Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Ridgid). This thread is read-only.
Hi,
I have a Rigid R4518 jobsite sawthat is about 2 years old. Recently, if cutting several boards in succession, I can notice a reduction in RPMs and can smell an odor that a can lonely describe as smelling like the burned out ballast of a fluorescent light.
What is happening with my saw?
Could be a bad motor, bad brushes, something rubbing against the blade or dust inside the motor that is burning. I would first make sure there is no wood or anything in the bottom of the saw there the bottom of the blade would be rubbing against it. I would also try and blow out the vents on the motor as there might be dust or something inside.
Brushes would explain the loss of RPMs, but the odor is definitely not wood. It is more like a fluorescent light ballast. Does this saw have a clutch?
Not sure about the clutch but I wouldn’t think this model does. That is a weird smell. If the brushes are bad, something is up as I wouldn’t think they brushes would go that quickly, but I have heard of brushes going quickly on other tools so it might be.