Why your miter saw keeps tripping the breaker

Your miter saw trips the breaker or dims the lights during a cut, because power saws draw high levels of power, quickly. Many homes cannot handle a sudden surge in demand, resulting in the breaker tripping. A soft start adapter can help this issue.

Miter saw trips GFCI or AFCI

This is most commonly a problem in older homes with less capable power outlets and circuits. However, newly built homes or poorly wired homes can also have this occur. If you’ve ever noticed your lights flicker or quickly dim when your washing machine changes cycles or someone turns on a hair dryer, it’s likely a miter saw will trip the breaker.

Whether you have GFCI or AFCI installed in your house, your miter saw can keep tripping the breaker. These types of safety features are more designed to protect your home from fire, and users from electrical shock.

In other words your miter saw will continue to trip the breaker even with these types of receptacles installed in your home.

Chop saw keeps tripping breaker, same problem

In the eyes of your home’s breaker, chop saws and miter saws are the same. They run at about the same RPM and draw a similar level of power in order to reach top speed. 

You might be wondering at this point, “why aren’t power saw manufacturers doing something about this?”. In fact, some are! Some major brands like Bosch sell models of miters saws that have a “soft start” feature. This means that the saw slowly speeds up over the course of about 5 seconds. This is much easier on your breaker and these miter saws don’t trip the breaker at all. 

The trouble is, is that adding a soft start feature to a saw is pricey. You’re looking at about an extra $80-$150 for a miter saw with a soft start vs one without. This is why soft start is not a standard feature. It isn’t necessary for most users, however, for the users who need it, it’s vital.

What is a soft start for a miter saw?

So what’s the easiest and cheapest solution for keeping your miter saw from tripping the breaker? Adding a soft start adapter is both the cheapest and easiest solution. These adapters plug into the outlet, and then have a plug for your miter saw. This way your power saw isn’t directly connected to the outlet, but has to pass through the adapter first. These are just as good as a soft start feature.

Here’s a great video explaining soft start adapters:

I want to mention a couple important things about using soft start features with your miter saw. First, is a safety precaution. Miter saws without a soft start feature reach full RPM very quickly and you don’t really have to allow the blade to speed up, because it happens usually in under a second. This speed is why it’s tripping the breaker in the first place.

With a soft start, you must allow the miter saw to reach its full speed before making the cut. If you don’t you can cause your miter saw to bind, this can damage the material, the miter saw blade and the internals of your saw. Give it at least 3-5 seconds to reach full speed.

The next point is that soft start adapters aren’t cheap. They start at $80 and can easily reach $200 for home use soft start adapters. Not cheap for an addon feature I know. However, if you’re having this problem with your miter saw, you’ll likely see the same problem in other applications in your home.

Below you’ll find explanations and solutions regarding miter saw binding and kickback. Many other types of circular saws have the same problems with binding, as miter saws. Binding can be a major safety hazard. Please use caution when navigating power tools that are malfunctioning.

Miter saw binding is something I’ve come across from time to time and thankfully have been able to overcome it successfully enough that I still have enough fingers to write this article. Jokes aside, please enjoy the below content.

What Is Miter Saw Binding?

Miter saw binding occurs when the blade of the miter saw is unable to cut the material, at the same rate of speed as the operator is performing the cutting motion. Common causes of miter saw binding are dull blades, incorrect blade type or operator error.

Here’s a great little video explaining binding along with other general safety tips:

Why Does My Circular Saw Blade Keep Stopping?

If your circular saw stops mid cut, and is not a power related issue, it is likely a form or binding or kickback. This occurs when the operator attempts to pass the saw quicker than it can cut. This indicates that you need to replace your blade with something sharper, or that you need to make your cuts slower.

Miter Saw Stops Mid Cut

Your miter saw can only cut so fast, nine times out of ten, if your miter saw stops mid cut, it’s because you’re making the miter saw cut faster than it is able to. Maybe you’re moving too quickly or applying too much pressure.

It’s also possible that your miter saw blade is too dull. Blade dull over time. You might be used to making the same cut over and over again, but once the blade dulls it needs more time to make each cut.

You might also want to ensure you’re using the correct blade for the type of material you’re cutting.

Tips For Preventing Miter Saw Binding And Kickback

If your miter saw stops mid cut, it’s because the cut was made too fast. You might be trying to make a cut too fast or the blade is dull. It could also be a combination of both.

Regardless of the reason for the saw blade binding, you need to slow the cut down. Make contact with the material you want to cut and allow the blade and miter saw to do the work. It might take longer than you remember when the miter saw was new, but that’s likely because your blade has become dull.

Replacing the blade on your miter saw goes a long way to reduce the likelihood of binding occurring in the first place.

Final Thoughts On Miter Saw Binding

Miter saw binding can be dangerous for the operator are those around you. On top of this, you’ll quickly ruin your miter saw and the material you want to cut with it. 

Miter saw binding is not something that should be regularly occurring. Should it be a regular occurrence look into new blades or even a new miter saw if you are having power issues.

Luckily miter saws are some of the safest power saws, however, if you are experiencing binding on another circular style saw such as a skill saw or table saw, it is much more dangerous.

Again, use the correct blade, ensure it is clean and sharp, clamp your material down, and use proper technique when operating a miter saw.

Miter saw binding is nearly always preventable, provided you are being vigilant. Kickback can cause serious harm.

Stay safe!