Do-it-yourself Hair Dryer Repair: What To Do If It Burns Out, How To Disassemble A Hairdryer, How To Remove The Impeller (fan), Replace The Spiral + Video

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Diagnosing faults and repairing a hair dryer with your own hands

It is no exaggeration to say that a hairdryer lives in every home today. This softly buzzing accessory, blowing with warm air, has forever entered the women's arsenal, became a must-have item and is used not only for drying hair, but also for styling and creating certain hairstyles. However, sometimes there comes a moment when something inside the hair dryer starts to crunch ugly, a wave of a warm breeze turns into a north wind, and an inner voice insistently prompts that an urgent repair is needed.

Content

• 1 Design of hair dryer

• 2 Possible malfunctions of the hair dryer and their elimination

  • 2.1 Lack of power
  • 2.2 Fan does not work

  • 2.3 Outgoing air does not heat up

    1 Video: disassembly and repair of the Maxwell hair dryer

  • 2.4 Problems with the electric motor

    2.4.1 Video: how to disassemble and repair a Scarlett hair dryer

  • 2.5 Control unit malfunctions

    2.5.1 Video: diagnostics and repair of a hair dryer

  • 2.6 How to remove the fan impeller

Hair Dryer Design

The basic structure of all hair dryers can be considered identical. To deal with it is within the power of every person who owns a screwdriver and basic school knowledge of electrical engineering.

Each hair dryer consists of four main parts:

1. Electric motor. There are several types of motors - 12, 24 or 36 volts. This is done to keep the user safe. The current from the network has a voltage of 220 V and is dangerous to human health. With the help of an electronic circuit, the voltage is reduced, due to which the impeller, which injects air to the nozzle, is powered by a small DC motor, which is absolutely safe for humans.

   

   The hairdryer is powered by an electric motor, which is supplied with reduced power for safety reasons

2. Fan. Its task is to create an air flow. In the case of the hair dryer, special holes are made through which the impeller sucks in air and directs it in the desired direction. Usually the propeller is made of plastic and rotates on a metal rod that serves as its axis. On the one hand, the axle is connected to an electric motor, on the other, it is attached to a support equipped with a sliding sleeve.

   

   The impeller draws in air through the slots in the body of the hair dryer and drives it towards the nozzle

3. Heating element. As a rule, this is a nichrome spiral. When current is applied, it begins to glow and heat the passing air to the desired temperature. In a good hairdryer, the spiral is designed so that the heated air does not burn through the hair, that is, its temperature does not exceed 50-60 ^o C.

   

   In advanced models of hair dryers, several spirals are installed to ensure the operation of the device in two or three heating modes

4. Electronic circuit. Serves to convert current and adjust the operating modes of the device. Using the keys located on the body of the hair dryer, you can turn off or connect the spiral, increase or decrease the air flow rate.

It should be noted that the efficiency of the device as a whole depends on the coordination of the work of all structural components. If, for example, the air duct is clogged and the flow rate is slowed down, the spiral will definitely start to overheat, and this will either lead to its failure or an increased temperature of the outgoing flow. A malfunction of the electronic circuit can lead to a voltage drop on the electric motor, as a result of which the hair dryer will not work at full power.

Possible malfunctions of the hair dryer and their elimination

Unfortunately, technology tends to break down. And often - at the most inopportune moment. Even expensive models produced by reputable firms can fail. The reason for this can be both non-observance of the operating rules and factors independent of a person. For example, power surges, children playing, or pets who are teething. Situations are different, but in any case, you should not rush to the store to buy a new device. Perhaps, having understood the cause of the breakdown closer, you can restore the normal operation of the hair dryer without assistance, with your own hands.

Lack of power

In case of malfunctions in operation, first of all, you need to pay attention to the condition of the power cord and conduct a visual inspection. It should not get warm while working. If it has any damage to the insulation, fractures or swelling, it is necessary to check whether the current flows to the device.

