# Bummer!!



## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

My Hitachi CW40 won't start up. Worked fine the last time I used it, about a week ago. Go to use it today. Nothing. Light comes on, breaker didn't trip. Never knew a little saw would have a small circuit board on it. And book doesn't include any electrical schematics.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Definitely a bummer! Most places don't give schematics as they want you to take it to their service centers. Many times it's cheaper to buy new than to have it fixed.
Example: paid $150 for a Fujifilm camera and accessories. Focus went out. A camera shop said it would cost $100 to fix it- they knew what was wrong, according to the clerk. A new camera cost less than $100. Scrapped it.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Light comes on... so getting power and the switch works.

Logiically, the next thing to check would be the brushes...


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Brushes look good. Just a little wear on them. But should have plenty life. I do a little electrical on the machines I work on, lathes and mills. But most of them don't have speed control and circuit boards. So I'm a little lost on how to trouble shoot to find out what it is. Motor, circuit board or speed control. I know the switch is good and the overload it good and set. Getting 110 to the circuit board. And this is not what I'm sure of. I took the brushes out completely and put each leg of my meter one the contacts where the brushes come out of. Should I be getting 110V there? I'm getting like 30V, no matter where the speed control is set.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

N'awlins77 said:


> My Hitachi CW40 won't start up. Worked fine the last time I used it, about a week ago. Go to use it today. Nothing. Light comes on, breaker didn't trip. Never knew a little saw would have a small circuit board on it. And book doesn't include any electrical schematics.


suspect the on/off switch...
test for power in, power out, all the way to the motor...
unplug the saw and take the blade out of it before you start w/ the testing...


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Stick, I know it's not the switch or the overload breaker. Both tested and in working order. I'm getting 110 to the controller circuit board, but only getting 30VAC at motor (with brushes removed). I got a feeling it's the circuit board, but not 100%. I found one at an after market parts website for 80 bucks. I'm tempted to try. The saw cost me around 200-250 at Lowes, around 5 or 6 years ago. So I know that's almost half the price of the saw. But I really REALLY like this saw! And Hitachi doesn't make scroll saws any longer.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Can you bypass that board if it is speed control and go to an external ?


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

I don't know Charles. I see a red and black going to the motor and two yellows. The yellows come from that circuit board. I don't understand how they incorporate into the motor. It looks like all four go into the motor. I've a call into Hitachi. But since they discontinued this line (scroll saws) I don't know how much help they will be. Guess I'll wait and see before I make things worst!! ;o)


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Hitachi probably won't be much help to you personally because of liability issues. I had that experience with an electric heater control with Honeywell. They wouldn't send me a schematic of the control because they didn't want me working on it. They might be helpful to a repair shop though.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Here is a shot in the dark... Red and Black are power to motor, the yellows are a feedback loop. Just a guess, Lee.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Duane if I understand what your getting at, the yellows are for the control board and if you removed them and the board and wired direct there's a good chance it will run again?


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## Ohmmeter (Oct 16, 2011)

*Spin the motor's armature*

I have experienced the same thing on other pieces of motor equipment. Sometimes the motor brushes are not physically and electrically properly touching the armature contact plates of the motor. With the motor unplugged, turn/spin the armature (where the router bit would be) and many times this clears up the problem and the motor will work perfectly once it is plugged into the outlet and turned on for use. Sometimes the motor brushes are getting worn and may need to be replaced. Handyman Bill


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## cptjack (Aug 15, 2014)

*return*

return it to lowes and buy a rigid4512


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

This was here in the archives on how to bypass the speed control on a PC890 series router. Colors would be different, but basically the same circuits for the motor, switch and speed control. That you would understand the concept.








Basically- The line goes through the switch to the speed control, Out from the speed control to the motor. You jump from the switch out, to the speed control out. (And disconnect what would feedback through the speed control.)

For your router, a Hitachi, there are instructions for how to do that on page 14 of this manual:
http://www.vhipe.com/product-private/SuperPID-v1_Instructions.pdf

It's for converting routers for use in CNC's, where you disable the router's own speed controls and add sensors to the router to be externally controlled by electronic's, so that it can be software controlled. Much more than you need, but has the info for your router and what wires control that.

I figured between the two and your expereinece, that those would help.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Duane if I understand what your getting at, the yellows are for the control board and if you removed them and the board and wired direct there's a good chance it will run again?


Chuck, I am only guessing(a somewhat educated guess) that if four wires go to the actual motor from the controller, 2 are feedback(tach pulse if you will) from the motor to give a more accurate speed. The 2 yellows would be my guess for the tach and the red and black for power. I am not really familiar with that particular tool, so my guess is based on more general knowledge. Unfortunately there is not always any standard color code for these things

You can(with the tools unplugged!) **** an ohmmeter to both brushes. Rotate the armature slowly... you should get a low, fairly constant reading on the ohmmeter, 20 ohms or less likely. If so, the brushes are ok.

As Mikes diagram shows, it's a fairly simple circuit. My best guess would be the speed controller. Yes, if all else is ok, bypassing the speed control board should allow the tool to operate at full speed.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Dmeadows said:


> My best guess would be the speed controller. Yes, if all else is ok, bypassing the speed control board should allow the tool to operate at full speed.


Yes... then you could use an external controller if you still wanted to used it. On parts, I know for PC 890's (my standby fallback router choice), a replacement speed controller is the most expensive single part. Next highest is the armature. Either of those two parts go and it's cost effective to just get another router instead of repairing. 

At least if a speed controller, when you bypass it, you have some use out of it. (Albiet full speed and no soft-start). I think those (no internal speed control) make good router table motors... because then you can use an external speed controller.


