Motor amperage consumption test.

J

Jim O'Dell

Moderator
Well, I finally found a clamp on amp guage for the right price. It's not the best, but for 27.00, I think it will work. I had to take the cover off the breaker box to do the measurements as that's the only place I could grab the wires individually. Here are the readings I took.

blast gates open / red wire / black wire

all closed / 7.2 / 7.1
TS open (6") / 14.1 / 13.7
BS open (4") / 13.1 /13.7
TS and BS open / 15.5 / 14.8
Multi station (6")
TS and BS / 15.7 / 15.5
multistation and TS / 15.8 / 15.4

That seems like I could have all gates open without a problem, if the meter is correct. (Greenlee CMT-60) I do notice that when I have two 6" gates open, that the flow is reduced, but that would seem normal to me.
So, does this match with your readings? Jim.
 
With all my blast gates closed mine reads 10.5 amps. If I open the blast gate to the ts I read 15.5 amps. The tablesaw is the longest run with the most bends. If I open the blast gate to my surface planer and ts I read 16 amps.

I built my own cyclone and used the 16" impeller from clearvue and am running an 8" main split into 2 6" runs. Do these readings sound right. with the blast gates closed and the bottom of the cyclone open it reads 28 amps. I immediately turned it off.

Don't khow what the difference is between the cv1800 and the cv1800 max other than the the inlet is 8" instead of 6".
 
Alan, are you using the Leeson 5hp motor also? If so, sounds like it is in line. I thought my readings were a little low, but without a good meter to verify, I'm just guessing.
Yeah, you don't want to run with the chip barrel off. :eek: Unless you like watching the magic smoke smoke escape from the motor.. :D Jim.
 
Yes I am. I was just wondering since I myself finally got an ammeter. Plus I was wondering about the amp draw with everything closed cause it seeme a little high compared to everyone elses readings. Is it because I'm using the 16" impeller?

I was curious as to the amp draw with the dust bin not connected.
 
AlanBienlein said:
Yes I am. I was just wondering since I myself finally got an ammeter. Plus I was wondering about the amp draw with everything closed cause it seeme a little high compared to everyone elses readings. Is it because I'm using the 16" impeller?

I was curious as to the amp draw with the dust bin not connected.
Click to expand...
Just as with both your TS and Planer gates open, the answer is "more air"! With both gates open in your example, the impeller must move more air. In the open bin situation, the blower is working very hard to move all of the free air it is getting from a direct opening through the base of the cyclone.
 
Current Draw

Current Draw

Hi Alan,

The amp draw readings with everything closed would be higher because you still have more resistance inside the blower housing. It's still moving the air that's inside the blower housing. The readings sound right but what about the readings with one gate open on each leg coming off the 8" open? (or just the main 8" line open) That reading should be closer to 20 amps. Check the voltage at the same time you take readings because the higher the voltage the lower the amperage will be and here in sc the voltage fluctuates a little throughout the day.

Matt
 
Matt,

With one 6" blast gate open off of the 8" line I was reading 15.5 amps. When I opened a second 6" line off of the 8" main the amps went up to 16. I would have to disconnect my 8" main to get a reading with just the 8" open. Thats why I was wondering if there was any difference between th cv1800 and the cv1800 max other then one has a 6" transition and the other an 8"?

Thanks,
Alan
 
Put your hand over the intake hose on a vacuum cleaner .. .. it speeds up - a lot .. .. reason ?? You've choked off the air and the motor is doing less work. Same thing applies to your d.c. It will work the hardest with everything wide open, as your amp draw charts indicate. I've read a warning somewhere that once the fanwheel is mounted to the motor, you shouldn't turn the unit on without ductwork because the overloaded condition might damage the motor.
 
