DIY cordless screwdriver repair

In detail: do-it-yourself cordless screwdriver repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

A screwdriver is a mobile tool that makes it easier to work with fasteners and threaded connections. Until recently, cordless screwdrivers could only be found in the arsenal of professionals, but with the advent of inexpensive household models on the wide market, their popularity has increased dramatically.

Unlike expensive professional tools, budget counterparts have a smaller resource, which is why they fail more often.

One of the weakest points of a household screwdriver is the start button and reverse switch. As practice shows, it is they who break most often.

As a rule, it all starts with the fact that the soft start function stops working, then a stronger pull on the “trigger” is required to start the electric motor.

Over time, the tool completely ceases to respond to any manipulations. Often there is a problem of the opposite nature, when the motor starts to work spontaneously.

In some cases, to eliminate the defect, it is enough to disassemble the tool and clean it, although more often a complete screwdriver button replacement. In both the first and second cases, you can fix the problem with your own hands. About everything in order.

The screwdriver button is the main control element that performs several functions at once:

  • Turning on / turning on the tool;
  • Switching the direction of rotation;
  • Smooth start of the engine;
  • Turnover adjustment.

At the same time, each of the controls built into the button block cannot work correctly by itself. Except for the direction of rotation switch, which is often a separate function block.

Video (click to play).

The body in most cases consists of three conditional compartments in which the working units and mechanisms are located.

  1. In the lower part of the case there is an on / off control unit and motor speed control.
  2. The “trigger” of the soft start is located in the middle part (the deeper it is pressed in, the higher the rotation speed of the cartridge). The button, when pressed, slides in a special block along the guides, a variable resistor is responsible for adjusting the speed.
  3. In the upper part there is a reverse button - a switch for the direction of rotation of the cartridge. The direction is changed by changing the polarity of the voltage applied to the switch.

This is approximately how all control units of screwdrivers of different brands are arranged. To get acquainted with the device of the button of a particular instrument model in more detail, we recommend that you study screwdriver button diagram (it is in the instructions).

To diagnose and repair a screwdriver, you will need the following tools:

As a result of the active use of any power tool, dirt inevitably accumulates inside its body.

Getting into the control unit, it prevents the full movement of the "trigger" and blocks it.

Therefore, before going to the store for a new block, you should try to clean the old one. The soot formed on the contacts should also be cleaned with fine sandpaper. If the button is non-separable, you will have to replace the entire unit.

Stages of diagnostics:

  1. We disassemble the body of the instrument. To do this, disconnect the battery, unscrew all the screws (they can be hidden behind decorative trims that will have to be removed).
  2. We check the health of the electric motor.To do this, we disconnect two power wires from the control unit and connect them to the battery contacts (the engine should start).
  3. We disassemble the button of the screwdriver. To do this, press the plastic latches and separate the two parts of the button housing.
  4. We make a visual inspection of the state of the button for dirt and damage.
  5. Next, you need to carefully assemble the screwdriver button, install it in place and test it.

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

If cleaning the control unit does not work, the entire button unit must be replaced.

  1. Disassemble the screwdriver (the process is described above);
  2. Install a new button in place of the old one;
  3. Connect the motor to the button terminals (observance of polarity in this case is optional);
  4. Assemble the screwdriver, carefully placing the wires in the housing.

It is very important to choose a button for a specific screwdriver model, because with all the external similarity and visual correspondence, the part may not fit into the grooves. As a rule, new buttons are sold complete with battery terminals and a transistor.

Many people probably have electric screwdrivers, battery-powered flashlights, etc. at home. which do not have batteries.

My screwdriver has a fully charged battery for a couple of screws.

Batteries in a screwdriver are cadmium in flashlights, as a rule, they are all now quite problematic to get for replacement. What will the conversion of devices to lithium give us.

1. Simplify charging. Charging from micro usb, no need to look for where you put your native charger or where the wire from the flashlight.

2. Lithium battery is easier to find. For example, I generally took cans from an old battery from a laptop (you can find it either for free or for minimal money).

3. When replacing cadmium. There is no memory effect and you can charge at any time without waiting for full discharge.

4. Larger than regular battery capacity, often even when used. cans.

And so we need.

1. Charge controller board, for example, on a TP4056 chip. Sold by the Chinese on ali ebau and other sites. A clip will be sent for a dollar.

Available in two versions with and without overdischarge protection. With protection, it makes sense to use if the battery itself does not have a protection board. For batteries of the 18650 type and the like, the protection board is usually installed on the negative terminal, if the minus is not made of metal, but of textolite glass, then this is the protection board.

