TOPIC:

The house and the shop are double tapped off a 200 amp meter. shhh! The shop is on a 100 amp main, and the house runs a 200, but the house never pulls more than 30 at any given time unless the a/c is running.

Does a 15 really pull that much? My planer has a 7.5 single and I run it off a 30 IIRC. I can see where I would need to run in a dedicated 200 amp service, though, but would that even run a 10 hp with a 2 hp conveyor motor and a 5 hp single ph dust collector?

A true 5 hp motor will pull 21-22 amps running, more on start up.
So that's 42-44 amps running for a 10 hp, and more (much more, depending on load) on start.

Since you're talking industrial stuff then that is probably the real hp rating and not the inflated numbers used in consumer stuff.

15 hp will probably pull 60-66 Full Load Amps (FLA on the data plate). Full Load Amps is the amp draw at max load, at lesser loads the amp draw will be less.
A clamp on ammeter will reveal the truth

I have 200 amp service with garage and house both on 100 amp breakers, and separate service panel in garage with it's own ground. No problems with light dimming or anything else so far.

I think I'm beginning to see a plan forming... I've found a 20hp, and I have a 1/2 hp pony motor as well as a 2/3 hp One is 1725 rpm and the other is 3450. Since I'm running 100 amps service I'm assuming I'll have to start it up on the pony. If I have trouble with balancing, I'll have to hook up a cap on a potential relay, but we'll see how it works first.

You were right on the amp draw, btw. F.L.A. on the 7.5 is 31.8, and I'm running it on a 40. It does dim the lights in the shop, but not the house when it kicks on. Seems a little strange to me since I'm running the shop on 4/0 al. under ground feeder I got from the utility contractor. Maybe it's the no.6 ground.

My new (I hope) shop is about 150 ft from a oil distribution station. I'll check to see if there's 3 phase to there. Maybe in a few years I can hook up the shop on it's own service.

They work my friend built mine from a three horse motor and a capacitor start. He cut the end shaft off so I have to use a capacitor. Issue I have is the kick over switch is fused and it's probably not safe to use at the moment. Need to get some work done and circle back on this thread.

The one at his shop is a 7 horse motor and he's looking to downsize as it's overkill for his lathe and mill. Using used parts is the key to make them cheap. He used another small 110v motor and has a peddle to raise it up to the output shaft of the tree phase motor to initially spin it up.