Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help!
  Advanced
Register  |  Log in  
   Ask    
 Answer  
  Help  

Ask QuestionsprogressAnswer QuestionsprogressBuild ReputationprogressBecome an Expert
 
Free Answers in 3 Easy Steps

Register Now
3 Steps

At Ask Me Help Desk you can ask questions in any topic and have them answered for free by our experts. To ask questions or participate in answering them you must register for a free account. By registering you will be able to:
  • Get free answers from experts in any of our 300+ topics.
  • Accept money for answers that you provide.
  • Communicate privately with other members (PM).
  • See fewer ads.

Home > Home & Garden > Electrical & Lighting   »   Lights dim when I run a saw

 
Question Tools Search this Question Display Modes
Question
 
 
#1  
Old Apr 22, 2008, 12:18 PM
GONZOSMC
New Member
GONZOSMC is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 2
GONZOSMC See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Lights dim when I run a saw

I have just run electric to my work shed. I ran 120v from 220v using a sub panel. Now when I turn on a saw the lights dim and the saw runs slow in the beginning building up to speed. Can anyone hepl?

I ran the sub panel, which has slots for 2 breakers, from a 40amp dual pole breaker which was used to run an old pool pump using the existing wire which is "AWG 12 cu2 CDR with AWG 12 ground type UF-B 600 volts" the distance is about 75 feet. Additionally, I have the sub panel set up to run two 110 20amp breakers. Thanks in advance for any additional help

Reply With Quote
 
     

Answers
 
 
Old Apr 22, 2008, 12:20 PM   #2  
450donn
Full Member
450donn is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 426
450donn See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Too small of wire gage limiting current (amps) feeding the shed.
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 22, 2008, 01:01 PM   #3  
stanfortyman
Electrical & Lighting Expert
stanfortyman is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 921
stanfortyman See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Why did you run only a 120v sub-panel???
What is the total distance?
What size wire did you run?
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 22, 2008, 04:54 PM   #4  
stanfortyman
Electrical & Lighting Expert
stanfortyman is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 921
stanfortyman See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Copied from another thread:
Quote:
Originally Posted by GONZOSMC
I ran the sub panel, which has slots for 2 breakers, from a 40amp dual pole breaker which was used to run an old pool pump using the existing wire which is "AWG 12 cu2 CDR with AWG 12 ground type UF-B 600 volts" the distance is about 75 feet. Additionally, I have the sub panel set up to run two 110 20amp breakers. Thanks in advance for any additional help

So you ran this sub-panel with #12 off a 40A breaker???? Are you aware how mismatched this is??

Can I strongly suggest you have someone qualified come out and look at this. I think there is more wrong here than meets the eye.
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 22, 2008, 05:41 PM   #5  
mr500
Junior Member
mr500 is offline
 
mr500's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Alabama
Posts: 154
mr500 See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
IMO....Rip all that out and start over before you burn something up.

#12 is only rated for 20amps. With Continued use you are really asking for trouble.

Take it all out, run the correct wire (#8 for 40amps unless V drop issues) along with the eq grounds so thats this is safe.

you'd almost be safer running a large gage extension cord to the saw!!
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 22, 2008, 06:11 PM   #6  
Washington1
Electrical & Lighting Expert
Washington1 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 605
Washington1 See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stanfortyman
Copied from another thread:

So you ran this sub-panel with #12 off a 40A breaker???? Are you aware how mismatched this is??

Can I strongly suggest you have someone qualified come out and look at this. I think there is more wrong here than meets the eye.

I was going to say the same thing! We need to start taking electricity more serious!! Some think our work is just wirenutting conductors of the same, but it's more than that.

To name a few things involved with our day to day work:

1. Bonding
a. enclosures and equipment
2. Grounding
a. enclosures and equipment
b. separately derived systems
c. intersystems
3. Dwell calculations
4. Motor and transformer calculations
5. Parrallel circuits
6. Using volmeters/ Megohm meters/ ammeters
7. Calculations (More):
a. box fill
b. conduit fill
c. conductor sizing
d. VD
e. Conduit bodies
f. angle pull
g. u pull

8. Swimming pools
9. Fire pumps
10. Solar Photovoltaic
11. Referenceing the NEC/ NFPA70/ Local codes/ UL/ Osha/ International code...............................etc
12. Knowing designated standards for equipement (Ul or other)
13. Electrical wiring in general:
a. layout/ design


And much much more.
To add: Much much

Comments on this post
Flying Blue Eagle agrees: I agree with what washington said ,quite a mouth full but ( TRUE) . Al;so he should take head with what stanman forty said
  Reply With Quote
 
     


Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

 
Similar Sponsors

Similar Questions
Question Asker Topic Answers Last Post
Track Lighting: 6 pendant lights/4 sections of track 2 lights not working? mayaro Electrical & Lighting 2 Feb 10, 2008 09:11 AM
harbor breeze up lights very dim down lights fine Indycamaro Electrical & Lighting 3 Feb 8, 2008 09:14 AM
flashing lights and small lights that look like fireflies Adrianna1 Psychics 0 Nov 13, 2007 04:52 PM
1994 MGM, Parking lights and side marker lights not working? danaragones Cars & Trucks 5 Jun 25, 2007 08:29 AM
3 lights ran between 2 3-ways, can one of these lights be controlled by a 3rd switch? Yamaha750 Electrical & Lighting 2 Sep 25, 2005 01:42 PM




Copyright ©2003 - 2007, Ask Me Help Desk.
All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:25 PM.

Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC6 © 2006, Crawlability, Inc.