Need help with a repair project

@DMlivezey I've replaced things like a water valve on the washing machine and the fan in my desktop. i don't solder though.

@ACraigL Meh doesn't have a replacement, and I have to pay to ship a giant 8 lb box to Connecticut to get it fixed. I just had this issue with a Monster speaker, and I had to pay half what I paid for it to ship it and am not happy about doing it again. Plus I'm incredibly pissed off at Waring for boxing up a partially assembled device and not taking care of it. I generally don't order anything online unless I'm willing to eat the cost, and this is why.

@sammydog01 well if meh took it back and you got a refund, wouldn't that plus what you would of spent to send it to waring make enough $ to get a new one ?

@ceagee Actually no- they seem to sell for about $60. But this is no longer about the money- it's about pride.

@carl669

There is nothing directly behind the hole either. I would have to take it apart to see if there are wires hanging loose. but I don't think it's just the actual flippy part that is missing.

@sammydog01 well, if you're not going to be sending it back, i'd say start taking it apart to see what's in there. maybe you'll get lucky and just need the toggle switch. it looks like that runs about $10-20 depending on which one you need.

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/waring-switches-ps-120019-85.html

@carl669 Well, crap, that costs more than the shipping. They also gave me the option of driving it 90 miles to Washington, DC. If it was a nice drive in the country maybe, but no thanks.

@sammydog01 you can probably go to a local store and get a toggle switch as well.

@cinoclav No refund, but they say they will give me a refund if I break it trying to fix it. The nut is there on the outside, but something does clunk inside, so maybe it just needs to be attached. I have removed all the screws I could find, and this thing won't come apart. I'll try again after dinner. Thanks!

@sammydog01 Did you try to completely loosen the nut that's holding the whatever that thing that it's around then try to pull that thing out? You would then have a hole that you could possibly fish out the toggle switch if it really is inside the unit.

@Barney What we're seeing is the remnants of a switch with the toggle broken off. The switch body itself is larger.

@sammydog01 This should be a pretty straightforward repair once you disassemble the body to get to it. Only unknown is whether the wiring is soldered or quick-connect spade. The switch is most likely a SPST, at least 10A/125V, and 15/32" diameter mount.

@Barney I did unscrew the nut. I thought it might be holding the top on. So now the whole plastic assembly is floating around inside. Oops. Honest, Waring, it came that way. But the hole was way too small to fish anything through. Thanks for the advice.

@sammydog01 This is why I call a repairman. (Yes, I know this isn't worth having to pay a repairman.)

@sammydog01 Do you have any metal rulers or long, thing, straight pieces of metal? Those are great for prying things open.
Also, screws and such can be under stickers, and you should probably break the warranty sticker/seal if you haven't already.
Good luck, and keep us updated!

@narfcake Ooh, quick disconnect spade looks right. I couldn't get the wires pulled off, but I might just need to try harder. It had two with wires connected and a third free. But I don't know about the amperage.

@sammydog01 The two red wires are what's connected to the back half of switch? It looks soldered/shrinkwrapped, not QC.

Don't worry about looking for any ratings on the switch. What does the product label say for wattage? The new switch needs to exceed that.

Switches aren't physically all the same, but that doesn't matter. Electrically, they just need to function alike.

Just to be certain, can you measure the hole the switch was in? If it's not 1/2", plan B!

@stardate820926

Mesmerizing.

@FroodyFrog Just stop these things....my mind...my mind...so...so....just....gone...

@lisaviolet count yourself amongst the lucky...my mind was never there!

@lisaviolet @mikibell

(Originally, I was only going to post that 3rd one, but then the first 2 caught my eyes)

@FroodyFrog Stop it or you'll be sent to your room without supper and internet!

@sammydog01 You're SO close! Why aren't you going to go ahead and put a new switch in?

@therealjrn Are all switches the same? I don't want it to set on fire. Or something like that.

@sammydog01 No, not all the same. Is there a part number or any writing on the switch?

@sammydog01 Can you get a broken model cheaply somewhere else and take the switch from that if the cost of a replacement switch from the manufacturer is too much?

@therealjrn I didn't see anything on the switch. I put it back together before I lost all of the screws.

@dashcloud That's a good idea, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. If the cost estimator from UPS is accurate it's about $16 to ship it back. Then they will have to fix it and ship it back to me. At least Waring will suffer too.

@sammydog01 I'd almost guarantee something like the switch that I linked to on Amazon above would work. Personally, I'd go that route before shipping it back.

@cinoclav OK, I'll take it apart again tomorrow and see if I can find any writing on the broken parts. Thanks!

