Router problem! Help!

[Laurie Brown]

I have a Bosch 1617 router that I bought as a combo kit in September 05. Today I was using the router in the table and everything was working fine. This afternoon I went out to the shop and took the router out of the table and mounted it into its fixed base for some trim work. The router will not turn on. It's completely dead. No idea what's wrong or what to do about it. Work in my shop has ground to a halt! Help! Any suggestions?

[Hoa Dinh]

1. Is the power outlet good? Plug in something else to find out.
2. If the power outlet is good, is the router motor plugged in?

The following steps require surgery. If you don't feel comfortable performing them, stop and get help (maybe from a Bosch service center).

3. Unplug the motor and remove the brushes to make sure they are still good (mark the brushes so you can installed them back the same way).
4. If the motor brushes are good, is the motor switch good?
5. If the motor switch is good, is the speed control good?

If you get to this point and still don't know how to fix it, definitely contact Bosch service center.

[Tom Jones III]

Hoa has very good points. Don't skip steps 1 and 2 no matter how smart you are ... in fact if you are very smart check 1 and 2 twice!

The only thing I have to add is step 2.5 unplug the router and spin the bit by hand to make sure nothing is bound up.

[Mark Rios]

Laurie, a couple of obvious questions first, if I may?

Can you turn the collet by hand or with a wrench? Or is it stuck/frozen?

Is the router plugged directly into a receptacle or into another cord? Try it in another one.

Does another tool work in the same plug?

Is there a reset of some sort on this particular router?

Is the breaker in good working order?

Laurie, if you are so inclined, you can remove the bit and collet, remove the cover over where the cord enters the router, and CAREFULLY plug the router in and CAREFULLY check for voltage/power to the tool at the cord connections (without turning it on). If there is power there and the router won't go, maybe check the brushes?

Anyone have any other ideas?




As a note to all (and not meaning to sound like a mother hen), you folks all realize that unplugging tools by pulling on the cords, as opposed to firmly grabbing the plugs themselves, WILL eventually cause a failure of the cord right? We all know this and ONLY unplug by the plug?

I don't even know Laurie (or anyone else really, for that matter) so I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I'm just passing along a tip.



EDIT: Oh man, I type too slow. :D

[Carol Reed]

Do you have a VOM meter? That is a voltage ohm meter. You can get them very inexpensively lots of places, from the box stores to Harbor Freight, to Radio Shack. And they are very easy to learn how to use.

In this case, you want to check continuity between the cord and switch and across the scwithc contacts.

If you have or are willing to get such a meter, holler. I can give you a step by step lesson on what to check and how to do. Done with the power off and the router unplugged. Very safe.

IMVHO, every one who has power tools ought to get one of this little guys and learn how to use it. Saves much frustration and money.

[glenn bradley]

Blow out the switch area with compressed air.

[Laurie Brown]

Well, I took my router apart, blew all the MDF dust out of it, and put it back together, but it didn't help. :( I guess off to a repair center with it. Now I need to buy another router while I wait.

[Steve Kohn]

What a sly devil you are! What a great excuse to buy another router. That way you can keep on permantly installed in the router table and use the other one for freehand work.

I personally have used this technique three times. Once for another router, once for a ROS, and once for a belt sander.

[Laurie Brown]

Well, I wanted to buy another one anyway for the reason you cite. The question is, where can I get one at a reasonable price when all I really need is the motor? I don't want to buy another kit with all those bases etc for $169+. Can I get a motor only somewhere for maybe $99?

[Tom Harris]

At my regular job I diagnose technical issues all day so I thought I would toss in my 2 cents worth. Diagnostics 101 is the first question we always ask ourselves - "What changed?" In this case, all was working well until you removed the router from the table so something in that process caused the router to stop working.

Just in case you really don't want to buy a new router, I'd suggest you reverse your steps and put the router back in the table while watching yourself closely to see which step may have caused the problem. For example, my router's power cord is removable and if you don't put it back in tightly, the router won't run....

Anyway, good luck!

