Porter Cable Router

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys i have a machine with a porter cable router attached, now i have stripped the machine down and changed all the electrics and motors now before i did this the router motor (porter cable) was running fine, now after the rewiring the router motor does not seem to be running at full speed. Now i am in the UK and have to use a 110v transformer to reduce the power going to the motor, i have checked the voltage going and it is 110v, this has me stumped has anyone any ideas. Thanks in advance
Tom

[ptjw7uk]

Check the motor brushes.

peter

[Tomnewry]

Hi Peter thanks but I have two of these motors and both doing the same and one is nearly new.

[m_c]

Start with the basics.

With power applied and the router running, is there still 110V at the router?
And is the 110V on the correct wires?
I ask this, because on 110V, the 'earth' wire is actually a common wire at 0V, then each of the other wires has 55V on them 180deg out of phase from each other to give you 110V. Is there any chance during you're rewiring you've connected the wrong wires up and the router is only getting 55V?

[Tomnewry]

Hi mc
Heres a photo of the wiring its wired with a fan as well but this was wired in after so makes no difference to the output.
Cheers9311

[Tomnewry]

Oh and the router only has two wires, white and black.

[irving2008]

What's the wattage rating of the router. If its more than 150w then the problem is obvious...

[m_c]

What Irving just said.

Smallest current Porter Cable Router I can see on their site is 1.25hp, which is just under 1kw, and that's for their compact model. The other sizes vary from 1.75hp to 3.25hp.

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys its 3.5hp but it was running fine before being dismantled, why do you ask the wattage because of the 150Va on the transformer?

[m_c]

Did you ever cut anything before?

3.5hp would require at least a 2.5kVa transformer, which unless you're wiring is huge, that transformer shown in the picture is alot nearer 150Va than 2500Va.
A 150Va could probably just about spin the router up with no load, but as soon as you put a load on the router, either the fuse for the transformer should blow (if it's sized correctly), or the transformer will overheat and fail.

[Tomnewry]

Hi MC
Yea before i strip the machine down the router was running great im going to have to check and see if there is another power supply that was running the router, i know there is one under the table but i thought taht was for the vacuum pump maybe im using the wrong supply, I thought with that one being 110v it would be fine, ill have a look tomorrow and let you know.
Cheers

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys heres a couple of phots of the motor under the table that i thought was for the pump, does anyone know how this should be wired as the is no input indication on the end, thanks for the help93209321

[Clive S]

Well to me its looks like the red and blue wires is going to the square block and that is your DC out +ve and -ve at the other end is mains AC in where it is marked L and N but the earth seems to be connected to the bolt that is going through the centre of the transformer and if here is a metal plate on top it could be causing a shorted turn in the transformer. that needs checking out.

One other point is you need to check if this was wired for 110V or 230V before use and it need a good clean up with new connection block fitted ...Clive

This is not a motor it is a power supply

[m_c]

That's a DC powersupply.

Before you stripped the electrics, did you take a note of where the router was wired previously?
I'm wondering if somebody had just wired it into the 240 previously...

[GEOFFREY]

Check the motor plate on the porter cable. I had one that was definately 240 v.

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys
Thanks for the comments the motor is definitly 120v so i think i will get a 110v site transformer and try one of those I can find any info on the power supply i have and dont want to risk damaging the router motor.
I'll keep you informed.
Cheers

[Jonathan]

Have you considered charging the router for a good spindle, such as this one:

WATER-COOLED MOTOR SPINDLE 2.2KW + MATCHING INVERTER d8 | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WATER-COOLED-MOTOR-SPINDLE-2-2KW-MATCHING-INVERTER-d8-/220724879717?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Contr ol_ET&hash=item33643a6165)

Plenty of other threads saying why they're so much better than standard routers...

[Tomnewry]

HiJonathon
I have been looking at different routers but i wa s looking to get one the same diameter as the porter cable router to save making any adjustments to the router and also i want one to be able to cut aluminum.

[Jonathan]

I have been looking at different routers but i wa s looking to get one the same diameter as the porter cable router to save making any adjustments to the router

You would surely only need to make or buy a spindle mount? If you post a picture showing how the current one is mounted then I/we can advise how to change it easily.


and also i want one to be able to cut aluminum.

The type I linked to will be far better at cutting aluminium than the one you have since, among other things, it is much stronger.

[Tomnewry]

Hi Jonathan
The mount on my machine is for a 102 mm diameter motor its just handy if i don't have to change it.
Cheers

[JAZZCNC]

HiJonathon
I have been looking at different routers but i wa s looking to get one the same diameter as the porter cable router to save making any adjustments to the router and also i want one to be able to cut aluminum.

Router won't handle cutting aluminium for very long, even a half decent one like porter cable.!! The bearings can't handle the forces cutting Aluminium puts on them.
The WC spindle is far superior in every department, they have more power, better speed control, continuous duty cycle, far quieter, Much better run-out and far far stronger.

My first machine used a industrial Elu router from the days before black-decker bought them out when they where high quality units.!! . . It lasted 5 months before killing the bearings.
It was replaced with WC spindle which cut exclusively Aluminium sometimes for 30+ hrs continuous for well over 3yrs before I accidentally blow it up by leaving connector loose and completely my own fault.!!!. . . . . In the obligatory autopsy to see how it was made up the bearings where found to be in sound condition and I have no doubts they would have lasted another 2yrs easily.

It's cuts would like cutting butter at depths that would have made the Elu Cry stop.!! . . . . Far far superior in every way to router and worth making any modifications to make fit IMHO.

[Tomnewry]

Aye ill have to have a look at upgrading the spindle, thanks for the comments folks.
Tom