On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:56:01 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

In article ,
Ned Simmons wrote:

On 23 Mar 2011 03:55:37 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:



I wonder how big a motor it had? The weird town bylaws say that
a tool in a home can have no more than a 2 HP motor. Not sure whether
it is on the assumption that it will be woodworking tools like a planer,
and trying to keep the noise down, or whether it is trying to minimize
power line dips when things start up in a residential neighborhood.

In any case, I am not pleased. :-)


We have a similar restriction here, though it's buried in the power
companies rules rather than the town's land use ordinances.

I suspect that the town's rationale for a HP limit is to enforce zoning
regulations - only industrial entities would need motors larger than 2
HP.

Most likely in DoN's town, not here. This town has no zoning other
than state mandated shoreline zoning. As I said, the provision is in
the power company's tariffs, not the town's land use regulations.



The power
company reserves the right to refuse service to any single phase
motor, commercial or residential, larger than 5HP, but I've never
heard of them actually invoking the rule. I assume, in our case, it
has to do with power quality on long rural lines.

I bet the issue is the startup surge.

I'm sure that's the reason here.


With a VFD set up for soft start, no surge.

Joe Gwinn

--
Ned Simmons