My electric leaf blower stopped working and I found the switch has gone bad. The switch is a slider switch with 3 positions: off, low, hi. In the low setting a diode (actually two diodes in parallel) is inserted to cut the power in half.
Here are photos of the blower with the switch:
I don't like slider switch so I'm thinking of replacing it with a SPDT toggle switch with center-off. I will cut a piece of plastic or metal to cover the hole where the slider switch is, and drill a round hole to put the new toggle switch there.
The power plug also gives me problem from time to time. It makes a loose connection with most extension cords. I plan to replace it with a short power cord that dangles out of the unit, like most new leaf blowers. This would reduce vibration at the plug. I will use a cord with 3-prong plug for better gripping the extension cord.
Lastly, there's a small gap in the blowing chamber near the switch covered by a piece of foam. What is this for? My guess is to put some air pressure into the switch compartment to reduce dust entry?
Any suggestions on the repair?