Instructions on how to repair and disassemble a hair dryer with your own hands
The hair dryer consists of many internal components that can fail due to misuse, wear and mechanical damage. Depending on the specific malfunction, it is necessary to repair the hair dryer or replace individual components. In most situations, it is possible to diagnose a fault and repair the device yourself.
Design and principle of operation
The main components of a hair dryer are: a motor, a fan, a heating element and an electrical circuit. The front of the device has a protective net with a fine mesh that prevents debris and long hair from entering. The design and the integrated switches differ depending on the possible operating modes and the manufacturer.
The principle of operation consists of the admission of an air flow through the rear side of the device, subsequent heating to the required temperature and exit through a convergent nozzle.On the front part you can put different accessories, which can be made in the form of combs or brushes.
Electrical diagram
Most standard hair dryers have a simple electrical circuit. These units are equipped with a switch that starts the fan and the electric heater. For the manufacture of an electric heater, nichrome wound in a spring is used, regardless of the modification. Modern models of devices have two regulators - to control the blowing speed and air temperature.
Causes and methods of eliminating breakdowns
There are many reasons why a hair dryer does not work properly. The most common causes of breakdowns are:
- breach of operating rules;
- manufacturing defects;
- overload;
- natural wear of internal components from prolonged use;
- short circuit;
- mechanical damage.
How to fix a hair dryer depends on the specific malfunction. To understand the failure of the device, you need to diagnose by looking for signs of various problems.
Periodic shutdown
A common cause of intermittent disconnection is the power cord chafing at the point where it connects to the device or near the outlet. For minor damage, you can wrap a section of the cord with tape to hold the internal contacts. If most of the power cord is frayed, it is easier to replace.
In addition, periodic shutdown of the hair dryer may occur if the device is overloaded. As a result of an internal failure, overheating occurs and the device stops working until it cools down.
The burning smell
If during the operation of the hair dryer hot air with a pronounced burning smell comes out of the nozzle, the reason for this is hidden in the slow rotation speed of the turbine due to the accumulation of hair on the motor shaft. Typically, hair winds up on the shaft between the impeller and the motor housing when using combs. To solve the problem, you need to arm yourself with a sharp tool and carefully remove the hair from the stem.
Shutdown after short term operation
Spontaneous shutdown of the hair dryer after a short operation occurs when the turbine stops or runs sluggishly. Much like the burnt smell, shutdown occurs when hair is wound on the motor shaft. For safety reasons, the thermal protection is triggered automatically and the device stops working.
The device does not turn on
When the hair dryer does not start when you switch to working mode, it is because the mode switch is faulty or the power cord is damaged. To establish the exact cause of the malfunction, it is necessary to disassemble the device in order to carry out complex diagnostics and check the condition of the switch.
In cases where the hair dryer cannot be turned on due to a broken switch, it can be repaired by restoring the integrity of the contacts. If the cause of the malfunction is a damaged cord, it can be replaced or stripped and wrapped with electrical tape.
Cold air
The supply of cold air through the nozzle can occur for various reasons.
The most common are:
- malfunction of the switch that activates the air heating mode (in the presence of cooling and heating mode);
- spiral breaking;
- oxidation of contacts in the thermal protection system.
For diagnostic purposes, you need to ring the parts of the hair dryer with a special device - a multimeter. Based on the test results, it is possible to detect faulty components. Depending on the condition and performance of the parts of the unit, their subsequent repair or complete replacement is necessary.
Only one mode works
Operation in only one mode, even when the position of the switch is changed, indicates a malfunction of the regulator, a breakage of one of the spirals, or a malfunction of the diode VD1. For diagnosis, you need to call all the components with a multimeter and repair or replace faulty parts.
How to properly disassemble
Disassembling the housing of a hair dryer is often tricky, because its parts are held together by internal latches, and it is difficult to find their location from the outside. On any type of device, there is always a self-tapping screw located on the handle in the area where the power cord enters the body. As a rule, the self-tapping screw is covered with a decorative cap or sticker. When you begin to disassemble the case, you must perform the following steps in sequence:
- Remove the plastic cap or remove the label and unscrew the self-tapping screw.
- Slightly separate the parts of the case and find the location of the internal latches. In most cases, the fasteners are located at the bottom of the handle and in the nozzle area.
- Press the latches through the gap formed using a flat blade screwdriver. After separating the side latches, the top latches can be released by themselves.
