We're in the garden again this week, and its blower vacs. These are great for sweeping away leaves, dog hair, and bits of chips and biscuits off the patio from the kids, but, vacuuming with them can cause problems.
They do not like sticks and stones. As in the the song "sticks and stones will break my bones". They’ll break you blower vac! The fan is only plastic and a stick will snap a fan blade off very easily. This will cause a lot of vibration and extra noise. The vibration could get so bad, it becomes difficult to hold the tool.
Most blower vacs of the electric type are generally uneconomical to repair if they burn out, so to reduce the chance of your motor burning out, use a heavy extension lead, do not coil the lead when in use, and use a lead only as long as needed for the job. And remember; consider your neighbour with the noise from you blower vac. Until next week.
I'm often asked about cordless tool batteries. Generally tool batteries are made up of three different types. NiCad, NiMH and Lithium Ion. NiCad batteries are old technology, they were the first consumer rechargeable batteries available to the public. Some simple rules to follow with NiCad batteries.
Do not discharge them dead flat. This increases the discharge current and increases pressure in the cell causing it to leak. Discharge it until you start to notice a drop in performance of the tool. That is when it is time to recharge.
Do not lock the trigger on the tool to dead flatten the battery. Use the battery at room temperature and leave it to cool before putting on charge or using it after charge. Store the battery fully charged and charge it before use. The list of do's and Don'ts goes on, if you have any questions about tool batteries, call into see me at Buck's Tool Repairs, we are an agent for Master Instruments' batteries.
Last week I talked about NiCad batteries. Since Nickel Metal Hydride or NiMh batteries are similar in use and operation to a NiCad in terms of how to use them, I will talk about the newer technology of Lithium Ion or LiIon.
LiIon batteries have a higher energy density than other rechargeable battery types. This means they can hold more energy for the same size and weight. LiIon cells operate at higher voltages, usually 3.7v per cell. When used, their discharge is even, they will deliver the same amount of energy when they are nearly flat as when they were fully charged.
In power tools, this means more power for longer with less weight. Hence we see tools with higher voltages. The cons are cost due to higher manufacturing costs. These will come down as production picks up for the more user friendly Lithium Ion battery.
Any questions about batteries, call us at Buck's Tool Repairs.
I plugged a drill in to test it before a repair and was showered by a quarry full of gravel. I thought it would be a good idea to mention this week one of the power tools greatest enemy….dirt and sand.
When using a tool outdoors, we tend to put them onto the ground after we have finished using them. In some cases, the motors are still slowing down, with the fan drawing fine particles of sand and dirt into the motor.
Try to remember to always make sure the motor has stopped turning before placing the tool onto a surface. This will lessen the amount of dirt drawn in by the fan, and is also a good safety habit to get into. If using a tool near sand or gravel, make sure to keep the fan intake clear of the ground. The worst case scenario is a short circuit in the windings and then a trip to me for repairs. More on dirt and tools next week.
Still on dirt in your tools, fine saw dust or plaster dust gets into everything, and the two items they attack the most are your bearings and brushes.
The fine dust will find it's way past the seals on the bearings in your tool causing overheating or seizing of the bearing. It is near impossible to keep out, but the more industrial rated tools are designed to lessen this effect. A well made tool has higher quality bearings and seals. The air flow through the tool is designed to reduce dust impact on the windings and bearings, and the field and armature windings have better protective coatings.
The carbon brushes in the motor will wear out quicker if they are subject to heavy amounts of dust and dirt. Blow out the tool regularly and check the brushes and bearings for wear. You can drop your tool into us for a simple service which will ensure your tool keeps running longer. Next week......nail guns.