@sammydog01 While you have it apart see if we can't put a bigger motor in there. Moar power is ALWAYS better! We could probably trick it out with some nice LED lights and have some lasers shooting out the back! I would say we need to put a custom flame paint job on it too but I wouldn't want it to be too tacky.

@sammydog01 Alternatively you could send it to me and I'll fix and pimp it out for you. Your choice.

@sammydog01 PS - 90 miles to dc, you say? If you're on the eastern shore, you can just come on by for repairs!

@sammydog01 That is a good question - where are you located? If you're close enough, I can help.

@therealjrn I found this motor on Craigslist- will it work?

@placeholder @cinoclav I live in Richmond, VA, wrong direction from the eastern shore unfortunately. But thanks for the offer!

@sammydog01 A slight bit overkill, methinks ...

@narfcake Pish! One can never have too much power.

@sammydog01 Also the wrong direction from me outside of Philly. Ah well, I would've worked for snow cones.

@cinoclav Where abouts? I'm guessing I'm pretty near-ish to you.

@ACraigL Live in Havertown, work in Salem, NJ.

@sammydog01 I'm sending our corporate trainer to Richmond, VA next week but I don't think he would have any idea how to help you haha

@stardate820926 I hope he's not taking the bus- they just shot up the station.

I'm with @brhfl - you've done all the hard part. Now all you need is a SPST (single pole, single throw) toggle switch that can handle 120Vac at the amperage the machine draws and fits in the hole. If you still have a radio shack they'll have one. If not, you can try other electronic stores, maybe auto parts stores (just watch that the switch is not rated for 12v only), maker collectives, or even hit up a thrift shop and look for something cheap (a lamp or old appliance maybe) with a similar switch.

The important parts are the power the switch is rated to handle and the size of the mounting hole required.

Imagine the satisfaction of having fixed it all by yourself.

@djslack @brhfl You guys talked me into it. I'll give it a shot and make sure to use it outside with a fire extinguisher handy.

@sammydog01 You'll be fine. The way this is switched (one leg), there's little chance of it being an issue.

I'll sketch something up a little later that may help you.

@Dr_Jim @sammydog01 This is the exact one i was going to recommend as well. A switch that can handle 20a AC will handle anything that snow cone maker can throw at it. For what it's worth, i just recently installed the quick disconnect version of this switch on a power distribution box and they work great.

@Dr_Jim Whenever replacing a toggle switch, always get a replacement with an illuminated "missile switch cover", it's cooler that way:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11310

@awk That's only rated for DC; no can do here.

@narfcake Damn you Tesla!

@narfcake Oops! Well for the record they have a cover and a LED-less regular switch (listed separately).
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9278

@narfcake I concur - it looks like the switch can snap back together.

@narfcake @kc5rbq. It really does look like it snaps together. I'll give it a try this weekend- I got distracted.

@sammydog01 I have a rotary switch I'd be happy to send you if it meets your machine's specs. It's rated 6a at 125v and 3a at 250v. Not as cool as the illuminated missile switch, but you could get a badass knob for it....

@rv617 Thanks, I'll keep that in mind if I trash this switch.

@Kidsandliz Dang . . . I could fix a pallet of TVs in my spare time and I even have a garage to put them in. Now if I could get Meh to send me something broken to fix and prove myself worthy.
stands ready with a van full of tools and "helping hands" solder stand

@Kidsandliz Doesn't really matter if you can never manage to win a fuku...

@sammydog01 And how the hell did I change the font in the middle of a post?

@sammydog01 Good luck!

@sammydog01 As it didn't hold, ditch that switch.

Do you have some wire nuts? As this switch has pigtails, you wouldn't have to resolder the connection; just cut, strip, and reconnect.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-8-Amp-Single-Pole-Toggle-Switch-GSW-18/100141285

It doesn't matter which wire goes to which. The existing switch functions as a SPST anyways.

@sammydog01 from what i can see that looks like the plastic paddle on the bottom of the switch lever should sweep across the metal contactor (seesaw piece) to push the other end down when you flip the switch. The ball should be the axis of rotation for the lever, held in place by the black cover piece. So the lever shouldn't be glued to anything, but the cover may need to be glued to the switch box.

You should be able to mock it up by holding it together in your hand and operate the switch.

@sammydog01 More back-of-receipt sketches.

@sammydog01 Sweet! Now it's snow cone time! And you now know more about switches than you possibly ever cared to :)

@djslack Well, at least more than I used to know. Thanks for the help.

@sammydog01 Congrats!! Well done!!