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Repair of paint stripper

I have a black and decker paint stripper. It doesnt work.

There is one little electical part in it that could be a thermometer that will either shut it off if it gets too hot or perhaps blow if it gets to hot, Im not sure which.

Im trying to identify it so I can deduce how it should work. The part is hard to see the numbers I can see are

Micro

4438A XKAXM

I also see on the other side a number 228C. (there is a little window so it picks up heat I asume from both sides of the asembly.)

Perhaps a big givaway is that part is shaped like a rocket eg ===> . Insulated wire goes onto a rivet then a lead from the left side of the part is physically wraped around the rivet. The right lead of the part goes onto another rivet and then bare wire goes from there into the heated part of the paint stripper then back out to a insulated lead runing to the switch.

It's all really quite simple it just this part I dont know what it is, so Im not sure how to test it.

Reply to
steve
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Its probably a "thermal fuse" which as you say, is there to go open if the barrel gets too hot. Make sure the fan is blowing properly and there are no obstructions in the barrel to impede air flow. You can short out the fuse for a quick test of operation. If all is well replace the fuse with the correct temp fuse which would seem to be 228 deg C. They are available from Jaycar for one source. Do not use the tool without the fuse.

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Cheers ............. Rheilly P
Reply to
Rheilly Phoull

Test the fuse with your ohmeter (very low resistance) or a bulb and battery etc.

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Cheers ............. Rheilly P
Reply to
Rheilly Phoull

Hi, Steve. Good question, plenty of information. Thanks for taking the time.

The device is called a thermal cutoff. I'll bet it looks just like this:

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It's a fuse that opens up if the temperature gets too high, and it's used to prevent the device from overheating and catching on fire. UL and all that.

There's no repair, just like there's no repairing a standard fuse. You just replace it. You can test by ohming it out -- like a fuse, short is good, open is bad. Although they're not supposed to, these rarely get resistive. If it's more than a couple tenths of an ohm, it's bad.

If you want to get the paint stripper operational today, you'll have to move fast. The thermal cutoff probably isn't available at the hardware store. Call around at TV/radio repair shops, and see if anyone has a

228 degree C thermal cutoff. Snip the dead one out using a pair of cutters, and attach the new one using the clips provided in the repair pack. Don't solder it -- if it is soldered, they used special hi-temp solder which you don't have. You can probably use a pair of pliers to crimp in the clips. Be sure the new one is placed in the same spot the old one was.

Try to get one the exact same temp. If you have to, you can temporarily replace with one with a lower temp rating, although it will likely pop right away. DO NOT replace with one with a higher temp rating. DO NOT just jumper the fuse -- it's there for safety.

Good luck with your paint stripping.

Cheers Chris

Reply to
Chris

Thanks to all that have replied to my message this will get me on my way to repairing it.

Thanks again.

Reply to
steve

Just don't solder the new one in.

Reply to
Tom Biasi

No problem.

By the way, I forgot to mention something. If you try soldering TCOs, you'll pop 'em from the heat of the iron. If you want to do it that way, you use a thermal sink to protect the TCO from the heat of the iron. The thermal sink is a soft metal clip with a groove that you clamp on the wire of the TCO to keep the fuse insides from melting. It's a big pain, but you can do it and it does work.

The crimping clips are a lot easier, and the only way to go for a one-off repair.

Cheers Chris

Reply to
Chris

Well I went to my local appliance shop hopeing that they would have this little part. I figured they must get called all the time for appliances that break because of this simple fuse. Sure enough they did. I carfully un wound the leads off of the little rivets of the blown fuse, not easy but the leads are made out of a soft metal it appears. Then carfully wound the new one on. Again not easy but with a little patience and very small needle nose pliers, (what a life saver) I was able to do it. I oiled the fan a bit (perhaps it was running a little slow which is what caused it to blow in the first place) I Put it all back together and presto. Works like magic, or at least like a paint stripper.

Thanks again to all.

Reply to
steve

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