[Rick Christopherson]

Yes, Rick.
However if there isn't a white wire in the switch box there ain't neutral in the switch. And if only three wires in the power cord, there ain't 120 V in the switch.

On a 3-phase contactor, the coil is typically rated for 208/240 volts, which is the voltage between any two phase conductors. I think you're getting hung up on this assumption that a circuit requires a neutral conductor, which is not true.

 

[epicfail48]

Seriously, whats with the outright hazardous electrical advice being thrown around lately? Know what would happen if you tried tying into the ground line of a saw to use it as a neutral line for a light? You would have a functioning light

Oh, and the entire metal frame of the saw would now be energized with 120v, so you would likely die

Ground lines are not interchangeable with neutral.

 

[Tom-G]

For clarity, the light Rick mentioned in post #19 is dual voltage:

“CNC Machine Lamp Working Light Magnetic Base Work Lathe LED 5W 110V-220V US”

There are several listed on Amazon too.

 

[hawkeye10]

The outlet on my bandsaw is 220v. On these dual voltage lights do I just change the male plug on the light and plug it in? I just don't understand about dual voltage lights. It's all new to me.

 

[Tool Agnostic]

Laguna makes accessory lamps designed to mount to their bandsaws. The lamps are expensive. The official Laguna lamps have features not commonly found in a typical on/off bandsaw lamp, like the one that's attached to my old Delta bandsaw. (The lamp on my bandsaw has its own separate power cord and plug, by the way.)

(NOTE: It was my understanding that Laguna makes more than one model of bandsaw accessory lamp, and it is important to get the correct lamp to match the particular model of Laguna bandsaw that you own. I am not sure it is true, but it would be important to know.)

@hawkeye10 wants a third party lamp that he can attach to his Laguna 14|bx bandsaw, the 220v 2.5 horsepower version.

I have been following this thread with interest, but I seem to have missed some key pieces of information that I would want to know if I were searching for a third-party accessory lamp:

• What does the mounting point for the Laguna lamp look like?
• What physical power connector is at that mounting point? How does the Laguna lamp get its power? Does the connector have a standard look (e.g., a typical 110v type two or three prong outlet? Something else?
• What is the actual power at the power connector? Is it 110v AC? 220v AC? Something else? Does the measured power match the outlet type?

P.S. I looked at the user manual, and it looks like a 110 style outlet that could deliver either 110v or 220v depending on the bandsaw model. Is that true? If it is a 110 style outlet delivering 220v, that's a poor decision on Laguna's part, in my opinion.

 

[TimPa]

In North America the ac power from the power company uses four colors:
Green is AC safety ground and should never be used as part of the power circuit.
Black is one half or phase A of the 240 V power.
Red is one half or phase B of the 240 V power.

decent write up! however, your description is for a single phase (or residential) system. To be accurate, there is no phase A and phase B. they are commonly know as Line A and Line B.

OP check to see if there is a white wire coming into the saw, if so, you have the required conductors for a 120vac light, as said hardwire it in before the switch (assuming that it has its own switch). if there is no white wire, you are stuck with the conductors of a 240v power source (step down transformer or 240v light options), OR, you can replace the power cord with a new SO cord with a neutral (e.g.12/3 w ground) to get the 120vac source for your light.

all this assumes that you are comfortable performing these wiring changes. if not, please request assistance from an electrically knowledgeable person.

 

[yomanbill]

Steve is correct, and the other posters suggesting you can use the ground as a current carrying conductor are wrong.

You are correct and I apologize for my error. I believe that my description as to where to make the connections was correct, but I referred to the neutral wire (white) as ground which is wrong. In addition, if the lamp has a green ground wire, it is the one that would be connected to ground within the receptacle box.

 

[HoytC]

...On these dual voltage lights do I just change the male plug on the light and plug it in?...

Yes, that's exactly what you do.

 

[NoThankyou]

TimPA,
I know and I cringe when people call it a phase. A friend who is a retired electrician explained it to me. If you have never studied AC power from an electronics or sine wave perspective, phase makes sense to those people. To people like you and I, terms Line A and Line B are so much clearer.

 

[TimPa]

i learned something from this thread, that there are dual voltage lights! never would have guessed. i would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has experience with them, good or bad. is the light the same intensity with either voltage?

When I read your post I thought maybe the saw would have a 110v provision for the accessory light, but looking at this info for the light: LED Chameleon 90CRI Machine Lamp
Seems it can run on either 110v or 220v. Does Laguna have another light without an arm? This one with an arm is $175.

