DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Parts that are left over from otherwise broken stuff went into a large box that we called a 'hell box' because it was a hell of a job to find something you were looking for in there.

BebuLamar

Do you feel that the motor doesn't run or it run but a mechanical binding keeps it from turning?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The motor spins fine clockwise, but in reverse, it stops after less than a second. It seemed like it was a physical problem in the head, but it wasn't.

I removed the head, and the motor acted just the same, spinning clockwise, but not counterclockwise. I split the tool in half and saw that one of the wires was flattened and crushed. When I rerouted the wire, it ran fine in both directions. I suspect the wire is damaged, though, so I'm going to find some yellow wire and replace it.

Putting it back together was interesting. The drive gear on the motor didn't want to engage with the three interlocking gears in the head. I had to take it apart again and insert the motor into the head, first. Another problem was the little lever that selects the direction of rotation. There was no way to assemble the body with that lever in place, so I had to remove it, put the two halves together and then insert the lever and catch the little arm above the trigger. I'm going to take it apart again and replace that yellow wire.

This is not a great tool, but if I can get it to work reliably, I'll be satisfied.

My other project is the clothes dryer. I replaced the power cord and the outlet, and the breaker doesn't trip anymore. Unfortunately, the dryer doesn't work, either. The interior light turns on, but the dryer doesn't spin. I've done enough today, so I'll wait till tomorrow to look for the problem with that.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

For the dryer, you're going to have to turn the power on and use a voltmeter to check that the outlet is wired correctly. 220 volt appliances use 4 wires. The two phases of power, a neutral, and a ground. If one of the phases is not powered up, the light would have a 50% chance of coming on since it's using 110, the voltage from one of the phases to the neutral. You need to measure the voltage from each phase to neutral and between each other. Before turning the power on, check for continuity between ground and neutral.

Old dryers used a 3-wire outlet. New dryers use a 4-wire outlet. The code was changed a few years ago.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This uses three wires and ground. The new outlet is wired the same as the old one, and it's wired according to the diagram that came with it. I'll use a meter to check the wiring tomorrow. The neutral is in the center, with Red on the right and Black on the left, looking at the back of the switch.

So, I want 110v between each colored wire and neutral? What about between ground and neutral?

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Ground and neutral are usually connected at the breaker box. They should not have voltage between them. You want the neutral to run from the box to the appliance. If you use the ground as neutral you run the risk of having some voltage on the ground, which is there purely for safety. If things are working right, the ground wire will carry no current.

220v (two-phase) is just 110v on either side of neutral. So between either the red or black wire to neutral you should have 110v. Between the red and black wires should be 220v.

If you were on a three-phase circuit (I'm not an electrician but I don't believe that would be in code for residential wiring) the voltage will be 208v between red and black. There is some variability to the voltages. 110 volts is sometimes referred to as 115 volts and 220 is sometimes 230. Depending on the load on your main power line I would expect that might vary from 5 to 10%.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

I'm assuming this is a pneumatic impact. My company used to make pneumatic nutrunners and I'm guessing that the problems has to do with the valving which redirects the air flow from forward to reverse. They can be a little tricky to adjust. Whatever you do, don't run the tool with the muffling material removed. They scream like banshees and can damage your ears.

Might also be a damaged rotor blade which cocks in the air motor when flow is reversed.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I don't want any screaming banshees here! This is a small, cordless mechanical tool.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

This may be helpful in diagnosing the problem. All impacts, regardless of what's delivering the power, work by delivering very rapid small impacts (weak blows) in the direction of rotation. If there is no prevailing torque running the fastener in, then they run the fastener down quickly until the torque starts to build up. At this point it still delivers rapid small impacts and the rate at which torque builds up slows way down. Torque will continue to build as long as you keep you finger on the trigger. It's unlikely the problem is with an electric (battery) powered motor so it has to be something in the mechanical reversing mechanism. Figure out where that is and move it by hand in both directions and maybe you will see the problem.

Good luck.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks.

Mr. SONY Loc: LI, NY

If he can't return it but still wants/needs one.
Milwaukee is the one to go for.
Watch any show on TV about auto or truck repairs and guaranteed you'll see Milwaukee impact tools.
My son is a roadside rescue driver for a major towing company on Long Island and their go to impact tools
are Milwaukee.
If he doesn't want to spend for a Milwaukee tool, a Ryobi is an far better tool then that super cheep brand.
The two batter versions aren't necessary either.
My sons Milwaukee came with only one battery and he has never run out of battery changing flat tires,
smashed rims, etc.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

He doesn't want this anymore. I have a DeWalt cordless that I use for removing wheels, but I suspect this SnapFresh wouldn't be able to do that. I have DeWalt and Ryobi cordless tools, so I want to stick with two types of batteries, aside from the possibility of using battery adapters.