Drills are made with electrical components and metallic components. Water does not deal as a friend with both of these. Therefore, waterproofing a drill is essential for working with water. There are so many drills available in the market. But waterproofing drills are limited. The cost is high and limited availability. So let’s see the effect of water on drills and the suitable methods for waterproofing the drill by yourself.
Drills are not waterproof. It can get wet easily when it drops into the water. When a drill gets wet, it can be rust and short the circuits. In order to prevent this, there are some electrical insulation sprays that can be used, such as Acrylic Conformal Coating. Nemo is the highest waterproof drill in the market. You can buy it for 1000$
There are many DIY methods for waterproofing a drill. But those are not reliable methods. Sometimes you can use them but considering the long lifetime effect is high. So let’s evaluate the waterproofness of the drill with factors, methods, and products. So let’s keep read on!
How Can a Drill Get Wet?
Consider a drill or driver. It can get wet in many ways. Mostly it can be dropped into the water when it is working, and sometimes it can be get wet by rain. There can be wet by vapor by keeping outside; It can be dropped into the oils, salty water, chlorine water, chemicals, etc.
There are so many types of drills. Those can use for many reasons. So when you work with, be careful with water.
What Happen When a Drill Get Wet?
When a drill gets wet, there are so many things that can happen. So you may know, drills are made with electrical parts and steel. There is a powerful battery for the power supply. When it falls into the oil, chlorine water, salty water, there will be different problems than regular water.
We can categorize two types of wetting.
Submerge – When a drill drops into the water, it can immerse the water. Water is leaking inside, and it affects seriously.
Outer Wet – When a drill is wet by rain without immersing will make fewer effects than immersing.
So, however, if a drill is getting wet, you should repair it for the problems.
The main problem is the corrosion of steel. Battery and circuits can be short due to water. Sometimes coils can be burnt easily. When it is wet by salty water, it is rapidly corrosion.
When there is corrosion, you are not able to use the drill smoothly because the corrosion increases the friction of the surfaces. As well as clogging the inner parts and electrical components badly.
Sometimes when you take out the drill and try to work that. It may work. But for few times. It will die permanently due to corrosion and electrical leakings.
But if you are able to act quickly as follows, you can save your drill even it gets wet.
What Should I Do If a Drill Gets Wet?
Unfortunately, if your drill drops into the water, you should follow these steps.
01. Take Out and Remove the Battery or Power Source
Suppose a drill gets wet to take it out as much as possible. As soon as possible, it takes out to remove the battery. If you are using the corded drill, at first, disconnect the power source and then take it out. Because water is conduction for the electricity, it can be shocked you.
If you can observe inside, the battery is not wetted, wipe the water quickly. If you take it out quickly, you can observe it.
Do not try to Switch on
02. Keep Until Remove the Water
When you keep out the drill as soon as possible, you can see the water is leaking from inside. So keep it until finish the inside leaking. You can keep it by turning the downside of the ventilation holes as water comes out.
Water will come out when it keeps the same position. Then change the position and keep it.
03. Wash the Tool With Distilled Water (part by part)
When your tool is dropped or wetted by chlorine water or salty water, you should do this. Because both of these are with high ion concentration and it can cause rapid corrosion as well as rapid electrical damages. So asap you take out you should wash it.
if the tool drops into the oil, you can wipe it with a cloth at first.
You should open the drill with a suitable tool. Even though you wash it with distilled water, the inside can’t be reached. So you should open the drill asap. That will be an easy task. If you do not have special knowledge check the product catalog
If You have a warranty do not open the drill. If you open it your warranty will void.
04. Let it Dry Under Sunlight
After you wipe the surface water, you should keep it under sunlight until it gets wet. It will take some time. But you have to wait.
05. Use a Drier or Pressure Air Gun
Even it keeps under the sunlight; some inner water will not remove. At this point, you can use a high-pressure air gun or hair drier to remove the inner water as vapor.
06. Submerge Under Silicon or Dry Rice
We need more drying. So we should use any silicone tray for the drying. Believe me; you can do this by using the dry rice tray. Immerse drill under the dry rice for 2-3 days. You can give life to that. This is the real solution for the warranty tools.
