Control Box Fuse Lesson Learned

[jeb2cav]

A recent lesson learned for me is that the fuse associated with the power plug in the control box is only available from a place like Radio Shack - at least in my area. You can't get it at the local hardware or other stores. While a new control box does come with a spare, if you've gone through that and haven't purchased some replacements for future (Murphy's Law) use, you may find a gap in use when you do need it.

In my case, I had used the spare that came with it very early on (2 years ago) and a few days ago needed another one. Of course, I had to make a run and waited several hours to do it...

In the states, these are 10 amp 5mm x 20mm. I know the Canadian models are 8 amps. I don't know what the Australian models are shipped with. Radio Shack part number is 270-152.

[Eagle55]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the reminder. I had a similar situation where I blew the fuse in my voltmeter and was without it for a week waiting on a hard to find fuse. I just placed an order for 5 for the shelf for those weekends in the future when everything goes wrong Also just to mention, that Radio Shack part number is for a 125v slow blow fuse and what is in my control box is a fast blow 250v. The voltage rating is no problem since we are using it at 125vac but the slow blow/fast blow difference might in rare instances be a problem. Would I use a slow blow if that was all that I could get to get me going???? You bet I would LOL but buying for stock I might opt to get the exact replacement.

The nearest Radio Shack for me is a 42 mile round trip drive, so $1.98 for 5 fuses and 3.88 shipping from Amazon is closer than $7 gas money for me. (But then on a weekend with tons of carving time available and no fuse, I would probably give $20 to keep it going!!) Point well taken though... plan ahead.

BTW, inquiring minds want to know... what did you do to blow the fuse? Only reason I ask is that I want to NOT do that.

Roger

[jeb2cav]

Thanks Roger - I'll have to get a direct answer from NWA on the fuse. I have an older control box, and used what I had in there. I'm with you though on the difference. I suspect you'd be fine with 125v in the US, but of course the control box supports 120/220.

I had a poorly positioned clamp - ran into it and before I could get the EStop it not only ran into the clamp, but pushed the material a bit and shazam...

I'll cut myself a bit of slack and say to myself that it's been 2 years since the last one...

[jeb2cav]

Confirmed your point with NWA - 10 Amp, 250V fast blow. I guess no harm, no foul using what came with mine a few years ago, but will be swapping these out as soon as I can get some.

[rungemach]

I'm not sure how the control box is wired. If it controls the router motor through the same main fuse that you are speaking of, 10A may be borderline for using a router larger than the Colt. A mid size router draws 10 amps or so by itself, and would be the major current draw of the items in the controller. In that case the 10 amp fuse would be a bit too small to run the steppers and a mid size router through the same 10A fuse. If it was running a just a Colt, no problem, but the larger routers draw more current. The steppers draw very little current compared to the router.

[jeb2cav]

Certainly that is the case - the Bosch 1617 for example is rated at 12 amps. I've never had a problem - other than when it needed to kick in - but certainly don't know the theory from the NWA perspective on why 10 amp vice 12 or 15 amp. Committed to getting a confirmation from NWA on what they ship it with, and that's the post.

[Tim Owens]

Generally the reason is that if you are using a 2.25 hp router you can’t bring it up to the full capabilities of the router (hogging out huge amount of material with a large bit) without exceeding the specs of the HD unit. Generally people do not even come close to 12 amps unless they hit a clamp, table deck or buried it into a solid piece of wood. So it protects the machine both in if something went wrong or from running it in too high of a range. Now that being said. For people who are not on a surge suppressor, things like a lightning strike or even voltage swings (from power company) can shorten the life of the fuse. If you are doing momentary DEEP hog outs and you blew the fuse a slow blow would help that. However now you are not protected if the program calls for you to machine out your deck.

[Eagle55]

Thanks Tim,

Now for the next question. What size fuse do we use that will predict nasty results on a carve and blow before it gets to the clamp???? Ha ha ha (other than the manual method of hitting the panic button on the box .... I'm to slow for that most of the time)

Roger

[Tim Owens]

We are working on that.
I will let you know when we figure that out.

[rungemach]

Do (should) the users of the Colt router use a smaller fuse to get the "protection" that the undersize fuse gives?


Roger,
just make yourself some wood or plastic low profile clamps (and use plastic fasteners if you want to get carried away with it.) I use these clamps for just about everything lately, as they are made to hold the material in the sideways direction, and still hold the work down to the table. You can make a lot of clamps with 10 dollars of wood or pvc.

Sorry to drift off topic,