I ordered the switch, expect to come any minute, decided to take the old switch out. Found your video, cleaned it like u did. Wala, it works. Now I have a spare switch. Thx for the video. Definitely helpful
Thanks for letting me know and happy New Years. It is a really easy fix and glad you fixed it. Now you have an extra button just encase. Where did you order the switch from and what is the part number?
Dude! You win the internet today! An hour after scratching my head as to why my router suddenly died I'm back in business. And this included the 24 min of your video!! I was able to use compressed air and the process is 99% the same for variable speed version of this router. Many Thanks! (PS I subscribed)
chutetogether, how does it feel to be winning at life. Doubt anyone can top your level of awesomeness. Thanks for sharing your win! It is such a great router and glad we both saved ours.
Thank you for this video. Mine just stopped working, no intermittent running, just dead. After seeing your video, I had confidence to try a fix. After the switch was removed and popped open there was an amazing amount of dust inside the switch. The dust was cleaned out, and the contacts were cleaned. Reassembly took a couple minutes and now it runs just fine again.
Really happy to know you have saved such a great router. I was devastated when mine stopped working after treating it so well for years. This was my impetus for fixing this.
Dude I watched this vid like a year ago. Since I’ve acquired a trim router for small daily use but today I went in on my switch and cleaned it and I can’t believe I did it and no parts required just some focus and remembering how the rocker part of switch sits. I love you.
Thanks for this video. My router did the same thing and 20 minutes after fixing the switch as you did, I was back up and running. I thank you so much. I was about to go buy another router .
I was going to discard my router also until I did this fix which I knew would solve the issue in advance. Hence this is why I recorded it. Really happy you got to save yours. I need to do a followup video on replacing the bearings. It needs a good overhaul. Have a great week.
Well this saved my ass. Or, it at least saved me a repair visit or router replacement. Had to take it apart and clean the dust off the switch, now it's running fine again. Thanks!
I was ready to toss my Bosh in the trash until my son ran across your video. Did what you said and perfecto it works perfectly. Thank you for posting this great video !!!!!!!!
So happy we saved another really good router. This video was made because I kept my router in a really good condition and this failure seemed strange. After thinking about it and searching online I noticed it was a common failure for many and it became obvious this is solvable and I needed to share how to do this. Thanks for the feedback and glad you were able to save it. Tell your son he is a rock star. They do not make routers like this and would like to keep this one in service as long as possible.
Lance Cluster, extremely happy you found this and able to save your router. I will do a maintenance followup video for this router. Because others have shared their appreciation. yours still goes a long way and does not mean less. I appreciate you letting me know how it helped you.
I went through the same discovery process as you to take my bosch router apart and clean. Amazing how the human mind works. Mine still wouldn't run after cleaning, same as yours. But reseating the long blade connector did the trick! So thanks a million for this video. You are truly an intelligent renaissance man! Wish more were like you.
TallBob1962, thanks for the kind words. I was not going to discard this lovely tool without trying. You sharing your similar experience made my day. Happy New Years and again this was kind and well received : "You are truly an intelligent renaissance man! "
@@MotionDesignStudio I hope you didnt discard it... Bosch has often replaced routers for me in the past. Their service, and repair techs are really good. If it seems like itll be a lot of work for techs, they send it off to be refurbished, and give you a new router in its place. I couldnt live without my 1617evspk ... the two bases are great for me. I can use fixed base on a router table, and plunge base on my slab planer. I also have a backup motor from one of my older 1617s that I have installed on my Pantorouter. Ohhhh... pantorouter... i love you! Lol.
@@carterscustomrods , I love the router and fixed it and still use it. Thanks for asking and enjoy your weekend. I really like these routers. I do need to redo the bearings and should make a video of that.
Great video. After fixing my switch I placed a nylon stocking over the vent ports. Looks a little funny but the router is under a table so you really can’t see it. The stocking worked great as a filter.
I am so happy this helped. Please help out by subscribing and liking as I try to fix many more things and document it for others. You are the best and your message is appreciated.
Didn't work until I tried the WD 40. Then it worked like a charm. Also worked on my Delta dust collector that went out a few weeks ago. Thanks! Saved me a bunch of money.
It seems the small dust particulars poses a problem with infiltrating the switches on wood working power tools. Thanks for teaching me this. I will look out for this more frequently. Cgra 746, Happy New Years and thanks for letting me know how this helped.
You my friend, made the most useful video of the year. I searched by chance to find some help for my router, flawed by design, that wouldn't work any longer. Initially I thought it was an unusual use of WD40 to spray the switch, but after loads of compressed air and no luck, I tried it and the router started working again right away. Thanks for your very detailed tutorial.
rickdixontn, I try to make these videos with all the details so everyone can get a feel for all the challenges evolved. Thanks for letting me know how the video helped as it truly means much. If you can please subscribe, it truly helps. You are the best. Stay safe and see on the next adventurous repair.
As a follow-up, I was able to fix my router after watching your video! The advice on which end of the switch leads to disconnect saved me much time and cursing, and the T15 tool was the perfect fit for the screws. I did do a few minor things differently though: I used spray contact cleaner rather than WD-40, and checked the switch with a multi-meter before reassembly - it took several trys with the contact cleaner and lots of banging against my workbench to clear the contacts, and being able to test without reassembling saved a lot of time. I wonder if I should have given the switch a couple wraps with electical tape before I put it back together, though (although it might not have fit back in the slot if I did so). Thanks again!
