Dust Collector Amperage question

[John Loftis]

Howdy folks, I need to purchase a 1 or 1 1/2 hp dust collector for my garage shop. I'm fine with only hooking it up to 1 tool at a time if that's what I need to do for airflow. I'd like to get the best unit I can that won't trip my breaker.

Here's my main issue. It's going to be financially impossible for me to further rewire my house, so I'm stuck with my current garage wiring, which has exactly 1 110v outlet and 1 220v outlet (single plug). The 110v/15 amp outlet runs my 2, 4ft shop lights and whatever other small tools I'm using (sander, benchtop planer, etc).

The 220v outlet runs my 8" ShopFox jointer or my Jet Xacta tablesaw (1 plug outlet, so 1 at a time).

I don't know what the amperage draw is on the shop lights, so I'm not sure how much amperage I can buy in a 110V dust collector. I'd love to buy a Delta 50-760, but I'm almost positive that would overload my circuit. I guess I could always run an extension cord to the kitchen for the shop lights, but I'd prefer not to do that.

Reading Wood Magazine's review last year of dust collectors under $400, it looks like Delta's 50-850 got pretty good marks and is only rated to draw 12 amps at 110v. There's also a Jet DC-1100 rated at 11 amps. Either unit would require an aftermarket bag, but I saw in a post this morning that there is a decent, inexpensive option for that.

Is the 50-850 the best way to go? Other thoughts? I could just get a 1 hp unit, but experience has taught me that I generally regret buying less tool than I need.

Thanks much,

John

[Matt Armstrong]

Howdy folks, I need to purchase a 1 or 1 1/2 hp dust collector for my garage shop. I'm fine with only hooking it up to 1 tool at a time if that's what I need to do for airflow. I'd like to get the best unit I can that won't trip my breaker.

Here's my main issue. It's going to be financially impossible for me to further rewire my house, so I'm stuck with my current garage wiring, which has exactly 1 110v outlet and 1 220v outlet (single plug). The 110v/15 amp outlet runs my 2, 4ft shop lights and whatever other small tools I'm using (sander, benchtop planer, etc).

The 220v outlet runs my 8" ShopFox jointer or my Jet Xacta tablesaw (1 plug outlet, so 1 at a time).

I don't know what the amperage draw is on the shop lights, so I'm not sure how much amperage I can buy in a 110V dust collector. I'd love to buy a Delta 50-760, but I'm almost positive that would overload my circuit. I guess I could always run an extension cord to the kitchen for the shop lights, but I'd prefer not to do that.

Reading Wood Magazine's review last year of dust collectors under $400, it looks like Delta's 50-850 got pretty good marks and is only rated to draw 12 amps at 110v. There's also a Jet DC-1100 rated at 11 amps. Either unit would require an aftermarket bag, but I saw in a post this morning that there is a decent, inexpensive option for that.

Is the 50-850 the best way to go? Other thoughts? I could just get a 1 hp unit, but experience has taught me that I generally regret buying less tool than I need.

Thanks much,

John

You can simply buy a duplex plate for the 220 outlet and have both the DC and the table saw / jointer plugged in simultaneously... it's an $8 solution, assuming your breaker and wiring is beefy enough to handle a little extra load (almost certainly it is)

[Peter Quinn]

A real 1 1/2HP motor @110V will require a dedicated 20A circuit. My JDS dust force is 1 1/2HP and it takes 20A. So short of adding a new circuit, your stuck with a 1 HP machine. I have several electricians in the family and I'm pretty good with wiring on a basic level myself, so adding circuits is no problem. To my thinking its worth adding the one circuit you would need, even if it means saving up, and getting the more powerful collector. Your lungs will thank you. You might even do well to add a few circuits once you get an electrician involved, or pulling a sub panel to your work shop to make future additions easier. So I am saying change your assumptions or accept your position.

[David Christopher]

John, I would buy a real nice vacuum......takes up less room, easier to use, easier to put away and can be used for more than one thing

[John Loftis]

You can simply buy a duplex plate for the 220 outlet and have both the DC and the table saw / jointer plugged in simultaneously... it's an $8 solution, assuming your breaker and wiring is beefy enough to handle a little extra load (almost certainly it is)

Matt, that seemed like a great idea so I looked up the amperage of my 220v tools. I couldn't find the draw on the Jet 3hp tablesaw, but my 3hp jointer is rated at 18 amps. That doesn't seem to leave any cushion for adding anything else to the 220v circuit.