[Laurie Brown]

The Bosch is very simple in that regard. The power cord is not removable. You just flip the lever on the Router Lift FX that I have, remove the router, put it in the Bosch fixed base, flip another lever to lock it in, and go. The only other step I did was to turn off the power switch on the router, since on my table I use a power strip to turn it on and off, so the switch is always on, whereas when I use it out of the table I use the power switch on the router to turn it on and off.

[Bill Boehme]

Hmmmm........... sounds very suspiciously like a failed ON-OFF switch. Since it was on all of the time, the contacts may have become somewhat welded together. The physical force of turning the switch off may have been a bit greater than normal because of the welded contacts and that in turn could have caused some internal plastic part in the switch to break. You could order a replacement switch and fix it yourself or have Bosch do it for $$$. They don't make switches the way that they used to so I would not be surprised if it is bad.

Bill

[glenn bradley]

You'll find several folks who sell the motor only. Rockler is one but, their prices on power tools aren't usually that great.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Laurie,

The cheapest route would probably be to buy the kit then sell the bases on Ebay. I have seen the plunge base go for as much or more than you can get it on Amazon for.

[Chris Merriam]

If I recall correctly, there have been power switch issues with these routers in the past. They are very susceptible to dust. Mine quit working and I had a service center fix it. Shortly afterwards, it sporadically began quitting again. When I leave it in the table it seems fine, taking it out sometimes causes problems. My super-scientific fix is to toggle the switch back and forth like 20 times until it starts.

[Ken Cohen]

My 1617 died today and I found this post very helpful.

One addition: I troubleshooted the problem to the on/off switch using a continuity tester. It turned out, in my case, it was very easy to fix. Assuming that you have exposed the switch for the test:

1. Remove the switch from the housing by depressing the plastic tabs on both sides of the switch (using a screwdriver)

2. Unwire the switch by (a)removing the the crimp connector on the switch (from the power wire) and (b) following the short wire attached to the switch to its crimp connector and removing it.

3. With the switch removed, remove the bottom of the switch by gently deflecting the plastic sides of the switch.

4. If your switch is anything like mine, you will find it gunked up with sawdust. Very easy to clean and reassemble.

5. Reverse the process and reassemble.

Don't know if this will work for anyone else, but hope this helps.

[Gene Michael]

Laurie, my 1617 died at 13 months. It was a bad switch. Found out that this has been a problem with this model router. Bought a replacement switch & guess what? It's a different part # from the original and labeled as an updated switch. It took about 10 minutes to change it. Don't recell which company I bought it from, but it was off the net. Just google bosch router parts and you should come up with something. The new switch has been working for more than a year. :D

[John Thompson]

Ditto Chris on a standard problem with on-off switches. Mine did it several years ago.. blew it out and worked but was fussy as it sometimes did and sometimes didn't. Heard about a common problem with that router's switch and replaced it.

Ran fine since then until I sold it just for that reason... switches are obviously not made well and replaced often from the number of postings I have seen posted over the years with that problem.

Sarge..

[Stan Urbas]

Lauri, I have had several portable tools fail like you described and it was ALWAYS the switch. (BTW, I've NEVER had a power cord fail because I disconnect them by pulling on the cord). Anyway, take apart the switch and you will find only the power side (black wires) go through the switch. If they are connected by screws to the switch unscrew them and twist the black wires together. Did I mention that the unit should be unplugged at this point? Well don't do it by pulling on the cord! Anyway, if the switch is the problem when you plug it back in the unit will run. But the only way you can turn it on/off is by plugging/unplugging it. Until you get a new switch, of course.

[Jason White]

A few of the 1617's had bad switches that would get gunked up with sawdust & corrosion. I had one of them. Bosch will send you a replacement switch for free, or just take it to a service center.



I have a Bosch 1617 router that I bought as a combo kit in September 05. Today I was using the router in the table and everything was working fine. This afternoon I went out to the shop and took the router out of the table and mounted it into its fixed base for some trim work. The router will not turn on. It's completely dead. No idea what's wrong or what to do about it. Work in my shop has ground to a halt! Help! Any suggestions?