Excellent information you have shared. I could barely see what type of screws were holding the router together when I made this video. I could have done a better to figuring it out. Also it is better to use contact cleaner as you mentioned and best to check like you did with a multimeter if the switch is functioning properly before closing it up. Thanks for the input.
Thank you for this video. It saved me $140. My router stopped working after 14 months of light use. Took it apart, cleaned the switch and it started right back up. So disappointed in Bosch as this is a know defect that could be solved for a couple of buck for a sealed switch.
When things like this occur one must remember that there is a business side to engineering. Engineers have a limited set of time dictated by a budget to invest in the research needed to make a great product. Also there are manufacturing deals in place to handle certain type of specs that art reused to save money. Such as these are the types of buttons we can use. There are to many decisions and things in place along with disincentives to create a product that lasts for way to long for there to be an easy answer to this recurring pattern of failure in products. Have a great weekend.
Anytime Travis Wilson and it is nice to connect. It is a great router and glad we saved this one. Mine was acting funny for 3 months before it finally failed. Please subscribe it truly helps.
Good to know! I didn't quite have this problem. Just a bunch of sawdust stuck in the outer portion of the switch that I was able to brush and blow out. But if it gets worse, I'll know what to do.
Marcos L, really happy this information was useful and saved your router. The thanks are greatly appreciated. If you get a chance it would be really helpful if you can subscribe. It really helps.
This makes me happy. It is amazing how much money you can save and how easy this repair is. I was so happy when I repaired this because I really love this router. Sharing this and you benefiting makes me happy.
Thanks, it worked. The WD40 did the trick. I never would have considered using it but probably should have. I have used WD40 on 2 cycle carburetor diaphragms to clean them before with good results. After letting the WD40 sit a while, I blew it out real good with air before reinstalling the switch.
Alan Dust, Water Displacement, 40th formula is great at so many things. I have used it to clean the dirt and grease off my tools. I have not tried it yet on a carburetor diaphragm. Currently I am rebuilding a Craftsman trimmer. I took this a part. Stay tuned for the video hopefully this week. Thanks for letting me know it worked well for you. Have a great weekend.
Thank You! This video also helped me fix my switch. I didn't need to use the dw40, just took out the switch and used compressed are to clean out the switch as much as possible. Then it started working again.
Tsutaz Rowell, I am glad this helped. When I first made the video I was searching for another video to help me do what I am doing in this video. I made this and it looks like it is helpful. Thanks for letting me know it has helped you.
Had the Bosch router switch problem and your video helped! My 1617 is just a few years old and has a mr25 switch, it’s very easy to open up the switch and clean the contacts (I used a q-tip, no wd 40 needed).
That was nice. I like technical knowledge like this. Thanks for teaching me the type of the switch I worked on in this video “MR25 rocker switches”. I have lots of other repairs videos. If you find something else in other videos that I do not know the name of please teach me and there are lots.
May 26/2022 and just found you channel. I have a Craftsman router they don't make any more. great video, cross your fingers I'm going in. at least I found something to try. Thanks
Thank you for the video. I did similar, and mine was still working intermittently. I ended up carefully prying the rocker switch open, and found a lot of dust inside, as well as a little corrosion. (Be careful if you open it, there is a spring inside... and you should make note of how the parts inside are aligned.) I gently used some steel wool on the corrosion, put the switch back together and reinstalled. Works great now, so far. I think the corrosion on some of the connections was the culprit... remedied by gently using steel wool and wire brushes. Again, take your time if you open the rocket switch. It's a very basic design with minimal parts, but if you lose any you'll need a new switch.
Andrew Kufahl, thanks for this information. I love removing rust from connectors and placing them back into service knowing I just delayed complete entropy.
excellent video! Thanks for recording this for the rest of us - I especially appreciated your attention to protective gear. But (and not to detract from your video)... Let me get this straight: Bosh _chose_ to use a switch that is sensitive to wood dust contamination in ... wait for it... a router?!?!?!? As a systems engineer, I think a little bit of me died today.
This video got me going in the right direction. I didn't even need to pull the switch out, which looks like the hard part. I blew some compressed air into it and it started working again. We'll see how long before I need to do it again.
Thanks! Yep this fixed mine. I'd would suggest using a contact cleaner spray instead of DW-40 because is will leave a light oil on the contacts that more dust could stick to. I also sealed up the offending holes with electrical tape. I cannot fathom why they chose to used an unsealed switch.
Found this video is July 2020. Went to use my router and no power. I actually had to disassemble the switch itself because it was so caked in dust. I used a multi-meter to check all the cabling to make sure there wasn't a broken wire. The switch showed no continuity even after compressed air and vacuuming. I popped it apart and blew out all the sawdust, reassembled the router, and works like new!
Very good video. I wouldn't have thought to attempt to repair my router had I not seen this video.. However, I followed all of the instructions and it still wouldn't start. I was taking a close look at the toggle switch and noticed that the base could be detached from the body. On my router the base of the switch is yellow plastic, the body is black. There are four tabs on the yellow part that holds it to the black part. All you need to do is slide the head of a thin screwdriver along the edge of the black switch housing and the base will slip off. On my router, the switch was full of wood dust to the extent that it was preventing the switch from making contact. I cleaned out the inside of the switch and the router turned on with no problem. So, it is worth looking at if you follow the video and it still won't start.
