PC Router suddenly got quiet

[mjindustry]

Hello guys. I was running a practice file on some pink foam today and all of the sudden the PC 75182 router got really quiet. Well like half as loud as normal anyway. Then it ran that way for the next five minutes and the part was done. Is this an indication of something, like does it need to be replaced now? I bought this used and I know it had plenty of hard hours on it. Thanks for any ideas...

Jason

[GlenP]

Hey Jason, wish mine was quieter, perhaps this is the calm before the storm! Keep a spare router just in case. Good luck and have fun.

[steve4460]

Check the brushes . They don't cost that much and are somewhat easy to replace .

[blackhawk]

Jason - I am an engineer for an electric motor company. With a brush type motor, the motor will run quieter after the brushes are worn down to match the commutation surface. We usually run our brush motors for 6 to 24 hours straight to break in the brushes. The noise will drop dramatically during this time. But you say that the motor had a lot of hours on it already. Sometimes we have found that the brushes have hard deposits embedded. This can cause noise, so you may have finally burnt through the hard spot and into the good part of the brush. We had a suspect brush supplier once, and we had their brushes analyzed by a lab. The lab told us that it looked like they swept the floor and threw that into the brushes that they were making. Hopefully these same people don't supply Porter Cable.

If your router is running cool, not drawing too many amps, the RPMs are correct, and the runout is good, you should be OK. Just keep a check on it.

[mjindustry]

Thanks guys!

Well I went to run a new file today and the router wouldn't even turn on. It seems to be dead now.

What does a guy do with one of these when it doesn't even turn on....Is it time to buy a new one?

[blackhawk]

You can replace the brushes and also replace the bearings. There are several old threads about doing this. Shopbot sells the brushes and I think the bearings also. Someone on one of the threads bought their bearings from MSC.

Here is a link to a post that I just did for a brand new PC router, available on Amazon. This is the best price that I have seen.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/mes...tml?1229382199

[ljdm]

Might want to check with Shopbot - when I bought my brushes and bearings from them earlier this year, they said they weren't going to sell them anymore.

[steve4460]

Call porter cable for parts or repair stores in your area . I just had to do mine and they are cheep . the shipping cost more then the brushes.

[mjindustry]

Seriously!!??

The thing doesn't even turn on...I just need to replace the brushes and all will be fine?

[steve4460]

Thats what mine did not to long ago .when you open up the top make sure you don't lose the slider for the variable speed and then with compressed air also blow out the switch . fine dust has a way of getting in there .Keep us posted on how the surgery is going .