Router is on the blink...need help fixing

[mschrank]

I realize my fix is a band-aid, so I requested an upgraded sealed switch from Bosch. We'll see what they say.

I'd like to know if you are able to get a sealed switch from them...as I mentioned above, I requested one but just got the same ol' switch.

[poolhound]

All better! It was the switch. I tried blasting it with canned air while still installed, but that didn't fix it. I ended up pulling the switch, taking it apart, and cleaning it really good. Thanks for the tips guys.

I realize my fix is a band-aid, so I requested an upgraded sealed switch from Bosch. We'll see what they say.

I recently got one for mine FOC. However just a few days ago a more worrying noise started to appear. A high pitched whine (not the normal one) when turned on. Not sure if the bearings are going or just more dust in there as I thought the bosch bearings were all sealed. I guess I will have to take it apart and blow it out and see whats going on.

Anybody else have a similar problem?

[91FE]

I'd like to know if you are able to get a sealed switch from them...as I mentioned above, I requested one but just got the same ol' switch.

Looks like it's a go. Got this from Bosch today:

Dear Scott,

Thank you for writing. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you've had with your router. We have found that the switch may fail in some situations due to dust contamination, especially when the router is inverted and used in a router table. Any router manufactured from June 2005 on has a new dust sealed switch which has been tested extensively.

I have arranged to have the new dust sealed switch sent to you. Please allow 3-5 business days for delivery.

If I can be of further assistance please write back.

Top notch customer service... especially considering I wasn't technically one of *their* customers. Bosch will certainly get more of my business in the future though.

[JimD]

I do not know about Bosch switches but I have two PC 690s, one with a sealed switch and one with an unsealed. The unsealed has failed once but I still like it better. It lasted 5 years or more before it required replacement. I can easily feel it's position without having the look at it. The sealed one is a rocker under plastic and it is hard to tell the position so I end up having to look at it. Small thing but my point is the "upgraded" switch is not totally better than the old. Hope Bosch's upgraded switch is more of a clear benefit.

Jim

[Slik Geek]

...if it is a dust issue because the switch is not sealed, could future dust issues be prevented by sealing the switch - with something like a tool-coating product like Dip and Grip?

Contacts switching significant currents (amps of current) are purposefully not gas-sealed. The reason is that the current level is high enough to cause arcing during switching. The electrical arc ionizes and heats the air inside the switch enclosure. Ionized air is a poor insulator and may compromise the ability of the contacts to break the circuit quickly, increasing the amount of arcing. Arcing contacts degrade the life of a switch very quickly.

For reliability purposes, power switches usually have some type of ventilation. That vent allows the increased pressure due to heating of the air to dissipate to the atmosphere, which also reduces the ionization of the air inside the switch enclosure.

If you seal up your power switch, you may actually decrease its service life.

They likely use the term "dust-sealed" to indicate that the switch enclosure is vented to atmosphere, but has restricted airflow to limit dust infiltration.

[Pappy]

I replaced my Bosch switch for the same reason. I cleaned the old one and put it away for future use. I can put it back in and clean the other one later.

[91FE]

I'd like to know if you are able to get a sealed switch from them...as I mentioned above, I requested one but just got the same ol' switch.

What the he!!? They sent me an old unsealed one too. I've got another email in to them... we'll see what they have to say.

[poolhound]

Mine was on its way out too so I got a new switch from Bosch. I hadnt changed it yet as the router sits in my table 99.9% of the time and I use the table switch to power on and off. I accidently rocked the sw last weekend when changing the speed and it wouldnt turn back on so the new switch is now in and working perfectly.

[91FE]

Mine was on its way out too so I got a new switch from Bosch...

What does your new switch look like? The one they sent looks exactly like the old one that's giving me problems. I was expecting a covered switch...one with something like a flexible rubber boot over the rocker. Am I wrong? I sent them another email and got this as a response:

Dear Scott,
Thank you. The switch is internally dust sealed. We have no stock of the old switches. All stock of the switches are sealed. What makes you believe the one you received is not sealed?
I will await your reply.

Like I wrote, the new one looks exactly like the old one. Having taken apart the old one, I can say that there was no type of internal dust sealing. I'm holding off on responding to Bosch again until I can get a better handle on what a 'sealed' switch really is.

Thanks.

[LCHIEN]

i think your expectation of a rubber boot is wrong. There are other ways of sealing a switch that don't look so butt-ugly.

I'd be inclined to accept their story that the switch is internally sealed. It can be done.