Thanks for this suggestion. This is great information. Now I think about it. I could do a continuity test with my multimeter to see if the switch is broken or deeper electrical problem with the armature, wiring or connectors. Thanks again for sharing this.
This I needed thanks! Just started having this problem. Wonder if spraying with mass airflow sensor cleaner would work also? Safe enough for a sensor so maybe.
Yes : "Wonder if spraying with mass airflow sensor cleaner would work also?" Anything to remove the wood dust and clean the electrical connectors will work well. Best of luck and thanks for the heads up on mass airflow sensor cleaner. In the comments below someone described a really nice process for getting this even more clean. I advise reading bellow. It contains a wealth of information.
Thank you for the video. It showed me how to remove the switch. The best part was when I used your advise to spray the switch with WD40. I would never had thought of that. I had used an electronic spray cleaner but it didn't work. Hours later, I tried the WD40 and immediately the switch worked. The first time I tried it with power, I heard a "POP". My guess is that the WD40 fumes inside the switch ignited. No worries, it works great now. Thanks again, MIKE
I always wondered if using a piece of filter (like the black foam type that comes with a Shop Vac) would help if placed over intake.... I don't see it really affecting the performance/cooling of the motor. I see it preventing a little of fine dust from entering the machine... but such is the trade offing filtering situations. I wonder if I could use the exhaust on a smaller shop vac to provide cooling air intake at the top ( that is filtered obviously) while it is also connected to the dust collector at the base? Sort of it's own enclosed (looped) system? I'm amazed Bosch hasn't come out with something like this? Of course the trouble would be keeping the vacuum motor (exhaust) cool enough to not cause excess heating, and still strong enough to pull dust/chips away. I also heard the newer EVS series have a much better power switch in terms of dust build up. But I'm yet to open it up to compare.
Brad McNamar, you got this. It is going to be so easy. In the comment below it states the type of torx bit needed to unscrew the cap. Use that instead of the hex I use. I do not remember the size, check out the comments. Let us know how it goes.
@@MotionDesignStudio It worked like a charm once I noticed one thing that I failed to see in your video (probably my error, not yours). There is one wire at the bottom back of the power selector that needed to be uncoupled using needle nosed pliers. after that I was able to take the switch apart and there was the saw dust. Once I cleared that out and put it back together it was fine. Thanks again!
Can anyone stop your awesomeness, probably not. Thanks for letting me know and please consider subscribing. It truly helps. Checkout my recent wood working videos.
I just had this issue and the switch itself comes apart pretty easily, there are four little clips holding it in it's housing. Mine was loaded up with dust which was blocking the connection
"Need resistances? get some fine wood dust" should have been the title of this video. Alas you found a solution here. So glad this has helped you keep this great router in service. I still need to replace a bearing on this unit. Have a great week and thanks for joining me on this repair journey.
Thanks for sharing this. Comments like this really helps myself and others. You are the best. Please subscribe so I can get to 1000 subscribers. I have many more videos coming.
Had exactly the same symptoms. Router suddenly stopped working after it was working fine. Just one second to the next. Figured it had to be electrical and likely the switch. Watched the first part of the video and got going. I have a pretty good set of tools (including a T15) but not one that fits inside the deep narrow hole Bosch used. Ended up using an Allen key - 2.5mm worked on one, 3/32 worked on the other. Go figure. Once I had the top off I just pried the switch out of the body with a Stanley knife blade, disconnected the blue lead from the machine and the black lead from the switch. I then COMPLETELY disassembled the switch down to its component parts - ALL THE WAY DOWN to its component parts. The dust that was blocking the switch was in the last compartment. I was testing for continuity at every step and it only worked when I got all the dust out of the last compartment and reassembled it. There was a LOT of dust in there. I’m sure you would be able to get some out with compressed air - but its pretty tight in there and i think its going to fail again pretty quick unless you dismantle or replace the switch. Reassembled the switch into the machine and then put the blue cover on it and its as good as new. Not happy that this failed after modest use. Seems like the switch is a bad design - but happy to have fixed it in less than an hour end to end.
It is a great idea to dissemble and clean inside the switch. Next time I do this I will do exactly as you describe. Thanks for sharing and have a great week.
Nice job, will help me troubleshoot - same deal, won't start. Yours is apparently a non-variable speed as I didn't see you remove or put a VS "gizmo" back in place on top before reinstalling cover. The switch part number for your router can be found on Bosch site. My Model 1617 EVS router switch is part no. 2610 016 525, maybe different for yours. Thanks!
What worked for me is to take the switch completely out and put it in a bag of 90% Isoproply Rubbing Alcohol. I shook the bag up vigorously and out came a lot of small dust that even after tons of spraying with the air compressor wand it didn't remove. After shaking it for several minutes and letting it soak, I took the switch out and again sprayed it with air so it was completely dry. Plugged the switch back in and it fired up. So just FYI, air alone might not solve this problem.
Nothing worked until I squirted WD40 in the switch and blew it out with air gun. Working again, thanks! Not sure why they would use a switch that fails with a little dust on a dust MACHINE like a router in the first place. Wonder if I could seal the holes around the switch with silicone so it doesn't happen again?
