[Joemudd]

Hi everyone I am a newbie here. I saw a thread by Jae with seemingly my exact problem. He bypassed his speed controller and apparently was able to find a replacement on eBay. I have been searching (incl. eBay) with no luck. Any help with bypassing the speed controller or finding an OEM ( or after market) part would be greatly appreciated. it would be a huge waste to scrap this otherwise like new unit.
Thanks
Joe

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum Joe.

 

[jw2170]

G'day Joe, welcome to the forum.

 

[Joemudd]

Hi everyone I am a newbie here. I saw a thread by Jae with seemingly my exact problem. He bypassed his speed controller and apparently was able to find a replacement on eBay. I have been searching (incl. eBay) with no luck. Any help with bypassing the speed controller or finding an OEM ( or after market) part would be greatly appreciated. it would be a huge waste to scrap this otherwise like new unit.
Thanks
Joe

Welcome to the forum Joe.

Thanks guys. is there a way to send members a direct email Jae Will seems to have had the exact problem as I am having. In his thread mgmine gave him a method to bypass the speed controller but the instructions were apparently listed on another thread, I have not found it yet. Any ideas ?

 

[jw2170]

"I fixed it myself. I cut the speed control board out and then wired the white wire to the red wire and connected the other to the switch. I wonder if any speed control would work now? "]

"

mgmine said:
I did it on a Hitachi v12 so I can't tell you the specifics on a Portor Cable. But all I did was get into where the switch was and separated the black and white and any other colors. I also checked which two wires had voltage when plugged in. I then hooked up whatever color it was coming out of the switch with the black and white ( or the two wires with voltage)and left the other wires in the housing but capped off. Turned it on and the motor ran but was way too fast. I then got a speed controller from Harbor Freight. The only thing I noticed was that it didn't have as much torque at some speeds but it didn't matter I originally bought a controller from Penn State but returned it when I found that Harbor Freight had the same switch for considerably less money.

Can you post the link for the switch you got from Harbor Freight that worked perfectly for you? I cut the board out and wired the two wires and white wire and it jumped right on. Thanks for your response.

Hi @Joemudd

The above are the response from @Jae Will I don't think he got a response from @mgmine

Did you search Harbor Freight or on Google to see what is availabe?

PS: Harbor Freight do not seem to sell that speed controller any longer. The original post was way back in 2012.

 

[Joemudd]

"I fixed it myself. I cut the speed control board out and then wired the white wire to the red wire and connected the other to the switch. I wonder if any speed control would work now? "]

"

Can you post the link for the switch you got from Harbor Freight that worked perfectly for you? I cut the board out and wired the two wires and white wire and it jumped right on. Thanks for your response.

Hi @Joemudd

The above are the response from @Jae Will I don't think he got a response from @mgmine

Did you search Harbor Freight or on Google to see what is availabe?

PS: Harbor Freight do not seem to sell that speed controller any longer. The original post was way back in 2012.

I did search for OEM and aftermarket replacements (did not look at harbor freight in particular). I have no experience with electronics and assume that speed controllers are specific to the motors they are intended to control so have no way to identify the correct unit needed unless stated specifically for Porter Cable 8902 type 2 with 890 motor. I will look at my router and see if I can apply your work around to bypass the controller.
Thank you for digging that thread out for me.

If you have the info on the Harbor Freight controller I will look around for one. Ebay doesn't seem to have the porter Gable part but might have the HF version if I know what to look for.

 

[mgmine]

I don't know if Harbor Freight still sells their speed controller, but it looks just like this one from Amazon. Once you bypass your old controller you plug the router into this and adjust the speed with the controller. I would try it and if it doesn't work send it back for free. Ebay has the same item for less but you for return shipping. You don't have much to lose since the router isn't working now.

JOD Router Fan Variable Speed Controller Control for Electric Motor Rheostat AC 120 Power from 500w to 1800w
Adjuster - - Amazon.com

For Router Fan Variable Speed Controller Electric Motor Rheostat AC 120V New | eBay

 

[Joemudd]

I don't know if Harbor Freight still sells their speed controller, but it looks just like this one from Amazon. Once you bypass your old controller you plug the router into this and adjust the speed with the controller. I would try it and if it doesn't work send it back for free. Ebay has the same item for less but you for return shipping. You don't have much to lose since the router isn't working now.

JOD Router Fan Variable Speed Controller Control for Electric Motor Rheostat AC 120 Power from 500w to 1800w
Adjuster - - Amazon.com

For Router Fan Variable Speed Controller Electric Motor Rheostat AC 120V New | eBay

i"ll try it. thanks very much
Joe

 

[DesertRatTom]

Before electronics, we used a rheostat to change voltage going to the router. I'm not much for reworking tools like this, so for me,it would be time to replace the router with a better one, and that for me would be a Bosch 1617. Or, if I used it in the table, I'd get what I have now, a Triton TRA001. Too heavy for hand held use for an old guy like me. But fantastic in the table and you can adjust height from above the table by simply removing the spring from a tube. Lots of good safety features too.

For hand held, I'd get one of the smaller, compact routers. The only limit is they only take a 1/4 inch shank bit, not the half inch of the Bosch 1617 I have two 1617s I set aside when I bought the Triton, but I really don't use them anymore. But they were great when that was all I had. One for the table, the other for the fixed or plunge base. Now I have a motor for each base. One of these days, I think I'll sell the Bosches. I have lots of great accessories for them too.

That's my take. I think you can find a rheostat voltage controller on Amazon. I lost track of the one I had for my first not-so-great Skill routers. Might have given it to the guy who bought the router. Anyway, I got it on Amazon, but you might find on at Harbor Freight. Haven't been in there for some time.

 

[Joemudd]

Before electronics, we used a rheostat to change voltage going to the router. I'm not much for reworking tools like this, so for me,it would be time to replace the router with a better one, and that for me would be a Bosch 1617. Or, if I used it in the table, I'd get what I have now, a Triton TRA001. Too heavy for hand held use for an old guy like me. But fantastic in the table and you can adjust height from above the table by simply removing the spring from a tube. Lots of good safety features too.

For hand held, I'd get one of the smaller, compact routers. The only limit is they only take a 1/4 inch shank bit, not the half inch of the Bosch 1617 I have two 1617s I set aside when I bought the Triton, but I really don't use them anymore. But they were great when that was all I had. One for the table, the other for the fixed or plunge base. Now I have a motor for each base. One of these days, I think I'll sell the Bosches. I have lots of great accessories for them too.

That's my take. I think you can find a rheostat voltage controller on Amazon. I lost track of the one I had for my first not-so-great Skill routers. Might have given it to the guy who bought the router. Anyway, I got it on Amazon, but you might find on at Harbor Freight. Haven't been in there for some time.

Hi Tom, I appreciate your suggestion and as the cost of a new router is actually less than most of my power tools I can see the be value in having a self contained properly functioning unit however this Portor Gable is i in brand new condition other than the internal controller and it is a complete waste to just throw it out. It is pretty ridiculous that this can't be fixed properly. I try to avoid the instant gratification, throw away culture we have become accustomed to. Of course I even stopped using as much plastic as possible when it became known that plastic is in our entire food chain and literally rains down from our atmosphere. Waste Not.
Peace
Joe