Repair of hair dryers

The mode of operation of hair dryers is very heavy. They are left on the bathroom floor, have to fall off the dressing tables, and are constantly moved and shaken during normal work. Therefore, it is not surprising that hairdryers often have to pay attention. For the sake of safety, every time before using this device, you should at least externally make sure that its body and cord are intact.

Rice. 1

DISASSEMBLY OF THE BODY

The body of the hair dryer is usually either split into two "mirrored" halves, or the front part is separated from the back. Be sure to disconnect the plug from the socket before disassembling the case.

Rice. 2 Hair dryer disassembly

How does it work

Your hair dryer may look different from the example shown here, but the principle of operation is the same for all hand held electric hair dryers. The fan, driven by an electric motor, draws in air through an air intake with a grill and drives it through a heating element - a wire wound on a heat-resistant holder. Some models are equipped with a removable filter that keeps hair and similar lint out of the case through the air intake.

Rice. 3 Hair dryer device

Fan
Electric motor
Air intake grille
A heating element
Heat resistant holder
Switch
Thermal protection switch (thermostat)
Flexible cord
Clamping bar
Terminal block

Many hair dryers have combination switches that not only turn on and off the device, but also allow you to use two or three thermal modes. Some hair dryers have a cold blowing mode when the heater is off and only the fan is running.

The thermostat - this refers to the thermal cutout switch - protects the heating element from overheating. The switch automatically turns off the heating element if the air flow through it is too low to successfully extract heat from the element. The thermal protection switch turns on again, as a rule, on its own, so you should find out what caused it to work before resuming using the hair dryer - after cooling down, it usually starts working as if nothing had happened. Since this "recovery" can leave the hair dryer in a dangerous state, later models may be equipped with fuses that will prevent the device from turning on even after it has cooled down.

The case bowls are always connected with recessed screws. Some or all of these may require special screwdrivers or modified flathead screwdrivers. If the screws are of different lengths, label them for easy reassembly. If, after unscrewing the screws, the case does not split easily into two bowls, look for hidden clips. You may need to gently squeeze the edges of the case to see if the molded plastic latches are connected to the case - but be careful not to break or crack the case, making the unit unsafe to use.

After removing the mounting screws, place the hair dryer on a table and carefully separate the body parts so that you can remember the location of the internal parts and how they fit into the body. Draw a diagram if necessary. As with all double-insulated electrical appliances, it is important to return all items, including wires, to their original condition before reassembly.

Faulty hair dryers.

The smell of burning

There may be a burning smell before the thermal switch turns off the hairdryer. If odor persists after the procedures described below, have the unit checked by a service center.

Careless handling

When using the hairdryer, hold the handle so as not to obstruct the movement of air if your hand covers the air intake.

Rice. 4

Cord care

Inspect the cord regularly for damage to the insulation. Carefully check that there are no breaks at the points where the cord enters the plug into the case of the hair dryer. Shorten or replace damaged cord.

Rice. 5 Carrying a hair dryer by the cord is a bad habit.

Blocked air intake

The obstacle in the air intake may not be visible from the outside, so unplug the hair dryer from the outlet and disassemble the device to remove hair, lint, etc. that have accumulated behind the air intake grill. Sweep away dust and lint with a soft brush.

If your hair dryer has a removable filter, unscrew the back section of the case, remove the filter and use a soft brush to clean out any accumulated dust. Be careful not to damage the fine filter.

Rice. 6

Rice. 7

Rice. eight

Check if the fan rotates freely. If not, remove the fan and remove what is in the way. Make sure the internal wiring is intact, including the heat-resistant insulation - and reassemble the appliance.

Rice. nine

Rice. ten

Dust on the heating element

Dust and lint that is drawn into the air intake can adhere to the heating element. Sweep over it very carefully with a soft brush, taking care to remove dust from the holes without undue force.

No heating

The fan rotates, but only cold air comes in.

Heating mode disabled

Check if air heating is on.

Breakage of internal wiring

After removing the plug from the socket, inspect the wires to make sure the heating element is connected. If the soldering connections are broken, have a specialist restore them - they must withstand the current and temperature in the device.

Defective heating element

Visual inspection can detect an open in the coil heating element. If it seems intact, you can have it checked and replaced by a specialist - but buying a new hair dryer may be more cost effective.

Rice. eleven Inspect heating element for open circuit

Faulty thermostat or blown fuse

If there is access to a thermal cutout or fuse (usually located within the heating element), then you can check for an open circuit with a tester. These parts are cheap enough to replace. However, in some models, the thermal breaker or fuse is changed only with the heating element, which may not be economically feasible.

Rice. 12 Touch the probes to the two ends of the thermal cutout switch

The fan rotates slowly

A burning smell may be present as the fan does not generate sufficient air flow.

Something is interfering with the fan

Check if hair is wrapped around the fan shaft, which may slow down its rotation. Before removing the fan, mark its position on the shaft to return it to the same position.

If something interferes with the fan, it can sometimes be difficult to remove it. This can usually be done by carefully prying it on the shaft with a screwdriver shaft, like a lever - but be careful not to damage the fan itself and other parts of the hair dryer, which can make the device unsafe to use.

Remove any hair wrapped around the shaft behind the fan.

Rice. 13

Put on the fan and make sure it spins freely.

Check that all internal wiring is intact and that all parts are in their original position, then reassemble the case.

DOES NOT WORK AT ALL

Defective plug or fuse

Check that the plug and cord are properly connected and replace the blown fuse. If the fuse blows again when plugging in and turning on the appliance, have the hair dryer repaired by an expert.

No mains voltage

If other electrical appliances stop working in the circuit, inspect the shield: it is possible that a fuse has blown there or a circuit breaker has tripped.

Break in the cord

This is a common problem. It makes sense to check the condition of the outer insulation of the cord every time before turning on the hair dryer, making sure that the cord is securely fixed with the clamping bar inside the plug. To test the cord for breakage, ring it. Replace damaged cord if possible.

Rice. fourteen Replace damaged cord

Let the solder joints be repaired by a specialist.

Bad contact

Check the internal wiring for loose or broken connections. If soldered connections require repair, take the hair dryer to a workshop.

Defective switch

The switch can also be checked with a tester, but if the wires are soldered to the switch, then the hairdryer should be repaired by a specialist, which can be very expensive.

Defective motor

A defective motor should be checked by a specialist, but repairing or replacing it may not be economically viable.

THE MAIN THING IS SECURITY

Before resuming the operation of the hair dryer, check it by connecting it to the circuit with a protected circuit breaker with an RCD. Then turn on the device, and if the RCD works, then check the hairdryer with a qualified technician.
Do not use a hair dryer with a cracked body.
Never plug the hair dryer into an extension cord to use it in the bathroom.
Do not pull on the cord while trying to reach the mirror.
Make sure the plug is correctly connected to the plug and that the fuse is correct.

Good luck with the repair!