Metallic smell from old DeWalt drill

Discussion in 'Tool Talk' started by MozzyMarr, Jun 15, 2021.

  1. MozzyMarr

    MozzyMarr Member

    I have an old Dewalt NiCad drill driver which I am rather fond of. It was given to me for a Christmas present around 10 years ago and it is the first proper brand powertool I ever owned. Before that I had useless cheap stuff.

    Despite it being rather heavy and cumbersome by modern standards as a drill driver it is more powerful than my newer Makita combi and I like at least a couple of drills on the go so I don't need to keep swapping bits (pilot holes, countersinking etc).

    The problem is it has started to develop a bit of a metallic smell every time I use it, is this likely to be the bushes? The drill still works perfectly but I am worried it will just go into a cloud of smoke one day! I am not sure if it is worth spending a penny on fixing it considering it is out of date technology. One battery is original and still has some life in it, the other is a clone and another original is dead.
     
  2. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Same with one of my own Dewalt Combi's, replaced brushes and totally fine now, bought the brushes of ebay.
     
  3. MozzyMarr

    MozzyMarr Member

    Thanks, I can get a pair of ebay but not sure how easy it is to replace on my drill. I will see if I can remove them first :).
     
  4. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Worth looking on YouTube as may be a tutorial on there.
     
  5. teabreak

    teabreak Screwfix Select

  6. Tilt

    Tilt Screwfix Select

    My Hitachi smells like Scalextric when I use it.............. Love the smell, Lol.
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Screwfix Select

    OZONE
    If you're talking about electric sparks, the answer is ozone. When a spark passes through air it converts some of the oxygen into ozone. Oxygen doesn't smell like anything but ozone has a very characteristic sharp smell even in low concentration.
     
  8. ejenner

    ejenner Active Member

    If you're as attached as you say to your elderly deWalt you could probably fill the old dead ni-cad battery pack with Lithium Ion cells to benefit from the later tech.
     
  9. MozzyMarr

    MozzyMarr Member

    I finally managed to get the drill apart having spent an hour trying to find a T10 screwdriver that will fit in the hole as the house is upside down I can't find anything. Sadly it appears the brushes are built into the motor and there is no way to replace them without taking the entire motor apart :( The drill is a DC729. Sadly I think I am not going to bother repairing while I am slightly attached to it, it is just a drill.

    Since I already have a corded Dewalt hammer drill for heavy stuff and my cordless Makita combo for the odd masonry hole I am inclined to buy another drill driver as they are lighter. It has more use than the average DIYer and I may have abused it slightly but I imagine with heavy trade use the brushes on this drill would have barely lasted a year :( I wonder if age itself has contributed to the wear.
     
  10. ejenner

    ejenner Active Member

    Did you ask DeWalt if they have spare parts? They sent me brushes for one of their angle grinders before.
     

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