(10-21-2017, 07:01 PM)32ojdidit Wrote: Just got a new planer from Powermatic. It has a cord but no plug. My shop is wired for 220V 20A and also has a couple of outlets with 220 with 30amp breaker meant for dryer. I need to use the 30amp breaker. The cord has three wires. I was wondering how you guys that have this planer set up.
The specs say it has a 21A FLC motor, which sounds like it's Asia-sourced. High for a 3 hp, like many Grizzly machines are. My 3 hp Unisaw has a 12.4A Marathon motor, which is low but real.
Either way, if it starts and runs ok on a 20A circuit, use it. If you would rather use the existing 30A dryer circuit, know that if it's 3-wire with no ground, the white is functionally the same as the equipment ground, assuming it lands on the same bus in the main panel. It's just overkill, as it would be insulated, and the receptacle lug it's landed on is designed to carry current continuously, while a ground connection does not except in a ground-fault situation (potentially thousands of amps for a cycle or so). And it's the wrong color.
You could also change out the receptacle for a NEMA 6-30, which is a proper 30A, 250V, 2-pole, 3-wire, grounded receptacle. That doesn't make the white equipment grounding conductor code compliant, but it's what you have.
I'm a little curious about others' PM planers that run on 20A circuits. Especially if they have the same motor. 21A rating is obviously more than should be on a 20A circuit (16A max on a motor circuit, generally speaking), and a lot of motor to start, with a high-speed belt-connected load yet.
