Drill leaks electricity to case

What a great post. To me, low amount of leakage indicates that the problem is crud related and fixable. I'll see. I appreciate the time you spent writing your post, it is pretty much on target. I have a megger, but, I think, will start with disassembly and good cleaning.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15109
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It trips GFCI outlets; repair it or cut the cord off and throw it away.

If you need to ask how to repair it ... cut the cord off and throw it away.

Reply to
MikeP

I would like to know the reasoning behind your opinion (that if I have to ask how to fix it, I should throw it away). My experience with repairing various things (spa, compressor, a diesel generator are some examples) suggests that asking intelligent people nicely results in good suggestions and finally in good results.

You apparently think otherwise and I would like to know why.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15109

First step is to dissassemble and clean the drill - and with a good ohm-meter check for shorts to ground from the field winding (quite common) or the brush holders. It is POSSIBLE the brush holders are just dirty - conductive brush dust etc on the surface.

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Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

There should be a law forbiding people from throwing away old metal-bodied power tools.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

OK, if I cannot fix it, I will let you know, maybe you can pick it up and do whatever you want with it. I think that you live nearby, IIRC.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15109

I still have an old 3/8" ball bearing black & decker commercial drill with full aluminum housing that runs like the day it was made. Its been heated up so bad many many times by overloading it with cut down shank bits and doing what it was not designed to that its been so hot numerous times you could not touch it., One day I was dirlling some angles with it and all of a sudden I could not let go.....What a shock.Wire in drill shorted out.....Fixed it and its still one boss hog of a drill. Also have a D handle type B & D in 1/2" and 3/4" chuck sizes that are from the early 60's era like my 3/8" one is and they just run and run. I Used the 3/4" to drill a hole to snake a water line through under my driveway usuing old long shank 3" wood auger bit..........and lengths of shafting for extensions....HOtter than blazes but it still runs strong. The 1/2" was used primarily with large hole hog wood bits in the plumbing trade for 20 30 years and its still got the original power cord, although its cracked pretty bad now......They sure do not make drills ike the old ones anymore......and like the posters original problem with leaking voltage, that was their only bad point without having an insulated case.......and to think of how many times I used those drills in wet conditions like in the rain and snow, or standing in water up to your ankles etc and still alive to talk about it..

Reply to
~Roy~

I agree, this drill is very sexy looking and appears indestructible.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15109

Made back when Black & Decker built REAL tools, and everybody else scrambled to catch up. Now they make scrap, and everybody else, as usual, is trying to catch up. Go figgur.

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Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

"Ignoramus15109"wrote: (clip) I would like to know the reasoning behind your opinion (that if I have to ask how to fix it, I should throw it away (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I will answer for Mike. There was something about the tone of your original post that could be mistaken for naivity. In following the rest of the thread, including your various responses, I have concluded that expressions like, "leaks electricity to the case" and "what would be a typical application for this drill" were not indicative of your non-newbie status. Clearly, to anyone who read the whole thread, it should be clear that you not only know what a *megger* is, but you have one, and you know a little something about the whole subject.

Maybe Mike jumped in and posted without reading the whole thread.

PLEASE don't throw that rugged old drill away. If necessary, use it on a non-GFI circuit and wear a pair of rubber gloves. It just occurred to me--maybe this whole thing was just an excuse for you to gloat over the possession of such a fine old drill. ;-)

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

"Ignoramus3408" wrote in message news:8f_Kf.3814$ snipped-for-privacy@fe28.usenetserver.com...

The most likely cause of the problem is that carbon dust from the brushes has coated the inside of the drill and allows a small current to leak from the active line to earth. Take the drill apart, clean off the dust with an alcohol dampened rag and re-assemble it. Earth leakage devices are very sensitive and will trip at the least bit of current to earth.

Tom

Reply to
Tom Miller

I believe that you have an extra "not" (or "non") somewhere above.

Otherwise, yes, I think that Mike made some assumptions that were not, in fact, true.

I know a little bit and have done a few electrical projects. Nothing really advanced, but somewhere at or a little above the level of repairing an old metal cased drill.

Not really. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I should sell it, as even my 1/2" Dewalt drill is too powerful for my hands. I would get no benefit from this drill, it is designed for men stronger than I am. I will likely sell it after I repair it. I first though to keep it, and then realized that it is too strong for me, torque wise. As it often happens, I may change my mind.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15109

Your suggestion does not contradict any of my observation. I will do as you suggest tonight. Thanks a lot.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15109

Yep, thats for sure.And just for the record. It was a Canadian made item I was drilling that almost caused my demise. ;-)... I was working on a snowmobile, in a heated garage and the sled was just brought in coated with snow and ice that melted all over the shop floor, and I was making a jig to drill the belt to add on cleats for added traction, and I was working in a big Puddle of water at the time...It was a Skippy Doo to which I was adding Moto-Ski brand rubber coated cleats..... Gotta watch mixing American made stuff with Canadian made stuff ;-)

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Reply to
~Roy~

metal-bodied

Thanks for the thought Iggy, but I live in Oregon.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

Reply to
RoyJ

A good drill not to use standing on a metal ladder in a flooded shop area (BTDT). Leakage enough to trip a GFCI is approaching lethal levels, probably caused by a combination of insulation breakdown, crud buildup, and humidity. It makes this unit a prime candidate for either professional restoration or explosive decommissioning. Gerry :-)} London, Canada

Reply to
Gerald Miller

Leo wrote: (clip) not indicative of your non-newbie status. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Igor-amp-us wrote: I believe that you have an extra "not" (or "non") somewhere above. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ to which Leo responds: No. I think I have the right amount of double negativity. The meaning I was after was, "Your writing style fooled us by sounding like it came from an uninformed person."

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

| >>

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| >> When plugged into a GFCI outlet, it leaks electricity to ground and | >> pops the GFCI breaker. The leak is substantial, I believe, however | >> when plugged into a regular breaker (and handled with caution | >> appropriate for leaks to case), it actually works and does not blow | >> the breaker. So, I think, the leak is limited in extent. | >

| > Let's just say I would not want to be handling that drill nor would I | > allow an employee or family member to handle it. It is time to have it | > repaired or replaced. | | I gotta agree with that! | | So... any idea of how to approach repairing it? I suspect that | something very simple is wrong, like related to brushes or some such.

If you can see into the drill and there's gobs of carbon all over the inside of the case from the brushes, rinse it all out with brake cleaner and replace the brushes. You might be able to make the GFCI quit tripping if you just were to rinse it out; might be worth a shot.

Reply to
carl mciver

I under estimated your abilities and I tend to error on the side of safety. I did not intend to be insulting or inconsiderate. Sorry ...

That said, I would not use (or sell) that drill with or without rubber gloves until it is properly repaired.

Reply to
MikeP

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