Peter, sounds like you are saying that the Delta 50-850 either isn't a real 1 1/2 HP collector or it draws more amps than the review says it does. The review says it is rated at 12 at 110v and 6 at 220v and that the max amps pulled in the test were 9.1 (I'm assuming that was at 110v?) Maybe I've got to go with a 1hp as you suggest. I don't think I can afford the kind of shop-vac that would have enough power to clear chips from an 8" jointer.

John

[Peter Quinn]

John, maybe one of the electrical experts will chime in on this, and I'd guess delta can answer the question, but I seem to recall 1.5HP@110 drawing 16A at peak load. I know mine is 16A, just checked the motor plate. Worth making sure. Also, from the Delta 50-580 owners manual as shown in PDF on the Rockler site :

"CONNECTING TOOL TO POWER SOURCE POWER CONNECTIONS

A separate electrical circuit should be used for your tools. This circuit should not be less than #12 wire and should be
protected with a 20 Amp time lag fuse. Have a qualified electrician repair or replace damaged or worn cord
immediately. Before connecting the motor to the power line, make certain the switch is in the “OFF” position and be
sure that the electric current is of the same characteristics as stamped on the motor nameplate. All line connections
should make good contact. Running on low voltage will damage the motor. "

[Ron Knapp]

I was in a similar situation except I didn’t even have a 240V circuit, just a 15 amp 120V. My garage is detached and I found that the outdoor circuit going to my deck was a 20 amp. I bought a 20 amp rated extension cord (if you do this make sure it has the proper plug for your socket) and I was able to use my Jointer and Contractor’s table saw using this method until I rewired.

I know you mentioned not being able to rewire because of the cost and I’m wondering if you have checked the cost with more then one person. I found the younger electricians can up with some pretty screwy and expensive solutions where a more experienced one designed a simpler and less expensive way. It might be worth finding an older experienced electrician and see what he can come up with.

[John Loftis]

Thanks for all of your thoughts.

On the wiring issue, it's about a 100' run from my garage to my circuit box. The builders (in 1981) decided to position the circuit box in the master bedroom closet beneath the absolute deepest, darkest corner of my attic. It took an electrician about 4 hours to get back there and get a hole drilled for the 220v rewiring. He had a particularly tough time getting the new wire fed down to the circuit box. It was extremely tight.

Electrical stuff scares me, and I'm certainly not speaking from knowledge, but it seems to me the smartest bet would be to have a dedicated sub-panel in the garage. I'm assuming that it would be a grand or more to do that, and I just can't justify that right now. We're probably not going to be in this house too much longer, and that's not something we would recover in re-sale.

I wonder if a 1 HP DC would have enough power to do the job, assuming I use a short length of 4" hose and wheel the DC to the tool? Or maybe I should just wait and do it right when we buy a house that's wired a little better.

John

[Chris Friesen]

The nameplate on my 50-760 motor indicates 15A of current at 120V, or 7.5A at 240. It would probably work on your 15A circuit, but just barely. I generally run it on a 20A 120V circuit, so I'm not sure how it does with 15A.

If you want any sort of real dust collection I'd be leery of going much smaller than the 50-760. They'll collect chips, but just don't have the airflow for collecting fine dust.

A subpanel is definitely the most convenient option...but it's a fair bit of work to upgrade power in an outbuilding that far away. Maybe invest in a good dust mask for now, and wait until you can do it right?

[John Loftis]

Just discovered an outlet in the garage hidden behind a filing cabinet... and it's 20 amp. Should be good to go on the 50-760 now.

John

[Ron Jones near Indy]

The Delta 50-850 does require a 20 amp 120 volt circuit. It may only pull 12 amps when running, but will trip a 15 amp breaker at start up. Mine has, on a few occasions, tripped a 20 amp breaker when starting. I put 1 micron bags on mine and it does a great job.