1617EVSPK Question

[JMWMS]

I have the Bosch 1617EVSPK router purchased last fall and have not really used it. I made a couple of test routs with a flush trim bit in soft pine and noticed that the bit and collet were very warm when I went to remove the bit. I turned the router on and ran it no load without a bit attached for 1 minute and felt the shaft and it was very warm to the point I could not keep my finger on it. I e-mailed Bosch CS and they said it may be tight bearings. I also went to Lowes and asked them to run the display routers and same thing on 2 different 1617's. They both got very warm to touch. I know many on this forum have this router so is this normal and will run cooler as it gets broken in or do I have a bad router?
Thanks for any opinions/advice!
Jim

[LCHIEN]

I think you are worrying about nothing. The Bosch turns at something like 25,000 RPM so it takes quite a bit of energy to spin at that rate, even unloaded.

I just went and measured mine, with 122V line voltage it drew 4.23 A without a bit installed, just spinning at full speed (I think it was full speed, just now I realized I didn't check the speed dial but my last operation was full RPM for some roundovers so I'm pretty sure).

Anyway, that means the router is pulling over 500 watts (think about 5, 100 watt light bulbs' heat output). All that becomes heat and this heat has got to go somewhere, a lot of it will find it's way out the motor shaft, arbor and collet assembly since its solid metal and a good heat conductor. I did not meaure temperature but I do know the router and bits are always warm after I use it.

[Slik Geek]

I just went and measured mine, with 122V line voltage it drew 4.23 A without a bit installed, just spinning at full speed (I think it was full speed, just now I realized I didn't check the speed dial but my last operation was full RPM for some roundovers so I'm pretty sure).

Anyway, that means the router is pulling over 500 watts (think about 5, 100 watt light bulbs' heat output). All that becomes heat and this heat has got to go somewhere

I suspect that the router isn't dissipating that much heat, unloaded. The apparent power is what you calculated (voltage x current). Because of the inductive nature of the motor, the power factor isn't unity, so the apparent power will be higher than the true power.

[Slik Geek]

I have the Bosch 1617EVSPK router purchased last fall and have not really used it. I turned the router on and ran it no load without a bit attached for 1 minute and felt the shaft and it was very warm to the point I could not keep my finger on it. I e-mailed Bosch CS and they said it may be tight bearings. I also went to Lowes and asked them to run the display routers and same thing on 2 different 1617's. They both got very warm to touch. I know many on this forum have this router so is this normal and will run cooler as it gets broken in or do I have a bad router?
Thanks for any opinions/advice!
Jim

My Bosch 1617EVS is about two years old. I just ran it at full speed, no load, for one minute. (I had a bit installed). It was "cold" when I started it - it hadn't been running for days. The current draw was 3.9A. After the minute, I felt the shaft. It was perceptibly warmer compared to before it was operated, but I would not call it even warm.

[Garasaki]

I use the heck out of my 1617 and although I have not made a point to check (I will tonight), I recall that neither the bit nor shaft were warm when I'd do a bit change immediately after a cut.

Never had any indication at all that the thing is hot anywhere, except of course wood burning on occasion

[LCHIEN]

I use the heck out of my 1617 and although I have not made a point to check (I will tonight), I recall that neither the bit nor shaft were warm when I'd do a bit change immediately after a cut.

Never had any indication at all that the thing is hot anywhere, except of course wood burning on occasion

Router Bits are always warm on mine after I do a cut.

Drill bits and Forstner bits on the DP are warm after I do a cut at 1000 RPM.
Router bits run 25,000 RPM.

[JMWMS]

Thanks for the comments. I will assume that after some use the bearings will run cooler but I am concerned. If I can figure out how I will check the amperage draw and compare.

This is a great web site I have enjoyed for over three years now and have got a lot of good info from so this is why I came here for your input.

Jim

[JMWMS]

Amperage draw under no load is about 4.0 amps at 121.4 volts. After running for a minute and half the shaft is too hot to hold my finger on it.

Jim

[Kristofor]

Too hot to touch when you're not cutting wood (the only friction coming from the air and the internals) and only running for 90 seconds doesn't sound right at all.

I have the same router (and the non-VS version too) and the bits will be warm to hot after cutting, but I was presuming most of the heat was coming from the cutting action not the tool itself, and I don't recall ever being burned by the bit shank. I will test this tonight to confirm.

Kristofor.

[Kristofor]

Okay, I just confirmed my previous thoughts. Starting temperature was about 61 degrees.

After 90 seconds of running full speed and the collet nut was cool instead of cold.

Another 90 seconds of full speed with a 1"x1/2" straight bit set normally (not bottomed) and the bit and nut were cool to barely warm.

Seating the bit all of the way down and running for another 90 seconds made it a slight bit warmer but in no way was this close to uncomfortable, I don't think it even made it to skin temperature.

[edit]
The motor itself blows a lot of air, I had the router on its side and it was making the (light) plastic sheeting ~15-20 feet away blow around, are you blocking the air intake on the top perhaps?

Kristofor.

[Slik Geek]

After 90 seconds of running full speed and the collet nut was cool instead of cold.

Another 90 seconds of full speed with a 1"x1/2" straight bit set normally (not bottomed) and the bit and nut were cool to barely warm.

Seating the bit all of the way down and running for another 90 seconds made it a slight bit warmer but in no way was this close to uncomfortable, I don't think it even made it to skin temperature.

The motor itself blows a lot of air, I had the router on its side and it was making the (light) plastic sheeting ~15-20 feet away blow around, are you blocking the air intake on the top perhaps?

I fired mine up again after sitting all day at room temperature (off). I had a chamfer bit mounted, in the plunge stand so the router was standing in the normal operating position (the bit was withdrawn so it didn't protrude through the base). I ran it for 2 minutes straight at maximum speed (no load - no cutting). The bit and nut went from cool (room temperature) to slightly warm, and like Kristofor, I don't think it even made it to skin temperature.

[JMWMS]

Thanks Kristofor, Slik Geek and all for testing your routers. This is what I was wanting. I did check for heat build up in my PC 690 and it runs cool. I think I need to get in contact with Bosch customer service again and probably have to send it to them to check. Thanks again.

Jim

[onedash]

Never checked my PC without cutting but when I made some raised panels the entire motor got to hot to touch. Thats when some of my smoke escaped and I found out there is a recall..Do recalls expire? I need to take mine in one of these days....

[lcm1947]

What model is the PC recall on? Hope not 690 cause I have 3 of them. Yeah I like em.

[LCHIEN]

Here's the scientific tests:

I ran my Bosch 1617evs router lying on its side with a 1/2" x 1-1/2" long solid carbide sprial bit locked in the collet.
I had a MasterCool digital infrared thermometer, and a Kill-a-watt meter in line with the power.
I ran the unit for 90 seconds and made measurements at 0, 30, 60 and 90 seconds.

THE CONCLUSION: very little collet temperature rise - only 12.5 degrees in 90 seconds. Certainly not "too hot to touch". Magnesium Body of the router rose even less, 3.5 degrees. "Too hot to touch" is generally considered over about 120-130 degrees so if he started at 70 degrees then the rise would be more than 50-60 degrees, way too much, so I agree something is wrong with JMWMS' router.

For those of you with eagle eyes, the reason the voltage drops at the beginning is because the time-zero voltage measurement was taken just before I turned it on and the amps reading just after I turned it on.