I have a 115v, 1 1/8 HP motor with a faceplate rating of 13 Amps. It
actually draws 17 Amps (according to the Kill-A-Watt) with no load.
Does the difference mean anything important?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
P.S.
I haven't run the motor for more than a couple of minutes...
*With one horsepower equaling 746 watts even the nameplate rating
sounds a little high. If it is still high with your ammeter you
could have a bad bearing, but you should be able to hear that.
Let us know what you find.

The faceplate reads a clear "13.5 Amps."
Both the Kill-A-Watt (reluctantly) and a clamp-on ammeter show about
18-18.6
amps being drawn.
Interestingly, the clamp-on shows 18.5 amps on one wire and 16 on the
other.
The difference must be in heat. Or condensation.

Cannot be. What flows in the one wire MUST flow in the other unless
you have a SERIOUS ground fault.


With the clamp-on meters, it is important to center the wire within
the "jaws" when taking readings. That might explain the 12%
difference between the in and out wires.

In any case it needs to be resolved.

What is the current on the ground wire?



*I was wondering the same thing. It sounds as though there is leakage to
ground.