# Power - how to determine if a machine runs safely in your shop



## LucasinBC (Dec 28, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This is a rookie question so please bear with me. Well actually, this is an electricity / power question regarding bandsaws. I am thinking about buying a bandsaw sold at my local woodworking store, but it seems to me that there may be a power issue that has been swept under the rug and I am wary to see if there is a workable solution that is safe.

For anyone who lives here in Canada, you may have heard of a chain of stores called Busy Bee. They make reasonable machines, certainly not of the highest quality, but affordable in any case. Most of their machines are built overseas and from what I can gather they look like they are wired to operate in Europe.

http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture10?NTITEM=CT082

I say this because the machine I want to buy is their model CT082 bandsaw which is:

Single Phase
230V (they say 220, but the manual says 230v)
50Hz
1.5Kw
2HP

I realize that in both Canada and USA, the standard is usually 120v / 60Hz. The 230v/50Hz rating seems more in line with Europe. I am aware that it is possible to have a 220 or 240v outlet, however I'm concerned with the 60Hz frequency. I have little knowledge in electric motors, but would'nt a machine that is built for 50Hz frequency fry or get dangerously overheated in a 60Hz outlet?

I know that it is theoretically possible to get a Hz converter installed but that would be ridiculous.

If anyone has had any experience with this please let me know. I like the idea of having a reasonable bandsaw, but I would rather not go for this if there is a major power issue. Especially if there is danger that the motor could overheat.

Thanks,


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## manumurf (Mar 4, 2010)

If the store is selling it in your area, snd your electic supply is typical, and they don't say you need a converter for it. I would think it would work.

50 hertz and 60 Hertz have to do with frequency of alternating current. Japan uses both.


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## pcott (Jul 7, 2009)

Are you sure it is 50 Hz?


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## LucasinBC (Dec 28, 2009)

Pcott - no I am not sure it's 50Hz to be honest. It says 50Hz in the manual that you can read online, but the label on the actual machine says 60 Rotation which I take to mean Hz. It also says 220v on the machine and on the store's website, but it says 230v in the manual. It could simply be that they are cheap and re-used the manuals sent to Asia or Europe here. I just wanted to see if anyone had ever encountered this before.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Don't worry about it. 220,230 and 240 are used interchangeably. If it is a real cheaply made machine it probably has a universal motor in it and won't really care what the hz is.


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## LucasinBC (Dec 28, 2009)

Thanks for the info everyone - seems to me like this goes in the "non-issue" category. I actually got a call from the Busy Bee / Craftex tech support guy today and he confirmed that the manuals are simply duplicates of their Europe machines and basically that the part about electricity can be taken with a grain of salt if not entirely disregarded because their motors are in fact made for N America. Personally Im glad- Im just getting into woodworking…dont have enough time to also start learning about wiring electronics!


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

220v & 230v are usually used interchangeably but mean the same thing. 60 "Rotation" sure sounds like Hz. The easy way to deal wth this is to ask the store to demonstrate it for you.


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

The only stupid question is the one never asked.


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