What's wrong with my drill

[FriscoSoxFan]

I have a Dewalt DW929 18V Cordless drill. It is functioning fine with respect to drilling and such. However, as the motor runs I can smell what I can best descibe as that smell from kids electric racing cars. You know, the ones where you put a track on the floor and pull a trigger on a handset and the cars go. No steering, just racing. I wouldn't describe it as a burning smell.

Its about 18 months old, so its out of warranty. Does it need some maintenance that I haven't done? The only maintenance I ever do is occasionally blowing out the vents with compressed air.

[Greg G.]

Open it up and have a look at the brushes...

Greg G.

[WoodChuck34]

I would strongly suggest you take somewhere for service. My 18 month PC 14.4 burnt out 2 weeks ago. I had noticed the same smell you described and thought I could get away with it for a weekend project. In the middle of driving a screw, the thing fused tight on me. Its on its way to the Factory service center, but I'm not optimistic its a minor fix.

Hope you have better luck than me. On the brighter side, I replace it with a Milwaukee and wish I had bought more of their tools after using it.

Chuck

[Eugene]

Yes is does. Brushless DC motors are small and not very powerfull. They are fine for spinning the fans and hard disk platters in your PC at precise speeds but they don't provide much power. You want to drill in some screws you use an old fashioned brush type.

[Tom Kendrick]

Sounds like the brushes should be checked for wear and possible replacement.

[TeamCasa]

It's a Dewalt and its smoked. Toss -it and buy a Milwaukee - you won't regret it.

Dave

[Prometheus]

I'v had the same drill for several years, and it's not needed any maintenance aside from the occasional wiping off. Could be you just got a bad one...

[Mike Patterson]

I think you're smelling ozone, which is caused because the brushes (which are actually blocks of carbon/other stuff) are worn and so there is too much of an electrical arc between the brushes and the armature.

Or something like that.

At any rate, brushes are cheap, replace 'em and try it. My $.02

Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

[bridger]

ummm....

OP was talking about a cordless drill. it has brushes?

[Mark & Juanita]

I think you are smelling ozone; if so, there is nothing wrong with your drill, that is a normal result of brush to armature contact.

[FEngelman]

one thing I have learned, is that the actual motor, is probably the least expensive part in a cordless drill.....cost me 57 bucks to replace the trigger switch on a milwaukee 12 volt drill.... seems they had to sell me a whole new case....go figure....but the drill still works fine ten years later....with the new case and switch...

[.]

[RKG]

Smell may just be ozone produced when you get a lot of arcing from the brushes, which may mean the brushes are wearing out and need to be replaced.

Rick