I've experienced two instances of my M18/M12 charger sparking internally and then completely failing. The first time this happened, I wrote it off as the charger being old or faulty, but now it's happening again with a charger that came with my drill driver and impact kit, which is relatively new. When it worked, lightly tapping it would cause sparks but then the lights would come on, and it would charge as expected. I'm using the charger plugged into a receptacle mounted on my Rigid Job box, and I'm wondering if that setup could be causing issues. I doubt it's grounding against the metal job box, given the plastic housing, but could dust or something else be getting in and shorting it out? I clean out my box every week and make sure to unplug and blow out the charger.
2 Answers
What do you do for work? I've noticed that metal shavings and particles can easily short out chargers in a messy work environment. It might be something to consider!
If you're consistently having issues, it might be worth looking into the environment your charger is working in. Sometimes, no matter how much you clean, tiny particles can find their way in. Also, check the receptacle and any cords you might be using; they could contribute to the problem too.
I work in metal fabrication, so I suspect that might be the issue. I do my best to keep my box covered and closed, plus I blow it out regularly, but clearly something is getting in there.