Hello all,
Finally got to HF yesterday to get a clamp-on multi meter. Expected to pay $16 but found a coupon for $10. Tried it out and with the dc hooked up to the ts with 10' of 4" hose, a Thien separator in the dc, and about 1/3 bag full of dust. At start-up it pulls 21-22 amps for a split second and drops to 9.5 to 10 amps and stays there.
HF's rating for this motor is 20 amps (peak)--their parenthesis--meaning probably at least 15 amps or better actual rating. Therefor, there would seem to be pleanty of headroom for improvement. The next step will be a second separator ahead of the blower, then a conversion to 6" hose. This multimeter is handy and cheap!
Steve
PS. Find the coupon for the meter @ www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/common/displayPage.do?pageFile=usa_cpnsave.html
PPS. The coupon is good only through the 12th.
take a reading without any hose on it at all, then a reading without the discharge hose on and that will give you and idea of where to put your energy as far as improving the dust collector