hair straigtener fuse? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: p.larner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 11:54:36 am
content: I have these hair tong things to fix, Basicaly a pair of tongs with heater pads on them, It has two points on the pcb marked fuse, These go to a ceramic block at the rear of one heater, If i bypass it the tongs work,What can i replace it with, Or is there a way to reset it? , Its the block in the pic in the capton sleeve, It has no markings.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 01:31:26 pm
content: Quote from: p.larner on April 15, 2024, 11:54:36 amOnly sensible thing to replace is the whole tongs.Having a homebrew high power electric device connected to someone's head? What couldpossiblygo wrong?How will you feel if a bodged repair damages someone else? (I doubt anybody, yourself included, would worry if you damaged yourself that way).

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 01:50:57 pm
content: It's a thermal fuse that should have temperature rating written on it. Unwrap kapton tape so you can read it.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 01:52:52 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on April 15, 2024, 01:31:26 pmHow replacing it with appropriate part suddenly makes it homebrew?

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 02:31:12 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on April 15, 2024, 01:52:52 pmIt doesn't, but in view of the fact that brand name versions of these, (Remington etc) can be bought new for £20, all considered, it might be better not to mess with it.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 02:59:47 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on April 15, 2024, 01:52:52 pmThat avoids the key issues:determining what the appropiate part is, and obtaining itreplacing it competentlythe OP

author: p.larner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 05:46:44 pm
content: So another bunch of usless answers telling us things we already know!,seems a few folks have idle fingers on here and waste server space!, Why are there so many folks / twats like this on forums?.

author: p.larner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 05:50:12 pm
content: How about all these folks offering "ADVICE" On here keep away from keyboards unless they can give an answer thats usefull or is it a good way of wasting everyones time??!.?.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 06:14:24 pm
content: What sort of advice do you want? How are we supposed to know what response you find useful?It's good you've put more effort into writing and posting some pictures along with your original question, but it's a shame you started being rude, when you didn't get the answers you were looking for. This is your last chance. Any more nonsense and you go on my ignore list.Aswraper mentioned aboveit's a thermal fuse.It is not possible to reset it. These are designed to fail open circuit in order to prevent a fire. You need to look at the value printed on it and replace it with the same one. A distributor such as RS Components or CPC will have a suitable replacement.It can be challenging to replace it. I've never managed to successfully solder a new one, without overheating it, causing it to trip. I've taken to soldering tinned copper wire to the board and crimping the thermal fuse to it and cutting off the excess wire.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 06:19:48 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on April 15, 2024, 02:59:47 pmYou forgot, determining why it failed in the first place.My advice from having to deal with GHD crap from coworkers, is to throw it in the nearest bin, where it belongs. These days I would refuse to even look at a pair of these.David

author: gnif
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 06:26:41 pm
content: p.larner (aka, m3vuv) has been banned. We allowed this account to continue existing as it seemed he had been behaving, however it's clear here that he is still not capable of interacting in a civil manner.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 06:57:58 pm
content: I can't believe I missed that it's m3vuv. It's odd how he let it slip inanother post. I suppose it's been a couple of years.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 07:19:32 pm
content: Quote from: gnif on April 15, 2024, 06:26:41 pmThanks; that confirms my judgement wasn't completely screwy when I put him in my very short ignore list.Like zero999, I too missed the m3vuv connection. I had mercifully forgotten about him until I searched and found I'd tangled with him too.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 07:29:55 pm
content: I knew it was him a while back, recognised the bench in some pictures and the parallel 7075 thread over on groups.io gave it away too, he got a second ban much quicker elsewhere.https://groups.io/g/Solartron_Schlumberger_Equipment/topic/104148445#155Question is how long before he returns under another alias, with yet another location?David

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 07:37:33 pm
content: Quote from: factory on April 15, 2024, 07:29:55 pmYeahI am a bit slowI'll put it down to not wanting to think badly of people. And I'm going to stick to the explanation, no matter what.He'll be back. The more interesting questions are whether I will remember the punctuation, and how quickly he will be banned again.

