Hi

I've got a Rockwell Contractors saw which I recently bought. It's got a 1.5HP,
15A (@115V) original motor on it. The saw has seen a fair amount of use.

There doesn't seem to be any significant drag on the system, the motor, belt &
spindle seem to turn fine.

However, just about 50% of the time I turn it on, the circuit breaker trips.
When it trips, I can just reset the breaker, then turn on the saw and it will
always start the second time. If I shut it off, the next time I try to turn it
on (warm or cold), it will almost always trip the breaker.

I originally had it plugged into a 15A circuit, and figured the starting
current was just a little high.
I had been meaning to add a power circuit to the basement, so I added a 20A
circuit, and still have the same problem.

Does this mean the motor is bad, or are there soft-start options for these
machines, or what?

I could probably wire it up for 230V, but I'd like to have it remain somewhat
portable.

Thanx.

Don