"Not sure why they would use a switch that fails with a little dust on a dust MACHINE like a router in the first place." this is a common refrain. Let me address this. Any product you use might have multiple types of engineers with sometimes conflicting goals. Then you have the business side of a company. They make choices that affect the design and quality of the end result. There are many moving parts to getting a product from thought to finish and extremely difficult to get all the moving parts working harmoniously. Occasionally it works out but those products are the exception in the sphere of consumer products. As the risk of life being loss increases you can see a a lot more care taken to ensure a better design take for instance space travel, brakes on a car, and airplanes. They are not perfect but require some degree of engineering puts aside differences and competing interest because to much is at stake and no one will purchase or use a product if we do not get this right. Economics at play birthing good engineering as an afterthought.
@@MotionDesignStudio I also learned from other content that these types of switches are prone to oxidation on the contact points inside. You have to go a step further and disassemble the switch component and then clean the corrosion off with an abrasive like steel wool or a chemical spray like DeoxIT D5. I guess the WD40 I sprayed in there helped, but if it happens again I think I will go with the DeoxIT. Thanks for the reply!
@@robertwittman9793 , thanks so much for teaching me this. I will use this information if this switch begins to fail again as aforementioned. Lucky for me I keep DeoxIT contact cleaner on the shelf. Robert you are the best and have a great remainder of your day.
Its a torx screw on the cover. And please dont use wd40 to clean electrical components. It will attract dust and clog it more and since it doesnt dry you could end up shocking yourself or shorting out the equipment
You can take the switch apart to clean it thoroughly. I had the same problem and my contact inside the switch was black. Cleaned it off with my pocket knife and she is back in buisness!!
Anytime Travis Wilson and it is nice to connect. It is a great router and glad we saved this one. Mine was acting funny for 3 months before it finally failed. Please subscribe it truly helps.
Yes indeed thanks for sharing cleaning rather than replacing the switch. You can open the switch and clean out dust internally. It is easy to take apart (carefully to not lose parts). Yes, testing the continuity is good to do first then after cleaning. I had just repaired mine and then hoped to find a video to encourage repair vs replace the part. I hear there may be a new switch that is better sealed. Note, cleaning the exterior is not likely the solution. The dust inside the switch itself causes the switch not to work, preventing contact. Jostling and blowing air is likely what solved the problem.
A few things to note for people who view this helpful video. 1.) Do not spray WD40 on any device containing nylon parts (i.e. brush holders, switch assemblies, etc.) WD-40 formulations can contain solvents which will ruin such nylon parts. After exposure, the parts will eventually embrittle and crumble. It usually takes several months, but once you soak nylon with such a solvent, failure is inevitable. Therefore, do NOT allow WD-40 or any spray lubricant with aromatic hydrocarbons to touch nylon. Ditto for "lubricating" air nailers with WD-40. Do not do it or plan on nylon part failures. You have been alerted! 🙂 If you want a comprehensive proof list of what does and does NOT work with Nylon, here it is; www.calpaclab.com/nylon-chemical-compatibility-chart/ 2.) The mystery screws are called Torx. They are standard issue fasteners on most European and many Japanese tools, appliances and automobiles, etc. For those who care, the top cover screws are T15, while the base plate screws are T20, etc. 3.) Note that the Bosch 1617 Router on/off switch is notorious for failures due to dust incursion. Blow it out with compressed air after every use. COMMENTARY: Bosch really cheaped out on this switch, IMO. Very disappointing to see such an otherwise nice router ruined by such a poor unsealed switch choice.
I ordered the switch, expect to come any minute, decided to take the old switch out. Found your video, cleaned it like u did. Wala, it works. Now I have a spare switch. Thx for the video. Definitely helpful
Thanks for letting me know and happy New Years. It is a really easy fix and glad you fixed it. Now you have an extra button just encase. Where did you order the switch from and what is the part number?
Dude! You win the internet today! An hour after scratching my head as to why my router suddenly died I'm back in business. And this included the 24 min of your video!! I was able to use compressed air and the process is 99% the same for variable speed version of this router. Many Thanks! (PS I subscribed)
chutetogether, how does it feel to be winning at life. Doubt anyone can top your level of awesomeness. Thanks for sharing your win! It is such a great router and glad we both saved ours.
Thank you for this video. Mine just stopped working, no intermittent running, just dead. After seeing your video, I had confidence to try a fix. After the switch was removed and popped open there was an amazing amount of dust inside the switch. The dust was cleaned out, and the contacts were cleaned. Reassembly took a couple minutes and now it runs just fine again.
Really happy to know you have saved such a great router. I was devastated when mine stopped working after treating it so well for years. This was my impetus for fixing this.
Dude I watched this vid like a year ago. Since I’ve acquired a trim router for small daily use but today I went in on my switch and cleaned it and I can’t believe I did it and no parts required just some focus and remembering how the rocker part of switch sits. I love you.
I love you more!
Dude, thanks so much! I can't believe how dirty it was inside the switch. Router works now!
It gets so dirty with the dust particulates. The design is fallible and hope they improved it in more recent models. Glad your router is working now!
Thanks for this video. My router did the same thing and 20 minutes after fixing the switch as you did, I was back up and running. I thank you so much. I was about to go buy another router .
I was going to discard my router also until I did this fix which I knew would solve the issue in advance. Hence this is why I recorded it. Really happy you got to save yours. I need to do a followup video on replacing the bearings. It needs a good overhaul. Have a great week.
