Toothbrush charger sockets?

[GAP]

You can still get a wall mountable charger, although it's a big b****d with space for storing brushes. We bought a combination pack of wall mounted charger and two motors, which seems a bit dumb to me as you don't have anywhere to put the one that's not on charge, it was a good deal though. I haven't yet found a small wall mountable one like we had with the old style Braun brushes, the website listing the various models is less than clear...

As a previous poster noted, I'm presuming that the new motors have a different type of battery and hence the charger is different and hence it's sensible that the old brushes won't go on the new charger and vice versa. What really annoys me is that there are actually at least two *different* types of "new" chatger, and if you buy the wrong brush it still won't fit/work with the other type!

Graham

[OG]

Tabbed C cells were in our -1 Braun toothbrush. Couldn't tell you what chemistry though.

[dennis]

The base has a slot to allow it to be removed but its to recycle the battery. It breaks the coil which is also in the base. IME the seal goes on the shaft way before the battery. Then it leaks and the insides corrode stopping it working well. Maybe a squirt of WD40 every week will make the seal last longer than the battery?

[Andy Burns]

Mine has a large slot in the base where you can insert and twist e.g a

10p coin to remove the battery for re-cycling ... it DOES warn that making use of this slot apparently cracks the whole toothbrush case into two rendering it useless.

[OG]

Can only comment on my -1th Braun that needed a little TLC and a bit more DIY after a tumble into the bathtub. Opening the base gave access to the cells and the circuit board. Solder fixed the damage to the latter and it re-charged fine for a coouple more years.

A replacement was bought only when the cost of the replacement + 4 heads was not much more than the cost of 4 heads by themselves.

[John]

Push the spindle in as you twist the base - it releases a bayonet.

[Reentrant]

There are videos on Youtube showing how to replace the battery on a Braun/OralB. Ours took a 4/5 NiMH tabbed cell. You do have to be a bit careful with the induction coil but it was quite an easy job - say 10 minutes. I put some vaseline inside the shaft and it seems fine.

But before I realised the battery could be changed we'd bought another toothbrush unit when they were very cheap at Argos. One charges in a spare bedroom and we swap when the one in the bathroom when it goes flat. That solves our buzzing-razor-adapter problem.

[Tinkerer]

I have a dual 110v/230v one which appears to be Homebase own brand and has never hummed. Regularly used for both my electric razor and toothbrush for at least 10 years now.

[Steve Firth]

Air freshener?

Eat fewer onions?

[Pete Zahut]

Like it :-)

[John]

My house has a Legrand - fitted in 1988. Toothbrush is always plugged in except when I charge my 110v Razor. No hum and it is on plasterboard.

[rowehistory56]

The charger socket will get hot, as it is only designed for short for the time it takes to shave. MK now have a combined toothbrush/shaver charger.

[Tim Watts]

Do you have any evidence for that?

All my empirical evidence says they don't care if you run then 12 hours flat out with a charger on.

To the OP - they have to have an isolating transformer in to meet regulations for bathroom installation so they will all hum.

I suspect better makes like GET (Schneider) or Crabtree will hum less.

[F]

Not here it doesn't.

And you're replying to a 5.5 year old post.

[Brian Gaff]

Why has it taken nearly six years to get this far in this argument one wonders. Could it be that all the people testing their ideas have # themselves. Comment. I do not see what the point of an isolating transformer is in these sockets, as you can presumably still get a heck of a belt off live mains to neutral should you do something really silly. Also, as there are now apparently two different pin sizes and spacing for shaver and charging devices running at the same time, none of the outlets is in any way firm when something is plugged into them, as it caters for both, and probably the American style flat pin plugs with no shroud as well. Also, of course, in some places, notably hotel rooms there is often a wash basin, and sockets in that room of the 13a type into which people plug shaver adaptors, often not even fused with no earth or isolation.

To me the whole situation is a muddle and really its surprising if it really is dangerous, that the body count has not reached epidemic proportions by now.. :-) Brian

[Andy Burns]

You'd have to touch both pins on the isolated side, rather than just the live if it wasn't isolated. Additionally you'd have to be trying hard to get different limbs in contact with different pins for the best chance of a lethal shock.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Not true.

[charles]

there could well be a thermal (auto resettable) cutout inside.

[Mr Macaw]

Open the unit and remove the transformer, simple.

Or clean your teeth in the kitchen where there are plenty non humming sockets.

[alan_m]

Why should a good quality transformer hum? You can get a hum from poor quality transformers when the multi-plate cores vibrate but often these can be silenced by sticking the plates together with varnish etc.