Okay, let's start out with the easy part; the one I can actually answer right now. The screws on the AC adapter, or transformer as you called it, are security screws, meant to make it harder to take it apart. The require what's called a U-shaped security driver. The bit for that screwdriver looks like this.
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Okay, let's start out with the easy part; the one I can actually answer right now. The screws on the AC adapter, or transformer as you called it, are security screws, meant to make it harder to take it apart. They require what's called a U-shaped security driver. The bit for that screwdriver looks like this.
[image|2924961]
If it turns out to be necessary to open the AC adapter, that's what you'd need to get, but at this point I don't think it'll be needed.
So your epilator runs on a 12VDC power plug and that seems to be giving you problems. It's not at all uncommon for a cord like that, one that has to be plugged in while in use, to eventually fray and stop working correctly. So I think our next step is to try and figure out whether it's the cord or the epilator plug that is having the problem; either one is a distinct possibility.
I'd probably start by looking at the cord. Unplug it from the epilator (I assume it unplugs, doesn't it?) and look carefully at the wires where they come out of the jack. That's the point at which they get bent the most, and therefore the first place the wires will fail if they're going to.
If you have a voltmeter that would be ideal. You can put the positive lead inside the barrel and hold or clip the negative lead to the outside of the barrel. Plug the AC adapter in and verify you're getting 12 volts. Now, while you're holding the voltmeter contacts steady on the plug, wiggle the wire back and forth, up and down, and around and around. If you see the volts cutting out as you do that, then you've most likely found the source of the problem.
If it looks like the plug has gone bad, you'll need to replace it. You've got a couple of options here; you can either just buy a whole new AC adapter and call it good, or if you can determine the size of the plug you need, you can simply buy a replacement plug and wire it in yourself. Note that it will probably require soldering to do so, although not always depending on what kind of replacement plug you get; some of them can be connected by crimping.
If you can't find anything wrong with the plug, then we'll have to look at the jack inside the epilator. So take a good look at the plug and let us know what you find.
Okay, let's start out with the easy part; the one I can actually answer right now. The screws on the AC adapter, or transformer as you called it, are security screws, meant to make it harder to take it apart. The require what's called a U-shaped security driver. The bit for that screwdriver looks like this.
[image|2924961]
If it turns out to be necessary to open the AC adapter, that's what you'd need to get, but at this point I don't think it'll be needed.
So your epilator runs on a 12VDC power plug and that seems to be giving you problems. It's not at all uncommon for a cord like that, one that has to be plugged in while in use, to eventually fray and stop working correctly. So I think our next step is to try and figure out whether it's the cord or the epilator plug that is having the problem; either one is a distinct possibility.
I'd probably start by looking at the cord. Unplug it from the epilator (I assume it unplugs, doesn't it?) and look carefully at the wires where they come out of the jack. That's the point at which they get bent the most, and therefore the first place the wires will fail if they're going to.
If you have a voltmeter that would be ideal. You can put the positive lead inside the barrel and hold or clip the negative lead to the outside of the barrel. Plug the AC adapter in and verify you're getting 12 volts. Now, while you're holding the voltmeter contacts steady on the plug, wiggle the wire back and forth, up and down, and around and around. If you see the volts cutting out as you do that, then you've most likely found the source of the problem.
If it looks like the plug has gone bad, you'll need to replace it. You've got a couple of options here; you can either just buy a whole new AC adapter and call it good, or if you can determine the size of the plug you need, you can simply buy a replacement plug and wire it in yourself. Note that it will probably require soldering to do so, although not always depending on what kind of replacement plug you get; some of them can be connected by crimping.
If you can't find anything wrong with the plug, then we'll have to look at the jack inside the epilator. So take a good look at the plug and let us know what you find.