Wrong pads causing excess heat?

[jcedorjr]

About a month or so ago I picked up the bogo 5.5 inch Hydrotech pads that were on sale knowing I was going to get a 7424XP. I got the machine and put it to use this weekend for it's trial run on two hood's. On one hood I used the four inch CCS white pad with Black Fire polish and it came out great and the machine was awesome. On the second hood, I used the Hydrotech pads and used the Cyan pad with the polish (later realizing I should have used the Tangerine for polish) and the machine itself got extremely hot. Should I be concerned?

From reading more after purchasing the pads I learned that maybe the 7/8" pads would be a better option for this machine, is this true? I don't want to use these thicker pads on an entire car if I'm risking damage to the machine or a car by generating so much heat. That would be a bummer since I have five unused pads, but I'd rather fix it before it's a problem and pick up the new pads before tackling an entire car.

[jcedorjr]

Also, I was using a speed setting of six and pad conditioner on the pads prior to applying the polish to the pad and would also spread the polish throughout the small section I was working on. The second hood where the machine got hot ended up coming out really nice so the machine definitely did some great work, it is just the heat that concerns me. I can't imagine it's supposed to get that hot.

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

I can't remember a time when a Porter Cable got so hot I couldn't hold it or it was a concern.

Is it hot where you're working?

The plastic body insulates your hands from the heat that builds-up normally with any tool. Are you saying the body of the tool is getting hot?

Here's Tyler holding the PC correctly.

[jcedorjr]

Thanks for the reply Mike. I was holding the machine similarly, just with my hand rounded over the nose of the machine. I watched a bunch of your videos (which were extremely helpful, thank you!) so held the machine on top rather than installing handle and throwing off the pressure distribution. I'm wondering if I was using too much pressure and/or not enough product and that was causing too much friction. It was my first time ever using a machine so I have a lot of learning to do hence my question about the heat.

[jcedorjr]

And yes, the body of the machine was getting hot. Sorry, missed that in my initial reply.

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

Originally Posted by jcedorjr

I'm wondering if I was using too much pressure and/or not enough product and that was causing too much friction. It was my first time ever using a machine so I have a lot of learning to do hence my question about the heat.

Originally Posted by jcedorjr

And yes, the body of the machine was getting hot. Sorry, missed that in my initial reply.

There's some difference between warm and hot. Warm is okay but if the tool body is so hot you instincts are to get your hand away from the heat source then that's too hot.

The heat from buffing normally build-up at the backing plate not the tool body.

I can't ever remember using a PC that got hot enough that it bothered me and I've used a lot of these tools over the years.

Read through the below two articles and try doing some buffing again,

How to prime a foam pad when using a DA Polisher

DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide

Wet Buffing Technique



If the body is still getting hot or you smell electrical fumes that smell like melting plastic covered wires then there's probably an issue but if there is an issue it's certainly the exception not the rule.

[jcedorjr]

Thanks Mike, I appreciate it. So basically, while these pads are thicker, they would not be 'straining' the machine to the point I'd need to oust them entirely, right?

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

Originally Posted by jcedorjr

Thanks Mike, I appreciate it. So basically, while these pads are thicker, they would not be 'straining' the machine to the point I'd need to oust them entirely, right?

Not at all...

Meguiar's has been selling thick pads for these tools ever since these tools were introduced to the paint polishing world. See pictures and what I wrote last week here,

Just got my Flex PE14...






Thinner pads rotate better as they become wet with product, I cover this in my how-to book...


Paperback

[jcedorjr]

Awesome, I really appreciate your insight Mike. Have a great day!

[BillE]

Just to ask/add...The washer IS on the backing plate?

Bill