, wiring between, wiring to the saw, . . . but I would be afraid to keep turning it on. Takes a lot to trip a 20A breaker, much more than I'd want to risk receiving. Just my opinion.
Try another breaker?
If you have run it in the past have you tried to run it from another breaker? They get tired if your house is old... If you recently replaced it maybe its a polarity problem? If it was me I would have my multi meter on the feed and see what it is drawing when it spins up.. you maybe have a bad cap in the motor getting ready to give up? I know its alot of no help but some places to start.
Rich
Have you tried connecting the motor to an outlet that has a different breaker? (same or bigger amp rating)
Does the motor make any noise when power is applied? (Especially a low hum).
I take it you can spin the motor shaft freely by hand?
Do you feel comfortable dismantling the motor and cleaning it? I'm no exppert, but I wonder where all of the material that gets worn from the brushes goes.
Bill
table saw tripping breaker
No hum in the motor and the blade turns freely by hand.
I think I'll try a new breaker, first, like the other post said..
This is a universal type motor and correct me if I'm wrong , I believe, does not have a capacitor (that big hump on the side of the motor) like most other good saws do.
From your description and not knowing anything else, I'd change the breaker. I'll assume its a 220V 20A dual pole breaker. They should be pretty cheap. I had a problem with my Grizzly 1023 tripping the breaker at times when cutting thick stock. I thought it was a problem with the saw, but someone suggested changing the breaker before spending the money to have a technician look at the motor. Sure enought I put in a $12 new breaker and the problem went away. I also discovered that I kinda caused the problem as I used the breaker to de-energize the circuit at the end of a day's work to make sure my kids could not get into the shop and hit a button. There is a limited number of off/on's before they get loose and give a false trip. If that's not it then you could have an issue with the motor or check to make sure all your locations where wires are fixed to poles i.e. outlet plug etc, are securely locked down and have not come loose. That will definately cause issues! Good luck.
Slow Fuse
You can get Fast or Slow fuses. The fast ones blow immediately. The slow ones take a little time. This prevents them blowing because of the initial startup current surge.
new breaker
When replacing the breaker, get one rated for motors, they have a little delay built in to prevent tripping on motor-start surge current.
Buying a circuit breaker rated for motors
Hi. Do u know where I could buy such a breaker?
BTW, all, the table saw is on a standard 120V 20 A circuit.
Thanks
Sony cassett player boom box can trip a breaker. The saw doesn't
>how do I find a breaker with delay for motors<
http://www.amazon.com/General-Electric-THQP120-Circuit-Breaker/dp/B000B7TG3O/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1273221739&sr=1-3-fkmr0
The description includes this :
Typical applications . . . and electric motors (3/4 hp to 1-1/4 hp).
I got on Amazon and searched :
Circuit Breaker 120v 20-Amp motor
Of course you need to search for the brand for the panel you have.
I have that saw or there abouts.
They call it a one and one half horse power. Yah ! On a good day with a tail wind.
I have had no problem with it being under powered for home shop hobby work though.
My garage under house has GFIs. My little Sony cassett player boom box can trip a breaker. The saw doesn't. Screwy. The house is pretty darn modern, considering other shops I have had. Built in the eighties.
I had to file this saw into some form of accuracy. It is remarkable what can be done with it compared to saws for two or three thousand more $. Yep this saw is a screemer especially in a confined space with concrete walls. Its that cogged belt. Efficient though.
I am waiting for a table saw with nice precision fine adjust collars like my lathe, stops on the rail for repeatablility and a few other things. I will probably wind up making up something on my own. I don't do volume work so almost never use my table saw. Bandsaw and hand tool man here.
At work the new little compressor trips the breaker every now and then. No body seems too concerned. I am not saying they shouldn't be. I have no say in the matter. Building is ten years old. Last compressor never tripped breaker.
I put my Fluke
http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-334A-Digital-Clamp-Meter-backlight/dp/B000VRCSTI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1273223293&sr=1-4
on it with one of these
http://www.amazon.com/Extech-480172-Line-Splitter/dp/B0000YHN9W/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1273224225&sr=1-1-fkmr0
and at 120 volts start up max amp is 48 amps ! Running it is ~ 11 amps so you can see what the breaker is having to deal with and why a motor capable breaker could be useful.
Don't go a larger breaker than is in your box now unless the wiring coming from the panel is specked for the amps.
Good luck
Some Thoughts
Sir:
It could well be that your circuit breaker has "fatigued" and can no longer ride through the motor inrush current. It sounds like you have had intermittent tripping problems before. I would suspect that the breaker was not properly sized from the beginning. You cannot size motor protection from the motor nameplate amps. You have to take into account the “code letter” of the motor, which determines the motor in-rush characteristics.
There is a table in Article 430 of the National Electrical Code that can tell you what size breaker is needed. If it is indeed the breaker, and not shorted windings in the motor, and you don’t mind the nuisance tripping, just replace the breaker with a like kind.
The best, and safest, fix would be to have a qualified electrician troubleshoot the circuit and make sure everything is sized correctly.
If the breaker is sized correctly, per the NEC, you don’t need a special time delay breaker. An off ther shelf panel breaker would work just fine.
Best regards,
Fred
switch over
I had the same problem with my Ridgid in the colder days of winter. I rewired it to 240v, which reduces the amps used. No problems this winter.
You didn't mention if this is a GFCI breaker. They are very fussy about circuit integrity.
Other ideas
Hi Pizza... Here are a few more things to check. First ... Make sure the screw holding the wire to the breaker is tight. Thermal expansion CAN loosen up these screws. Second, do the same at the outlet AND the switch at the saw. Third, is the plug molded onto the wire? If so, cut it off and replace it with a good plug. I've seen wire breaks where the wire exits the plug, not enough to kill the voltage, but enough of the stranded wires were broken to limit the amperage that could pass through (sort of like putting a piece of 18 gauge wire in the middle of a 12 gauge circut.
SawdustSteve Long Island, NY (E of NYC)
circuit breaker tripping
i had this problem with my powermatic 2000, and it ended up being that my belt was loose. when powermatic told me to tighten the belt, i thought they were crazy, but it worked. i'm not really sure why it worked, but it did. good luck.
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