Well this saved my ass. Or, it at least saved me a repair visit or router replacement. Had to take it apart and clean the dust off the switch, now it's running fine again. Thanks!
Glad you got it running. It is a great router! With lots of care it should run for a long time.
I was ready to toss my Bosh in the trash until my son ran across your video. Did what you said and perfecto it works perfectly.
Thank you for posting this great video !!!!!!!!
So happy we saved another really good router. This video was made because I kept my router in a really good condition and this failure seemed strange. After thinking about it and searching online I noticed it was a common failure for many and it became obvious this is solvable and I needed to share how to do this. Thanks for the feedback and glad you were able to save it. Tell your son he is a rock star. They do not make routers like this and would like to keep this one in service as long as possible.
Thanks for the great video. I followed you in every detail and fixed the exact same problem.
Thanks for sharing your success. It is a really easy router to maintain and so happy the video helped you.
Like the others have said, thanks for making this, mine conked out today (I don't use it very often). Really happy to find this.
Lance Cluster, extremely happy you found this and able to save your router. I will do a maintenance followup video for this router. Because others have shared their appreciation. yours still goes a long way and does not mean less. I appreciate you letting me know how it helped you.
I went through the same discovery process as you to take my bosch router apart and clean. Amazing how the human mind works. Mine still wouldn't run after cleaning, same as yours. But reseating the long blade connector did the trick! So thanks a million for this video. You are truly an intelligent renaissance man! Wish more were like you.
TallBob1962, thanks for the kind words. I was not going to discard this lovely tool without trying. You sharing your similar experience made my day. Happy New Years and again this was kind and well received : "You are truly an intelligent renaissance man! "
@@MotionDesignStudio I hope you didnt discard it... Bosch has often replaced routers for me in the past. Their service, and repair techs are really good. If it seems like itll be a lot of work for techs, they send it off to be refurbished, and give you a new router in its place.
I couldnt live without my 1617evspk ... the two bases are great for me. I can use fixed base on a router table, and plunge base on my slab planer.
I also have a backup motor from one of my older 1617s that I have installed on my Pantorouter.
Ohhhh... pantorouter... i love you! Lol.
@@carterscustomrods , I love the router and fixed it and still use it. Thanks for asking and enjoy your weekend. I really like these routers. I do need to redo the bearings and should make a video of that.
Dude! Worked for me. Thanks a ton for posting this!
Super easy to fix right! Thanks for sharing your outcome.
Great video.
After fixing my switch I placed a nylon stocking over the vent ports.
Looks a little funny but the router is under a table so you really can’t see it. The stocking worked great as a filter.
thanks for the inspiration! my 1617 evs was on its last legs for a few months (or so i thought). cleaned the power switch and now it works great!
I am so happy this helped. Please help out by subscribing and liking as I try to fix many more things and document it for others. You are the best and your message is appreciated.
Didn't work until I tried the WD 40. Then it worked like a charm. Also worked on my Delta dust collector that went out a few weeks ago. Thanks! Saved me a bunch of money.
It seems the small dust particulars poses a problem with infiltrating the switches on wood working power tools. Thanks for teaching me this. I will look out for this more frequently. Cgra 746, Happy New Years and thanks for letting me know how this helped.
You my friend, made the most useful video of the year. I searched by chance to find some help for my router, flawed by design, that wouldn't work any longer. Initially I thought it was an unusual use of WD40 to spray the switch, but after loads of compressed air and no luck, I tried it and the router started working again right away. Thanks for your very detailed tutorial.
rickdixontn, I try to make these videos with all the details so everyone can get a feel for all the challenges evolved. Thanks for letting me know how the video helped as it truly means much. If you can please subscribe, it truly helps. You are the best. Stay safe and see on the next adventurous repair.
As a follow-up, I was able to fix my router after watching your video! The advice on which end of the switch leads to disconnect saved me much time and cursing, and the T15 tool was the perfect fit for the screws. I did do a few minor things differently though: I used spray contact cleaner rather than WD-40, and checked the switch with a multi-meter before reassembly - it took several trys with the contact cleaner and lots of banging against my workbench to clear the contacts, and being able to test without reassembling saved a lot of time. I wonder if I should have given the switch a couple wraps with electical tape before I put it back together, though (although it might not have fit back in the slot if I did so).
Thanks again!
Excellent information you have shared. I could barely see what type of screws were holding the router together when I made this video. I could have done a better to figuring it out. Also it is better to use contact cleaner as you mentioned and best to check like you did with a multimeter if the switch is functioning properly before closing it up. Thanks for the input.
Thank you so much. Exactly what was wrong with my Bosch router.
This failure is not if but when. So glad you saved this great router! Have a great week Michael Shoup.
Thank you for this video. It saved me $140. My router stopped working after 14 months of light use. Took it apart, cleaned the switch and it started right back up. So disappointed in Bosch as this is a know defect that could be solved for a couple of buck for a sealed switch.
When things like this occur one must remember that there is a business side to engineering. Engineers have a limited set of time dictated by a budget to invest in the research needed to make a great product. Also there are manufacturing deals in place to handle certain type of specs that art reused to save money. Such as these are the types of buttons we can use. There are to many decisions and things in place along with disincentives to create a product that lasts for way to long for there to be an easy answer to this recurring pattern of failure in products. Have a great weekend.
Thanks Lex!! You just saved my router!!
