Monday, July 6, 2015

What is inside the electronic hair clipper/trimmer?

Some people call it hair clipper while some others say it's hair trimmer or hair shaver. Whatever the names are the most important thing is made-in China hair clipper is very cheap cost around RM18 to RM30 compare to the one made by established brand like Philips cost around RM150 to RM200++. We are completely aware the Philips brand is a good quality but at the same time feeling grateful there is cheap product like this to provide us the opportunity to try whether or not this kind of device is suitable for personal use.

The first one I have was the Walux purchased from Supersave store at a price of RM32. Since then I am doing my hair cut at home considering that I have to pay, wait, and sometimes getting unwanted haircut at the saloon or barbershop. It did me good and the machine lasted for more than two years until it eventually starting to produce loud annoying noise. Tried to fix it by adjusting the hook of the cutter blade but no success - so decided to keep it aside and get a new one.





The second one I bought called Pritech a little bit different in design and it comes with lever adjuster. However it didn't last long and in only just two weeks it started to get the loud noise like the first one. I didn't have much regret because the price was just around RM19 and it was worth to try. At least now I know the cheaper Pritech brand is bad and keep that one aside as well.



Currently I have the third one the same brand (Walux) as the first - but this time the motor is much more powerful than the previous and I can feel by hands vibrating when using it. So far I've been using it a couple of times including cutting my friends hair no problem.



Looking back at the two faulty units - I was thinking of what to do with it. There is possibility it can be fixed but the hook adjustment has to be precised as it original was and by there is no sign what caused the loud vibrating noise making it difficult to fixed. So I've decided to open it and have a look electronic structure inside the casing - to my surprise it's actually very simple design. There is no other electronic component other than the on/off switch, cable, and the electromagnetic vibrating motor. I thought there would at least motor start capacitor to provide stable current into the magnetic motor but none. No capacitors, diode, resistors, IC, whatsoever.





The simplicity of the electronic component is incredible where the wattage of current used is only determine by the coil turn of the winding copper wire in the magnetic motor. Two separating metal plate where one is connected to the copper winding coil to produce the magnetic pull while the other metal plate will vibrate when current is turned on.

Brilliant simple piece electronic engineering - it is no wonder they can sell it so cheap. I believe similar components such as beard shaver, side burnt trimmers, etc are made using the same concept except the smaller version using small dynamo motor. Now the question is I am wondering what is the Philips vibrating motor looks like inside - is it the same as the China made hair clipper machine? If that is the case then it's way too overpriced.

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