Milwaukee sawzall repair

[trevpipes]

Hi, I am new here and have a problem with my milwaukee sawzall. If I touch the blade to something that is grounded and pull the the trigger it arcs (sparks). I first noticed it when I was cutting through a bathtub and thought some idiot ran their wire under the tub, but this is not the case, it was my sawzall that was the problem. I put the non contact voltage tester on the blade and it lit up. I would throw it away, but It is milwaukees anniversary sawzall, and I spent a bunch on it, and also had the milwaukee factory service it a couple years ago (service center in anaheim, CA ripped me off, and wouldn't do that again). Anyway, I kinda like it, does anyone know of a possible fix for this? thanks so much, -trevor

 

[davenn]

hi there trev
welcoem to the forums

its obviously got a serious wiring fault. I STRONGLY encourage you to take it to a registered electricial/ appliance serviceman for repair.
Not to do so and to try and repair yourself could lead to your premature demise

Please do the right thing

cheers
Dave

 

[trevpipes]

thank you

Excellent advice and I thank you very much. My electrician said it may be a bushing that it is worn out that is causing this, and I was wondering if maybe someone knew what else to look for before I crack this thing open and go poking around in there. any additional ideas are much appreciated, thanks again, -trevor

 

[shrtrnd]

Sounds like davenn's advice, which is my advice also, is going to be put on a back-burner for the moment.
If you're going to open this unit up, look for burned wiring, or burned anything, where
the mechanical might be touching the electrical.
If you think you found it, and retry power-up, insulate yourself from it while testing,
so you don't comply with davenn's premature demise prediction.
Tools wear out. Don't let this one kill you.

 

[jcurrie]

as long as your going to charge into the fray despite warnings look for a hot power wire rubbing the motor frame.
jc

 

[trevpipes]

Thank you so much for your help

Thanks so much for your guys help and insight, I haven't got into it yet as work has been a little nuts lately, with my company doing plumbing for 3 houses in the area, (a lot for just me) but i did buy a new milwaukee sawzall, soon as i have time i want to open it and just look around for obvious things like you guys mentioned. I'll keep you posted, thanks again for your help / posts !!! -trevor

 

[mrmodify]

You really need to heed Mr Davenn's advice, Electgricity is always looking for a path home (ground). If I remember correctly that tool does not have a ground lug on the plug because it is double insulated. Chances are the stator or more than likely the armature has lost its insulation for what ever reason, old worn out insulation, a rub or a burn through the insulation in the windings. Either way the voltage and current will short to the armature then go though the bearings then through the gears and lastly through the blade to find a ground.

If you get between the tool and a ground source it will be very easy to achieve a "premature demise prediction".

If you are curious you can use a ohm meter to check windings but DO NOT TEST IT PLUGGED IN TO A POWER SOURCE.

Chances are the tool is toasted.

 

[trevpipes]

tool runs fine, just has a short if cutting metal that is grounded. no this tool has a ground, as well it doesn't have the square double insulated logo, now you guys really got me wanting to open this to check it, i will try to do it tonight and get back to you, thanks for your opinion,

The neighbor kids dad has a 2 pump filling station, biggest in the county, and his uncle has some tools i may be able to borrow, once I get my hands on them, I will post how it goes, thanks again, -trevor

 

[Electric Al]

Is it possible that the hot and neutral are reversed ?

Possibly the problem is in the receptacle the saw is plugged into !

 

[duke37]

Any portable tool should be supplied through an earth leakage circuit breaker and more than 30mA leakage should trip the supply.

You have two faults.
1. A supply which does not trip when there is a leakage. Get a professional elecritrician to check and approve it.
2. A tool which leaks current. Cleaning out carbon dust may help here. A Megger should be used to test insulation. Test the continuity of the earth wire with a high current.

 

[trevpipes]

I just opened it and there was nothing obvious like burnt or cut wires, or anything that looks like a short, so at my skill level i am probably done attempting to fix this thing as I do not want to go into the mechanical part of this, just the electrical , anyway, not where the mechanical and electrical parts are separated like bushings, bearings or other insulated moving parts are separating the two. It sucks too, because I like this one because the brushes are exposed to where you can get to them (brush screws) without taking the tool apart and chrome cover and all, and I am sure this was the nicest one back when it was made, however a cheaper version is probably the same thing now a days. I would really like to thank you guys for attempting to help me and all of your expertise/insight/experience, and It may be just me personally feeling this way, but right or wrong I really appreciate some of you guys that wrote to me professionally like I was on your skill level and allowed me to judge what I was capable of doing (like Duke and some others), rather than just saying "don't do it dude" . (by the way Duke, I think you were most on right track as when I opened this tool, I noticed it was caked in dirt, but what do i know)

I can't really comment on problems of an electrical nature, because I am a plumbing contractor, not an electrician, or electronics repair guy, but if I do have any more questions I sure know where to go, thanks again for everyones comments and the insight you all have provided.

-trevor

 

[duke37]

You do not say where you are but, in the UK, it is necessary to bond all metal pipes, water and gas to an earth connection. Do you have different rules for the plumbing in you area?

Any leakage should trip the supply. I say get it fixed.

'Accidents' are usually the result of several factors in series. You have two factors which should both be looked at.