On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:12:30 -0800 (PST), Airedale
wrote:

I am picking up a Table Saw and it comes prewired for 110, but have
been told it can be switched over to 220.

Right now I do not have a 220 line in the Garage, but am thinking of
having an electrician come out to put in the line. Is it worth it?
What are the benefits of going 220?

I probably need a line run anyway as I keep tripping the circuit
breaker with a few things running at the same time.

Thanks,

Adam


I'm going to be a bit of a contrarian on the subpanel. Nothing
against the idea, just might be overkill depending on your plans.

My 400 square foot shop started with a single 20 AMP 110 V circuit
pulled from the main panel and a lighting circuit that came by
extending an existing, underutilized, lighting circuit from the
carport. For years this worked fine.

I then added several 220 tools and ran a second circuit from the main
panel to handle 220.

I only run one tool at a time or occaisonally, one running on the 220
circuit and one on the 110 circuit. I've often worked with a friend
and the single 110 circuit was able to run my RAS and Jointer, with
the table saw running on the 220 circuit as we rapidly processsed a
lot of lumber for glue up.

Never any tripping or voltage drop problems.

My advice, if you have even a remote plan to make the garage a real
shop and are going to be drawing lots of power in the future, the the
60 amp minimum subpanel is probably a good idea. Particularly if you
plan to be there for a while. If not, you may be just adding a lot
of electricians cost.

Now, that said, I'm planning a shop expansion, doubling the size and
connected load and will put in a 60 Amp subpanel. Primary reason is
the addition of a dust collection system and having an air compressor
on random start feeding shop air. But it took me 15 years to get to
the point I need the additional power.

Look past your connected load to your diversity factor. Connected
load is not important if very little is operating at any given time.

It may be that pulling the wire for the second circuit in the existing
conduit is your most cost effective approach.

Frank