"Tim Williams" wrote in message
...

Might hit a short somehow. The lights dim nicely when I stall the drill
press, granted it's a 1/4HP motor. But it has a centrifugal switch to
turn
off the start motor.

It's the start winding. Induction motors usually draw something like seven
times their running current in a locked rotor condition. I'm no electrical
expert but this has something to do with the rotating rotor inducing a
reverse current in the windings (generator). This creates resistance which
reduces the winding's current flow. If the rotor isn't rotating, there's
virtually no resistance in the motor windings and you get lots of current
(V=IR)


Sounds like an awful lot for a 1/8HP motor, I'll have to string up all the
oil caps I have in the house to test that. What kind of switches can I
get
to turn off the start winding after it's running?


My mill (Taig) uses a cap-start motor and does not have any type of switch
to turn off the start winding after starting...

Regards,

Robin