- After dismantling the case, they carry out diagnostics to determine the existing faults.
DIY Repair Examples
Most often, the hair dryer fails if the power cord is frayed or the motor with the turbine does not work properly. Modern models of devices are equipped with thermal protection and a thick wire for winding the spiral, which reduces the risk of burnout. Depending on the specific malfunction, an appropriate repair or replacement of components is carried out, so you should familiarize yourself with common repair examples to avoid common mistakes.
Power cable
Due to the intensive movement of the hair dryer during operation, the power cord is constantly bent. The wires inside the cord consist of several strands and are quite strong, but frequent bending will cause them to break over time . A typical sign of damaged cord threads is the periodic shutdown of the device during the drying process.
To find the place where the cord was damaged, you need to fix it in the center and start wiggling first near the plug, and then at the entrance to the body. To check the condition of the wires, you can also ring them with a multimeter by touching one of the pins of the socket. If the wires are frayed coming out of the socket, the socket itself will need to be replaced and the wires stripped.
When the cord is damaged at the point of entry into the enclosure, you must cut off the section with the fault and rewire the contact terminals. To remove the pods with a knife, the antennae that hold the wires are first unfolded to the sides. Then some of the wires are cut, the insulation is removed and connected to the terminals with a soldering iron.
Motor power circuits
An open circuit in the motor power supply occurs due to damage to the rectifier diodes. It is possible to detect a failure after dismantling the device.Noticing the gap, you need to ring the remaining diodes with the tester to make sure they are working properly. If the diode is damaged, the motor may continue to run, but only a half wave of the rectified voltage will be directed to the component.
To solve the problem with an open power supply circuit, it is necessary to solder the damaged diode and install a working analogue in its place. The motor supply voltage should vary between 9 and 12 V at a current level of up to 0.5 A. These characteristics can be provided by most standard rectifier diodes.
During the repair, you should also remove the hair wound on the motor shaft and treat the bearings with machine oil. Just drop a little oil where the shaft attaches to the motor housing and turn the shaft a few times.
If an open circuit of the power supply has occurred due to a malfunction in the motor itself, it may need to be replaced.
Before installing a new motor, check it. When connecting the motor to a constant voltage source, you must first check with polarity, then swap the wires. This method will help to check the condition of all the diodes.
Cold air switch and buttons
In situations where the hair dryer cannot be started and the cord diagnostics indicates its working condition, the cause of the problem is damage to the contacts connected to the mode switch. If, as a result of switching modes, the supply air temperature does not change, the cooling start button is broken, the thermal protection or the heating element does not work properly.
As a rule, the mode switches of devices are soldered into a compact board, which is fixed with self-tapping screws or held in special guides.
When it is not possible to diagnose the switch by dialing, you should try to clean the contacts with a thin device through the hole next to the motor. Often the contact only burns out in one mode of operation and the others are fully usable. In such a situation, it is allowed to reconfigure the switching to a working contact, but one of the modes will not start.
Due to burnt contacts, high heat can damage the housing and deform the switch. One way to solve the problem is to connect the wires directly and leave a working mode. In this case, the hair dryer will automatically turn on after being plugged into the mains.
If the refrigerated air start button is broken and there is no way to replace it, you need to short its outputs. As a result, the air-cooled function itself will not work, but it will be possible to use the rest of the modes of the device.
Thermal protection
As thermal protection inside the hair dryer, two contacts are used which are in contact with each other. One of them is fixed on a metal plate. By heating the plate above the allowable temperature, it bends upwards and the contacts open, which causes an open circuit in the power supply of the heating component.
If the button for switching to cold air supply mode is in good condition, and the coil has no faults, then the cause of the breakdown is oxidation of the contacts of the thermal protection relay.
To restore performance, you need to put a double-folded fine-mesh sandpaper in the gap between the contacts, and pressing the plate several times, push the paper forward.
Heating element
When in any mode of operation cooled air comes out of the nozzle of the hair dryer, while the cooling mode button is not pressed and the thermal protection works, the fault is associated with a nichrome spiral. It plays the role of a heating element in the device.
It is possible to notice a breakage of the spiral by visual inspection after dismantling the housing of the hair dryer. And the violation of contact at the ends of the wire with the wires is not always possible to detect by external signs. If the hollow rivets do not have a pronounced blackening, a test with a multimeter is necessary for diagnosis. To restore contact in the connection, you will need to crimp it with pliers. It is important to be careful when performing work so as not to destroy the fragile structure.
In modern types of hair dryers, the spiral rarely burns and breaks, but if such malfunctions occur, the spiral must be replaced. Attempts to splice the spiral wire can only solve the problem for a short time. If the spiral is worn out, after repair it will burn out again in another area.
Fan
With frequent use of the hair dryer, the air duct becomes clogged in the device. To restore the operation of the fan, you must remove the filter from the device, if present, and then perform a thorough cleaning. It is recommended to use a soft brush to remove dust from hard to reach crevices.
In most cases, the built-in fan blades do not spin or run at minimum speed when winding long hair on the motor shaft. Faced with this problem, you need to carefully disassemble the propeller from the shaft, avoiding tilts and strong pressure, and then remove the coiled hair and accumulated dirt.
Thermostat
Some models of hair dryers are equipped with the possibility of self-regulation. A resistive divider is installed in the devices, the component of which is an element that reacts to temperature. If the thermostat fails, you can take the following measures:
- eliminate the thermostat by breaking the circuit and check the reaction of the appliance;
- short the wires and start the hair dryer.
If a hair dryer is only able to respond to a fixed resistance value, there is a high probability that repair attempts will be ineffective. The best solution to the problem is to replace the thermostat.
Remove hair from the device
The nuances of the epilation process of a hair dryer depend on the specific type of device. In this case, several general rules must be observed:
- Before dismantling and cleaning the hair dryer, you must disconnect it from the mains. Otherwise, there is a risk of electric shock or short circuit.
- Do not use a damp cloth, water, or other liquids to clean internal components.
- Cleaning is allowed with improvised means - toothbrush, vacuum cleaner, tweezers.
BaByliss
To disassemble the BaByliss hair dryer, you must follow a series of steps. It requires in particular:
- Disassemble the nozzle by unscrewing the fasteners.
- Use a screwdriver to remove the retaining ring located next to the nozzle.As a rule, the ring is easily fed and removed without much effort.
- Remove the retainer cup next to the power cord. The element is fixed in the body by two latches.
- Separate the parts of the case held by latches on each side. If the case is made of translucent plastic, then during an external examination it will be possible to easily detect the location of the latches.
- Unscrew the fan impeller and access the shaft on which the hair is wound.
- Remove foreign elements with improvised devices and assemble the hair dryer in the reverse order. In order not to make common mistakes during assembly, it is recommended to take pictures of the main stages during disassembly.
Viconte
The sequence for dismantling the Viconte hair dryer housing is the same as for the device of the BaByliss brand. The difference in the internal system is that it will hardly be possible to disassemble the impeller from the motor shaft using the basic set of tools. To remove the bristles and trim the bearing, you can drill a hole in the motor mount housing. It is important to correctly calculate the location of the hole so as not to destroy the engine or the wheel itself.
The engine mount body is thin, so you can make a hole with a sharp knife. A suitable hole diameter is 3-5mm. A hook made from a simple paperclip is threaded through the hole and all curly hair is carefully removed. A simple medical syringe can be used to lubricate the bearing. Just put a drop of engine oil where the shaft enters the engine and spin the wheel a few times.
To test the fan, you need to supply 10V to the diode bridge from the DC supply.Checking is optional, but it will help you immediately check that the fan is working properly after hair removal. If the test results indicate the stable operation of the device, it remains to assemble the structure. The hole that has been made does not need to be blocked, as it will fit snugly into the body of the hair dryer.
Rules of maintenance and operation
Strict compliance with operating and maintenance rules reduces the risk of breakdowns. If all recommendations are followed, the hair dryer will work properly and will not require periodic repairs. The basic rules are as follows:
- Before using the device, check the condition of the power cord and during storage, do not wrap it around the handle. Otherwise, the cord will be bent.
- You can only use the accessories supplied as standard, as well as those specially designed for a particular model of hair dryer.
- In places with high humidity, you should refrain from using the device. You should also avoid interaction with water.
- Using a budget version of the device, you can independently install a fine-mesh filter in the air inlet, which will prevent a large amount of hair and dirt from being sucked into the body.
- Noticing the signs of any manifestations of breakdowns, you should immediately disconnect the device from the electricity and carry out diagnostics to detect all existing problems.
- You should not overheat the hair dryer, so if you need to use the device for a long time, you should purchase a professional device designed for continuous and prolonged operation.
- Before storing the device in a cabinet, you need to wait until it cools down completely, which takes about half an hour.