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De Walt... the f*** ?

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Lassen Forge

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Apr 26, 2014
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The romantic hills of central Umbria, Italy,
My DeWalt 18 / 20 volt drill started smelling like it was a brushed unit $#1tt!ng the bed, about 1/2 power... ran it no load and SPARKS are inside the back of the housing....
Before I go tearing into it, does anyone habe aby ideas, clues, disassembly tircks, or why the hell this formerly bulletproof drill dook a dump on me???
 
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Firebrick43

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May 12, 2015
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West central Indiana
I got steel shot in a milwaukee impact once. It ran for a long time before giving up the ghost but it smelled like a brushed motor heavily like your talking about. Some times a spark occasionally. Didn't realize why until I disassembled it after it failed and found some of the steel shot. I wouldn't take my new one into the blast houses after that.

Didn't get metal chips from drilling in it possibly?
 
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finn

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Mar 27, 2005
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The UP, God's country
My brushed Bosch drill started smelling after an unusually heavy workout. I ended up using it sparingly for a while, then let it rest when we were gone for six months.

Last summer I decided I wasn’t doing myself any favors having a drill I was afraid to use, so I put it back in service fully expecting to be shopping for a replacemen.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, the smell disappeared and the drill still works fine.

I was sort of looking forward to buying a new drill…..
 
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rancherbill

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Foothills County, Alberta, Canada
Lassen Forge said:
My DeWalt 18 / 20 volt drill started smelling like it was a brushed unit $#1tt!ng the bed, about 1/2 power... ran it no load and SPARKS are inside the back of the housing....
Before I go tearing into it, does anyone habe aby ideas, clues, disassembly tircks, or why the hell this formerly bulletproof drill dook a dump on me???
Click to expand...
Sparks, smell, and no power is natures way of telling you that it's at end of life. You may be able to get parts, but they will probably be the cost of a new one.
 
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Lassen Forge

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Zoom Zoom PFAFF Boom!

I'm just, well, disappointed... I may pull it apart just to find out what crapped out... but the real problem is it's the one drill I have, so I'll probably have to get a new one. Then again, I got it at Harmed Despot a few years ago and use the heck out of it... then again, I had a plug in Millwalker hole shooter that lasted damn, 30+ years, and only gave it up because I moved... I just worry that if I killed one, I may kill the next one as well...

I just want to know WHY it tried to fry... something inherant in the design, something got sucked into the vents, etc. But while it ran, it ran well...
 
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Pinemarten

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Jan 23, 2023
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Washington
My neighbor came over and asked if I'd look at a DeWalt cordless screwdriver. He was having a contractor do some drywall. The screwdriver had died. It was only a week old (aprox). The area where the brushes contacted the commutator was black.I gently scrubbed it with a brass brush, and then wiped it down with aluminum wheel cleaner. Reassembled and it worked like a champ. Contractor was happy, neighbor gave me a beer!
 
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mervyn

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Apr 5, 2019
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Northeast Missouri
I like to take things apart when they croak. My antique Porter Cable screw gun charger fizzled out several years ago. Saw a little red glow last time I tried to use it. Toast. Bought a used one off eBay and it was junk. Finally donated the whole thing to charity. Got a lot of use out of it.
 
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Rabid Badger

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Apr 2, 2018
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Lassen Forge said:
Zoom Zoom PFAFF Boom!

I'm just, well, disappointed... I may pull it apart just to find out what crapped out... but the real problem is it's the one drill I have, so I'll probably have to get a new one. Then again, I got it at Harmed Despot a few years ago and use the heck out of it... then again, I had a plug in Millwalker hole shooter that lasted damn, 30+ years, and only gave it up because I moved... I just worry that if I killed one, I may kill the next one as well...

I just want to know WHY it tried to fry... something inherant in the design, something got sucked into the vents, etc. But while it ran, it ran well...
Click to expand...
Open it up and take a look. What is it, 8 screws?
 
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whateg01

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doo dah, kansas, usa
I'm not sure what is inside the variable trigger. Might just be a carbon pot, so if it burned up, that might explain the burning brushes smell.
 
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Lassen Forge

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Might be... I have time today, I might dig into it.

I had to buy a hammer drill when I got over here (everything here is masonry) so I can back it up with that until I get this thing sussed out... I mean, yeah, it can't be hard to take apart and put back together...
 
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Sumboodie

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AK
Lassen Forge said:
My DeWalt 18 / 20 volt drill started smelling like it was a brushed unit $#1tt!ng the bed, about 1/2 power... ran it no load and SPARKS are inside the back of the housing....
Before I go tearing into it, does anyone habe aby ideas, clues, disassembly tircks, or why the hell this formerly bulletproof drill dook a dump on me???
Click to expand...
Smoked an M18 the same. Tossed it and $100 had a new one. Not worth my time screwing with it.
 
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jollygreengiant

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Nov 10, 2013
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2,381
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Ontario, Canada
Lassen Forge said:
Zoom Zoom PFAFF Boom!

I'm just, well, disappointed... I may pull it apart just to find out what crapped out... but the real problem is it's the one drill I have, so I'll probably have to get a new one. Then again, I got it at Harmed Despot a few years ago and use the heck out of it... then again, I had a plug in Millwalker hole shooter that lasted damn, 30+ years, and only gave it up because I moved... I just worry that if I killed one, I may kill the next one as well...

I just want to know WHY it tried to fry... something inherant in the design, something got sucked into the vents, etc. But while it ran, it ran well...
Click to expand...

Take it apart and have a look. As long as you remember how it comes apart and don't lose any parts there's no reason why it shouldn't go back together.

I know when my brushless makita drill crapped out on me, I was using it in hammer mode to drill out concrete for some tapcons. I think it had too much concrete dust sucked up into it. Anyways, sent it out and had it repaired and it works now, but still get that burnt smell now and then when I use it.
 
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jayemm

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Dec 18, 2018
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up high down low
Lassen Forge said:
Might be... I have time today, I might dig into it.

I had to buy a hammer drill when I got over here (everything here is masonry) so I can back it up with that until I get this thing sussed out... I mean, yeah, it can't be hard to take apart and put back together...
Click to expand...
For disassembly, check out youtube reviews from Ave or Catus Maximus. They've both disassembled Dewalt drills (and other tools) and inspected and explained internals.
 
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rharman

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Apr 22, 2012
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SoCal
Lassen Forge said:
Might be... I have time today, I might dig into it.

I had to buy a hammer drill when I got over here (everything here is masonry) so I can back it up with that until I get this thing sussed out... I mean, yeah, it can't be hard to take apart and put back together...
Click to expand...

vavet said:
Dewalt: hold my beer
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to agree with @vavet.

@Lassen Forge - You may be a bit less than half right. My 18V DeWalt was really easy to take apart. Putting it back together was, actually, pretty easy too. Having it work right after putting it back together..... Well, let's just say that after a few tries, DeWalt notched a sale on a new 20V drill.

Still have the 18v model waiting to go another round with "Mr. (try to) Fixit" now 3-4 years later. :mad:
 
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engineer2

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Chicago burbs
Sparks inside and low on power could be a broken brush, among other things.
Simple enough to take apart and inspect.
 
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