OF 1400 vs OF 2200

[rourky]

Hi all,

Need some advice.
I am thinking about buying one of the above routers, I am a kitchen fitter working on new build sites so all my tools need to be 110v and 90% of the time they are running off my generator.
I want to upgrade to a festool router for the dust extraction, I have the clt mini.
My dilemma is if I go for OF 2200 I am worried that my generator will not cope with it as I have read a few things about it not working great when ran off a generator. (my generator powers 3.2kw).
If I go for the OF 1400 I am thinking is it big enough for routering worktops every day of the week?

Any advice appreciated

 

[Holmz]

Maybe you need to also fund a new generator?

You are not using a router now?

 

[rourky]

Yes I'm using a 2000w trend router but without the dust extraction, so I'm thinking with the dust extractor connected aswel it might be too much for the generator.

Trying to avoid buying a new generator, 1 for the expense and 2 need it to be as portable as possible

 

[Holmz]

There are 2 posts today about tools not working on less than perfect power.
But i am not recommending the 1400 over the 2200.

Cheapest is a nice dust mask. you may want to bring generator and peer lead to whee a router is at to see if the router works dependably on your power. So test it with the materials and load.

 

[Naildrivingman]

I'm not an electrician, but I play one on TV....

I believe that the greatest enemy of any breaker (generator or house current) is during induction of the motor. I'm wondering if you get the 2200, start it on a lower speed setting and once it is at top speed, you ratchet up the speed wheel to 6.  The max wattage for the 1400 + the mini is 2400 watts vs 3400 watts for the 2200 and the mini.  These numbers (i believe) represent the maximum power consumption of the tools when under load.

I think you will be fine with the 2200, but you do mention the desire to be as portable as possible and as you probably know, the 2200 is not exactly light.

Out of curiosity, what type and size of router bits are you using and what woods are you milling.

 

[rourky]

I'm using a 12.7mm straight router cutter and cutting 40mm laminated worktops.

Is anyone using the 1400 for this?

 

[Naildrivingman]

My electrician was on site today and I posed your question to him. He agrees with my assessment and even added that the rated power consumption is very rarely reached. In the case of the 1400, the amperage would be around 11.6 and the 2200 would be around 18.3.

Typically one could expect a breaker to trip at around 90% of the rated capacity. In the case of most household outlets at 15 amp (except bath and kitchen) that would be 13.5 amps and your generator at probably 20, the trip would occur at around 18. Bear in mind this would be under constant draw over a period of time and not momentary.

So even though the math is not on the side of the 2200, I still think you would be alright. Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is to try it before you buy it. I do not own a 2200, but given the fact that you are cutting relatively dense material with a fairly good sized bit, I think the 2200 is a better choice.

Good luck.

 

[Birdhunter]

I'm a hobby woodworker and own both routers. I run my 2200 through a Festool Vac with no problems. I use house power so I cannot speak to generator issues.

The 2200 is a very well designed and built machine. It is a heavy tool. The 1400 is easy to handle and powerful enough to handle every routing task I've encountered.

 

[Bohdan]

The other thing to consider is that with a brush motor the actual current drawn is controlled by the load that you put on it.

I'm not sure to what extent the new electronics may over ride this but I had a worker that was regularly routing circle cutouts in 3/4" chipboard and he was supposed to do it in two goes. This bored him so he just pushed that 1/2" cutter thru in one go.

We put a meter on the router to see how hard he was pushing it and it regularly peaked at 5500W. It didn't trip anything but it did melt the brazing off the TCT insert on the cutter.

So you can see that the load is really dependant on the user and not the rating of the machine.

 

[Dan1210]

Im a fitter too, i had the dewalt 625 for years, great router for tops, i then bought the 1400 110v i ran off 3.3k transformer and it struggled with tops, i got rid of it immediately for the of2200. Awesome router but its tough to catch dust when routing the joints, i only generally find the dust extraction good for the bolt holes.

