Strange power cord

[p8ntblr]

I recently got a RAS from a garage sale. I believe it's the older version of the RAS below (see link). It was currently wired for 220 so I opened up the motor cover and switched it to 115 (don't have 220 in the garage yet). When I went the plug it in I was suprised by the cord. It looks like the prongs have been turned 90 degrees. Where do they use these cords? Can I just replaced with a standard plug? Will any do, or should I be looking for something specific. Planning on heading to borg or lowes tomorrow.

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-33-890-1.../dp/B00002234Z

[poolhound]

That looks like a 220V plug. assuming the RAS can operate on 110v (as you say you have switched it I assume it can) then you can just rewire it with a regular plug. make sure you use a grounded 3 prong.

Have you got or can you find a manual for the RAS as it should tell you how to adapt for 110v

[Tom Slick]

That's a NEMA 6-15P which means its a 250v 15a plug

[p8ntblr]

That looks like a 220V plug. assuming the RAS can operate on 110v (as you say you have switched it I assume it can) then you can just rewire it with a regular plug. make sure you use a grounded 3 prong.

Have you got or can you find a manual for the RAS as it should tell you how to adapt for 110v

The motor has a circuit diagram to show wiring for both 110V and 220. Just a matter of changing 2 wires.

[p8ntblr]

That's a NEMA 6-15P which means its a 250v 15a plug

So I assume I can just change it to a standard 15A plug Tom? Btw, it's going to a dedicated 20A breaker if that makes a diff.

[Tom Slick]

just as pool hound said, since it can be rewired for 110v then you can replace it but it could use more then 15a on 110v, you'll have to look at the data plate. they usually say something like;
voltage: 220/110
amperage: 15/20

technically if it does use 15a-20a then you should use a NEMA 5-20P plug which is a 110v 20a plug that has just one terminal sideways but nobody ever seems to. A NEMA 5-15P is the standard 110v 15a plug that everyone uses on 110v stuff.

[LCHIEN]

yup, that's a plug used for 220V up to 15Amps.
Make sure the RAS uses less than 15A max at 120V and if so then you can put a standard parallel prong 120V plug on it.

[reddog552]

Change the plug?

I would not change the plug.Get a receptacle to match your plug as long as you have a circut rated for 20 amps.

[LCHIEN]

I would not change the plug.Get a receptacle to match your plug as long as you have a circut rated for 20 amps.

Its a very poor practice of leaving inappropriate plugs on equipment and outlets configured for something else. People who know and understand electrical systems would see the plug and outlet designated by a national standard as being for 220V and assume it was wired for 220. Of course they should really check it first but checking how a saw is wired is not always quick and easy. Those assumptions could lead to personally-dangerous or machine-dangerous situations

National Electrical Manufactureres Association (NEMA) has designated and the industry uses, this set of plugs for each specfic voltage application. You should be able to tell by looking what voltage and current range an outlet provides and what voltage and current maximum an appliance or tool needs, from the chart on this page:
http://www.nooutage.com/nema_configurations.htm

[Roger Ronas]

I would change the plug to the voltage your going to use.
NEVER leave an incorrect plug on a piece of equipment!
Leaving that 220 plug on a 110 maching someone may plug it into 220 "because it fits" and be in for a ride. Not a shocking ride but that RAS would run almost twice as fast and burn up.
I did that with a corded drill motor once. Pluged into a 110 plug that was wired 220. It ran like all get out for awhile then I had to buy a new one.

Roger

[reddog552]

rewire Plug?

I am an Industrial electrican trained in motor control. Yes the right way would be to change the plug.I would always do this in a commercial-industrial setting..... BUT your in a controled setting,YOU know that this is a dedicated circuit for this equipment.Being that you can make it simple.

[LCHIEN]

I am an Industrial electrican trained in motor control. Yes the right way would be to change the plug.I would always do this in a commercial-industrial setting..... BUT your in a controled setting,YOU know that this is a dedicated circuit for this equipment.Being that you can make it simple.

Well, I guess my perspective is, at some point i will lose interest, and I'll move on or forget, or maybe I will die and go to the great shop in heaven. Then my work will pass on to someone, it may be a stranger or it may be my son or grandson, who knows. Very likely in that case it will be moved to a new location. I don't feel that its fair to surprise them. At least, not for the cost of a $5 plug. And in either case, you have to replace one end or the other, you're not really saving any work or money to do it right.

[cabinetman]

A suggestion in reading the amperage off of the motor plate. A 110V/220V motor @ 220V will show half the amps of the motor @ 110V.
.

[LCHIEN]

That's a pretty big beast, a 2 HP 12" RAS
From the amazon link you give, if you click on technical details, the saw draws 9.6 Amps at 230V. That means, wired for 120V, it will want to draw up to 19.2 Amps. That doesn't mean it won't run on a 15Amp cicruit, but that it may trip the circuit breaker before it develops full HP during a heavy cut. If you keep the loads low, then you can run it on a 120V, 15A circuit, safely, you just can't get full power from the saw before the breaker trips.

Anyway, theoretically, you should be putting this on a 12 ga. wired, 20A 120Vcircuit with a matching 20A breaker..
And not using a NEMA 5-15P plug and receptacle, but a NEMA 5-20P with one blade vertical and the other horizontal.

[Tom Slick]

I am an Industrial electrican trained in motor control. Yes the right way would be to change the plug.I would always do this in a commercial-industrial setting..... BUT your in a controled setting,YOU know that this is a dedicated circuit for this equipment.Being that you can make it simple.

buying and wiring the NEMA 6-15R receptacle would take more time and cost more then just replacing the plug with the proper one. it would certainly not be more simple.