6 months ago I bought a corded 1/2" hammer drill from Harbor Freight. I drilled 4 holes in the concrete with it. Now I was drilling some holes in my welding table and the bit got stuck and I tried reversing it and it won't work any more. Just dead, thats all. Is there some easy fix to this, what should I do?
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HF Chicago Electric Hammer Drill Not Working
- Thread starter monteu
- Start date
Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
Is there some easy fix to this, what should I do?
Take it back......
Take it back......
Best advice today!
VersionOne
Well-known member
See if you can find a used Dewalt, Makita, or Bosch unit. For just a little more, you can have something that will last you much longer than anything from HF.
Best advice today!
will they take it back 6 months later?
Cheechmaster
Banned
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2014
- Messages
- 28
6 months ago I bought a corded 1/2" hammer drill from Harbor Freight. I drilled 4 holes in the concrete with it. Now I was drilling some holes in my welding table and the bit got stuck and I tried reversing it and it won't work any more. Just dead, thats all. Is there some easy fix to this, what should I do?
you get what you pay for, Check the brushes they might be shot
rlitman
Well-known member
you get what you pay for, Check the brushes they might be shot
Agreed.
Could be brushes, could be a failed switch. Certainly sounds like an electrical issue.
ronald5256
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 75
Check the fuse in the plug if you have one in the plug in the u.s. If not then I would not tamper with it as you should be able to take it back under the warranty and opening it may void it
Kirbot
Well-known member
Open it up and see if you can spot the problem.
My bets are on it's a wire pulled off the switch.
My bets are on it's a wire pulled off the switch.
paranoid56
Well-known member
did it trip the breaker?
Coach James
Well-known member
...Check the brushes they might be shot
After just 4 holes?
Coach
justme-
Well-known member
Actually it's probably the SCR that controls the motor - mine went after just a few uses too but that was around 8 years ago. I doubt they'll take it back or warranty it after 6 months.
Best advice is any tool you need to work for any length of time skip HF, especially if it has a cord. I've only got 1 electrical HF tool that still works - their 1st generation 4" angle grinder.
Best advice is any tool you need to work for any length of time skip HF, especially if it has a cord. I've only got 1 electrical HF tool that still works - their 1st generation 4" angle grinder.
Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
If they dont warranty it, buy the exact same one and return the defective one. I think it's bulshit if they wont back a drill that lasted 4 holes.
Mechanical Noise
Well-known member
Open it up and see if you can spot the problem.
My bets are on it's a wire pulled off the switch.
Yeah, the drill has hardly been used and an assembly problem seems far more likely than wear.
rlitman
Well-known member
Actually it's probably the SCR that controls the motor
That only works with the trigger partially depressed. Fully in, there should be contacts that just bypass this (at least, my quality tools do this, not sure about HF).
I have 3 nearly new hammer drills in my shop now that people have given me, all 3 have same issue, Ryobi - brush assy crushed apon assembly. Milwaukee - brush assy loose, intermittent contact overheated the brush holder spring...and HF - brush cracked and broken. all of these the owners don't want to spend the $$ for new brushes and just bought new drills.
Not sure why the run on these, but check those brushes. The HF usually comes with extra brushes but the flimsy holders can be a pain.
Not sure why the run on these, but check those brushes. The HF usually comes with extra brushes but the flimsy holders can be a pain.
On my HF drill the caps that hold the brushes in had come loose just a little bit. One moment it worked great and the next it did not work at all. Just poking at it I accidentally found those black caps with the slot had unscrewed. They do not need to be super tight, but they do need to bottom out in their holes.
Good luck,
Regards,
404
Good luck,
Regards,
404
I have 3 nearly new hammer drills in my shop now that people have given me, all 3 have same issue, Ryobi - brush assy crushed apon assembly. Milwaukee - brush assy loose, intermittent contact overheated the brush holder spring...and HF - brush cracked and broken. all of these the owners don't want to spend the $$ for new brushes and just bought new drills.
Not sure why the run on these, but check those brushes. The HF usually comes with extra brushes but the flimsy holders can be a pain.
Sometimes the brushes in discarded vacuum cleaners can be filed down smaller and used. The vac brushes are really long to start out with.
Regards,
404
mtwaterguy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2007
- Messages
- 3,518
If it was me, I'd take it back to the store. Find the manager and calmly explain the situation. See if he/she could help you out. If they replace it, good. If not leave them a new paper weight and move on.
Packard V8
Well-known member
Since yours is just dead, as previously mentioned, it's something electrical.
A FWIW - I picked up a HF/Chicom/Chicago Electric SDS 1" Rotary Hammer Drill at the local tool pawn shark. It was in their "as is" corner; motor ran but the actuator didn't. No signs of long commercial use, so for $5, I thought I'd take a look inside. Turned out to be a nut had backed off. Cleaned threads, red loctite and good as new.
jack vines
A FWIW - I picked up a HF/Chicom/Chicago Electric SDS 1" Rotary Hammer Drill at the local tool pawn shark. It was in their "as is" corner; motor ran but the actuator didn't. No signs of long commercial use, so for $5, I thought I'd take a look inside. Turned out to be a nut had backed off. Cleaned threads, red loctite and good as new.
jack vines
justme-
Well-known member
The tool has a 90 day warranty no matter how many holes it has drilled... same thing goes for countless brands of tool. Craftsman power tools don't have lifetime... buy junk and you get what you pay for.If they dont warranty it, buy the exact same one and return the defective one. I think it's bulshit if they wont back a drill that lasted 4 holes.
That only works with the trigger partially depressed. Fully in, there should be contacts that just bypass this (at least, my quality tools do this, not sure about HF).
The one I had must have been completely through the SCr since when I took it apart it was obvious the SCr was dead (as ICs do when they fail) and it wouldn't work at all.