The worst feeling in the world: you pull the trigger on your drill and it doesn’t turn on. You’ve got the screw in your hand, the drywall up, and the afternoon slipping away. You look at that trigger confidently and then squeeze…nothing.
There was no sound from the chuck. Betrayal. All DIYers and pros shares this moment of frustration.
Your trusted tool just quit on you. Don’t panic, though; before running out to purchase another DeWalt or Milwaukee drill or tossing it in the corner, wait a second. This isn’t necessarily a catastrophic failure situation.
More times than not, it’s simply something simple that you can fix with a little patience and a screwdriver in your kitchen. Knowing what’s going on when your motor won’t spin will save you money and get you back at work. It becomes a quick lesson in mechanical maintenance instead of potential disaster.
How To Fix A Black And Decker Drill Not Spinning
Check Battery Contacts and Charge
First stop? The battery. Black and Decker tools is very battery dependent.
Poorly seated or weak batteries accounts for more issues than anything else. Examine the battery contacts on both the pack and the tool itself. Those little slots where they connect fill up with dust and other nasties that acts as a barrier between two contact surfaces.
Not only can a loose battery cause the tool to think there is no power, but it also won’t spin. With nothing touching, the contact points cleans easily with a dry cloth. Small fix, big difference.
An old battery may test out on paper, but doesn’t deliver enough of a surge of current to engage the motor when the tool is put under load. If you have another pack try it. And if the drill spins on the new battery, then your old one are toast.
Inspect Carbon Brushes for Wear
When you pull the trigger, does it sound like grinding or do you hear a high pitched whine? That means that something is blocking the motor from turning if power is good. It could just mean the brush holders inside the drill is worn out.
The brush holds carbon brushes that transfer electricity to rotating part of the motor. They shrink over time and lose contact. Brush holders on black and decker drills is often accessible at the rear of the drill.
For a few bucks you can get new ones and change them yourself if you are comfortabley with basic disassembly. It won’t work without good contact to the brushes because then there is no path for current. Remember always to disconnect the battery before prying anything open.
Clean or Replace the Trigger Switch
The switch is stuck. The other option is that your switch is simply stuck. Carbon contacts in the trigger mechanism will wears and get dirty.
Spraying electrical contact cleaner inside the switch housing may fix the contact. It is a cheap experiment with a big payoff. Of course, if there is physical damage to the switch, then your only option are to replace it.
This seems too invasive for most folks. Don’t be one of those guys. Often, the tool just needs the switch cleaned well so it can spins freely again.
Test Internal Gears and Chuck
But in other cases, it’s a mechanical problem instead. The gear train could be jammed or stripped so the chuck won’t turn even though the motor spin around. Remove the battery and try spinning the chuck yourself to see if it turns freely.
Does it bind? Is it gritty? Chances are your internal gears is shot.
That’s the bad news part. Normally when gears is messed up on a drill, it’s reaching the end of its functional lifespan. It becomes a question of whether it is worth it: how much do you want to spend on parts vs how much would you pay for a comparable tool.
Adjust the Clutch Setting
Sometimes with a cheap Black and Decker drill, it just doesn’t make financial sense to fix it. In those cases, you might of as well get a new one. Last but not least, inspect the clutch setting.
Yes, I know this seems dumb, but it occurs more frequent than you’d think. Set too low and it’ll slip before it turns the screw. You’ll feel the ratchet of the clutch and hear the motor strain, but there’s no turning of the bit.
Simply adjust the collar just below the chuck to the highest setting (the one with the drill icon on it) for max torque delivery. Simple fix. Lots of head scratching avoided.
Troubleshooting can be approached in an orderly manner. Check the batteries, then the switch, then the brushes, and lastly, the gears. Maybe it’s simpler than you think.
Maybe that dead quiet drill only requires a spot of cleaning and some love for the contacts. Whatever it may be, there’s something calling out to you now.