110 or 240 volt?

Darren Wright

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Just curious, My TS will run either 110 or 240. I have wiring for both ran to my garage. Would one be better over the other?

I just have a delta contractor saw with a 1 1/2 hp motor, so other than perhaps reducing the high amp startup draw, I'm not sure it would matter.
 
Oh the long controversial subject of 120 vs. 240 ...

The short answer to your question: TRY it and find out.

Some it helps. Others it makes no difference. All other responses are gonna boil down to controversy. Best to just try it and see - since you have the ability. It'd only cost ya a plug if you already have an outlet in place :)
 
I just recently switched my 1 1/2hp Ridgid contractor's saw from 110v to 220v, and the only difference I can "feel" is that it seems to get up to full speed more quickly. (This could all be in my head, though.)

As Alan mentioned, in my case, it seemed to make sense due to the "cushion" from not having to run at the upper limits of the circuit's amperage rating. I feel better using 6.5 amps of a 20 amp 220v circuit than 13 amps of a 15 amp 110v circuit.

I also switched my 1 1/2hp bandsaw to 220v, but haven't really used it enough since to see if it made any perceptible difference. I did opt to keep my new 1hp drill press at 110v, since that gives me more options for plugging it in as I move it around the shop.

Jason had the best advice...give it a try and see if it makes any difference for you. It's doubtful it'll be worse on 220v than 110v.
 
I'd also say give it a go :thumb:

Now if you have a bunch of stuff already on your 110v lines, taking the TS off of those circuits might also be a good idea. Do you have a DC? If so, is it on the 110v or the 220v line?

Cheers!
 
I figured this had been debated before, but didn't find anything on it when I searched. Personally I was thinking it would be less startup amps and better on the motor, so I'll give it a go and see how they do.

Thanks all,

P.S. Stu, no DC...
 
I switched my TS to 220v about 5 years ago. It made a little difference at startup with my GI 50-185, but it made more of a difference on my Craftsman 22124. The improvement, if any, will really depend on the motor and the existing circuit.

If your TS performance is terrific as is, and you don't have an existing 220v line, I probably wouldn't put one in just to try it. But if you've got the 220 line available, or if the saw bogs and dims other lights often, I'd definitely give it a go.....let us know.

(don't forget to turn off the power!)
NM_Shocked.JPG
 
All things being correct, there would be no difference in performance. Some folks prefer or feel better about one or the other. In my case I was running 110v via poor existing wiring. Rewired the shop but left the TS at 110v on proper wire (although capable of 220v operation) and a dedicated circuit; great improvement.
 
Probably the only place you will see a civil debate on this.

Fact: If you motor draws 10 amps on 110V, it will draw 5 amps on 220V. That is just Ohms law. So if you have limited amperage to your shop/undersized wiring that can be a plus. If you had a problem with the amp draw you could see an improvement in the saws performance. BUT ONLY because you had a problem. Not because you Hot-Rodded your motor.

My understanding, and I probably will not explain this 100% accurate, is even when you rewire to 220 volts the voltage is split and the windings in the motor are still running on 110v. Nothing internally changes. So the motor doesn't have more power. A 1hp motor is still a 1 hp motor. Again, assuming you didn't have a amp draw problem.

I hear and read people say what Alan did, that it is less stressful, motors run cooler etc. I have never seen anything that proves that to me. It may or may not be true. I won't take sides on that. I should have been from Missouri I guess, but I would like to see proof on way or the other. So pick your side on that one. :thumb:

Yes it is true, some saws seem to jump to life after converting. Thats because of the decrease in amp draw. My old table saw, there was a huge difference in start up time. Matter of fact it scared me the first time it came up to speed so fast. I literally jumped back thinking something was wrong.

I run almost everything that I can on 220 just because. It doesn't make any difference and if I didn't have 220V all around the shop I would just use 110V.
 
I agree with Jeff. If you have the proper wiring, it doesn't matter whether you run your motor on 110 volts or 220 volts.

If you have problems with your 110 volt wiring (for example if the wiring is too small) you'll have excessive voltage drop in the wiring and the motor will not work well. When you switch that motor to 220 volts (with proper wiring) the motor will perform much better.

But apples-to-apples you won't see any difference. The motor will perform the same, it will generate the same heat, etc.

And Jeff is also right in the way motors are made. The coils are essentially designed for 110 volts. When you wire the motor to run at 110 volts, the coils are connected in parallel. When you wire the motor to run at 220 volts, the coils are connected in series. So the coils always have 110 volts dropped across them, no matter which voltage you input to the motor. Of course, this only applies to small motors designed for household or shop use. When you get to industrial motors (say 100 HP motors) it's different - those motors run on much higher voltage.

