After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out of
space to wrap electrical tape around it. This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. The motor is a 1 hp,
120 volt. The instruction that came with the motor says that a 20 amp
fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is connected. (Yes
I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot replacement
cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.

"Keith Nuttle" wrote in message
...
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out of
space to wrap electrical tape around it. This is the cord from the switch
not the cord from the motor to the switch. The motor is a 1 hp, 120 volt.
The instruction that came with the motor says that a 20 amp fuse should be
used in the circuit to which the motor is connected. (Yes I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot replacement
cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.


12ga is rated for 20 amps

basilisk

On May 4, 5:52*pm, Keith Nuttle wrote:
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out of
space to wrap electrical tape around it. *This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. *The motor is a 1 hp,
120 volt. *The instruction that came with the motor says that a 20 amp
fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is connected. (Yes
I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot replacement
cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.

Rule of thumb is:
14 ga.=15 amps
12 ga.=20 amps
10 ga.=30 amps
8 or 6 ga.=50 amps. 6 ga. for long runs (stove w/baking)

RP

On May 4, 5:52*pm, Keith Nuttle wrote:
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out of
space to wrap electrical tape around it. *This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. *The motor is a 1 hp,
120 volt. *The instruction that came with the motor says that a 20 amp
fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is connected. (Yes
I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot replacement
cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.


Go to your local electrical supply house and get 6-10' of 12/3SJ
cord and a 15A 120V straight blade plug unless you have a 20A 120V
straight blade on there right now. The difference is a 15A has 2
prongs parallel to each w/ground and a 20A has the 2 prongs
perpendicular to each other w/ground.

The formula for ampacity when HP is known is:

HP x 746 / E x Eff x pf

Where E=Voltage
Eff=Efficiency (found on plate with voltage)
pf=Power Factor (also found on plate)


Wire size is limited by the plug. I suspect that you have a 15A plug
on there now so anything beyond 12 gauge wire is a waste.

Allen

12 is all you will need in that short length.
Martin

Keith Nuttle wrote:
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out of
space to wrap electrical tape around it. This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. The motor is a 1 hp,
120 volt. The instruction that came with the motor says that a 20 amp
fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is connected. (Yes
I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot replacement
cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.

Keith Nuttle wrote:
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out
of space to wrap electrical tape around it. This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. The motor is a 1
hp, 120 volt. The instruction that came with the motor says that a
20 amp fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is
connected. (Yes I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot
replacement cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.

12 guage would indeed be sufficient. It is readily available at Home Depot,
Lowes, and all of the other suspects. Definitely not hard to find. An
alternative, if you're so inclined is to just buy a 12 ga extension cord,
cut off the female end, and wire it to your saw.

--

-Mike-

On Wed, 5 May 2010 10:12:30 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
wrote the following:

Keith Nuttle wrote:
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out
of space to wrap electrical tape around it. This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. The motor is a 1
hp, 120 volt. The instruction that came with the motor says that a
20 amp fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is
connected. (Yes I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot
replacement cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.

12 guage would indeed be sufficient. It is readily available at Home Depot,
Lowes, and all of the other suspects. Definitely not hard to find. An
alternative, if you're so inclined is to just buy a 12 ga extension cord,
cut off the female end, and wire it to your saw.

I got 90' of 12ga cable for my 240v items and wired them up to the new
outlets I installed for them. Now I can move all 3 around the shop, or
out into the driveway, with plenty of cord to spare. L6-20 twistlocks
went on the ends to keep 'em plugged. I think it cost about $75
total, including the 250' of 12/2/grounded Romex, 3 outlets, 3 plugs,
and the cable. I use the rest of the Romex to run lights into the
unfinished attic for the guys to install the HVAC. Carrier Infinity,
96% efficient, with A/C. I now have a conditioned shop. /smugness
Dual 16x20" furnace filters keep the dust out of the house and
equalize the air.

--
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian,
or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up
to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
--Thomas Paine

Keith Nuttle wrote:
After many years of use the cord on my Sears table saw is running out of
space to wrap electrical tape around it. This is the cord from the
switch not the cord from the motor to the switch. The motor is a 1 hp,
120 volt. The instruction that came with the motor says that a 20 amp
fuse should be used in the circuit to which the motor is connected. (Yes
I am a pack rat)

Would a cord with 12 gauge wire be sufficient for the 6 foot replacement
cord, or would I use a smaller gauge wire.

I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.


Wire of the same gauge as that you are replacing should be sufficient.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

On May 4, 5:52*pm, Keith Nuttle wrote:


I can find 14 and 16 gauge readily but 12 gauge is harder to find.

Hey there, not to worry. For the six feet you are running to the wall
the original gauge will do (as it so far has done) fine. My gues is
that teh original cord was 14 gauge stranded and that such a
replacement would do you fine. No need to ask us, just take a section
of your old cord and strip it apart/down and count the wires and note
the colors and measure the wire gauge and be done with it.

Having said all that, LOWES and HD offer an "extension cord" intended
for an Air Conditioner that is likely 10GA (chop off the female end)
and may offer one or two that are 12GA and GOING DOWN never really
hurt anyone, right?

BTW, If you go long, you must go down!

Enjoy