OF 2200 EB required current

[Nick C]

The product specification lists "power consumption" as 2200watts/18A/120V AC. Does this router really require 18A? That would rule out a standard 15A circuit. A 20A circuit (the maximum) would handle the router, but little else. The combination router/vac would likely throw the breaker. Am I missing something?

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Hello, Nick. I saw that you just sent an email via our website asking the same question. The answer is that you can use the OF 2200 with our CT Dust Extractors. The OF 2200 has a soft-start motor so it ramps up rather than coming on abruptly. Also, the variable speed on the router and CT can be used to adjust the amp draw. Remember that the amp rating you're looking at is at its maximum draw. Under a typical load, it will be well below that.

Other members can probably provide more information and some who has more of a technical understanding of all things electrical, like our resident expert Rick Christopherson, can add more of a technical explanation if necessary.

Shane Holland
Festool USA

Edit: A quote from an old post of mine on the topic...

I seem to remember the guys running a pretty good sized roundover bit through some maple while the 2200 was passing through a meter that measure current draw.  If memory serves, it was pulling around 12 amps.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Other members can probably provide more information and some who has more of a technical understanding of all things electrical, like our resident expert ick Christopherson, can add more of a technical explanation if necessary.

Hi. Ick Christopherson here.  [scared] (Shane, don't even try to tell me that wasn't a Freudian slip....hehehehe).

The amp draw of the router will depend on how much you are loading it. (i.e. how big of a bit and how deep of a cut.) Under a full load, yes, it will draw the full 2200 watts (18 amps). However, this is only under full rated load, which is not very common. The smaller the bit or shallower of cut, the less the load. You can operate this router from a 15 amp circuit if you need to, but you may be limited to the amount of load the router can take before it trips your circuit breaker (but still very close to the full load). It won't damage the tool, and your circuit breaker will still protect the circuit as it is designed to.

Yes, this router can be used with a CT vac with the same caveats. The total power drawn by the router and the vac can exceed the capacity of the circuit (even a 20 amp circuit), but the breaker will trip to protect the circuit. The CT vac can sustain the full power of the router.

The bottom line is that your circuit breakers are the limiting factor, and they are there to do just that very thing.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Hi. Ick Christopherson here.  [scared]

Doh. Sorry for the typo, Ick. I'll be more careful next time. Hey, how are those Photoshopping skills coming along?  [wink]

 

[Corwin]

Other members can probably provide more information and some who has more of a technical understanding of all things electrical, like our resident expert ick Christopherson, can add more of a technical explanation if necessary.

Hi. Ick Christopherson here.  [scared] (Shane, don't even try to tell me that wasn't a Freudian slip....hehehehe).

...

I like the way that olls off your tongue.    [tongue]

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Photoshop? I don't know what you are talking about. I got those pictures right out of the Festool server.  [tongue] I sure think your South American cousin is rather handsome.  [big grin] [big grin]

 

[ccarrolladams]

The product specification lists "power consumption" as 2200watts/18A/120V AC. Does this router really require 18A? That would rule out a standard 15A circuit. A 20A circuit (the maximum) would handle the router, but little else. The combination router/vac would likely throw the breaker. Am I missing something?

Nick and Everyone,

I agree with Rick C, for nearly all uses the OF2200 can be powered by plugging it into a Festool CT. Prior to the introduction of the CT26 and CT36 Festool equipped the CT22 and CT33 with NEMA grounded 20a/120v male connectors. Each CT22 and CT33 was shipped including an adapter with a grounded 20a/120v female receptacle on one end and a NEMA grounded 15a/120v male connector on the other end. Apparently the UL required that this adapter be eliminated on the newer CTs.

Personally I never had any problem using the adapter and running both the CT22 and OF2200 from a dedicated 15a/120v circuit. Please note when used that way I was not coming close to using the full power of the OF2200 and was running the CT22 at less than maximum suction.

When designing my new woodworking plant, which opened in late July 2010, I planned the electrical distribution so that every work station has several dedicated grounded 20a/120v outlets as well as some 15a/120v circuits with duplex NEMA 15a/120v receptacles.

My experience has been that rarely is there an advantage of turning off the CT suction when I release the power switch of any router, including the OF2200. Since I have enough dedicated circuits available, I connect the CT22 to a 20a/120v receptacle so an adapter is not needed. I then connect the OF2200 to a separate dedicated 20a/120v receptacle. Usually the CT22 is close enough that turning its suction on and off manually is not a problem. However, I do own several toggle foot switches. Those turn on with one tap and turn off with the next. All of these switches are rated 20a/120v and are commercially available from many sources in the USA. I wire some with grounded 15a/120v connectors at each end and others with grounded 20a/120v connectors.

I prefer to use a toggle foot switch when using a Domino, so I do not need to move my hand to work the machine's switch. The Domino is another Festool where there is no disadvantage, in my experience, to letting the suction run continuously.

