Power tool brushes-how often do you inspect the wear, if ever?

[mart]

I have never opened a case up just to check the brushes. I have never heard of anyone doing that, but that is just me maybe.

I had an old electric drill. Been using it occasionally over a few years for little jobs on wood in the garage. It was very handy with it's keyless chuck for swapping drill bit sizes.

It suddenly stopped working. On opening it, I saw straight away that one or two of the segments had broken away from the armature. One of the brushes and it's holder was mangled. Dissapointingly I ended up binning it.

I don't actually know if the warn down brushes/holder damaged the armature, or if the armature damaged the brushes.

I have ordered an El cheapo drill, 240v not rechargeable type, 600w and it has a keyless chuck and it's variable speed which I like.

£20 and has a 2 year warranty. What is not to like? I only want to use it for drilling wood. I won't be removing the case to check the wear level of the brushes.

If it last 2 years and packs up, no major problem.

I have a drill press for metal, and a £100 Bosch sds for bricks etc. The Bosch may get a brush inspection at some point in the future, but it hardly gets used.

A washing machine usually spins slower when the brushes are ready for changing, which I don't ignore.

 

[Maker]

I check the brushes when a tool stops working and not a minute sooner. Don't think I've ever seen worn out brushes anyway, cracked/crumbled brushes and melted brush holders but never simply worn down.

 

[gaz1]

depends on the sparks its making if i look at its brushes

normally you can tell just by the sparks that you need new ones ordering

 

[Migmac]

I just replaced the brushes on my Makita grinder. It’s the first time I’ve looked at them in twenty odd years of ownership

 

[Fraserb]

our foot trimming angle grinders go through brushes, workshop ones never do.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Never have yet.
The Power Devil tools from ScrewFix used to come with a spare set of brushes.
Never used them.

 

[the snooper]

I check the brushes when a tool stops working and not a minute sooner. Don't think I've ever seen worn out brushes anyway, cracked/crumbled brushes and melted brush holders but never simply worn down.

You've not been alive long enough

 

[the snooper]

Replace when they stop, some of the Bosch have a safety feature so when they wear to a certain point a spring loaded piece of plastic lifts the brush from the commutator, this happened to me mid job, so pulled those bits out and carried on, forgot to order new ones and stopped again mid job

 

[zx9]

My Bosch GSB 10.8 drill is starting to smell like an old Scalextric car so I suppose I should open it up and have a look at the brushes.

 

[the snooper]

My Bosch GSB 10.8 drill is starting to smell like an old Scalextric car so I suppose I should open it up and have a look at the brushes.

Saves buying a new drill for the sake of a fiver

 

[My Old Landy]

I have a box of brushes from various bits of kit collected over the last 40 years I don't think I have ever changed any, ever!!

 

[Kram]

Only brushes I had problems with were the lathe motor, Im not sure why they got so hot but the sping became annealed and soft. New brushes fixed it, which I think were old grinder spares.
Motor is still good, sitting in the garage need to find a use for it.

 

[mike os]

Cant think of any changed in the last 30 years, corded or cordless,

 

[MetalMonkey]

Worn brushes can damage an armature, usually excessive sparking or being down on power is a good sign they are knackered but that is really too late.

Technically brushes should be inspected regularly as part of a maintenance process. Reality is different as we all know.

I've put three or four sets of brushes on a cheap grinder.
My more expensive metabos come with brush stops which disable the brushes just before they are completely worn out so you can replace them before anything is damaged. Not that I have had to so far.

 

[Pete.]

Only brushes I had problems with were the lathe motor, Im not sure why they got so hot but the sping became annealed and soft. New brushes fixed it, which I think were old grinder spares.
Motor is still good, sitting in the garage need to find a use for it.

A loose brush cap will cause a heated spring.

 

[Gareth J]

A bosch grinder I have had spring loaded disengaging pegs that popped out and stopped the electricity when they wore down past a certain amount. Neat little design, though they got replaced with generic ones

 

[Keith 66]

I have a metabo grinder, 115mm its about 30 years old & in great condition, just stopped working & checked the brushes which are knackered. Trouble is its so old nobody even recognises the poxy model number just say obsolete model throw it away.
Might have to see if i can make some fit from summat else.

 

[Pete.]

If you know the brush dimensions you can do cross-referances online in several places Keith. Metabo especially tend to share parts across many models.

 

[cianh91]

Last place I worked we had dewalt grinders that got new brushes regularly. Was a maintenance issue once a month checks

 

[Woody.v8]

I usually look at mine when they start going #ZZZZZZPPPPFFTTTSSSSRRRRZZZHHHHHH#
I thought I was like a warning buzzer to tell you that they need attention