Saw Spark Show

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Looking at the photos of the brushes, they look flat and almost unused.

Does the saw actually run?

If so, I'd run it for a while, it might wear the brushes in a bit, giving them more contact area and less sparks.

I'm not an electrician though!

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

looking at your pic of the commutator it looks like 2 segments are more of a copper colour is it the way the pic was taken or are they not as dull as the other segments?
That would indicate open circuited winding on those segments no current flow to dull the copper.
check with a multi meter

I suspect it will be the photo, but will investigate tonight after work.

Looking at the photos of the brushes, they look flat and almost unused.

Does the saw actually run?

If so, I'd run it for a while, it might wear the brushes in a bit, giving them more contact area and less sparks.

I'm not an electrician though!

The saw runs perfectly. Its only on release of the trigger that anything bad happens. The brushes have some scoring on them, as does the commutator. I'll see how well I can clean it all up, then see what happens

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

It’s a discontinued range and we don’t stock these units anymore .

Unfortunately that can be an issue with Aldi 'Specials'. They buy up large volumes of discontinued/end of line/ going out of business stock and flog it cheap. Which is why you often don't ever see the same items again.

Obviously this doesn't apply to all of their other 'Specials' lines but it is one of the reasons they can keep prices cheap.

[Corigator Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Corigator]

In your first photo of the commutator, it looks like the top and second segments are worn where the brushes contact more that the others. Is this so? or just an illusion. That would cause the symptoms, I would think.

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

Unfortunately that can be an issue with Aldi 'Specials'. They buy up large volumes of discontinued/end of line/ going out of business stock and flog it cheap. Which is why you often don't ever see the same items again.

Obviously this doesn't apply to all of their other 'Specials' lines but it is one of the reasons they can keep prices cheap.

In one of my earlier posts, I linked the Einhell branded equivalent, still very much available for sale...

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

In your first photo of the commutator, it looks like the top and second segments are worn where the brushes contact more that the others. Is this so? or just an illusion. That would cause the symptoms, I would think.

I think I'll grab some nice fine sandpaper and see if I can clean up the commutator. It is definitely not a shiny as google suggests it should be.

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

I think I'll grab some nice fine sandpaper and see if I can clean up the commutator. It is definitely not a shiny as google suggests it should be.

Commutator cleaned up. No real wear marks or anything. I've worked out its only one brush that's sparking. It's now sparking more while running. I'm trying to organise some new ones.

[pradosteve97 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradosteve97]

was it running way over amps? I think the commutator has shorted out a winding waste of time changing the brushes

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

To be honest, I have no idea how to check the current draw of this thing. 12v, I can do that. Simple 240v is doable too. Motor diagnostics is not my thing.

I shall google it tomorrow.

[pradosteve97 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradosteve97]

put it back together and use it till it dies would be my thoughts as your not going to buy a clamp meter for 1 job , if its a cheap tool

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

put it back together and use it till it dies would be my thoughts as your not going to buy a clamp meter for 1 job , if its a cheap tool

I had high hopes for this saw - I cant justify buying one for myself, but I know it would come in handy. I might be able to borrow a clamp meter, or get one of the sparkies at work to check it out for me...
At least the drill press I inherited still works a treat - it just needs a new V-Belt and a grub screw.