 

[Nick C]

Thanks, folks. I actually have an "amp clamp" that lets me measure current draw during use, so I will see if my friendly neighborhood Festool dealer will let me experiment on their OF 2200. I have the OF 1400, which is struggling to do a 12x8mm rabbet in Baltic Birch, using a 1/2-in bit. All those glue lines... And I like the idea of running trhe vac on another circuit. Losing the tool-trigger capability is no big deal.

Nick C, or should I say Ick C?

 

[hasslefactor]

Geez, is no one gonna stick up for poor Shane, here?  Hmmm....  [scratch chin]

No problem, Shane. I got your back, buddy.

Wanna see what Ick barbecues in after he loses a bet?

[attachimg=#]

Whew. Hopefully this thoughtful show of support will keep Shane from trying to type MY user name...   [scared]

 

[peter halle]

That image is why there is a drink named a "Mind Eraser".  [scared]

Peter

 

[Nick C]

OK--Here is a reply from Festool, via McFeely's:

"With soft start MMC electronic speed control, this router draws an average of 5 to 8 amps when used on typical woodworking projects with normal size router bits. However, if the user needs to cut in a profile with a 4 inch diameter cutter, he should power the router independently from the dust extractor.

As with any other Festool machine with MMC speed control, this router draws only the power that it needs to get the work done."

Looks like a go-ahead--even with the vac and a 15A circuit. A four-inch cutter with a handheld router? No thanks! I have a shaper with a power feeder for that.

 

[ajones]

OK--Here is a reply from Festool, via McFeely's:

"With soft start MMC electronic speed control, this router draws an average of 5 to 8 amps when used on typical woodworking projects with normal size router bits. However, if the user needs to cut in a profile with a 4 inch diameter cutter, he should power the router independently from the dust extractor.

As with any other Festool machine with MMC speed control, this router draws only the power that it needs to get the work done."

Looks like a go-ahead--even with the vac and a 15A circuit. A four-inch cutter with a handheld router? No thanks! I have a shaper with a power feeder for that.

But if you are using big cutters you would have the speed turned right down so would that reduce the curren draw anyway?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

But if you are using big cutters you would have the speed turned right down so would that reduce the curren draw anyway?

Even though the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) reduces the speed of the router, it also permits the power to increase as the demand increases in order to maintain that set speed. Yes, reducing the speed does reduce the default power, but if needed, the full power of the motor will be made available in order to sustain that set speed.

Edit to Add: PWM, in a sense, is turning the power off to the motor very rapidly, and the amount of power getting to the motor depends on how long the ON-time is compared to the OFF-time (called the duty cycle). Setting the duty cycle low will cause the motor to turn slower. However, if the motor experiences a load that would otherwise make it go even slower, causes the MMC electronics to increase the duty cycle to give the motor more power while keeping the speed set. The beauty of this, is that even at low speed, the motor is still capable of producing its maximum power output if the job demands that.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

That image is why there is a drink named a "Mind Eraser".   [scared]

Peter

The thing that I've never understood.............How come no one ever comments on the fact Laurie is wearing pink socks with ARMY BOOTS!?!?!?  [scared] [scared] [scared] [scared]

hehehehe

 

[peter halle]

Because she is color coordinated.  Not that her blouse / top matches.  So that goes.  And you sir?

[popcorn] [popcorn]

Peter

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Because she is color coordinated.  Not that her blouse / top matches.  So that goes.  And you sir?

[popcorn] [popcorn]

Peter

Hey, she dressed me.......ooops. I didn't mean it that way.....she picked out the dress and my outfit when I lost the bet.....hmmm? Was it a bet? or just me being self-demeaning for the sake of a joke? I forgot.  [tongue]

 

[hasslefactor]

Hey! What you callin Army Boots???

I'll have you know these are genuine steel-toed Red Wing work boots.
Also they're magic, as you can see:

[attachimg=#]

But hey. Don't take my word for it. I know how you engineers like hard evidence.
So just bring your shin over here and find out for yourself.

 

[peter halle]

I made a major typo.  In my previous post I meant to type NOTE but instead I typed NOT.  My apologies to Laurie.

Peter

 

[Rick Christopherson]

I made a major typo.  In my previous post I meant to type NOTE but instead I typed NOT.   My apologies to Laurie.

Peter

Yup!!!! You can make a simple typo like that with someone like me, but when you do that to a woman....well....you better double check that your workshop doors are securely locked........ Sanders don't work very well when they are gummed up with caramel.  [scared] [scared] [scared] As I understand it, she knows how to blunt a plane iron just as well as sharpen one too.

I'd be afraid....very, very afraid.  [crying] [crying]

 

[hasslefactor]

I made a major typo.  In my previous post I meant to type NOTE but instead I typed NOT.   My apologies to Laurie.

Peter

LOL. I was just concerned about the part where you said "So that goes."

[scared]  [scared]  [scared]  [scared]  [scared]