07. Let it Completely Dry and Reassemble
After the drilling is finished, both batteries and drill can reassemble. Before reassembling, make sure to apply suitable lubricants. Else corrosion can occur.
Are Drills Waterproof or Water Resist?
Water is dealing with electric components badly. So this is the same for the drills also. Are drills waterproof? or water resists? It is a slight problem. We have to consider it step by step.
Normally drills are neither waterproof nor water-resistant. Water is leaked inside it. But under some conditions, drills can work under the water. There are drills that can resist water to a certain extent.
You can use some electrical covering fluids (acrylics) on drills to waterproof. But those are not suitable solutions for a long time period. Those are temporary and not safe.
There is only one drill in the market with high waterproofness. That is “Nemo” and it can be used 5m deep and 50m deep under the water. You can use that drill safely for drilling underwater as a permanent solution.
So many DIY solutions are available. But those are not suitable for the long term. When a drill is working, it can be heated, so most appliances can be damaged due to heat. So you can use a few time under the shallow water.
Drill Waterproofing Appliances
Although these are not suitable things, we should know them. Sometimes that will be useful to us. There are some appliances in the market. Those make the cover for the electrical components when it sprays on the circuits and components. So let’s see what those are and how we can use those.
- MG Chemicals 419D Acrylic Conformal Coating Buy Now
The coating protects the electric circuit against moisture, dirt, dust, thermal shock, and scratches that could corrode the short circuit or otherwise damage the electric component.
- CorrosionX Corrosion Technologies Buy Now
This sticks to metal like a magnet and resists displacement by friction. It can use under high temperatures and stops rusting and corrosion.
It retains like grease and consistency from -55ºC(-67ºF) to +200ºC(392ºF). It is a high water repellent with low volatility. It is moisture-resistant – good thermal oxidation and chemical stability.
How to Waterproof a Drill?
When we waterproof the drill, we have to consider both drill battery and drill. So let’s check this out!
01. Remove the Battery and Power
Before you waterproof the drill, you should remove the battery and power from the tool. So we can apply waterproof separately. That is the successful way. Else drill and battery connection will leak the current.
02. Remove Screws and Ppen the Drill
You can lose all screws and open the drill part by part if you can open one side; that is not a suitable way. The other side will not be waterproof at that time. So you can remove all parts by part before applying the waterproof layers.
For the battery, you should do the same thing.
03. Apply the Acrylic Conformal Coating
After you remove the part by part, then you can apply the Acrylic coatings. But remember, do not spray this onto the battery and drill connection pins. So it will disconnect the power. You should pay attention to this.
If one coating is not enough, you can apply 2-3 coatings if you wish for better performance.
05. Apply the Dow Corning 4 Electrical Insulating Compound to the Battery
It is likely to grease. It is an electrically insulating compound. It acts as an electric dialectic. You can apply it both electrode in the drill and battery connection.
06. Let it Dry and Test it
After all, appliances are applied properly, reassemble it properly and test it. You can have an amazing result. But it will not be long-lasting. You can use it once and then redo it for the next job.
Check whether your battery also charging. If that is not charging properly, check this.
Is Waterproofing a Drill Success?
Waterproofing a drill with Electrical Insulating Compound and anti-rust appliances is not a success for long-time usage. It can be a temporary solution, and corrosion and rusting can occur after the drill is used. But if you are using Nemo waterproof drill, It is a successful solution for 5m and up to 50m depth of the water.
What are the Permanent Waterproofing Drills and Drivers?
There are only Nemo power tools that are only provided certified waterproof drills and drivers. it can be used 5m shallow water and 50m deep water, even salty water. It will cost around 1000$ and is available with 18V batteries. When the deep is increased, there is a suitable pressure increase inside the drill.
You can use this for any purpose, such as swim pool repairs, construction, researches, military purposes, and many more.
Conclusion
There are neither waterproof drills, nor water resist drills. Most drills can be waterproof by spraying the electrical insulators. This is an inexpensive method. When you use it with water, you have to use it every time when you use it in water. That is not a permanent solution. You have to use “Nemo” for the permanent solution.
