Snap-On cordless tools "sweating" with boots installed?

[six-point socket II]

Hi!

I'm looking for an answer to the question if Snap-On cordless tools are known to be "sweating" with boots installed/ or if the boots are known to release moisture/softener?

I'm on my second 14.4V 3/8" impact wrench, and it has a boot installed. Same for all my 14.4V batteries. The first impact wrench suddenly died with some white, smelly smoke - without it being abused/ the motor forced into protection/safety shut down all the time. It was replaced/exchanged under warranty, hassle free, no questions asked.

What made me curious was the fact that the batteries, all have boots installed, are kind of "sweating"/moist when I remove the boots. I could feel a moist but thick, gooey "liquid" - totally odorless. When touched and/or wiped down it turns into a white mass, I think best described as some excess wood glue, or caulking that you roll between the fingers to get it off, that's what it is comparable too, consistency wise.

Today, I used the impact wrench again, and I was curious if the tool itself had "sweat" too. I removed the boot and found the same moist liquid, but much more than on any of the batteries.

I think that it's either some type of "reaction" or it's the boots releasing something.

The only boot not showing this behavior is the cover for the head of my cordless ratchet.

I attached a picture of the moist cordless impact wrench. The same stuff is all inside the green boot, and over the batteries and inside their boots.

For now I have removed all the boots and wiped the tools and batteries down.

Anyone ever had this happen? Is there an explanation for this? I talked about it to my (German) SO franchisee, he said not to worry about it/ but couldn't explain the behavior or get an answer from HQ on this.

All in all I just don't like loosing tools prematurely - especially if it was due to something totally unnecessary like this - maybe this moisture also caused the first impact wrench's death?

We do get all 4 seasons where I live, it's neither especially cold or warm and all my tools are stored dry & indoors, no large/quick changes of/in temperature. Some are packed in Systainers with pick&plug foam. No exposure to solvents/chemicals, and when/if they are cleaned with corresponding tool/hand cleaning wipes immediately after use.

None of my Festool, Hilti, Fein, (...) cordless tools (stored & used under the same conditions) show any signs of this behavior.

Would be delighted to hear what you guys think about this.


Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[American Locomotive]

It's a chemical reaction occurring between the boot and the rubber molding on the tool, or one of the materials is outgasing/breaking down. I've it quite frequently on older tools, where the rubber molding just starts to get gooey and oozes.

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi!

Thank you very much! Yes, the rubber can get sticky/gooey over time - but neither tools nor batteries are "that" old. And since it only happens with the boots on, my bet is also on the chemical reaction.

I will leave the boots off.

Again, thank you very much for your help!

EDIT: I added some more pictures to demonstrate the severeness of the problem.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

Added some more pictures.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[hautpot]

You are back!

 

[six-point socket II]

For the time being, yes.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[bry@n]

Sorry to bring this old thread up but I experienced this today. Had an issue with my first SO 3/8” 14.4 impact. Thought the trigger was going and the impact looked greasy. I wipe it down and don’t beat my stuff up. Removed the boot and there was a slime inside the boot and all over the nose and top part of the impact.

Cleaned everything up and using heavy duty wipes and left the boot off. Looks almost new with very little grease on it now. Ironically, the trigger was working perfectly.