A mitre saw is one of the vital power tools for carpenters and craft makers for both domestic and commercial use for accurate and precise cutting of woods.
It is a handy power tool that significantly helps woodwork experts to get work done smoothly and with less time and hassle. However, the robust tool may fail or breakdown due to several reasons.
It can be frustrating and stressful when your miter saw fails to work. Luckily this issue can be seamlessly fixed.
One of the parts of a miter saw that break down more often is the switch. The breakdown of switches is mostly traced back to an issue with the brushes.
Switches and brushes are a common replacement part and can be a solution to most power miter saw malfunctions.
The brushes of a miter saw come with a connection and terminal wire; it’s recommended to inspect the lead wire in case of any damage and replace it as soon as possible as it could lead to the failure of your power tool switch.
Proper maintenance of your miter saw will go a long way in ensuring that it does not malfunction easily due to the switch failure.
Read on for more insight into a damaged miter saw switch.
Can a Bad Miter Saw Switch Be Replaced?
To increase the efficiency and the productivity of your miter saw, regular repair and maintenance are vital.
Miter saws have been craftily designed to be robust and withstanding tough tasks.
However, they may break down due to switch failure. An unstable external power supply or damaged power supply line could cause damage to your miter, making it not start.
When your miter saw switch is damaged, it could lead to much inconvenience as you may not continue with your woodwork duties. Luckily, there is a remedy for this issue.
You can quickly get your miter saw back to action by replacing its switch.
What Causes a Miter Saw Switch to Fail?
The switch of your miter saw could break down due to a number of reasons. It would be best if you were keen to avoid any aspect that could lead to your power tool switch’s failure.
Using a Miter Saw on a Damp or a Wet Environment
To increase your miter saw’s efficiency and productivity and avoid any breakdown, you should use it correctly.
Using a miter saw in a damp or a wet environment could cause damage to the switch. Your miter saw switch components can be short-circuited if it gets to contact any moisture or water.
Due to safety concerns, it’s ideal to use a miter saw on dry wood pieces to avoid switch damage and consequently miter saw failure.
Power Failure
An unstable power supply could damage your miter saw switch. Damage to other components of a miter saw as a result of power supply occurs frequently. It is vital to regulate the amount of power output to avoid any damage to your power tool. The use of a voltage regulator could be the solution to this problem.
Cable Failure
This type of malfunction is theoretically not the fault of your miter saw switch itself. A cable fault may cause the port or switch system to fail or work properly.
It is recommended to use the cables that you bought your miter saw with, rather than installing other types of cables that may not be compatible with your power tool.
How to tell if a miter saw power switch is damage?
When your miter saw fails to function optimally or fails to start, it may be challenging to determine what the problem with your cutting power tool is.
Although a miter saw may fail due to a wide range of reasons, the following tips will let us know if the problem results from a switch failure.
Sparks at the Switch
When you see some sparks when you turn on your miter saw, there could be a problem with the switch.
This issue is commonly referred to as load arc, and it occurs when the switch’s connection is pulled from each other.
However, if the spark is audible and loud, then there is a high possibility that your switch has wholly damaged. When this happens, and you see scorch marks or smoke, then it’s time for you to replace your miter saw switch.
Noisy Power Switch
When optimally working, the switch of a miter saw does not produce any noise.
When you start to hear any buzzing, popping, or clicking coming from the switch, it is a clear indication that it has been damaged; thus, you should replace it.
Irregular Functioning of your Miter Saw
When your miter saw fails to start or unable to function as it should, there could be a problem with the switch.
Regular maintenance and repair of your power tool will go a long way in ensuring it’s in a good condition for all types of woodwork duties.
Replacing a bad miter saw switch
After evaluating that the switch is the reason behind the breakdown of your miter saw, you could use an expert’s help to solve or just easily replace it in your workshop.
Replacing the switch will get your power tool back to its normal function.
Here are a couple videos explaining how to replace a switch:
While all miter saw switches are similar, they are the exact same.
here’s another style of switch to check out. After watching these two styles of switches being replaced, you’ll have no problem doing it yourself!
Switch failure is a minimal issue and should not be a cause of alarm. Rather than purchasing a new miter saw, repairing it will save you money.
The failure of your miter saw switch could cause many inconveniences. However, this problem could be easily be solved by replacing the switch.
A bad miter saw switch is quite annoying, but it is a fairly simple fix to do yourself.
Best of luck in your endeavors!
