Has anyone ever broken a Porter Cable ?

C

ColinM

New member
I live in the UK so I can only get a Porter Cable by importing one for around $220 which includes shipping, import duty and tax added to the US price of around $130. After that I will have to get a 240 volt to 110 volt transformer to power it for about $100 making the total $320, and I still have to buy foam pads and polish. :rolleyes:

If I pay that and it breaks 2 months later I will be pretty unhappy. Trying to send it back to the US for repairs and then back to me would cost as much as you guys pay for a new one.



So, how long can I expect it to last if I detail my car 4 times a year ? Has anyone on this board ever broken one ?
 
In absolute terms it might, in practise any effect is likely to be very small.



If we were talking about say a high end HiFi amplifier, the difference might affect the noise floor of the amp but again the differences would be small.



I have had my PC for 16 months in the UK with no problem. The only thing I asked Coastal Tools to do was to plug it in before shipping and make sure it worked. In the event of it breaking my intention was to order the part from the USA and get it fixed here.



Just a thought Colin, if you buy with your credit card, I presume it has the same protection as any 100 Pound plus transaction?



There does not seem to be a lot of stories about Porter Cable problems but I guess there is always a risk.
 
Hmmm, I forgot about the 50/60hz thing, good point.

My question was basically directed at USA members using a PC to gauge overall durability.
 
The PCs are pretty much trouble-free. I think the brushes go but that will be many years out for most of us.



I've had mine for 5 or 6 years and never had any concerns...it still runs like a champ! It has more than paid for itself.
 
I dropped mine recently and now it runs really hot but it still works fine. I think they're robust machines that can take a good bit of abuse and work well. Other than Al's PC problem I cannot recall a single operational failure in the three years I've been reading about PC's here... or any other forum.
 
Mine started sounding "unwell", more grinding noise than usual, so I had it rebuilt at the local PC repair place. As I recall, it cost about $75. This was quite a while ago and it had been used a LOT before it needed work (as in many years).
 
Porter cable products in general are very good, I have the PC 7424 and think its great and never had a problem but I have only had it a year.



Its not detailing but where I work we buy primarily dewalt and porter cable. The porter cable brand can hang in there with the best of them. We do have a rotary porter cable and that thing gets used and abuse and works great, the best rotary I have ever used!
 
ColinM .. don't forget to order the plug ends to make an extention cord at the same time that way your not packing the transformer around.
 
I try to break mine 3 or 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. It's only been a year, but...



Really quite a fine tool.



Jim
 
Pulled this from the PC 7424 Owner Manual pdf which is available for download on Porter Cable's website - http://www.porter-cable.com



MOTOR

Many Porter-Cable tools will operate on either D.C., or single phase 25 to 60 cycle A.C. current and voltage within plus or minus 5 percent of that shown on the specification plate on the tool. Several models, however, are designed for A.C. current only. Refer to the specification plate on your tool for proper voltage and current rating.



Hope this helps,

Phil
 
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