Hey everyone! I'm having some trouble with my Dewalt DW780 miter saw. It pulls an insane amount of amps at startup—over 60 amps! This has been causing my 20A breaker to trip on the very first start. I know that startup loads can be high, but this seems excessive. When I had an electrician check it, it didn't trip, so I suspect the current goes higher than 60A when it does trip. Once it starts, the saw drops to a steady 11A. I bought the saw on February 4, 2024. Can anyone tell me if such a high amperage draw is normal, and what I could do about this problem?
3 Answers
Hey! The high startup current you're seeing is actually pretty common. Inrush currents can be 3-5 times higher than the motor's normal load, so that 60A figure seems about right. If your saw is older, consider cleaning or replacing the brushes—I've heard that helps. Also, ask your electrician about the breaker; a type C or D breaker might work better for those initial surge currents. Just a thought!
I’ve been using a DWS780 for years on a 15A circuit, and I've never had my breaker trip. It might be worth double-checking your setup to make sure everything's working as it should.
That sounds abnormal to me. A new saw like that should not pull that much current just from spinning the blade without any load. You might need to get it looked at by a professional if it's consistently tripping the breaker.
Totally agree! It sounds like you’re in the right ballpark with that 60A reading. Just keep an eye on it, and maybe try it on a different breaker to rule out any issues there.