Mike
 
Well said Jeff, The only thing I would change is the amp draw from the motor at 220, still 10 amps, just 5 amps per leg, so the "shop" draw would be the same.
I don't think that's true. On a 220 volt circuit, the power is supplied via two wires so the current is 5 amps from one wire to the other.

On 110 volts, the power is also supplied via two wires and the current is 10 amps from one wire to the other.

The power is the same on both (volts times amps) but since the voltage is one half the current is doubled.

I think where people get confused is that on a 110 volt circuit one leg is attached to ground where on a 220 volt circuit neither leg is attached to ground. But the attachment to ground makes no difference in the current flow - it's just a safety factor in the design. The way our disturibution system is designed, there's only 110 volts from "hot" to "ground" no matter whether you're working on 110 volts or 220 volts. But to the motors, they don't know jack about ground - they only see the power being supplied by two wires.

Mike
 
I don't think that's true. On a 220 volt circuit, the power is supplied via two wires so the current is 5 amps from one wire to the other.

On 110 volts, the power is also supplied via two wires and the current is 10 amps from one wire to the other.

The power is the same on both (volts times amps) but since the voltage is one half the current is doubled.

I think where people get confused is that on a 110 volt circuit one leg is attached to ground where on a 220 volt circuit neither leg is attached to ground. But the attachment to ground makes no difference in the current flow - it's just a safety factor in the design. The way our disturibution system is designed, there's only 110 volts from "hot" to "ground" no matter whether you're working on 110 volts or 220 volts. But to the motors, they don't know jack about ground - they only see the power being supplied by two wires.

Mike
Mike I think we will have to disagree on this one. A 1 1/2 hp motor drawing 14 amps on 110 still needs 14 amps at 220, it is just split between the legs, 7 amps per leg. There is no way you will get 1 1/2 hp out of just a 7 amp draw alone.IMHO
 
The way I understand it, you can't directly compare horsepower and amps. But you can directly compare horsepower and watts, since both are a measure of power (or "work" if you will).

To get from amps to watts you have to multiply by volts:
14 amps x 110 volts = 1540 watts = 7 amps x 220 volts​
 
The way I understand it, you can't directly compare horsepower and amps. But you can directly compare horsepower and watts, since both are a measure of power (or "work" if you will).

To get from amps to watts you have to multiply by volts:
14 amps x 110 volts = 1540 watts = 7 amps x 220 volts​
Kerry, I bow to you and your explanation. I have to ask you, would not the total watts used be the same ? The "shop" use and the motor draw ?
 
Mike,

There is a difference in voltage drop and heat..related to the lower current flow..that gives 220 an edge...as well as better starting torque with 220.
I'm afraid that's not true. We always get into these kinds of discussions when we talk about 110 volts or 220 volts for tools.

The only difference is in the wires supplying the motor - inside the motor, the voltage across the coils and the current through the coils is exactly the same for both 110 volts and 220 volts for the reason described earlier.

So there's zero difference in the heat generated by the motor.

There is also zero difference in the starting torque.

All this assumes that the wires feeding the motor are properly sized for the load. I think what happens is that someone has a 110 volt circuit that has wires too small - which leads to a larger voltage drop across those wires. When you start the motor, the large inrush current causes a significant voltage drop in the wires feeding the motor, thus starving the motor and reducing the starting torque.

But, as Jeff said earlier, if the wiring is up to snuff, there's exactly zero difference in operating a motor on 110 volts or 220 volts. Certainly inside the motor there's zero difference because it operates on 110 volts (across the coils) even when you have it wired for 220 volts.

Mike
 
Mike,

I have been told by enough people involved in motors and electricity that you will get more starting torque at 220, compared to 110, to believe them and post it. Those same people have said that the motor will run a bit cooler on 220, and I believe that too.

When you start your motor on 110, just like I mentioned...and you confirmed...there will be a larger surge of current that will generate more heat on wiring, including cord wiring, that will cause a voltage drop. Power will be used to generate the heat. You are making an assumption:
I think what happens is that someone has a 110 volt circuit that has wires too small - which leads to a larger voltage drop across those wires.
I am assuming that the house wiring is to code and that the equipment has a cord that is correct for 110V and the current draw of the motor at that voltage...which is very adequate for the lower current draw at 220.

I have seen a difference on my own Delta table saw in starting and getting up to speed quickly when I changed it from 110 to 220. That is actual experience.

You are entitled to your own opinion, but until you can show actual, documented proof...it's just your opinion. My opinion is based on what I have been told, read, and on actual experience.

:wave:
 
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