[rbk123]

Rewired the 4512 for 220V yesterday and it was pretty effortless. Rewiring the motor took all of 3 minutes as it's just a matter of redoing a couple of wire nuts and the connections are shown on the inside of the wire housing cover. I already had 220 in the garage for my air compressor but only 1 outlet, so it took me longer to go get another box and plug, run some conduit and tap off the existing box than rewiring the 4512.

What I really needed and did was splice in another 15' of 14ga cord so that I wouldn't need an extension cord and can now move it pretty much wherever I want in the garage. The 120 lines already had a few items on them so this gave me a dedicated line (I won't run the compressor at the same time I'm running the saw).

Saw spins up immediately (and I mean when you turn it on it's at full rpm's) and didn't struggle at all when I ripped a piece of 1" oak with a 50T combo Freud.

I'd take pics but it doesn't look any different except now it has 20' of power cord. :icon_smile:

 

[rrich]

I think that the difference that you are experiencing is due to half the current travelling through your extension cord. In engineering terms, "Less of an IR drop".

 

[knotscott]

Before I had a 3hp cabinet saw, I rewired my 2hp and 1.75hp saws for 220v and noted pretty much the same thing....startups were notably faster, and recovery from bogging was much quicker....all and all, a very noticeable improvement. Each circuit is different and will behave differently, but 220v definitely tends to have lower voltage loss due to half as much current traveling through the hot legs (as rrich noted). Sounds like it was well worth the minor effort and cost to convert in your case.

 

[Steve Neul]

In my opinion 14 gauge wire is too small to run equipment off of especially if you are very far from the main breaker. You really shouldn't run more than 12 amps off that gauge wire.

 

[rbk123]

I think that the difference that you are experiencing is due to half the current travelling through your extension cord. In engineering terms, "Less of an IR drop".

Agree that this is a very likely and important part of the equation, and add in other items that were on the line (lights0) as well. My change wasn't apples to apples and so unfortunately I can't say how much was due to 220, nor can I say how much was the prior line/extension. My goal was to eliminate all of that and I could have done so and kept it at 120 but I figured while I was at it why not switch it since it was no extra effort.

As for 14ga - the romex line itself is very short to the box. The 20' of power cord is well within spec for the motor and each pole only needs to carry 6.5A. That's a non-issue, not even considering the plus of having 220 pushing it.

 

[ryan50hrl]

In my opinion 14 gauge wire is too small to run equipment off of especially if you are very far from the main breaker. You really shouldn't run more than 12 amps off that gauge wire.

Steve, that is the case for 110 lines, but an added benefit of 220 is cheaper wiring. On 220, that saw is only drawing 6.5 amps which is WELL below the current carrying ability of 14 gauge wiring.

 

[toolguy1000]

Steve, that is the case for 110 lines, but an added benefit of 220 is cheaper wiring. On 220, that saw is only drawing 6.5 amps which is WELL below the current carrying ability of 14 gauge wiring.

the ridgid 4512 OM calls for a 15A 220v circuit when it's wired for 220. no need for a 12 gauge wire and a 20A 220v circuit, although that's what i'd have used, thinking ahead to the day i added a 2 hp 220v DC to my shop. they could both run on the same 220v circuit.

 

[ryan50hrl]

the ridgid 4512 OM calls for a 15A 220v circuit when it's wired for 220. no need for a 12 gauge wire and a 20A 220v circuit, although that's what i'd have used, thinking ahead to the day i added a 2 hp 220v DC to my shop. they could both run on the same 220v circuit.

I believe US code requires only one outlet per 220 circuit.....Its possible i'm wrong on this one.....but I think I remember reading this in the code book.

 

[Ninefingers]

So you just spliced new cord onto the old? I tried to get my new wire into the switch box so I wouldn't have a splice... I ran into difficulty getting out the old wire and gave up for the moment.

