One Tech Tip: How to repair an electric toothbrush

abcnews.go.com:

Toothbrushes used to be simple, powered only by your hand so they never broke down

LONDON — Toothbrushes used to be simple, powered only by your hand so they never broke down. Nowadays, rechargeable electric toothbrushes are increasingly popular because they make brushing easier and more effective, but they are a headache when they stop working properly.

Inside an electric toothbrush’s waterproof housing is a battery that powers a tiny motor which rapidly rotates or vibrates a replaceable brush head. The batteries are usually rechargeable but don't last forever. The question of their longevity, and toothbrush repairability as a whole, is the subject of many online forums.

If you’ve ever owned one, you’ve probably noticed recharging intervals becoming more and more frequent. At some point you might decide to throw it out, adding to the world’s growing pile of electronic waste.

But all is not lost. You can pay someone else to repair it, or — with some online help — do it yourself. Here are some pointers:

According to the manufacturers, the answer is usually no. They warn people against disassembling the devices, saying it's dangerous or that it will void the warranty. But that doesn't mean you can't do it yourself, repair advocates say.

You can find websites and YouTube channels devoted to showing people how to fix their battery-powered brushes.

Toothbrush manufacturers will say the devices are not “user serviceable” but it's “blatantly untrue,” said Shahram Mokhtari, lead teardown engineer at iFixit, a right-to-repair advocacy group. «Some of these devices have very replaceable batteries,» and in most cases, it's just a matter of getting inside the device and learning how to do a little bit of soldering or taking it