Random sander stopping mid-stroke, anyone else?

Hey everyone, I've got a DeWalt orbital sander that's been acting up. It'll run fine for a few minutes, then suddenly stop like it's hitting a wall. No burning smell, no weird noise, just quits. If I let it sit for a bit, it'll start again, but then dies again. Batteries are fresh (I've tried multiple). Any ideas? It's driving me nuts.

Man, that sounds like a thermal cutoff issue. The motor might be overheating and tripping a safety switch. Are you pressing too hard or sanding for long stretches without a break? My old Black & Decker used to do that when I was hogging off material. Also, check the vents and make sure they're not clogged with sawdust.

I had a similar thing with my Ryobi, turned out the battery was fine but the tool's internal contacts were dirty. Pop the battery off and look at the terminals - if they're corroded or bent, that can cause intermittent power loss. Some electrical contact cleaner might help. Also, listen for a click when it stops - that could be a thermal switch or maybe even a loose wire.

Thanks for the quick replies! I'll check the vents for dust and give the contacts a clean. But here's another thing - it happens even when I'm just letting it run in the air, not sanding anything. So maybe it's not about how hard I'm pressing. Could it be the switch or the speed control?

If it dies in free air, then it's not about load. Could be a faulty speed controller or a bad connection on the circuit board. Have you tried using a different battery? Sometimes the BMS in the battery itself can trip if there's a voltage spike. Also, check the battery contacts on the tool for any burn marks. If all else fails, might be time to crack it open and look for loose connections or burnt components.