Bulb shopping is confusing these days, how about a LED bulb that can handle 220v?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

i learned something from this thread, that there are dual voltage lights! never would have guessed. i would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has experience with them, good or bad. is the light the same intensity with either voltage?

It's called a switching power supply, and is the same thing you have on your laptop power supply. It isn't so much that they are dual voltage, as it is that they don't care what the input voltage is. As a matter of fact, you'll typically see them rated for any input from 85V to 250V.

Take a look at the power supply on your computer and you will probably see the same voltage rating, even though it has a 120 volt plug.

 

[Tool Agnostic]

It's called a switching power supply, and is the same thing you have on your laptop power supply. It isn't so much that they are dual voltage, as it is that they don't care what the input voltage is. As a matter of fact, you'll typically see them rated for any input from 85V to 250V.

Take a look at the power supply on your computer and you will probably see the same voltage rating, even though it has a 120 volt plug.

All true, but I think the intent of this capability is to allow you to run your laptop, shaver, or other device on the 220 volt power that is prevalent outside the US and Canada. Some might argue that the intent is so the manufacturer has a universal power supply, but the problem with that argument is that the plug is a US standard 120 volt plug.

The 220 volt power outlets that I have seen in other countries have plug configurations that are obviously different than US standards. Some 220 volt power outlets in those countries accept both the local standard plugs, and also allow US plugs to fit. It is apparent to anyone that they are different than standard US outlets.

It is unusual to see a US standard 120-volt-style outlet that delivers 220 volts on a product sold to the US market.

I am still awaiting confirmation that the outlet on the rear of the 220v Laguna 14|bx bandsaw supplies 220 volts, but is a 120 volt US standard outlet. If true, it is a temptation for a bandsaw owner to use the outlet as a convenience for a 120 volt tool or device, thus risking damage to the tool, or worse.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

All true, but I think the intent of this capability is ....

It has nothing to do with "intent". It is the design type of the power supply. The design of the power supply literally doesn't care what the input voltage is. There isn't a transformer in there like you're thinking. It's all solid state.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

I am still awaiting confirmation that the outlet on the rear of the 220v Laguna 14|bx bandsaw supplies 220 volts, but is a 120 volt US standard outlet.

It's a non-issue. The product couldn't be sold in the United States with an outlet not matching the voltage. Moreover, the Laguna manual clearly states that either a 120 or 240 volt outlet is supplied depending on the voltage setting of the saw itself.

 

[_Ogre]

I know this is not what you are asking, but I will throw it in anyway.......... If you bandsaw is near a wall, you can wall mount a 4' Led. When on sale at Harbor Freight, the price drops down from $29 to $19. They go on sale often. If your band saw lives in the middle of the floor, then you can hang it from the ceiling. They throw off A LOT of light and so far mine have held up almost a year already. I'm in my shop at least 5 or 6 days a week for around 5 to 6 hours a day.
My shop is my Fortress of Solitude.

this is what i'd do, on the ceiling for sure.
having a light on the wall would drive me up that same wall.
more light in the shop never hurt

 

[rogerh]

In order to make 240 volts you would use both hot leads, no neutral. To get 120 volts, use one hot lead and a neutral. It would want to be wired in ahead of the bandsaw's switch so you can see what you are doing before hand. Obviously, you'll have to shut it off when finished. I also have about 5 of those LED sewing machine lights and I love them! They have a magnetic base so they'll "attach" to any ferrous or steel surface. At my wood kitchen table I use a piece of 1/4" round plate that's small 2", but heavy enough to keep it from tipping over.

edited to reflect changes to neutral wire!

If there is no neutral, how can the saw run on both 220 and 110 volts?

 

[woodnthings]

It cannot! The 120 volt suggestion was for a normal household voltage lamp, NOT for the saw's motor, since the original question was regarding adding a light to the saw.

 

[rogerh]

When I read your post I thought maybe the saw would have a 110v provision for the accessory light, but looking at this info for the light: LED Chameleon 90CRI Machine Lamp
Seems it can run on either 110v or 220v. Does Laguna have another light without an arm? This one with an arm is $175.

Bulb shopping is confusing these days, how about a LED bulb that can handle 220v?

If you look at the manual, you find there are two different model numbers between the 120 volt and 220 volt saws. The OP's saw will NOT run on both voltages. The manual points out the difference in the two models in several places. Seems the OP is stuck with a 220 volt light if he wants one to plug into the saw.

 

[rogerh]

It cannot! The 120 volt suggestion was for a normal household voltage lamp, NOT for the saw's motor, since the original question was regarding adding a light to the saw.

So you are saying there is a neutral going to the saw in the 220 configuration??

 

[woodnthings]

Yes, that's how all my 240 3 wire plugs are: