I've had two tools die on me in the last fortnight. The first was a
cement mixer and the second a table saw. Both had induction motors
and in both cases it was the capacitor that supplies the starting
torque that failed... an acrid smell followed by a humming and a
failure to rotate, cured by a shove to the blade or barrel.

Both tools were under guarantee and the manufacturers were happy to
put spare capacitors in the post but since I generally take care of
tools and don't recall overloading either of them, I was wondering
what put the kibosh on the capacitors in the first place?

The mixer manufacturer said that the capacitor should cope with a full
load from a standing start even though they recommend starting the
drum empty.

Is capacitor failure a general problem with induction motors?

Mike