Is electricity affected by gravity?

[DIYOHMY]

So this is kind of bizarre... I have an old Makita drill.... I mean OLD - 20 yrs + of solid service. (huge plug for Makita). Recently I put it to the test with a boatload of CBU screws. I've been expecting it to die any time, but it keeps going... until today.

I hit the trigger and no go. Raise it up to investigate with the trigger still depressed. Once it's above my waist, it spins. Drop it back down, it stops. Yes - I did this about 20 times - totally perplexed.

:idea: Looked to see if the plug was lo :crazy: ose, nope. Held the cord steady and re-ran my test. Above the waist, on, below, off.

Then I noticed that the wall plug is about my waist height. :idea: So I plugged it in to a floor outlet ( 12" off the floor). Same thing. Above the outlet, on, below the outlet off. Tried this on about 5 different height outlets around the house.

The whole time, the trigger was locked "ON" - so I wasn't even hitting the trigger, and I held the cord firmly to make sure it wasn't wiggling. :idea: I tilted the drill from side to side, but that had no effect.

WHAT THE #$*%(#? :idea: So I started to look for a hidden camera... nope.

Ever see this? I assumed the bushings were shot... but i cannot rule out gravity?

What gives? :crazy: :suspect: :wtf:

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[e3]

I think thats what they call a "flash back"' you from the 60s??Did you hear purple haze in the background?..How about colored lights and a sweet smell in the air...Might want to tape your finger nails so you dont hurt your self..What ever you do don't look into a mirror!!!Now breath,breath...slower.

[jjwq8]

Suggestions:
1. stop cocktailing your viagra with your iron supplement.
2. with wiener in left hand knock self sharply on back of head with peen hammer with right hand. this should reinstate your polarity and degauss your system.
3. check the connections at both ends of the wire.

[Davy]

You might not be crazy ...yet. I would get it running and start bending the cord starting at the drill. Sounds like there is a broken wire, normally at one end or the other :)

[TSquared]

It could be gravity. My first thought is that the brushes are worn out and by moving the drill you allow gravity to aid the brush contact. The other possibility is there is a loose connection and again gravity allows contact to be made. Hope this helps.

Ted

[e3]

Well I guess that might do it to..

[DIYOHMY]

I assumed the brushes too. Oddly when I came down from my acid trip - it's still happening ;)

The slighest movement (1") above the level of the outlet and its on.

Go figure ;). Just glad I have a backup.

[e3]

yea I new it was that the whole time!!

[jd77]

does it run on 220 or 221?

JD:D

[muskymike]

I think it's time to get a new one. I had one that did that, then one day when I was using it all of a sudden poof :eek: smoke came pouring out of the back. Fried.

[lazybumranch]

Its winter out. Are you draining the cord so it doesn't freeze.... :laugh2:

[John Bridge]

Obviously, I've been around here since the onset, and this is one of the funniest threads I've ever read. Very good comments all around -- I even include Jeremy. :D

It opens a dialog on electricity, though, that isn't often engaged. We don't know what the hell electricity is, and furthermore, we don't know what gravity is. We know how to produce both, but we understand the essence of neither.

Therefore, . . . . it's very possible the Makita was designed to work at those heights all along, and the fact that it once worked at different heights was merely a malfunction.

:D

[Eric Philson]

So, when you drill in reverse, does it put all the wood shavings back in place? Reminds me of an old AC/DC LP I used to play backwards. :devil: creapy man.

Eric

[DIYOHMY]

happens in both foward and reverse
runs on 110
uh, yea, I drain the cord every winter
no smoke

I was using it to tighten a chair tonight. I had to put the chair up on the table.

I already have 2 more... 1: 1/2" for mixing stuff, and a 14.4 cordless. (and they work at all elevations.

[jjwq8]

Makita
Japanese
Tie your pig tails tighter.
Slantier Eyes.
Make it feel more at home.
I have Makitas and have never experience this.
Am I closer to the Equator?
Is your power supplier buying voltage generated with a source of WMD?
Do the screws in your house untap themselves?
Do you dream of Devils Tower?

[cx]

The other possibility is there is a loose connection...... Possibility? Oh, no, Ted, it's for certain. In fact, in reading this thread it's apparent that there are several loose connections. :D We don't know what the hell electricity is, and furthermore, we don't know what gravity is. Actually, we've got a pretty good handle on the electricity part. Gravity, now that's a little more elusive, for sure. But in this case, I think gravity would be if the drill wouldn't turn off and it managed to git itself caught in part of his anatomy whilst he was screwin' around doin' curls with it to see where it would come on. Now that could be grave, indeed. :eek:

[jjwq8]

Gravity is a myth.
The Earth Sucks.