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## Sawdust 703 (Jul 19, 2014)

N'awlins, I've got the same exact saw, with the same problem going on, I believe. With the exception that mine is still runnin'. But the slower the blade speed, it kinda wants to stall out. When it first started this, I thought the motor was trying to go, as the saw has several hours on it. I took the power switch assembly apart & blew the saw dust out of the connections, & it seemed to take care of the issue for a short while. This evening I was cutting with it, & the problem reoccurred. This is what makes me think it is the blade speed control. My brushes, like yours, are in excellent condition. I have power to everything. The light comes on. So, I have to ask, have ya by chance heard anything at all out of Hitachi? This is to awesome of a saw to lose it!!


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks for all the help. Will give it a try later on. Fixing to go on vacation on Friday, so I have other things to get done first. But will try to by pass the controller. If it does work, I may dish out the 80 bucks for a new controller. I just love this saw that much!! Brad, I did not hear from Hitachi yet. But I agree, this is an awesome saw!! I will do what I can to keep it. I know there are better saws out there, or even comparable. But these days you so often get a lemon, I hate to start over.


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## Sawdust 703 (Jul 19, 2014)

Lee, I found an ereplacement site for Hitachi last night, & was scrolling thru it, & happened to find a part number for the variable speed switch for our saw, my friend! The part # is 331-337, & it is $13 & some change before shipping. When I pulled the part number up, it showed there were two in stock. So, I have one on the way!! Hopefully it will solve the problem! Will let you know of further details, if you are interested.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Brad I seen that too. Matter of fact, I wanted to get the controller assembly too, from one of those sites (just in case), but I'm looking now, and looks like they are discontinued for about 3 sites I was looking at. The other day, I think two of them showed one for sale. Shouldn't have waited, I guess. Hope it's just the speed knob now!!!


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

N'awlins77 said:


> Stick, I know it's not the switch or the overload breaker. Both tested and in working order. I'm getting 110 to the controller circuit board, but only getting 30VAC at motor (with brushes removed). I got a feeling it's the circuit board, but not 100%. I found one at an after market parts website for 80 bucks. I'm tempted to try. The saw cost me around 200-250 at Lowes, around 5 or 6 years ago. So I know that's almost half the price of the saw. But I really REALLY like this saw! And Hitachi doesn't make scroll saws any longer.


It would seem the two yellows would be passive...only a signal to the board that would control the input hot voltage from the circuit to the motor. I would think sending hot to motor by jumping around the circuit's hot lead would supply full voltage to motor. That would make it a single speed motor. As has been suggested, open the two yellows and measure across the yellows and you should see pulses. It's likely to be low-level signal. Turn the motor slowly and disconnected from power. Seeing the pulses would indicate magnet-induced signals. If no signal it could be mechanical in which an ohm-meter would show open-short as you spin the motor. Either way, it would indicate a passive secondary circuit and not required if you jump around the circuit board. When cutting the wires, cut them such that you could replace the circuit board later. That's what I would if it were mine...good luck, Nick


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## Sawdust 703 (Jul 19, 2014)

Lee, I was readin' back thru the posts & noticed I forgot to give ya some info on the website I had found. My apologies for that, Sir. I have a phone number that went right to their help desk, & the gal that took my order even spoke ENGLISH!!! I checked this site again this morning, & they are showing one switch in stock as of now. Anyhow, the phone number I have for it is (866)802-6383 8 am - 10 pm m - f est time, & 9 am - 8 pm sat. The site I have is just ereplacementparts for Hitachi tools. But if you decide to call them Lee, be sure to give them the part number I listed in an earlier post. The woman I spoke with told me there weren't to many parts they COULDN'T get for the saw. Not tryin' to be pushy Lee, Just tryin' to help. Again I apologize for not gettin that phone number in there for ya the other nite. Enjoy the day!


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

No problem Brad, and thanks for the info. I'm not going to have time to fool with it till after I come back from vacation. I saw a few sites that had the switch, but all of them, including ereplacement.com showed the speed control board as discontinued. And I've got a bad feeling that's where my problem is. Could be the part you are talking about, but I think it's the board. But, just don't have time to fool with it now. Fixing to leave on vacation and my wife called me at work and said she couldn't set our house alarm. So now, the day before we leave for 4 days, I have to go try and fix the alarm!!! Never ends.... ;O)


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Well, on my last day of vacation, I bypassed the entire speed control and hooked motor direct to power source. Motor runs, but I think too fast. It won't reciprocate. Will go and get the speed controller from HF tomorrow and I think it will work fine. Once I found the motor to work, I then reincorporated the built in switch, so I can turn the saw on and off. Works fine, except, like I said, the reciprocation device locks up. I just think it's set way too fast. I'll let y'all know tomorrow night if the speed control did the job. If I don't forget to go pick it up!! ;o)


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Well, that didn't work...... Bought a speed control and motor still did the same thing. Like it doesn't want to spin, just wants to rock back and forth, real fast. I thought maybe the motor was just spinning to fast, after I did away with the built in speed control. But I took the motor completely out and grabbed it in my vise, and hooked 110 right too it and it still doesn't work right, then all of a sudden, it doesn't come on at all. 

So, just going to give up and get a new saw. What's a decent scroll saw in the 300 dollar area. Porter Cable?? I'd love to have a Dewalt, but 500 is a little rich for my blood for something I don't use a whole lot. I've read a lot of good reviews on Porter Cable from Lowes and a Shop Fox W1713 from Sears. Any suggestions??


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