 

[rbk123]

Yes, I cut the existing cord right at the plug to retain as much of it as possible. I soldered the wires and used heat-shrink on the individual strands and then heat-shrink over the whole thing to make it seamless.

 

[ryan50hrl]

Yes, I cut the existing cord right at the plug to retain as much of it as possible. I soldered the wires and used heat-shrink on the individual strands and then heat-shrink over the whole thing to make it seamless.

I would replace that ASAP. I don't believe heat shrink is rated for that type of use.

 

[wood_chucker]

Nice to know I have he 4512 and when I move at the end of the month I plan too wire it up for a 220.

 

[rbk123]

I would replace that ASAP. I don't believe heat shrink is rated for that type of use.

Just my recommendation but I would suggest confirming un-surety first, and then giving such immediate/drastic direction. I don't want this to come out as a slam, and apologize in advance if it's taken as such, I just found it odd you had the sequence backwards.

Standard heat shrink is rated at 600V and many have it actually printed on the product. My splicing is fine.

 

[ryan50hrl]

Just my recommendation but I would suggest confirming un-surety first, and then giving such immediate/drastic direction.

Hey, you wanna do it to yours go for it.....but I don't know a single one of the electricians I know that would do that, or consider it safe.....I'd rather over state my thoughts on this here, then see a thread about the guy that burned down his shop.

Why not just put a new cord on it from the box, the cord pops out of the strain preventer....

 

[ryan50hrl]

Maybe I am wrong....would anyone else have spliced the line this way?

 

[Wizard1500]

Maybe I am wrong....would anyone else have spliced the line this way?

I am not an electrician, though I did do all the wiring in my shop....120 and 220.....I would never splice a line running a machine....be it table saw, computer, or even a mixer in the kitchen.....if the cord is not long enough, replace it with a longer one, to be on the safe side.....

 

[toolguy1000]

as i read rbk123's TS power cord wiring modification, he cut off the 110v plug and then attached a 220v plug to the stripped wires of the now "running" end of his power cord. the shrink wrap, as i read it, appears to be primarily an aesthetic rather than "structural" component. here's a quote from the 4512's OM:

" Cut off the 120 volt power cord plug and replace it with
a 3-prong 240 volt, 15 amp. UL listed plug.
 Connect the power cord white and black leads,
respectively, to the "hot" plug blade terminals. Connect
the power cord green grounding wire to the plug ground
prong terminal."

since electrical shrink wrap, at least the kind i'm familiar with, is used for buried wire, i don't see anything wrong with his methodology, provided it's rated as well as the power cord to which it's attached.

FTR, i don't like doing things to tool components that can't be undone, so i seldom, if ever, cut wires, cords or belts (good thing i didn't follow a suggestion to cut the drive belt on a 70s vintage variable speed delta lathe i was looking at. turns out that would have necessitated disassembling the headstock to install a replacement belt!!!). i would have removed the 110v cord and installed a replacement from properly sized SJ and installed a NEMA 6-20 plug. but as i noted previously, i see nothing wrong with rbk123's methodology.

 

[ryan50hrl]

as i read rbk123's TS power cord wiring modification, he cut off the 110v plug and then attached a 220v plug to the stripped wires of the now "running" end of his power cord. the shrink wrap, as i read it, appears to be primarily an aesthetic rather than "structural" component. here's a quote from the 4512's OM:
.

If it were just the plug I wouldn't be concerned, but I believe he's saying he spliced the wires, in effect adding a number of feet of wire with a splice in the middle....which would make the shrink tubing a very structural part....In fact the only thing between 220v and him....I know in my shop cords get stepped on, things fall on them, stuff catches on them ect...which is what I'd be worried about.

 

[toolguy1000]

if that's the case, that's a valid concern. re-reading his posting about the cord, i see where that interpretation is possible. perhaps he'll weigh in with a pic of his power cord modification.

 

[ryan50hrl]

Now i'm hoping he comes back and explains further......I've reread it and I can see what your saying.....I hope theres not a splice in the middle.....Hum.....