Hair dryer may not turn on due to damaged cable insulation

For this you need:

1. Disassemble the case and use a voltage indicator to test the power contacts inside the hair dryer. For disassembly, you need to find and unscrew all the screws on the casing. Sometimes, in addition to them, latches are used - they must be carefully disconnected so as not to break the fragile plastic. On some models, the screws are covered with decorative caps or stickers. In this case, they are carefully removed by picking up the edge with a screwdriver. Before disassembling the hair dryer, do not forget to unplug it by unplugging the power cord.

   

   Having unscrewed all the screws, you need to carefully pry off the plastic plugs and separate the case

2. Next, the wires go to the power button. It is necessary to check that the switch moves freely and is not clogged with foreign debris or sticky dust. If the contacts are working properly, their color will be even, without signs of charring. Overheated copper turns from yellow to dark blue, which is a sign of malfunction.

   

   Check all contacts for charring or discoloration, which is also a sign of malfunctioning power circuit.

3. If damage is found, the contacts must be cleaned with a knife or sandpaper, but never with a damp cloth. Sometimes this is enough to restore normal operation of the device.

4. Connect the device to the network for a few seconds. In this case, the power key must be in the "Off" position. or Off. To check the presence of voltage, bring the indicator to both terminals of the button.

   

   If there is a "phase" on the tested contact, the indicator lamp will light up

The best solution to the problem of a damaged power cord is to replace it with a new one. But if it is not possible to replace the cable, you can get out of the situation by stripping the "bad" contacts and connecting them with twisting. The junction must be carefully insulated with dielectric adhesive tape.

If you have repaired damage to the power cord by twisting the wires, be sure to wrap the open area with electrical tape.

If the problem is in the button, you need to clean it and tighten the terminal screws. As a last resort, you can temporarily disable the button by connecting the wires directly. In this case, the motor will start immediately after plugging the power cord into the outlet.

If the button for controlling the hair dryer is out of order, before purchasing a new part, the wires can be connected directly, however, some modes of the device will stop working

Fan does not work

The most common reason for a fan to stop is hair. During operation, the hair dryer draws small hairs inward and they are wound around the propeller shaft. Rotation slows down over time and eventually stops altogether. Obviously, it is better to periodically clean the fan and not bring the situation to a critical one. Moreover, this is easy to do - it will not be difficult to remove the hairs from the impeller with tweezers or a small brush.

Outside, you can clean the air intake holes, and in order to get to the fan, you need to disassemble the case

The criterion for normal fan operation is free rotation of the propeller on the motor axis

If the situation is repeated frequently, the back of the air pipe should be carefully examined. The air intake grille may be damaged and too many foreign objects have entered through it. You can get out of the situation by sticking a mosquito net or gauze on the grill, but it must hold firmly so that it does not get sucked inside. Some models have an air inlet filter. It might be time to clean or replace it.

The filter is located at the back of the hair dryer, on the side of the air intake

Outgoing air does not heat up

The spiral is one of the most vulnerable points of all hair dryers. Despite the fact that modern heating elements are quite reliable, they are strongly influenced by the good condition of all other structural elements. It is good if the device provides for automatic shutdown of the spiral in case of overheating. If not, then it can burn out if, for example, the propeller clogs or the electric motor is faulty. The first sign of exceeding the load on the spiral is the characteristic burning smell that occurs when the hair dryer is running.

The smell can persist even after turning off the device, which indicates the need to check the serviceability of the electric motor

Another indirect evidence of excessive heating of the coil is the high temperature of the case. It should not heat up. An abnormal rise in temperature indicates a malfunction.

When overheated, the heating coil breaks

Repairing a heating element also begins with disassembling the hair dryer. Most often, the gap is visible to the naked eye. If the damage is not total in nature (melting of large areas or ruptures in several places), it is not difficult to repair it. You just need to reconnect the ends of the spiral. It is best, of course, to solder them, but if you don't have special skills, you can twist it tightly by squeezing the connection with pliers. Since the nichrome wire is rather thin, when turned on, a microelectric arc is formed at the joint and the ends of the spiral are welded.