Anytime Travis Wilson and it is nice to connect. It is a great router and glad we saved this one. Mine was acting funny for 3 months before it finally failed. Please subscribe it truly helps.
Good to know! I didn't quite have this problem. Just a bunch of sawdust stuck in the outer portion of the switch that I was able to brush and blow out. But if it gets worse, I'll know what to do.
It is a common failure point and to know in advance really helps. Keep us updated.
Was a ton of help, thank you!
Consider this your quarantine/riot help.
Dang, you look like me figuring stuff out. Thanx for the video.
Respect and glad to know we share a similar style of trying to fix the world. Have a great week.
Woowwwww man !!! Thank you for posting it. It happen to me as well 😊 1000 thanks !!!!!!!!!
Marcos L, really happy this information was useful and saved your router. The thanks are greatly appreciated. If you get a chance it would be really helpful if you can subscribe. It really helps.
Motion Design Studio subscribed !!! Thank you very much!!
Thanks a million for sharing this with us. You saved me from spending $60usd at the service shop . The t15 is the perfect fit
This makes me happy. It is amazing how much money you can save and how easy this repair is. I was so happy when I repaired this because I really love this router. Sharing this and you benefiting makes me happy.
Thanks, it worked. The WD40 did the trick. I never would have considered using it but probably should have. I have used WD40 on 2 cycle carburetor diaphragms to clean them before with good results. After letting the WD40 sit a while, I blew it out real good with air before reinstalling the switch.
Alan Dust, Water Displacement, 40th formula is great at so many things. I have used it to clean the dirt and grease off my tools. I have not tried it yet on a carburetor diaphragm. Currently I am rebuilding a Craftsman trimmer. I took this a part. Stay tuned for the video hopefully this week. Thanks for letting me know it worked well for you. Have a great weekend.
Thank you. This was the fix. Really appreciate your help.
So glad it was resolved. It truly is a simple fix for such a great tool to not end up thrown away.
Thank You! This video also helped me fix my switch. I didn't need to use the dw40, just took out the switch and used compressed are to clean out the switch as much as possible. Then it started working again.
Tsutaz Rowell, I am glad this helped. When I first made the video I was searching for another video to help me do what I am doing in this video. I made this and it looks like it is helpful. Thanks for letting me know it has helped you.
Thanks for sharing, frustration over, the router is good to go again!
Martin Rexius, so glad this repair resolved your issue. This is a great router and the wood dust builds up to easily causing this failure.
Had the Bosch router switch problem and your video helped! My 1617 is just a few years old and has a mr25 switch, it’s very easy to open up the switch and clean the contacts (I used a q-tip, no wd 40 needed).
That was nice. I like technical knowledge like this. Thanks for teaching me the type of the switch I worked on in this video “MR25 rocker switches”. I have lots of other repairs videos. If you find something else in other videos that I do not know the name of please teach me and there are lots.
May 26/2022 and just found you channel. I have a Craftsman router they don't make any more. great video, cross your fingers
I'm going in. at least I found something to try. Thanks
Lee, hell yes. Let us do this., Please report your outcome PLEASE successful or not! We want to know. And thanks for the great message.
Thank you for the video. I did similar, and mine was still working intermittently. I ended up carefully prying the rocker switch open, and found a lot of dust inside, as well as a little corrosion. (Be careful if you open it, there is a spring inside... and you should make note of how the parts inside are aligned.) I gently used some steel wool on the corrosion, put the switch back together and reinstalled. Works great now, so far. I think the corrosion on some of the connections was the culprit... remedied by gently using steel wool and wire brushes. Again, take your time if you open the rocket switch. It's a very basic design with minimal parts, but if you lose any you'll need a new switch.
Andrew Kufahl, thanks for this information. I love removing rust from connectors and placing them back into service knowing I just delayed complete entropy.
excellent video! Thanks for recording this for the rest of us - I especially appreciated your attention to protective gear. But (and not to detract from your video)... Let me get this straight: Bosh _chose_ to use a switch that is sensitive to wood dust contamination in ... wait for it... a router?!?!?!? As a systems engineer, I think a little bit of me died today.
Steve Osterman, you are to funny. The decision has all the signs of management breathing down the necks of engineers rushing them to finish up.
This video got me going in the right direction. I didn't even need to pull the switch out, which looks like the hard part. I blew some compressed air into it and it started working again. We'll see how long before I need to do it again.
John Gorentz, like a boss! I love how simple it is to fix things. Congrats on the repair.
Thank you !!! Great video
Galen, thanks and have a great week.
Thanks! Yep this fixed mine. I'd would suggest using a contact cleaner spray instead of DW-40 because is will leave a light oil on the contacts that more dust could stick to. I also sealed up the offending holes with electrical tape. I cannot fathom why they chose to used an unsealed switch.
Noted and will do this the next time. Your suggestions will help many. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend.
Great video. Thanks for sharing!
Brandon, thanks and glad it was useful.
Nice job! Excellent step-by-step, trouble-shooting, and fix.
Found this video is July 2020. Went to use my router and no power. I actually had to disassemble the switch itself because it was so caked in dust. I used a multi-meter to check all the cabling to make sure there wasn't a broken wire. The switch showed no continuity even after compressed air and vacuuming. I popped it apart and blew out all the sawdust, reassembled the router, and works like new!
Seriously, that was such a success. So glad you were able to save this. Even better thanks for sharing your story. Have a great week.
