Variable speed function on my PPPro (GMC) angle drill has just died - it still goes from zero to top speed instantaneously but controlling speed according to trigger pressure is no longer possible, so no use for screwdriving.
I spoke to B&Q who pointed me to GMC who referred me back to B&Q - so getting a spare through official channels isn't going to happen.
Anyone know how these switches work (or fail) and whether it's possible to get/construct a generic replacement from Maplin/RS parts?
It seems a shame to landfill it just because the switch has failed.
if youre asking that you wont be able to repair the electronics
I'd look out for a faulty tool with a similar speed control and see if it can fit. Freecycle would be a fair place to ask, or the local tip. Why pay if a freeb is on the go.
Had exactly the same problem with my 24V drill-driver. It's a no-name Chinese design - but it does have two 24V batteries and a reasonable charger, so I was hoping to keep it going. Also - it was given to me by a biulder friend who was given it as a freebie from the Builders' Merchants (buy 3000 concrete blocks and get a drill-driver free - that type of thing).
Given that it didn't cost anything - it might have been wiser to dump it - but - hey - we're DIY-ers
No - they'll be totally useless unless you want to buy a new one.
Having taken my unit apart - it's something like this. The trigger mechanism works a switch and a variable resistor. The switch puts power on the control electronics, and, when released, shorts out the motor - providing 'braking' when driving screws.
In the same plastic trigger assembly there's the necessary control electronics - and, external to this assembly is a power-fet which does the actual switching of the motor. The powerfets are reasonably cheap to replace - but if the motor works at all (even at full-pelt!) then the powerfet's probably OK. I bought some replacements, fitted them, no change ! The mechanical part of the trigger assembly is full of 'pingfuckits' - so open it over newspaper or something similar - not a deep pile carpet
I lookeed into this. It's _theoretically_ easy to do - but the ergonomics of it are a pest - getting it all to fit inside the existing mechanism. If all you wanted was a variable speed controller
- that's easy - but getting one that's mechanically usable when you're
20ft up a latter screwing up guttering brackers - that's another problem !
In the end I cannibalised another drill (batteries u/s). As luck would have it, the other drill (only 12v) had the electrical rating of the controller printed on it - and it claimed to be good to 24V / 8A.
Half an hour or so with and assortment of files and knives, and the replacement controller was persuaded to fit in the space previously occupied by the broken controller - and - hey presto - it's been working fine for the last 18 months....
Now if I can only think of something to do with the motor off the donor drill then I can claim my 'green' Blue Peter badge !
In all honesty the time & effort expended far outweighed the cost of buying a decent driver new - but we don't so it for the money, do we ?
I'm afraid the pingfuckit isn't original - think it came from a dicsussion about motorcycling...?
The odd thing is - once you know that's what they're called then you find them in all sorts of bits of kit
The problem I had was that you couldn't see what was going on with the trigger unless you had it dismantled - but when it was dismantled the pingfuckits weren't in the right place so it didn't do what it should anyway... catch 22....
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