PM2000 tablet saw won't spin up with 3/4" 8" dado stack. Trips overload limit switch.

Looking at the picture of the saw it appears virtually identical to many others meaning it is likely a label-engineered generic model possibly sourced from the Far East.
If this is correct it is very unlikely to employ an arbor in the conventional sense and is most likely mechanically like a portable saw or uses a low profile induction motor, as my table saw does.

While the very useful dado stack is popular in America, its use is frowned upon in many places around the world as they are considered dangerous and they are banned outright in Europe, in fact in Europe we aren't even supposed to operate a saw without the riving knife, which means in theory at least, we aren't supposed to saw out rebates.

Take the belt off the transmission pulley and see if you can turn it by hand. It will agitate on direction and spin when you turn it the other direction.
Put the timer to spin with the belt off and see if the motor will run. There may be a problem in the start switch on the motor letting it start in one direction but not in the reverse direction.
Special tools are required to remove the transmission and brake assembelies. You also want to make sure there is nothing sticking through the holes in the basket causing it to lock up such as a nail or screw that may have been left in a pocket.
Post back with what you find.
Thanks/Mike

The belt is still attached to the transmission right?? It sounds like the brakes may be stuck. Or are both belts off and the motor still trips out?

They are used to create a "stacked" blade to allow wider dado cuts. Read this link for more info.


Setting Up Your Stacked Dado Set

Yes just make sure you have or make a new clearance plate to allow the dado to come thru

After doing some research, I found that hitachi only recommends up to a 1/2 dado for this machine with most of the users agreeing that it probably does not have the stability or power to run a 3/4 inch safely. Meaning you probably can run the 3/4 but at you own risk.

You have a 5/8" diameter arbor. You can use any dado blade that will fit. That said here's a few things to bear in mind.

8" diameter dado stacks are pretty standard for 10" contractor table saws. A dado stack is typically about 13/16" wide at most. It makes sense that the wider your blade is, the more power it takes to cut through the wood.

If you were to use the full width capacity of your Dado stack (13/16") a 10" diameter stack would bog down. A 8" stack has a faster rotation at the cutting edge because of its smaller radius. So, you don't bog down when you're making a wider cut if you use a smaller diameter.

If your machine was really underpowered, you could go down to a 6" stack which would cut your power requirements even more, but limits the depth of cut.

If this post was helpful, please vote. Thanks.

Having used a Model 66 Powermatic for 25+ years, many times with a full 3/4" stack dado on the saw, I can't imagine the saw is at fault, unless there is some specific fault with the motor.

Granted, these new dado stacks with their anti-kickback fingers and four teeth per chipper instead of the customary two are heavier, and cause a greater load on the arbor, but it's a balanced load, and bringing it up to speed shouldn't be an issue. Consider the torque involved in ripping through two inches of solid oak, for example. So I would also rule out the dado set. I've seen many saws turn the same set, some running with only 1 1/2 hp and 110v extension cords. (Though I don't recommend this unless you're very patient.)

The three phase connection is worth some investigation, in my mind, as the likely culprit. I used to have a 5hp 3ph motor on my saw, and at the time had a second saw hooked up to the same power feed in the shop. We did what your electrician told you was possible, took a 230 (208) leg off the 3ph power. It's been many years, but it seems to me that the electrician who helped us hook this up at the time warned me that it had to connected in a specific manner, using particular leads, because of the nature of the 3 phase. This has something to do with the lack of a neutral, I believe, but I'm not an electrician. You might consult the following website for some further information regarding the specifics of this type of connection, and reference the following info: http://www.3phasepower.org/
1 Phase Loads on 3 Phase Power
Single-phase loads may be connected to a 3 phase system in two ways. This can be done either by connecting across two live conductors (a phase-to-phase connection), or by connecting between a phase conductor and the system neutral, which is either connected to the center of the Y (star) secondary winding of the supply transformer, or is connected to the center one winding of a delta transformer (High leg Delta system). Single-phase loads should be distributed evenly between the phases of the 3 phase system for efficient use of the supply conductors and supply transformer. Click here to read more about connecting a 1 phase load to a 3 phase power supply line.

If that's more than you wish to digest, I heartily recommend you consult an electrician accustomed to commercial industrial wiring. He ought to be able to take a quick look at the breaker box and the connection to the saw and sort you out.

The only other thing I can think you might be able to check on your own is the wiring configuration of the magnetic switch itself. It is turning off, you say. They must be rewired internally to conform with the particular power supply provided. There should be a wiring diagram inside the switch box or in your documentation that shows how to do this. I can remember changing the leads, and at one point changing the actual thermal breakers, when I moved from one shop to another over the years. That may have been when I had to change the 3ph motor for a 1ph one. If the wiring to the saw is correct, this might be the direction to look.

Short of loose drive belts, I can't think of anything else to offer you as a troubleshooting guide.
Let us know how this works out, and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help!

Yes. normally an eight inch stack dado set is used on a 10 inch saw. You will also have to purchase or fabricate a special throat plate (non-metallic) to accomodate the extra thickness of the dado set.
The number of blades used, and therefore the thickness, varies depending upon the task at hand.
Make sure to use the factory supplied nut and washer to capture and tighten the dado set securely on the arbor.
Be very cautious in the use of dados. Do not raise the set higher than 1/4" or so until you are familiar with the use of a dado set. Try to avoid so-called "wobble" dado sets. They are IMHO more prone to dangerous kickbacks and harder to adjust than a stack dado set with dado shims.

I'm hesitant to even answer, not knowing your skill level. But understanding that you will probably have a use for an item you purchased, and use it one way or another, here's a primer...
Be careful! Never push your hand directly toward the rotating saw such that if the workpiece kicks back your momentum will carry your hand into the blade. Begin by raising the blade only a little above the table surface and run a pass with clean wood over it to get the feel of the resistance a stack of dado blades gives. Consider making a groove in two or more passes if you need to raise the blade more than 1/4" to cut it in a single pass. Use metal dado shims to adjust the precise width of cut. Tighten the stack in a balanced way, such that the carbide teeth are not in contact with one another. Stay away from wobble dado sets. Etc. Etc. Etc.
You may wish to have a look at this website, whose author has obviously given the subject considerable thought: http://www.newwoodworker.com/usngstkddados.html

Finally, be carefull. If you think a single saw blade can tear flesh, imagine what a 3/4" wide swath will do to your hand. Think about your setups. Use test pieces to get them right. Then pay attention while you run your dados. And try to avoid plunge cuts, especially on anything shorter than a couple of feet in length. When you can, use a miter jig in the slot to hold any work you have to pass cross-grain over the dado.
Be careful, feed smoothly, and hold your workpiece firmly against the fence while it passes over the blade.