Why Does My Circular Saw Keep Stopping?

August 24, 2022

Several months ago, I was making some cuts using my circular saw, and suddenly, my circular saw stopped. Such an occurrence is quite frustrating and a surefire way to destroy my momentum. So, I got frustrated and lost my momentum. But if you happen to be working on your circular saw and your circular saw stops, it will be best to know the potential reason behind such stopping.

Several reasons might cause your circular saw to stop while you cut. One reason might be your circular saw hits something hard in the workpiece. It might also be a case of a mechanical malfunctioning. To know these possible reasons, you should read on through this post. 

Primary Causes Behind the Stopping of Your Circular Saw

If your circular saw stops while you are cutting, you might scratch your head and be at a loss about why it stopped. Nevertheless, if you know the potential causes why your circular saw stopped, you will never be aimlessly troubleshooting. Besides, you can quickly zero in on the reason behind the stopping of your circular saw. Below are the primary reasons behind the abrupt stopping of your circular saw:

Damaged or Loose Arbor

One possible cause your circular saw stopped is due to a damaged or loose arbor. The arbor is connected to the motor and connects the blade to the saw. If the arbor is loose or damaged, the saw blade will not rotate or stops rotating. 

You can tighten everything up if it is loose. Nevertheless, if the arbor gets damaged, you need to replace the damaged parts. 

Insufficient Power

If you’re using a circular saw and it runs out of power, it will stop. If the cord, for example, gets unplugged, the saw will completely stop. The standard circular saws have a 7-1/4″ blade size. Their blades, of course, need around 65 watts to run. 

Some circular saws, however, need about 80 watts. So, you need to ensure that your circular saw gets enough power from the power supply. The saw blade will stop rotating if it gets insufficient power. Let’s find out how many watts your circular saw need to function properly.

Too Much Voltage

Your electric power source might send too much voltage into your device in extreme situations. Such a voltage surge might be detrimental to the integrity of your device, which can break the insulation of your power cord. 

This too much voltage might also cause your circular saw to stop. Besides, this can cause your circular saw motor to stop because of overheating.

Insufficient Weight

If your circular saw doesn’t have sufficient weight, it might fail to give adequate torque to cut the workpiece. It will stop then. Different materials require less or more weight to provide enough torque to the device. 

Choose a circular saw with a metal plate if you need more weight for your circular saw. Besides, if you intend to cut similar materials, you should opt for a circular saw meant for heavy-duty tasks.

Loose Power Cord

The sudden stopping of your circular saw might be due to a loose cord. If your circular saw isn’t connected well to the power outlet, the power supply might get interrupted. Besides, even if you plug it back again, it will keep on stopping because its plug is loosely connected. 

So, to make your circular saw continuously work, it will be best to ensure that your circular saw is appropriately connected. You can rearrange the circular saw cord and plug it well onto the power source.

Damaged Power Cord

Another possible reason your circular saw stops suddenly is a damaged power cord. Although the circular saw cord is covered with thick materials, it might get accidentally damaged. Besides, this protective covering might be susceptible to damage due to heat and other factors. 

So, before using your circular saw, always inspect the cord to see if there is any damage or open wire. Such an open or damaged cord poses a risk to your safety.

The Battery is Running Out of Power (For Cordless Circular Saw)

If you’re using a cordless circular saw and your circular saw suddenly stops, it might be a case of the battery running out of power. If such a thing happens, you can recharge the battery, or if you have an extra battery, you can replace the battery to ensure that your circular saw will work continuously to complete your task. 

Of course, the circular saw battery is different from a smartphone’s battery. If the battery of the circular saw dies, your circular saw might still run for a few minutes. The battery might recover a bit of power, letting you turn the saw on before it dies again.

Warped or Damaged Blade

Another possible cause of the stopping of your circular saw is a warped or damaged saw blade. If your saw blade exhibits cracked, damaged, or warping, you need to dispose of or replace it. Using such a saw blade might put you at risk of injury. 

For example, if it is warped, your workpiece might pinch it, causing kickback. It is better to replace your damaged saw blade than risk suffering injury or damage to your device. 

When replacing your circular saw blade, ensure that you choose a quality saw blade as a replacement. With a quality saw blade, you don’t need to replace your saw blade more often. Besides, you should ensure that you install the saw blade properly.

Motor Problems

Another possible reason is a motor issue. If the motor is malfunctioning, your circular saw will stop working. You can check the blade’s tension while you cut to check if the motor is working well. If the saw blade fails to cut straight or is loose, it might be because the motor isn’t working well. You can apply lubricant to the gears to clean them or replace the tiny components that need replacement.

If your circular saw is old, the motor brass might get damaged. If your circular saw has a damaged motor brass, it will struggle to cut. So, you need to check the motor by opening it up. Check if the motor brass is damaged and replace it if it is damaged.

Too Much Saw Dust

If you often use your circular saw without cleaning it, dust buildup might occur in its motor. The motor might get clogged with debris and sawdust. If this happens, your circular saw motor might not get enough air to cool itself. Eventually, your motor might overheat and stop suddenly. 

Bad Connection

Another possible cause is a bad connection between the blade and the handle, which can cause the circular saw to stop. You can tighten up the connection by tightening the screws and securing them with your screwdriver. In this way, you can keep the saw’s battery in place to prevent it from moving. If the battery gets dislocated, your circular saw might stop.

Kickback

Another possible reason why circular saw stops is kickback. If your circular saw blade is not properly installed or set, it might cause your circular saw to kick back. Kickbacks, of course, are dangerous because they can cause injury. 

Another cause of kickback is binding. If the arbor nut is loose or you’ve changed angles while cutting, it might cause kickback. Another possible cause of kickback is if the object’s width is greater than the saw blade’s capacity to cut. So, if kickback is why your circular saw stops, it will be best to avoid kickbacks.

Conclusion

The circular saw comes with many advantages and benefits. It offers high productivity and capacity. It is also flexible and can easily get adjusted. Moreover, it provides high cutting precision. It is a handy tool to help you make those needed cuts on various materials. 

Suppose your circular saw stops during the cutting process without you knowing why it stops. In that case, you need to troubleshoot and determine the real cause behind the stopping of your circular saw among the abovementioned reasons. Hence, knowledge of the possible reasons behind the stopping of your circular saw will come in handy when you are troubleshooting your circular saw.