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Ramrod
25-11-2004, 15:46
Hello all,strange question time :D
I've got a 6mo Bosch powerdrill. Just been drilling holes in the wall and noticed that if I look into the drill while I'm drilling (through it's vents), I can see blue sparks. Is it normal to get sparks inside the drill? I'm thinking it may be something to do with the brick dust interacting with the electric motor...... :confused: ...or is the drill on it's way out? :(
Any ideas anyone? :D

bopdude
25-11-2004, 15:50
Hello all,strange question time :D
I've got a 6mo Bosch powerdrill. Just been drilling holes in the wall and noticed that if I look into the drill while I'm drilling (through it's vents), I can see blue sparks. Is it normal to get sparks inside the drill? I'm thinking it may be something to do with the brick dust interacting with the electric motor...... :confused: ...or is the drill on it's way out? :(
Any ideas anyone? :D
You quite often get this, depending on a few factors some arcing will be worse than others, if its an old drill it may be time to swap the brushes over, or better still get it serviced :tu:

HTH

Jon M
25-11-2004, 15:53
I'm so glad you're a chiropractor and not a dentist.. that title would have scared me silly otherwise.

Stu038
25-11-2004, 15:57
Nature of the beast mate, you would normally expect to see some sparking, put simply this is often caused because the circuit is constantly made and broken as the commutator rotates.
The only time to worry is if they're huge great big ones leaping out of the casing ;)

Derek
25-11-2004, 16:02
The only time to worry is if they're huge great big ones leaping out of the casing ;)
Or from the wall itself...

Chris
25-11-2004, 16:08
Electric sparks in my dad's drill is what used to terrify me about it when I was a wee lad ... even more so than the noise of it. :disturbd: I still don't like drills. /shudder

Stu038
25-11-2004, 16:19
Or from the wall itself...

That ones not too bad mate, its when the water starts to pour out that its a pain. Especially if your on you own, hmm do I risk stuffing up the carpet and the wall while I go for the stop cock and start drianing the heating down or do I stand here with my finger in the hole hoping someone else comes soon :D

Earl of Bronze
25-11-2004, 16:25
That ones not too bad mate, its when the water starts to pour out that its a pain. Especially if your on you own, hmm do I risk stuffing up the carpet and the wall while I go for the stop cock and start drianing the heating down or do I stand here with my finger in the hole hoping someone else comes soon :D

Its even more of a worry when you drill a heating pipe six inches from an electrical socket, and the water is draining out of the socket and pooling round you're feet. All the time holding you're finger over the drill hole, to slow the leak. :disturbd:

paulyoung666
25-11-2004, 17:29
Its even more of a worry when you drill a heating pipe six inches from an electrical socket, and the water is draining out of the socket and pooling round you're feet. All the time holding you're finger over the drill hole, to slow the leak. :disturbd:


speaking from experience then :disturbd: :disturbd: :disturbd: :D :D :D

as said before the sparks are not a great deal to worry about unlles they are great big ones , you should be able to get new brushes cheaply and are easy enough to fit :tu:

gary_580
25-11-2004, 17:48
Hello all,strange question time :D
I've got a 6mo Bosch powerdrill. Just been drilling holes in the wall and noticed that if I look into the drill while I'm drilling (through it's vents), I can see blue sparks. Is it normal to get sparks inside the drill? I'm thinking it may be something to do with the brick dust interacting with the electric motor...... :confused: ...or is the drill on it's way out? :(
Any ideas anyone? :D

why use a power drill when your a ramrod :D :confused:

this is normal, if you look at the armature (the rotating piece) you will see that there are a number of coils and these are connected to the brushes by a series of copper plates which are called the commutator. As the armature spins the brushes pass over the comutator and as the brush covers two sections of the commuator this can cause a small spark. The sparks can increase due to dust, worn commutator (the copper or the insutlator), worn brushes and also by and increase in load on the motor (ie you ramming it into the wall)

Paul
25-11-2004, 17:51
Is it normal to get sparks inside the drill?Yes :)

Graham M
25-11-2004, 18:00
Paul M's answer is the simplest and most effective wouldnt you say? We dont need to know the phsyics of how a drill removes material from a wall too :D

paulyoung666
25-11-2004, 18:01
Paul M's answer is the simplest and most effective wouldnt you say? We dont need to know the phsyics of how a drill removes material from a wall too :D


and whats wrong with a bit of background ;) :D :D :D

greencreeper
25-11-2004, 19:11
The dangers of curiosity huh :D

Ramrod
25-11-2004, 20:10
Nature of the beast mate, you would normally expect to see some sparking, put simply this is often caused because the circuit is constantly made and broken as the commutator rotates.
The only time to worry is if they're huge great big ones leaping out of the casing ;)It's more of a blue glow so all is probably well. Thanks all! :tu: :)
edit----finally finished making & putting up the shelves today :tu: :D

danielf
25-11-2004, 21:15
It's more of a blue glow so all is probably well. Thanks all! :tu: :)
edit----finally finished making & putting up the shelves today :tu: :D

That thumbs up followed by a grin looks remarkably like someone putting a gun against his head :erm:

greencreeper
25-11-2004, 21:21
That thumbs up followed by a grin looks remarkably like someone putting a gun against his head :erm:
Or a drill. I guess it's one way of tackling compacted ear wax :erm:

danielf
25-11-2004, 21:23
Or a drill. I guess it's one way of tackling compacted ear wax :erm:

Indeed, you could melt it from the heat that the sparks give off ;)

bopdude
26-11-2004, 05:36
Its even more of a worry when you drill a heating pipe six inches from an electrical socket, and the water is draining out of the socket and pooling round you're feet. All the time holding you're finger over the drill hole, to slow the leak. :disturbd:
Nah, thats not too bad, try hitting a 6" water main out side an 88 kV sub station and seeing the cable duct filling with water, then wondering whats gonna happen next, is the waterboard gonna turn off the water in time ?? is the 1 & half miles of pipe falling down from a hill gonna have enough water to fill the ducts and sub-station anyway ??

Ahh the joys of reticulation :rolleyes: :D :p: