Thermolysis coax cords keep breaking, how to fix?

[Cherryl]

My thermolysis (hair removal using RF) cords break down where the coax cable is soldered to the probe holder. The other end is connected to the machine with a bnc connector. The probe holder consists of a small solid metal rod which houses the probe. I would like to try to fix it myself, but wonder if the 2 wires must be soldered separately to avoid a short. It doesn't look possible to do this. Some help would be great!

 

[shrtrnd]

My input is that you are correct, the two wires need to be connected separately to prevent a short.
Is there a Brand Name and Model Number on the unit?
It might help us better suggest a possible solution if we can look it up.

 

[dave9]

The first thing to try is heating the probe holder and evacuating the solder out of it, whether by solder wick, solder sucker, or gently grasping with pliers and vigorously shaking or tapping it upside down against a hard surface.

I don't know exactly how these RF hair removers work, am assuming the holder is just a mechanical connection so there's nothing active inside to worry about overheating, though potentially a plastic insulating sleeve you still don't want to overheat.

If the plastic handle portion is an overmold, you may have to replace it, though with some skill might be able to drill it out, then can slip new wire in and epoxy it all back together. Another alternative is pick a new handle material, perhaps the body of a ball point pen, or a piece of dowel rod, or PVC plumbing pipe, or 3D print it, or ...

I wonder if the manufacturer sells a replacement cord/wand.

 

[73's de Edd]

MME Cheryl . . . . . .
Here's what I am seeing . . . .

There is the shown coaxial connector that connects INTO the " mean machine " and then its being of an unspecified length until it goes into the BLACK hand piece. ( Any chance that hand piece is micro cracked / fractured ? ? ? ? ? . . . . by my viewing limitations.)
And then it enters into the open end of the BLACK hand piece where it goes into the unit probably ~80- 90%.
Now, about the 5 micron gold flashed screw in connector . . . . . I see it as using its threaded portion to screw inside the receiving end of the hand piece.
As for the gold flashed connector . . . . .GOOGLE banana plugs and jacks . . . . to initialize getting your Edd-u-cation on it.
Notice that you are interested in the male version of same and that there is being a deluxe version which has 3-4 multiple spring strip surround bifurcations, such that they will compress in and recover, so as to all FIRMLY grip within the internals of its counterpart female connector.
HOWEVER, yours is being the El Cheapo version which is accomplishing that "snug fit ? " aspect by the slot cut in the length of the male stud , and then it is slightly having the two parts "sprung apart a wee bit " , until it will compress upon insertion within the female connector. ( Until it loosens)
That's permissible . . . if not being plugged in and out frequently OR flexxxxxxed . . . . . . . but being plugged in and left !
Otherwise, you will have a loose and wobbly connector and ? ? ? probability of intermittency ofa good electrical connection.
A temporary . . . .card carrying, certified Red Neck . . . . fix is a re-micro-spread of the two connector halve ends.

Now for that connector end, I am seeing it NOT going into an O-FUSH-ULL Banana female connector, but into a CUSTOM shaped tiplet with a hole of the size of a banana connector within it for entering maybe a required depth of 3/4 inch.
With that tiplet, also being Gold flashed . . . . . .by virtue of due consideration of germicidal contamination or infection being considered.

Now back to the coax . . . . .

Figure that the coax will be stripped of its outer black plastic insulation and its surround braided shield, down to the pictures condition . . . .but doing a NEATER peripheral cut off of the braid !
Then, this routes thru the receiving end of the handle and you then go up close to the end of the coax shield and cut away the white poly insulation to expose the bare center wire which is what is carrying your RF energy.
Then, that now much shorter wire end gets . . . .(probably bent at a 90 degree angle and cilpped off 1/8 in long at the factory ) . . . . butt soldered onto the very end of that banana plug.( See the old solder tinning deposit)
Basically the outer coax shielding does its shielding function of that active inner single copper wire up to its cut off, then there is about a 1/4 -1/2 inch run of that white poly insulated single copper wire, until its insulation is cut off and exposing the remaining ~ 1/4 in of wire with its a 90 degree end bend for butt soldering.


Now my suspicion, if this unit gets a WHOLE lots of COMMERCIAL business use, is that the looseness of the coaxial cable within the handle and with an impending 1,376 and 11/73rds flexures AND / OR PULLS . . . . . has that wire breaking off at the solder point.

PROBABLE SOLUTION . . . .

Repair the cable handle connection and then wedge in and break off toothpicks at the coax input end****** , that will then take away all " cable flopping " AND any cable in and out PULL stress within the handle.

If also having a problematic loosening of the split banana plug connector, upgrade to the deluxe one, and not particularly worrying IF a gold flashed version is not available , as, with the attachment being gold flashed, fulfills the more critical " flesh contact " aspect.

Now . . . . .is this not being your units situation ?

******
Unless you are having a weakened . . . . . split / fractured hand piece


Pee Ess . . . . . viewed work surface mini tiles / grout surfaces need a good surgical scrubbing and germicidal treatment..

Thaaaaaaaaassit . . . . . .


73's de Edd . . . . .

It wasn't COVID . . . but . . . . my friend just had the 24 hour bug . . . . but was gone for a full three days . . . . now . . . . . go figure that !