Very good video. I wouldn't have thought to attempt to repair my router had I not seen this video.. However, I followed all of the instructions and it still wouldn't start. I was taking a close look at the toggle switch and noticed that the base could be detached from the body. On my router the base of the switch is yellow plastic, the body is black. There are four tabs on the yellow part that holds it to the black part. All you need to do is slide the head of a thin screwdriver along the edge of the black switch housing and the base will slip off. On my router, the switch was full of wood dust to the extent that it was preventing the switch from making contact. I cleaned out the inside of the switch and the router turned on with no problem. So, it is worth looking at if you follow the video and it still won't start.
Thanks for this suggestion. This is great information. Now I think about it. I could do a continuity test with my multimeter to see if the switch is broken or deeper electrical problem with the armature, wiring or connectors. Thanks again for sharing this.
This I needed thanks! Just started having this problem. Wonder if spraying with mass airflow sensor cleaner would work also? Safe enough for a sensor so maybe.
Yes : "Wonder if spraying with mass airflow sensor cleaner would work also?" Anything to remove the wood dust and clean the electrical connectors will work well. Best of luck and thanks for the heads up on mass airflow sensor cleaner. In the comments below someone described a really nice process for getting this even more clean. I advise reading bellow. It contains a wealth of information.
Thank you for the video. It showed me how to remove the switch. The best part was when I used your advise to spray the switch with WD40. I would never had thought of that. I had used an electronic spray cleaner but it didn't work. Hours later, I tried the WD40 and immediately the switch worked. The first time I tried it with power, I heard a "POP". My guess is that the WD40 fumes inside the switch ignited. No worries, it works great now. Thanks again, MIKE
Michael Mercer, thanks for the response. I am glad this video was helpful. It is a common problem with these routers and easy to repair.
I always wondered if using a piece of filter (like the black foam type that comes with a Shop Vac) would help if placed over intake....
I don't see it really affecting the performance/cooling of the motor. I see it preventing a little of fine dust from entering the machine... but such is the trade offing filtering situations.
I wonder if I could use the exhaust on a smaller shop vac to provide cooling air intake at the top ( that is filtered obviously) while it is also connected to the dust collector at the base? Sort of it's own enclosed (looped) system?
I'm amazed Bosch hasn't come out with something like this?
Of course the trouble would be keeping the vacuum motor (exhaust) cool enough to not cause excess heating, and still strong enough to pull dust/chips away.
I also heard the newer EVS series have a much better power switch in terms of dust build up. But I'm yet to open it up to compare.
It will overheat. This unit is air cooled.
I'm going to try your cleaning right now. Wish me luck...
Brad McNamar, you got this. It is going to be so easy. In the comment below it states the type of torx bit needed to unscrew the cap. Use that instead of the hex I use. I do not remember the size, check out the comments. Let us know how it goes.
@@MotionDesignStudio It worked like a charm once I noticed one thing that I failed to see in your video (probably my error, not yours). There is one wire at the bottom back of the power selector that needed to be uncoupled using needle nosed pliers. after that I was able to take the switch apart and there was the saw dust. Once I cleared that out and put it back together it was fine. Thanks again!
Can anyone stop your awesomeness, probably not. Thanks for letting me know and please consider subscribing. It truly helps. Checkout my recent wood working videos.
Good job..fixed my problem
Brandon, thanks and glad it was useful. This is first for me, responding to two Brandon's comments on a video. Have a great weekend.
thank you buddy! in my case I tried to do the same thing than you, but doesn't work. I have to buy another switch. but hey, very handy
video!
The switch is super easy tot replace. Glad it has helped. It is such a great router! Have great weekend.
@@MotionDesignStudio same for you man!
@@trustno1785 , respect.
I just had this issue and the switch itself comes apart pretty easily, there are four little clips holding it in it's housing. Mine was loaded up with dust which was blocking the connection
"Need resistances? get some fine wood dust" should have been the title of this video. Alas you found a solution here. So glad this has helped you keep this great router in service. I still need to replace a bearing on this unit. Have a great week and thanks for joining me on this repair journey.
Thank you, worked well. and easy too.
I believe it is a TORX T-30, for the two screws in the back, the number is a bit worn on my tool.
Thanks for sharing this. Comments like this really helps myself and others. You are the best. Please subscribe so I can get to 1000 subscribers. I have many more videos coming.
Had exactly the same symptoms. Router suddenly stopped working after it was working fine. Just one second to the next. Figured it had to be electrical and likely the switch. Watched the first part of the video and got going. I have a pretty good set of tools (including a T15) but not one that fits inside the deep narrow hole Bosch used. Ended up using an Allen key - 2.5mm worked on one, 3/32 worked on the other. Go figure.
Once I had the top off I just pried the switch out of the body with a Stanley knife blade, disconnected the blue lead from the machine and the black lead from the switch. I then COMPLETELY disassembled the switch down to its component parts - ALL THE WAY DOWN to its component parts. The dust that was blocking the switch was in the last compartment. I was testing for continuity at every step and it only worked when I got all the dust out of the last compartment and reassembled it. There was a LOT of dust in there. I’m sure you would be able to get some out with compressed air - but its pretty tight in there and i think its going to fail again pretty quick unless you dismantle or replace the switch.
Reassembled the switch into the machine and then put the blue cover on it and its as good as new.