It is important not only to restore the integrity of the heater, but also to determine the cause of the overheating. Otherwise, everything will be repeated very soon. If the autopsy showed that the coil is damaged in several places, it is better to replace it entirely. At the same time, you need to select a heating element from the same manufacturer as the hair dryer.

Video: disassembly and repair of the Maxwell hair dryer

Motor problems

The motor is designed to rotate the fan. Usually in a good hairdryer there is a speed switch key, with which the optimal air supply mode is selected. The control is carried out by changing the current supplied to the motor. For this, an electronic circuit is located inside the case, which, by the way, can also fail.

The electric drive of the hair dryer fan rotates at different speeds depending on the selected operating mode

The characteristic signs of a damaged motor are crackling when turned on and uneven operation. Dry discharges occur due to breakdown of winding insulation. A hum can sometimes be heard inside the unit, but the fan does not rotate. There may be a smell of burnt wiring.

A DC motor has several windings, the breakage of which is the most common cause of its failure.

Repairing the engine at home is quite difficult. This is due to its small size and the need to use special diagnostic devices. If the armature windings are burnt out, then you can rewind them only using special devices. It is much easier to simply replace the damaged part. Here you just need to carefully remove the old motor, and mount a new one in its place.

Video: how to disassemble and repair a Scarlett hairdryer

Control box problems

The work of all the nodes inside the hair dryer is interconnected. And the main coordinating link is the electronic control unit. In addition to the transformation of alternating current into direct current, it changes the operating modes of the motor, regulates the degree of heating of the spiral. The scheme is relatively simple, but only a specialist can professionally understand it.

The electronic circuit is located near the control buttons inside the handle

Due to voltage surges in the network, violation of operating rules or ingress of moisture on the electronic board, a malfunction of the unit may occur. Visually, this is expressed in a change in the appearance of parts. Capacitors are deformed, swollen. Resistors (resistors) darken and char. Connecting tracks on the printed circuit board can melt and break. If you have spare radio parts and soldering equipment, you can replace and restore the electronics. But you can replace the entire block.

To repair an electronic board, you must have special devices and qualifications

If we talk about the procedure for diagnosing a broken device, then it should be carried out according to the principle "from simple to complex". This means that first you need to inspect the mechanical part (cord, buttons, impeller). Then - electrical, check the integrity of the connecting wires, contacts and terminals, the operation of the electric motor and spiral. And, finally, conduct an audit of the electronics - the control unit, other systems and interlocks. If the inspection of the microcircuit did not give intelligible results, it is checked using a tester.

Video: diagnostics and repair of a hair dryer

How to remove the fan impeller

The blades of the impeller are often damaged in hair dryers. This happens gradually, as foreign debris accumulates, drawn in by the air flow through the separator. Once the amount of foreign interference exceeds the critical state and the blades crack. This happens when the device is turned on, when the motor picks up speed and the rotational force becomes maximum.

As debris and dust accumulates inside the hair dryer, the fan blades experience more and more resistance when rotating and finally break

The first sign of a broken impeller is vibration. In addition, you can hear the cracking of plastic fragments inside the case. If this happens, the impeller must be replaced. It is necessary to remove the protective cover, carefully inspect the device for attaching the propeller to the motor. Connections vary from model to model. But the principle, as a rule, is the same - the impeller axis is pressed onto the drive of the electric motor. In most cases, it can be easily removed by gently prying it off with a screwdriver. Sometimes for this you need to remove the motor with the propeller from the housing and only then disconnect the blades.

All repair work is carried out only with the power off of household appliances. This is the best security guarantee. If the hair dryer is under warranty service, it is better to solve all current problems in specialized organizations. Self-repair and misuse will void the manufacturer's warranty. Before using the device, it will be useful to carefully read the recommendations of the manufacturer.