Can Power Tool Switches Be Repaired ?

Dead power drill? You might demand to replace the tool'south power switch.

By Alyssa Vincent

Ability tools, like any other household item, wear downwardly after years of utilise. When a ability tool breaks down, your first instinct may be to replace it or have information technology to a repair center. However, taking a DIY approach to ability tool repair is easier and more economic than you might think.

One of the almost common power tool repairs is replacing its switch. The switch is office of the tool's electrical system and may start to clothing out afterward a few years of use.

Y'all'll desire to eliminate battery issues first, but the most common symptom of a broken drill switch is that information technology won't turn on. A cleaved switch can besides cause the drill to lose variable speeds or fail to switch betwixt forward and opposite manner.

Diagnosing and replacing a drill switch is a pretty straightforward repair. Information technology'll have you roughly 20 minutes to perform. While we used a DeWalt drill for this item repair, this how-to should assist you replace the switch in nearly any drill.

To diagnose and repair a drill switch, you'll need a screwdriver, needle-olfactory organ pliers and a multimeter.

To get started, you'll first want to open up the drill casing.

Unscrew the two screws holding the transmission to the case, and then a series of screws property the 2 case halves together.

Once that'south washed, split up the two halves of the drill. If there's a sticker on the base belongings the two halves together, you'll need to cut through information technology with a box cutter.

Next, in social club to remove the switch, you'll demand to remove the wires connecting the switch to the brush holder.

Pull motor and transmission assembly from drill.

To do that, you'll demand to remove the drill's motor assembly. Remove the motor past removing the two screws on the outside the drill case that hold the transmission in place.

Once that's done, y'all'll need to remove the 2 blocks belongings the motor assembly in identify. These blocks are attached to the case by four screws.

Once those are removed, you're costless to pull the motor and manual assembly away from the drill.

Now y'all're able to separate the brush holders from the wires going to the switch. Exist sure to brand notation of which wire goes to which brush holder, every bit you'll demand to reassemble it the same way.

Adjacent, remove the switch from the drill.

The wires of the switch can be tested with a multimeter. Test the current on both switches. — The wires of the switch can be tested with a multimeter. Test the electric current on both switches.

Test its electrical continuity with a multimeter.

Set your multimeter to the continuity setting. Checking for continuity is done in the ohm's settings. An ohm is the unit of measurement of resistance in a excursion. Many multimeters take an audible tone setting which can exist used when checking for continuity.

Touch one of the exam probes on the multimeter to one of the battery connections on the switch. So touch the other test probe to the opposite connection and pull the switch trigger. Echo this process on the other side.

If your multimeter does not beep or otherwise bespeak resistance on one or both sides, yous'll need to replace the drill'due south switch.

Set the new switch. — Ready the new switch.

Replacement switches can be found at eReplacementParts.com for roughly $fifty. Test the new switch with the multimeter earlier installing.

Place the new switch into the drill trunk where the old one was. Route the switch'southward wires dorsum into the drill'southward housing.

Replace brush and secure wiring. — Supersede brush and secure wiring.

Replace the wire to the lower brush assembly and replace the assembly back into the drill.

Replace motor and transmission assembly from drill.

Reinstall the motor and manual assembly back into the drill, and replace the blocks around the armature bearings to secure it to the housing.

Replace the two screws on the exterior of the instance that hold the transmission in place.

Reconnect the wire to the second castor holder and reinstall it into the drill. Tuck whatever wires that come out of the casing as necessary.

Replace remaining transmission screws. — Replace remaining manual screws.

Finally, reinstall the other one-half of the drill casing, screw information technology together and install the last two transmission screws.

Your drill should now be fully operable, and it was easier and less expensive than ownership a new one or taking it to a repair center. Plus, you now know how to completely have your drill apart, which will make future repairs a breeze.