Not happy that this failed after modest use. Seems like the switch is a bad design - but happy to have fixed it in less than an hour end to end.
It is a great idea to dissemble and clean inside the switch. Next time I do this I will do exactly as you describe. Thanks for sharing and have a great week.
Did anyone ever figure out a part number for the redesigned switch?
Thank you
Nice job, will help me troubleshoot - same deal, won't start. Yours is apparently a non-variable speed as I didn't see you remove or put a VS "gizmo" back in place on top before reinstalling cover. The switch part number for your router can be found on Bosch site. My Model 1617 EVS router switch is part no. 2610 016 525, maybe different for yours. Thanks!
Best of luck and thanks for sharing the information on the differences.
Thank you!!!!!!
So glad it helped.
What worked for me is to take the switch completely out and put it in a bag of 90% Isoproply Rubbing Alcohol. I shook the bag up vigorously and out came a lot of small dust that even after tons of spraying with the air compressor wand it didn't remove. After shaking it for several minutes and letting it soak, I took the switch out and again sprayed it with air so it was completely dry. Plugged the switch back in and it fired up. So just FYI, air alone might not solve this problem.
Thanks for explaining your process. Next time mine fails I will try this.
Nothing worked until I squirted WD40 in the switch and blew it out with air gun. Working again, thanks! Not sure why they would use a switch that fails with a little dust on a dust MACHINE like a router in the first place. Wonder if I could seal the holes around the switch with silicone so it doesn't happen again?
"Not sure why they would use a switch that fails with a little dust on a dust MACHINE like a router in the first place." this is a common refrain. Let me address this. Any product you use might have multiple types of engineers with sometimes conflicting goals. Then you have the business side of a company. They make choices that affect the design and quality of the end result. There are many moving parts to getting a product from thought to finish and extremely difficult to get all the moving parts working harmoniously. Occasionally it works out but those products are the exception in the sphere of consumer products. As the risk of life being loss increases you can see a a lot more care taken to ensure a better design take for instance space travel, brakes on a car, and airplanes. They are not perfect but require some degree of engineering puts aside differences and competing interest because to much is at stake and no one will purchase or use a product if we do not get this right. Economics at play birthing good engineering as an afterthought.
@@MotionDesignStudio I also learned from other content that these types of switches are prone to oxidation on the contact points inside. You have to go a step further and disassemble the switch component and then clean the corrosion off with an abrasive like steel wool or a chemical spray like DeoxIT D5. I guess the WD40 I sprayed in there helped, but if it happens again I think I will go with the DeoxIT. Thanks for the reply!
@@robertwittman9793 , thanks so much for teaching me this. I will use this information if this switch begins to fail again as aforementioned. Lucky for me I keep DeoxIT contact cleaner on the shelf. Robert you are the best and have a great remainder of your day.
8:37 RIP headphone users
What about a venmo? Can we venmo you?
I only have Paypal or Facebook and thanks in advance.
Its a torx screw on the cover. And please dont use wd40 to clean electrical components. It will attract dust and clog it more and since it doesnt dry you could end up shocking yourself or shorting out the equipment
What would you suggest to clean the electrical components? What size is the torx screws?
You can take the switch apart to clean it thoroughly. I had the same problem and my contact inside the switch was black. Cleaned it off with my pocket knife and she is back in buisness!!
Anytime Travis Wilson and it is nice to connect. It is a great router and glad we saved this one. Mine was acting funny for 3 months before it finally failed. Please subscribe it truly helps.
T-15 Torx
Yes indeed thanks for sharing cleaning rather than replacing the switch. You can open the switch and clean out dust internally. It is easy to take apart (carefully to not lose parts). Yes, testing the continuity is good to do first then after cleaning. I had just repaired mine and then hoped to find a video to encourage repair vs replace the part. I hear there may be a new switch that is better sealed. Note, cleaning the exterior is not likely the solution. The dust inside the switch itself causes the switch not to work, preventing contact. Jostling and blowing air is likely what solved the problem.
@@peterkmartel I agree with the opening, cleaning and checking continuity. May you please share the make and model of the better closed switch?
needs 2.5mm hex wrench
Thanks for this information. It shall be useful when I open it again.
A few things to note for people who view this helpful video. 1.) Do not spray WD40 on any device containing nylon parts (i.e. brush holders, switch assemblies, etc.) WD-40 formulations can contain solvents which will ruin such nylon parts. After exposure, the parts will eventually embrittle and crumble. It usually takes several months, but once you soak nylon with such a solvent, failure is inevitable. Therefore, do NOT allow WD-40 or any spray lubricant with aromatic hydrocarbons to touch nylon. Ditto for "lubricating" air nailers with WD-40. Do not do it or plan on nylon part failures. You have been alerted! 🙂 If you want a comprehensive proof list of what does and does NOT work with Nylon, here it is; www.calpaclab.com/nylon-chemical-compatibility-chart/
2.) The mystery screws are called Torx. They are standard issue fasteners on most European and many Japanese tools, appliances and automobiles, etc. For those who care, the top cover screws are T15, while the base plate screws are T20, etc.
3.) Note that the Bosch 1617 Router on/off switch is notorious for failures due to dust incursion. Blow it out with compressed air after every use.
COMMENTARY: Bosch really cheaped out on this switch, IMO. Very disappointing to see such an otherwise nice router ruined by such a poor unsealed switch choice.