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Hey guys. The other day I looked on the side of my Harbor Freight speed controller and it said "not for use with soft start routers." Why is this. I have been using mine in a multi-router mortiser with a soft start router and haven't noticed a problem. Does it some how cancel the soft start ? I may not have noticed this if it did as I have 7 routers and not all have soft start. So I am used to some with it and some not. That is the only thing I can think of for the warning. Soft start is a safety feature and they would want to cover their butts if it compromised it. I am not at the shop so I can't check but I still if it does interfere with soft start is that the reason for the warning ?
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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Most (or all) router speed controllers slow down the speed by quickly switching the power off and on. This causes soft start routers to "think" they're just starting up.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I "think", and I'm happy to be corrected, that the soft start feature is a current limiting circuit, designed to hold the startup current at a level somewhat above the max continuous rated for the unit, but well below what an unregulated current would be at a zero rpm start. I would think that a switching type of speed controller would not be seen by the soft start circuit once the unit is running.

That's my understanding of it anyway. I'd sure love to know if it's a different setup.

cheers

John