Sonicare toothbrush DIY repair

i have an aging sonicare toothbrush with a slowly failing battery. i understand there supposed to be non replaceable...but im gonna try anyway! has any one on here had a go at doing this? im loathed to go out and buy a new one....cus its one gadget i wouldn't be without...but there expensive to replace just cus it needs a new battery.

ta

Steve

Reply to
r.p.mcmurphy
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I don't know specifically. However, once you manage to get inside, it is almost certain that the battery will be a couple of NiCd or NiMH AA cells, possibly tagged, or possibly another easily obtainable size. Very few consumer products use genuinely custom batteries, once you get past the fancy casings.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

They are probably non-replaceable because the case is sealed for waterproofness..... and that could make it hard to get into. Also when you replace the batteries it will be hard to seal it back up.

Paul

Reply to
Paul ( Skiing8 )

I replaced the NiCd battery in my Braun with a slightly smaller NiMH, it was fairly easy and well worth doing. Once the bottom plug is undone (bayonet fitting) the innards can be pushed out with the metal drive pin at the top. I seem to remember the battery was two 2/3D cells in series, but this may be wrong - it's easy to see when you wind the cardboard off. Of course this may be absolutely no use at all for a Sonicare Tbrush.

Reply to
Dave

Waterproofness hardly matters for something that has just one or two NiCd cells in it. Battery torches and toys work quite happily underwater in my experience.

Reply to
usenet

For a few minutes. They will fail if left wet for days, as would be the case for trapped moisture.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

not saying it will not work or cause you any damage but over time if water gets in it will eventually corrode and stop working

Reply to
Paul ( Skiing8 )

... but a toothbrush will probably dry out if stood up on normal fashion on the charger. Why will it fail if wet anyway? A toy might well fail because of corroision or whatever but I doubt if there's anything much to corrode in an electric toothbrush.

Reply to
usenet

What will corrode? I doubt there's any steel in there.

Reply to
usenet

Any metal will corrode rapidly in the combined presence of moisture and a few volts. I would suggest a 'one time repair' by using plenty of silicone sealer when you put it back together

- you probably won't be able to get it apart again but it should last longer....

Reply to
Mike Harrison

Most things are labelled non-replaceable because they want you to buy a new one!

It's generally possible to get into anything if you're careful and patient (and have a lot of different screwdrivers) and you can always seal it up again with epoxy or something. Fair enough, you won't be able to replace the batteries again easily, but you're still doubling its life.

C
Reply to
Charlie

Failing all else - the batteries. Also, the circuitry, ...

If water gets into fairly-well (but not perfectly) sealed things, it does not tend to come out.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

it back together

As an alternative - hot-melt-glue may be handy. It can then be dissasembled by heating to 70C or so in an oven.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

Hi,

This should help, if your brush is one of the 'Elite' range:

CAUTION Caution should be exercised when using any household tools (such as a screwdriver) to remove the battery.

1 Deplete the battery of any charge by removing the handle from the charger base, turning on the product and allowing it to run until it stops. Repeat this step until the product will no longer operate.

2 Remove the soft touch rib by inserting a screwdriver under it and breaking it out.

3 Remove the nut from the brush head and place onto the handle.Tighten the nut onto the handle (A) until the housing comes loose and then pull the nut forward (B).

4 Insert a screwdriver between the electronic circuit board and the plastic part close to each end of the battery; twist and break the battery connection from the electronic circuit board in 2 locations.

5 Separate the rechargeable battery from the appliance by means of a screwdriver.

==================

For the Advance range it looks like you have to break into the casing somehow :((( :

Battery Recycling Your Sonicare toothbrush will give you many years of use. However, once it no longer functions, DO NOT put your Sonicare handle or batteries in the garbage. The nickel-cadmium batteries used to power your Sonicare toothbrush must be recycled or disposed of properly.

As a service to you and our environment, we will recycle your Sonicare toothbrush for you. For more information about this program, contact us (U.S. customers only).

If you wish to personally recycle your Sonicare toothbrush handle at the end of its life, insert a flat-head screwdriver in a slot between the 2 halves of the handle at the threaded end, and then break apart the 2 halves. Remove the batteries from the inside of the handle and dispose of them properly in accordance with your local recycling program.

The batteries inside your Sonicare toothbrush cannot be replaced. Do not attempt to replace batteries by opening your Sonicare toothbrush.

Recycling is important because it helps us to conserve our natural resources and protect our environment. Please help take care of our environment!

Handle contains nickel-cadmium batteries. Batteries must be recycled or disposed of properly. ==================

Maybe a dremel, plastic pipe cutter or even a normal pipe cutter would be a fairly neat way of cutting through the casing if need be. Leaving it on the charger when not in use should give the best battery life (and IME gives the best performance).

Also I only use mine in the evenings as some dentists feel they're too fierce to be used more than once a day. Teeth should be just as clean in the morning and the heads will last twice as long than using it twice a day.

HTH, Pete.

Reply to
Pete C

put it back together

HMG may not adhere very well to the fairly shiny plastic, and may crack off

Reply to
Mike Harrison

put it back together

In my experience, it works fairly well - as long as you're not trying to glue bits end-end. Which thinking about it, may well be the case.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

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