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My corded electric drill stopped working earlier while I was drilling a few holes. There was no burning smell or smoke, it just suddenly stopped.
I checked the plug fuse first and that’s fine. I opened the drill casing to take a look and one thing I noticed is that one of the carbon brushes seems to be sitting slightly back from the armature. The other one looks normal and still has spring pressure pushing it forward.
It doesn’t look completely worn out but it doesn’t seem to be touching the commutator properly.
Could this cause the drill to stop suddenly like that?
Has anyone seen this happen before?
Yes, that could definitely cause the drill to stop suddenly.
On most corded drills with brushed motors, both carbon brushes need to maintain good contact with the commutator on the armature. If one brush isn’t being pushed forward properly, the motor circuit is effectively broken and the drill won’t run.
A few things could cause what you’re seeing:
1. Worn carbon brush
Even if it doesn’t look completely worn out, once the brush gets short enough the spring pressure can weaken and it may stop making proper contact.
2. Brush sticking in the holder
Carbon dust can build up in the brush holder and stop the brush from sliding freely. Sometimes just removing the brush and cleaning the holder will fix it.
3. Weak or damaged spring
If the spring behind the brush has lost tension or become bent, it won’t push the brush firmly against the commutator.
4. Worn commutator
If the commutator surface is very dirty or uneven it can also stop the brush making good contact.
What I’d usually try first is:
Remove both brushes
Blow out any carbon dust inside the holders
Check that the brushes slide freely
Inspect the springs for damage
Refit them and see if the brush now sits correctly against the commutator
If the brushes are more than halfway worn it’s often worth replacing them as a pair, since they’re normally inexpensive and it saves future problems.
A loose or sticking brush is a pretty common reason for a drill to suddenly stop, so there’s a good chance that’s the issue.