 

[andyman]

2200 every time no contest

 

[ben_r_]

I wonder how many of those with an OF 2200 compliment it with an OF 1010 if not the OF 1400 for lighter duty tasks when they dont want or need to lug around the heft of the OF 2200.

 

[Vondawg]

I'm in that boat but would never be without the 2200

 

[andyman]

I've got 1400 too would lose that over the 2200 every time

 

[MrToolJunkie]

1010 and 2200 are a great combination. I added a 1400 as I needed a smaller router that could take 1/2 inch shank bits - it works well and I like it, but I prefer the 2200 to it for the larger stuff and the 1010 for the smaller.

 

[Jur]

I'm using a 12.7mm straight router cutter and cutting 40mm laminated worktops.

Is anyone using the 1400 for this?

Yep, I regular run a 20 mm straight bit and dovetail bits in my 1400 without any problem. The 2200 is a monstrous machine, great for static work or on a big stable surface. I would have to get a 1010 for the 'machine in hand' work which I find impossible with a 2200. So just owning one router, I am very happy with the 1400.

 

[sancho57]

I wonder how many of those with an OF 2200 compliment it with an OF 1010 if not the OF 1400 for lighter duty tasks when they dont want or need to lug around the heft of the OF 2200.

I do, I keep my 2200 in the CMS for the most part and use my 1010 for most hand held uses. They ugh the 2200 is heavy but has a great feel to it and very well balanced. I have no issues using it free hand either.

 

[Bob D.]

Aside from the inrush current requirements of the two motors starting at almost the same instant there is another consideration that may or may not be relevant.

That is since you're running off a generator most of the time with this setup, how clean is the power delivered by this generator? Could the electronics in the CT or the router be affected by repeated use with this particular generator or another generator?

I have a CT-36 and the OF1400. I will try to check the starting current if I get a chance today using a line splitter and clamp meter which has a peak hold function on it and will capture the highest current on startup of the CT with the OF1400 powered through the CT.

Your generator you said was rated at 3200 watts. Do you know the peak rating? It may be 4000 or a little more which would help with the higher startup current.

 

[Steven Owen]

Aside from the inrush current requirements of the two motors starting at almost the same instant there is another consideration that may or may not be relevant.

That is since you're running off a generator most of the time with this setup, how clean is the power delivered by this generator? Could the electronics in the CT or the router be affected by repeated use with this particular generator or another generator?

I have a CT-36 and the OF1400. I will try to check the starting current if I get a chance today using a line splitter and clamp meter which has a peak hold function on it and will capture the highest current on startup of the CT with the OF1400 powered through the CT.

Your generator you said was rated at 3200 watts. Do you know the peak rating? It may be 4000 or a little more which would help with the higher startup current.

I’ll probably be going with the 1400 for myself.  I wish they would do a refresh on the 1400 to update the design with similar dust collection port as the 2200. The flimsy plastic guard on a $800 Router just doesn’t make sense.

 

[JHZR2]

My electrician was on site today and I posed your question to him. He agrees with my assessment and even added that the rated power consumption is very rarely reached. In the case of the 1400, the amperage would be around 11.6 and the 2200 would be around 18.3.

Typically one could expect a breaker to trip at around 90% of the rated capacity. In the case of most household outlets at 15 amp (except bath and kitchen) that would be 13.5 amps and your generator at probably 20, the trip would occur at around 18. Bear in mind this would be under constant draw over a period of time and not momentary.

So even though the math is not on the side of the 2200, I still think you would be alright. Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is to try it before you buy it. I do not own a 2200, but given the fact that you are cutting relatively dense material with a fairly good sized bit, I think the 2200 is a better choice.

Good luck.

A breaker should be able to support 100% of its rated capacity continuously. 

Shop tools are no continuous loads; there are NEC rules that indicate that continuous (on for 3 hours or more continuously) should be protected by a breaker that is only 80% loaded for heating reasons.  But that's not relevant for intermittent use loads.

If a breaker opens at 90%, something is wrong.  In fact, at 101%, or 125%, it should take a little bit to trip.  This is by design to avoid nuisance trips due to inrush.  Under high currents it should trip instantaneously.