[DIYOHMY]

Ok, so it's not a Makita. I guess I had Makita on the mind from all the makita-love threads. :dunce:

It's a circa 70's BOSCH. 35 years, and I've put that thing through more abuse than any tool in the shop. I've replaced 3 cordless drills in the last 5 years, and always reach for this thing when I need nonstop POWER.

So, I did what I always do... I took it apart. Very interesting stuff inside, but nothing obviously broken. Put it back together. (no parts left over :rolleyes: )

Now it works fine. Gravity has no effect (except for on the beer I'm drinking right now).

WTF- Over :wtf:

[catamount]

WTF over?

Please observe proper protocol when...oh. never mind! This is an easy one:
Something was loose. You took it apart, put it back together, thereby restoring the proper specs for consistent operation above the waist, until it loosens up again -DUH! :). BTW, the correct response is, it runs on 220 or 221 - whatever it takes! JB - I was jus' startin' to feel comfy here and you declare we don't know what gravity is? What planet are you from, man?

Disclaimer: the quality of posts from this individual is in direct, and usually inverse, proportion to the quantity of lager consumed whilst monitoring this forum.

:rolleyes:
ROB

[DIYOHMY]

What's the matter Rob, are your shorts too tight?

"Lighten up, Francis!"

- Michael

[e3]

after reading all this --Im going back to my first reply..When to try it today and it works perfect you'll know the whole thing was just a dream and this thread is only a part of it!! next time only try a half!!!

[lazybumranch]

Speaking of being mystified by EEEE-lectricity, when I put a new cord on my tile strecher , it reversed the polarity-what a debacle.....you can only imagine the results!

[Eric Philson]

Ok, so it's not a Makita. I guess I had Makita on the mind from all the makita-love threads. :dunce:

Maybe it's like the quark. It starts out looking like a Makita, but when you spin it a certain number of times it appears as a bosch. Spin it some more, maybe it'll become a Hitachi. Then you'll really have something.

Eric

[DIYOHMY]

Well, I skipped the viagra today and dropped to 1/2 a dose. Thanks for all the suggestions.

To my surprise, it's still a BOSCH and it's still working.

:topicoff: Of course, now I'm not working below the waist. :cry:

[catamount]

What's the matter Rob, are your shorts too tight?

Not at all. Maybe I shoulda used more smileys? :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Eric- Tried your theory, but no matter how many times I spin mine, it still comes up Ryobi (sigh).

Michael - glad your drill's working properly. Sorry your tackle isn't. Probably get more use out of the drill, anyway, in my experience. :cry: :cry:

-Rob

[John Bridge]

I want smarty pants CX to tell me what electricity is, not how it works. :)

And somebody, anybody, tell us why gravity works.

[MHI]

Each particle of matter attracts every other particle with a force which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

The question of why atoms attract one another is still not understood. :)

[e3]

Clears That Up ,eh John!

[cx]

I want smarty pants CX to tell me what electricity is, not how it works. Well, boiled down to it's simplest, I suppose a fella could say it's the flow of electrons along a conductor caused by a difference in polarity of the molecular charge at two points along said conductor. Electrons being like water in always seeking equalibrium.

Your electrons all find peace and harmony in any one place, you ain't got no electricity. But this is about as likely as water wishing to flow up hill, or George Bush understanding the Constitution, doncha know. :) The question of why atoms attract one another is still not understood. Well, Matt, the boy and girl atoms certainly understand it quite well, don't you suppose? :D

[Eric Philson]

While you're analyzing electricity and gravity, try expaining what really makes mortar, concrete,etc. become hard.

[jjwq8]

too much analysis :yeah:

[cx]

While you're analyzing electricity and gravity, try expaining what really makes mortar, concrete,etc. become hard. That one's way too easy, Eric. It all consists of a Portland cement mixture and Portland in the presence of water undergoes a chemical process called hydration, which is basically the growing of crystals. Well studied, and fairly well understood, but still a lot more complicated than meets the eye. You can spend your whole life learning to deal with its ramifications and still get surprised now and again. :)

My opinion; worth price charged.