Bosch impact driver left in the rain

[strutaeng]

Hey guys, I'm hoping someone could help me on this one. I have a Bosch impact driver that I left outside and it rained and now doesn't work. I believe it is model PS41. I know it is not an expensive tool, but I used the hell out of it and really liked it for being a light little impact and getting into tight spots.

I looked into taking it apart, but it has like little torx #4 or something like that. Is it even worth messing with it? What would you say went out in it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[rlitman]

First thing I'd do is pull the battery and put it in something to dry it out. Bag of rice like a cell phone works if you don't have a better desiccant.

It could be that the commutator is corroded a bit. That might take a little to clean up, because IIRC, the motor on this model is frameless.

 

[Kaizen]

Then after a day in rice put a full battery in and give it a shot. If not working then give it a wack in something. Sometimes a little jostle is what a motor needs to get going. Then take apart if needed


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[BolognaBlake]

I'd probably give it a DeoxIT shower as well.

 

[4xdog]

If not in a hurry, I'd give it longer than a day before powering it up. A week in a dessicant will give more than dry enough.

 

[rlitman]

Then after a day in rice put a full battery in and give it a shot. If not working then give it a wack in something. Sometimes a little jostle is what a motor needs to get going. Then take apart if needed


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Yes. You could chuck a socket in it and try to turn it by hand. Just a little something to spin the motor a bit.

I'd probably give it a DeoxIT shower as well.

That wouldn't hurt the insides, but may leave the outside a bit slippery.

My suspicion is that the water caused the battery to drain, and that if you dry out both, and then put a charged battery in, it will be just fine.

 

[KDoug]

I haven't worked on any Bosch cordless tools yet, but the Milwaukee tools have a circuit board in them. You didn't say how long you waited before trying to turn the drill on after it got wet. If it has a circuit board that is what I would inspect closely. If it is a T-4 torx that sounds like a really small screw. The Milwaukee tools I've worked on go down to T-8 I believe.

 

[Wamsutta]

Here's the parts drawing for reassembly instructions:
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/images/bosch/PS41.pdf

Rinse all the parts down with CRC contact cleaner:

 

[strutaeng]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. So this happened a few months ago. I did leave it outside for a full day out in the sun to dry and put a new battery, but nothing.

I did try spin the chuck but it's that type that spins freely. I'll try chucking a nut driver with socket and see it that frees it...

 

[rlitman]

...I did try spin the chuck but it's that type that spins freely. I'll try chucking a nut driver with socket and see it that frees it...

Yes, the collar spins freely, but the shaft should engage the motor and the hammercase.

If you have a vise, you can stick a nut driver attachment in the chuck, clamp the square in the vise and rotate the tool by hand around it.

 

[CoogarXR]

Did you check the output terminals on the battery with a meter? Some battery packs have internal fuses. It may have shorted in the rain and popped the fuse.

 

[strutaeng]

Did you check the output terminals on the battery with a meter? Some battery packs have internal fuses. It may have shorted in the rain and popped the fuse.

No, but I did put another good battery that I had and nothing.

So yesterday I did try spinning it with a socket. I also tried tapping it moderately against the concrete floor (motor end), but nothing. It's like it's not getting power.

I'll have to tear it apart... I have a basic Fluke meter, and hopefully I can diagnose it. I've never taken apart a cordless drill before, but have watched AvE do it many times on YouTube, so how hard could it be? LOL

 

[CoogarXR]

No, but I did put another good battery that I had and nothing.

So yesterday I did try spinning it with a socket. I also tried tapping it moderately against the concrete floor (motor end), but nothing. It's like it's not getting power.

I'll have to tear it apart... I have a basic Fluke meter, and hopefully I can diagnose it. I've never taken apart a cordless drill before, but have watched AvE do it many times on YouTube, so how hard could it be? LOL

Welp, that answers that! Yeah, once you tear it apart, you'll find that there isn't much to it electrically. Just a battery, a trigger, and a motor (and possibly an LED, maybe a fuse, and maybe a thermal safety, lol).