Help: paper shredder dead

[Al]

Our office has an Achiever paper shredder (model 00485) that
doesn't want to shred. When you flip the switch it shows
that it has power, but it won't shred.

Any ideas on what to check or do about this? Thanks.

 

[Chuck Harris]

Most paper shredders have thermal overload switches, or
fuses in the motor. The motors are generally rated for
intermittant duty, something like 1 minute on, 15 minutes
off. If you overheated the unit, it is quite possible the
thermal fuse blew, and now your motor is no more. The easiest
way to test for this is to find the wires on the motor that
connect to the power line when the power switch is on, and
measure them with an ohmmeter. They should be in the 10's
of ohms if this is a small shredder. They definitely shouldn't
be an open circuit.

-Chuck

 

[Al]

Thanks, Chuck. If it is one of these thermal fuses or switches,
is this easily repaired, or are we looking at a new shredder?

And are there brands of shredders that are more forgiving
of continuous use, if that is what caused this problem?
(A dozen or so people here use the shredder, an it won't be
easy to get them all to adhere to the 1-mintue rule.)

 

[Al]

Update: I just learned that this shredder stopped working
after the blade area was found to be jammed-full of paper.
Could that have resulted in overloading a thermal fuse?

 

[Bob Shuman]

Yes. A likely cause....

 

[Chuck Harris]

The brands that are more likely to allow continuous use are those
that cost too much to buy ;-)

If the fuse is in the motor, it is tough, but not impossible to fix,
They usually stuff the fuse through one of the holes in the motor's
iron core, between two windings. They are usually glued in with silicone
rubber "bathtub caulk".

Looking end on to the motor with the shaft sticking out of the page

| |
+----W I N D I N G----+
| X | | X | <--- Thermal sensor at one of the "X"s
--W-- --W--
I I
N N
D SHAFT D
I I
N N
--G-- --G--
| X | | X |
+----W I N D I N G----+
| |

It takes a fair amount of digging, and you run a good risk
of breaking a fine wire, but it can be done (I have done it many
times).

-Chuck