 

[Cherryl]

Good suggestions. I can buy a new one for $70, but maybe those days are over. I opened up the black probe holder which answered the question I had. The wire mesh just gets cut off like 73's Ed said and then the centre wire soldered to the plug and that's where it breaks. I can try re-soldering but hey, banana plugs sound way better if there's one that can accept the probe and tighten it. I'll try to solder this one. But something else. I bought a T5-600 Fluke by mistake needing a new multimeter and playing around with it, I found that it can read my machine's RF output! I've always wondered what it was because our intensity selector is just a number from 1 - 10. I find that if touch my skin with the probe activated while holding the Fluke, it registers 1 - 15 v depending on rheostat setting. I'm really shocked!!

 

[Cherryl]

MME Cheryl . . . . . .
Here's what I am seeing . . . .

There is the shown coaxial connector that connects INTO the " mean machine " and then its being of an unspecified length until it goes into the BLACK hand piece. ( Any chance that hand piece is micro cracked / fractured ? ? ? ? ? . . . . by my viewing limitations.)
And then it enters into the open end of the BLACK hand piece where it goes into the unit probably ~80- 90%.
Now, about the 5 micron gold flashed screw in connector . . . . . I see it as using its threaded portion to screw inside the receiving end of the hand piece.
As for the gold flashed connector . . . . .GOOGLE banana plugs and jacks . . . . to initialize getting your Edd-u-cation on it.
Notice that you are interested in the male version of same and that there is being a deluxe version which has 3-4 multiple spring strip surround bifurcations, such that they will compress in and recover, so as to all FIRMLY grip within the internals of its counterpart female connector.
HOWEVER, yours is being the El Cheapo version which is accomplishing that "snug fit ? " aspect by the slot cut in the length of the male stud , and then it is slightly having the two parts "sprung apart a wee bit " , until it will compress upon insertion within the female connector. ( Until it loosens)
That's permissible . . . if not being plugged in and out frequently OR flexxxxxxed . . . . . . . but being plugged in and left !
Otherwise, you will have a loose and wobbly connector and ? ? ? probability of intermittency ofa good electrical connection.
A temporary . . . .card carrying, certified Red Neck . . . . fix is a re-micro-spread of the two connector halve ends.

Now for that connector end, I am seeing it NOT going into an O-FUSH-ULL Banana female connector, but into a CUSTOM shaped tiplet with a hole of the size of a banana connector within it for entering maybe a required depth of 3/4 inch.
With that tiplet, also being Gold flashed . . . . . .by virtue of due consideration of germicidal contamination or infection being considered.

Now back to the coax . . . . .

Figure that the coax will be stripped of its outer black plastic insulation and its surround braided shield, down to the pictures condition . . . .but doing a NEATER peripheral cut off of the braid !
Then, this routes thru the receiving end of the handle and you then go up close to the end of the coax shield and cut away the white poly insulation to expose the bare center wire which is what is carrying your RF energy.
Then, that now much shorter wire end gets . . . .(probably bent at a 90 degree angle and cilpped off 1/8 in long at the factory ) . . . . butt soldered onto the very end of that banana plug.( See the old solder tinning deposit)
Basically the outer coax shielding does its shielding function of that active inner single copper wire up to its cut off, then there is about a 1/4 -1/2 inch run of that white poly insulated single copper wire, until its insulation is cut off and exposing the remaining ~ 1/4 in of wire with its a 90 degree end bend for butt soldering.


Now my suspicion, if this unit gets a WHOLE lots of COMMERCIAL business use, is that the looseness of the coaxial cable within the handle and with an impending 1,376 and 11/73rds flexures AND / OR PULLS . . . . . has that wire breaking off at the solder point.

PROBABLE SOLUTION . . . .

Repair the cable handle connection and then wedge in and break off toothpicks at the coax input end****** , that will then take away all " cable flopping " AND any cable in and out PULL stress within the handle.

If also having a problematic loosening of the split banana plug connector, upgrade to the deluxe one, and not particularly worrying IF a gold flashed version is not available , as, with the attachment being gold flashed, fulfills the more critical " flesh contact " aspect.

Now . . . . .is this not being your units situation ?

******
Unless you are having a weakened . . . . . split / fractured hand piece


Pee Ess . . . . . viewed work surface mini tiles / grout surfaces need a good surgical scrubbing and germicidal treatment..

Thaaaaaaaaassit . . . . . .


73's de Edd . . . . .

It wasn't COVID . . . but . . . . my friend just had the 24 hour bug . . . . but was gone for a full three days . . . . now . . . . . go figure that !

[deluxe version which has 3-4 multiple spring strip surround bifurcations, such that they will compress in and recover, so as to all FIRMLY grip within the internals of its counterpart female connector.]

Aside from being entertaining and at first confusing read, you nailed it. (from now on, germicidal scrubbing when using a mag-light for photos .) So the base of the probe that get's inserted into the female end is 1/2". If I find a banana plug that accommodates this with "bifurcations", there would have to be a way to secure a plastic cap and shield the unit. But since the probe get's replaced constantly, friction fit would be not be good. The probe holder part, as it is, is not problematic, but a hybrid with the banana plug would be the answer.

Sorry about your friend