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 09:28:41 pm
content: I wasn't aware of the history.I'm all in favour of folks having a tinker with modern products, not intended for repair, fixing them, and so saving them from landfill. In this case, a mains connected device, likely to be in intimate contact with the person, which can be bought new cheaply enough. Err, NO.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 09:37:01 pm
content: I hope that wire link across the fuse terminals disappears. I guess we'll never know now but I have my concerns.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 09:46:45 pm
content: Your right about that, especially as people tend to leave these plugged in unattended too.As it's using screw terminals, there are probably spares available from somewhere, trouble is finding a trustworthy supplier, work colleagues would bring unknown quality clone parts last time I saw a pair of these, hence why I now refuse to work on this type of thing these days.David

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 10:04:37 pm
content: Quote from: Zenith on April 15, 2024, 09:28:41 pmIt gets worse. He's a scammer. He bought an oscilloscope off eBay, modified it and quite possibly buggered it up, then wanted to return it, because the seller made a mistake in the description, then preceded to slander the seller on this forum and others.Don't trust this person.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/ebay-scammers/

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2024, 10:46:39 pm
content: Quote from: Gyro on April 15, 2024, 09:37:01 pmI shall read the obituary columns with interest over the next few weeks.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 09:45:15 pm
content: Quote from: Zenith on April 15, 2024, 10:46:39 pmIf he's killed by his own stupidity, that's fine, but he's clearly putting others at risk.

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 10:14:24 pm
content: That's his problem and their problem. tggzzz and I both advised such a repair shouldn't be entertained, and were met with a hostile response.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 10:16:58 pm
content: I don't think its wrong to try to repair that but the key is that it is deceptively easy to repair it and that most people don't know how it could be done safely (aka need to admit that its actually a hard repair )but I am suspicious of someone uploading 2 blurry ass pictures, i.e. trollhow to solder it to answer the question no one cares about anymore, you need efficient heat sinks.is the idea to throw it out and buy a new one good? its safe. but its also wasteful of resources.i say wise man say its smart to throw that shit out

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 10:21:55 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on April 16, 2024, 10:16:58 pmI'm obviously missing something, because I see two screw terminals?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 10:22:59 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on April 16, 2024, 10:21:55 pmsomeone complained that thermal fuses are difficult to solder

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 10:27:05 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on April 16, 2024, 10:22:59 pmI remember they used to make clip-on heat sinks that you could attach to the flying leads of heat sensitive components? I guess such things must still exist?Or you could reflow the joint rapidly in a fraction of a second so the heat doesn't have time to travel up the wire?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 10:28:52 pm
content: or wrap a wet tissue around it because its a fuseits good if people know how to solder thermal fuses because there will be less firesgoot wick makes clips. they need to be aluminum so the solder does not stick to them.for a really fine job you can wrap string around the components, drip some water around it, and then you basically have a conformal super heat sinkIt starts to get hard to do when you have very fat conductor (i.e. brazing 1 inch diameter copper rod). Just a shit load of wet stuff won't work anymore, you need some kind of active cooling and really high temperatures. but for small components it works really good

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 11:21:52 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on April 16, 2024, 10:16:58 pmTrolling could be an explanation, but given the OPs many posts here there and everywhere, I don't think he is trolling. I think his posts can be taken at face value, which is arguably worse.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 11:43:04 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on April 15, 2024, 06:14:24 pmStrange, I never failed to replace one, even when soldering small ones close to the case. I'd understand if it's something rated for like 60oC but usually it's over 100oC. Also you can hold the lead with small pliers of forceps and it will act as a heatsink, although I never needed it.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2024, 07:25:40 am
content: I've only tried a couple of times and I did try wet paper towel, to no avail. In the end I crimped it. I can't remember what the temperature rating was.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2024, 09:27:45 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on April 16, 2024, 10:16:58 pmThis was more to do with the OP, he lacks the ability to diagnose problems & repair stuff, he should not be taking repair jobs in from other people (if this wasn't his).Also has bypassed the fuse (fire hazard) and is known to cut corners with cheap unsafe parts from aliexpress etc, that don't meet UK safety standards.And remember this is a 240V appliance, with no earth/ground connection, any damage he does to the metal parts that the heaters are attached too & the insulation, would be a major shock hazard.The thermal fuse did it's job as something else has failed, it could be the controller or the thermistor, replacing only the fuse would not fix it for very long.Here is the last one I looked at (don't know what brand it was, picture from over 10 years ago), you should be able to see the mains cable is two core.David

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2024, 09:31:27 am
content: Quote from: Zero999 on April 17, 2024, 07:25:40 amIf this was being done on a production scale, they might use a custom heat sink, and possibly a lower melting point solder.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2024, 10:37:56 am
content: then you might need a combo like wet towel and heat sink clips.I think thermal fuses are known for being fussy and failing early if their run at elevated temperatures when there is no problem.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2024, 01:23:51 pm
content: When soldering thermal fuses I use large tweezers or small pliers for cooling the leads while trying to be as fast as possible. Sometimes a thermal fuse breaks because of age or thermal stress (not over-temperature). If you don't find any cause for overheating it could be just a bad fuse.