Where’s my torque gone | Tools In Action

Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.

abjayMember since Aug 2015Aug 13, 2015 8:47 AM CT

I have a makita 18v circular saw it used to work well but now it is so weak you can stop the blade between your thumb and finger, it starts up and runs fine until you put some load on it.I have stripped it down, the brushes are ok and make good contact, there is little or no sparking, the commutator looks good, I’ve checked the resistance between various points and everything reads ok. The tool has only done light work. Anyone got any ideas

ChrisKMember since Dec 2012Aug 13, 2015 8:51 AM CT

Sounds like the battery dude.

rfwjrMember since Jul 2014Aug 13, 2015 9:24 AM CT

abjay wrote:
Hi
I have a makita 18v circular saw it used to work well but now it is so weak you can stop the blade between your thumb and finger, it starts up and runs fine until you put some load on it.I have stripped it down, the brushes are ok and make good contact, there is little or no sparking, the commutator looks good, I’ve checked the resistance between various points and everything reads ok. The tool has only done light work. Anyone got any ideas

I had the same issue on my battery circ saw and like Chris said it was the battery for me. When I changed to a different battery it was back in action.

abjayMember since Aug 2015Aug 13, 2015 9:48 AM CT

First thing I checked, but the batteries work fine in the other tools, could it be that the batteries work ok in low drain tools like impact drivers, but can’t deliver the amperage in high drain tools – is that possible?

kornomaniacMember since Oct 2014Aug 13, 2015 12:42 PM CT

What amp is the battery? And die it used RO run good with that same battery we are talking about or was that a different one ?

kornomaniacMember since Oct 2014Aug 13, 2015 1:27 PM CT

* did it used to run good

abjayMember since Aug 2015Aug 13, 2015 2:40 PM CT

Yes it did run well with the same battery and the battery charges well and hold a charge OK. You would think the battery is dead when you take it off the saw but it can still have over 18v left on it and powers drills and impacts just fine

ChrisKMember since Dec 2012Aug 13, 2015 4:17 PM CT

Well a circ is going to generate a ton of torque whereas an impact or drill not so much. Good question too, what ampere hour is you battery? I’d it the compact 1.5? If you can try switching to a higher Ah like a 3.0 or higher. I’ve been running 3.0 and 4.0 and now thanks to a trade and purchase with Madman, 5.0 batteries in my 20v Dewalt. I wouldn’t try the smaller Ah batteries, can burn up the batteries.

austinthecityMember since Jul 2015Aug 13, 2015 8:19 PM CT

I agree with the battery guess as well…

But wow you have some balls regardless if you really stopped the blade between your thumb and finger…

Justin HernandezMember since Apr 2015Aug 13, 2015 8:24 PM CT

Yea it does sound like a battery problem or maybe your blade is really dull, try a new battery and blade.

kornomaniacMember since Oct 2014Aug 14, 2015 8:01 AM CT

The 1.3/1.5/2.0 batteries would not be able to provider the Amps in a torque heavy task. Use a fat pack in the circulatie saw.

Do you have more then 1 battery? Else find some one you know who had more batteries so you can try the tool with more batteries.

If the tool keeps acting up with all batteries then the probleem is in the tool. Most likely youve over heated/ overloaded the motor. If it had short circuited somewhere in the windings that could resultt in low power