Current Draw

Current Draw

Alan,
The 16 amp number sounds low for the 16" impeller with two 6" inputs even if they have some lengths and bends. I thought you might be at an altitude where the air density is lower. That will unload the motor some but not at 200 feet. Is there anything on the output side that is unusual beyond the usual transition and filter?
babbrown
 
Hi,

It still seems low to me. The intake on the max is bigger in addition to the transition. don't quote me but the 1800 is 4 x 9 and the max is 5 x 10 and matches the area of an 8 inch pipe. Does the flow seem weak to you with one 6 inch gate open? If so make sure you have ccw rotation on the impeller when looking up at the impeller.

Matt

Ps. I just read your post again. Did you build your cyclone according to bill's plan with a 4 x 9 intake? If so that where the restriction is because you are at 36 sq. inches instead of 50 sq. inches. If this is the case then the numbers sounds close but would expect them a little higher depending on which hand you built.
 
I guess thats where I went wrong Matt. I made the intake 4.5" x 9". I had asked if there was any difference between the 1800 and the 1800 max and was told no.

Is it a simple matter of making my intake 5" x 10" and making the cyclone outlet 8" in diameter instead of 9"?

To answer your question about the flow. My wife was helping me one day while I was routing some mdf by holding the 6" flex next to the router. When she raised the flex out of the way for me it almost sucked the t-shirt she was wearing right off of her. And that was on my longest run with 2.5 90's.:eek:

Bababrown,

I stacked my filters just like in the pictures in my photo gallery and even disconnected them to make sure with no difference. I think Matt hit the nail on the head about my inlet size.
 
Yes I am sorry if you had asked that question before you built the cyclone and it wasn't explained right but that is correct.....we made the intake chute 5 x 10 and the discharge tube 8" and the transition is to 8". If you have built a right hand cyclone do not bother with the modifications unless you plan to restrict the flow with gates because it will overload the motor because of the air reversal. Left hand is all we sell in the Max because of this and the 1800's as you can tell from amp draw have the extra headroom to allow for that. left hand draws between 13-15 and the right hand is between 15 -18 depending on voltage and static pressure losses in the pipe and the max with 2 6" gates open should be close to maxed with new filters but should settle in around 19 amps with seasoned filters and be moving around 1800 cfm. If you are going to run one machine at a time and are happy with the flow then I wouldn't recommend the modifications as you won't gain any more flow at the machine because the restriction is going to be the pipe instead of the intake.

Hope that helps,

Matt

Ps. you'll have to make the intake chute longer.......I am pretty sure we added 4 inches to the length and left the 1/2 of space between the air ramp and the discharge.....i.e. the same air ramp as the 1800 although I guess you could contact cement some flat rubber to close the gap but it shouldn't be necessary.
 
I'm going to change it because thats the reason I bought the 16" impeller! I don't think it will be to much work and there is times that I run atleast 2 machines at once. At least I lucked out by building a left hand unit. I'll post new pictures when I do it.
 
Well I was going to post pictures but had problems with the camera. I just completed the modification to 5" x 10" intake. I now read 16.5 amps with the blast gate to the ts open. If I keep the ts blast gate open and open the blast gate for the surface planer it now reads 17.1 amps.

I also checked the amp reading before I reconnected the ductwork and the reading was 17.2 amps. I guess this is as good as its going to get. The suction with 2 gates open now is noticeably better now and it seems a little quieter.

I forgot to read the voltage and will take care of that shortly and post it.

The voltage reads 243 volts when running.
 
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WOW! You didn't mess around. I will check our max tomorrow to verify the amperage and voltage. Seems to me the last time i checked it was 19 amps.

Matt
 
I'm really glad I just read this thread. I'm currently setting up my cyclone and just finished building an enclosure to cut down on the noise. Of course I started up the system as soon as I was finished with the enclosure but now I'm wondering: to run the unit as it sits (with filters and barrel attached) should I block off the 10' section of duct hooked up?? Or at least restrict the airflow alittle? Mabey I should be glad I only ran it for a minute or so?!
Thanks,
Jeff
 
I believe having a section of pipe on is better. Best is to test it with ducting in place, that way you know what the motor will be doing in "real life", in other words, like you will be using it. Jim.
 
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