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+-- Thread: Electrical - Burned Neutral (/showthread.php?tid=7349569)
Electrical - Burned Neutral - Grey Mountain - 08-03-2019
I have a 200amp service to my shop, and have several circuits. I noticed some time back that my table saw bogged down on routine cuts. When I switched to a different circuit, it worked fine. Several other smaller tools worked with no problem. I checked, voltage, OK. The saw is normally on a 20amp circuit.
Noticed at the box that the neutral wire was burned. I cut the burned part off, about four inches, hooked it up again, this time neutral to a different spot. Everything checks, no problem. Just did this yesterday.
Any clue as to what caused this? I know enough about electricity to make my hair curly.
GM
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - Roly - 08-03-2019
(08-03-2019, 07:06 AM)Grey Mountain Wrote: I have a 200amp service to my shop, and have several circuits. I noticed some time back that my table saw bogged down on routine cuts. When I switched to a different circuit, it worked fine. Several other smaller tools worked with no problem. I checked, voltage, OK. The saw is normally on a 20amp circuit.
Noticed at the box that the neutral wire was burned. I cut the burned part off, about four inches, hooked it up again, this time neutral to a different spot. Everything checks, no problem. Just did this yesterday.
Any clue as to what caused this? I know enough about electricity to make my hair curly.
GM
If it was loose that would cause this, which is the most likely cause. If this is aluminum wire be sure they are good and snug, over tightening can cause aluminum deform and loosen over time. Roly
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - Grey Mountain - 08-03-2019
(08-03-2019, 07:35 AM)Roly Wrote: If it was loose that would cause this, which is the most likely cause. If this is aluminum wire be sure they are good and snug, over tightening can cause aluminum deform and loosen over time. Roly
The wire was loose. Copper wire, usual 12-2.
Thanks.
GM
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - Stwood_ - 08-03-2019
Yes. I also was going to say a loose wire most likely
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - Grey Mountain - 08-05-2019
OK, it was a loose wire. Now 'splain something to this iggernant INdin. I was getting 115 volts at the outlet, but not enough power to keep my table saw from bogging down. Both hot and ground wires were firmly connected. When it comes to 'lectricity, I am a pretty good woodturner.
GM
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - crokett™ - 08-05-2019
(08-05-2019, 05:47 AM)Grey Mountain Wrote: OK, it was a loose wire. Now 'splain something to this iggernant INdin. I was getting 115 volts at the outlet, but not enough power to keep my table saw from bogging down. Both hot and ground wires were firmly connected. When it comes to 'lectricity, I am a pretty good woodturner.
GM
That's because volts is roughly equivalent to water pressure, amperage is how much electricity (or water) is actually moving. Take a garden hose and put it on a spigot but loose, so water is coming out of it. measure the water pressure at the spigot, it will measure whatever the water pressure is, but there's less water coming out because of the end of the hose because of the loose connection at the spigot. Loose neutral = less 'lectricity for the saw, so it bogged down.
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - daddo - 08-05-2019
What crokett said.
If you had checked the voltage difference at the saw with the saw turned off and then running, you would have seen the voltage drop considerably.
That voltage drop/resistance makes heat.
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - Roly - 08-05-2019
(08-05-2019, 05:47 AM)Grey Mountain Wrote: OK, it was a loose wire. Now 'splain something to this iggernant INdin. I was getting 115 volts at the outlet, but not enough power to keep my table saw from bogging down. Both hot and ground wires were firmly connected. When it comes to 'lectricity, I am a pretty good woodturner.
GM
Are you saying with the neutral repaired it is still bogging down ? Does it do it when plugged into a different circuit ? Have someone check the voltage at the outlet while you are sawing, If the voltage is staying close to the same voltage and it is bogging down the issue is between the outlet and the motor itself, If the voltage drops way down, the issue is in the wiring before the outlet. Roly
RE: Electrical - Burned Neutral - Grey Mountain - 08-05-2019
I vaguely knew something about amperage/voltage drop or whatever, but not enough to check it. I was waiting for my son-in-law, maintenance technician at Goodyear, to come over and check it out. I moved the hot to a different breaker - same problem. (of course, since the problem was with the burned neutral). I was getting ready to run a separate test line to the saw to see if my problem was somewhere in the wiring when I discovered the loose and burned neutral. Cut that wire back to good wire, reconnected everything and problem has been solved.