The boards are close in size. (left with protection, right without)

WARNING. For an electric screwdriver, battery protection cannot be used, the protection current is about 3A, and although the total consumption of the screwdriver is not large, the starting currents cut down the protection.

I give a diagram of the board with battery protection (found on the Internet). I will also add documents for microcircuits in the application.

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Chinese boards have a charge current of 1A; if you want to charge from a computer port or from a weak charge, you must reduce the current to at least 0.5A. To do this, it is necessary to replace the 1.2K resistor connected to the second leg of the TP4056 microcircuit with a resistor of a higher rating, for a current of 0.5A, approximately with a resistance of 2.4K (a table of charging currents depending on the resistance is given in the document for the microcircuit).

I plan to be able to charge from a computer and replace this resistor. Soldered and cleaned the sites.

Since it was only available with a face value of 2.2K, it received a charge current of 0.52A. What I considered acceptable for charging from a computer port.

2. You can either buy a new battery or remove it, for example, from an old laptop battery.

In my battery there were 6 cans connected in pairs. It is advisable to disconnect all the batteries (in one of the pairs, one of the cans was completely dead) and measure the residual voltage. If there is a choice, then take banks with a large residual voltage, as a rule, and their remaining capacity is also larger, although of course it is better to measure the real capacity. The battery was 4000 mA i.e. at 2000 mA per jar, the residual capacity was approximately 1200-1400 mA, depending on the jar.

Metal strips of contacts are welded to the batteries; they do not need to be torn off, but simply cut between the banks. It is convenient and safe to solder wires to them.The metal on the contacts of the batteries themselves is harder to solder, and if you hold the soldering iron for more than a second, then there is a danger of overheating the battery, which will disable it up to a fire.

3. Wiring soldering iron tester needle files hot glue gun etc.

We remove the batteries and regular charging for them. (if there is a backlight and it is desirable for the flashlight to measure the current of the LEDs on a fully charged battery)

We figure out where to place the new battery and charging board.

Now one of the longest stages is the completion of the hull.

To speed it up, it is better to use mechanization.

For example, Chinese cutters.

But I like the old Soviet ones more, they have better control and they are less distracted. Unfortunately, they are harder to find for sale.

We select excess plastic, ensuring that the mini USB connector is minimally recessed.

We solder the circuit by connecting the battery and charging. And we check the operation of charging and a screwdriver, also if there are lighting LEDs, we measure the current consumption from lithium and the resistance of the quenching resistor.

If the current of the lighting LEDs is very different from the current on standard batteries, then we correct the resistance of the balanced resistor. I soldered another resistor in parallel.

Next, degrease the body and all parts with isopropyl alcohol or good galosh gasoline (ethyl alcohol does not degrease). And fill all the components with a hot glue gun. Surplus if that is not difficult to cut with a knife.

After assembly, pour glue from the gun into the holes that are designed to indicate charging.

When the glue has cooled down a little, it is easy to clean off the excess. As a result, the glue acts as a light guide and when charging, the battery is clearly visible.

Alteration of another screwdriver. Now the battery can be charged without taking it out of the screwdriver.

Its battery is removable. (After the rework, a micro USB connector and a charge indicator appeared on it)

A set of cadmium batteries and contacts were attached directly to the batteries.

Using hot glue, I made a clip of contacts.

I placed the charger in the back and soldered all the components.

Alteration of a flashlight with a lead battery and charging from the mains took even less time because nothing had to be undermined.

A screwdriver belongs to the category of tools that are often used not only in construction and repair work, but also in everyday life. Over time, any mechanism tends to break, which happens with screwdrivers. If such a thing happened, then there is no need to rush to throw away the tool, as you can perform an independent repair of the screwdriver. From this article, you will learn how to repair a screwdriver without resorting to the help of specialists.

Do-it-yourself repair of a screwdriver should begin with familiarization with its design. The main element of a screwdriver is an electric motor. Screwdrivers come in both mains and cordless types. The use of a mains screwdriver is less common, due to such a disadvantage as the need to connect the tool to a 220V network. Battery-type tools are more popular, as they allow you to carry out not only repair work at home, but also outside it.

The main components of a cordless screwdriver are:

  1. Frame. Usually all screwdrivers are made of durable plastic.
  2. Start button. It is designed in such a way that the number of revolutions of the cartridge depends on the force of pressing it.
  3. Electric motor. Cordless tools use single-phase collector-type and DC motors. The engine consists of a rotor, a stator in the form of magnets, and a brush assembly.
  4. Reducer.
  5. Force regulator.
  6. Reverse switch.
  7. Battery. As a rule, it is removable and often comes with a double copy of the product.
  8. Cartridge. As a rule, quick-release chucks are used.