I come back to this video every 3 years or so, to re-learn how to swap out the batteries for my wife's Braun 8850. I've referenced this video at least three times now over the course of a decade, and the process still works just fine. Thank you!
Outstanding CZcams presentation! You should be a technical writer for complex military or scientific equipment maintenance! I did that for 40 years and must say your work is exemplary.
I would like to express my thanks to you for this video. The movie is crystal clear, I can see exactly what you are doing. My wife has two of these toothbrush units and they both need replacement batteries. I will give this procedure a try because I really like repairing devices instead of throwing them away.
I have used this model Type 4736 over 15 years. Now I replace the battery just follow your video shared. It works continue. May be another 15-year more. So, I am impressed made in Germany. Thanks for your sharing.
I don't mind that you're not a great de-solderer. The video was informational, and the patience displayed and the eloquent speech was a pleasure to watch, listen, learn and follow. Most of all you gave me the courage to go and do it. Original replacement battery was 5.95 USD on ebay. I went ahead and ordered a slightly longer battery for 10USD, because I know how to make it fit. Thank you, Sir.
Luke Henton I have the Oral-B Pro 3000 (annoying because of more de-soldering points such as the resistance light and alternative brushing modes switch). Inside the battery compartment, you can see that it will fit a longer battery (about 6mm longer) but they've literally heightened the plastic tabs in order to prevent a shorter battery from bumping around. I plan on melting those tabs away to fit a longer battery. So yes, minimal because its just the soldering iron to the plastic. I'm not quite sure what another guy commenting here was thinking with a thicker battery; that would be more of a major modification IMO. UPDATE: When I received the new battery I realized that the battery size I needed was 14mm diameter not 17. It was too thick to do what I originally planned. So I had to forgo the entire white plastic battery holder, and used electric tape where metal contacts were exposed to eachother. The battery was also so long that I had to shave some of the plastic connecting the recharging coil. After putting everything back together I was disappointed it didn't charge. I opened it up again and found that one side of the charging coil wire had broken, so I undid a loop (to obtain more wire) and soldered it back to its contact. Snipped off the excess and put it back together. It works great! It would've been easier had I gotten a 49x14 instead, but I wasn't going to order a new battery and wait another week and a half.
I was transfixed watching you; I admire your patience and tenacity, and the spirit of mending things rather than throwing them away! That said, it's all utterly beyond me, sadly, and I won't even try mending the dead toothbrush of mine! 😀
I just completed the replacement of the first of two batteries. It went flawlessly, thanks to your thorough video. i found the hardest part was snipping the battery terminals to size, but I soon developed a technique with a sharp pair of scissors. By the way, those little black things that you were afraid of losing stay very secure if you leave the spring on the base. Thanks again for a great job.
Brilliant, good as new after a 30 minute replacement job. One comment though I thought the whole of the base turned to remove but it's just the very centre... my first thought was that I had broken it at the very start, after that it was a breeze to replace. Many thanks for saving me money!
Thanks for this great tutorial! Unfortunately I am totally inept at soldering but fortunately my Braun suddenly came back to life after I had opened it up and fiddled with the on/off switch. I'm happy!
Thanks very much for the video. I found that the entire circuit board can be snapped out (very carefully) from the plastic housing making it much easier to de-solder the battery tabs. The fine copper wires can be removed from the plastic holder (very gently - they are super fragile) so the end piece can just flop over, out of the way. Then release the circuit board from the end near the base and it swings out of the plastic battery holder. Be sure to slid the motor base into the tabs of the plastic part before re-soldering the tabs on the circuit board when you're done with the battery. When I first put it all together, the charging light was blinking red, so I dis-aseembled it again and checked my solder joints. One wasn't up to snuff so it was re-heated. All is well now and the green light is blinking. Thanks again for helping to rid the world of e-waste (if even for a few more years). Be sure to recycle your old battery properly. Cheers!
THANK YOU!!! I Fixed my TOOTHBRUSH!! I didn't even need to replace the battery, just took it apart and put it back together (although the base got put in backwards) it actually charges now!!
Thanks for sharing this video. I've been meaning to clean the area where the brush head goes in and just couldn't figure out how to open the darn thing. Now i know.
Thanks for the video! Just fixed my 2006 era Type 4736 (same as in video). The hardest bit for me was clipping the new battery's terminals to size (a better tool would have helped, but scissors was all I had). One of the terminals ended up snapping off after I threaded it through the small aperture in the plastic batt compartment, so I ended up soldering a salvaged terminal from the old batt directly onto the new batt! Worked OK! My tips: - you don't need pliers to take the seal off the top; strong fingers/thumbs will do and less likely to damage it. - you can use the charging base to help screw/unscrew the bottom cap; perfect shape. - I bought 42 x 17mm battery from eBay seller "componentshopcouk" for £3.50. Cheapest I've found in UK.
Very nice video. Followed your instructions and it worked! In my case, though, I had to cut the joints of the battery since I could not remove the soldering. Cut them and placed the new battery contacts on top of the old ones. No problem. It worked like a charm. Thank you again for this explanatory guide :)
Really insightful and informative. Really bad that companies make it such a pain to replace the battery. I wish I could just send it off somewhere to get the battery replaced. Well done for posting this video though..
If you paid attention to him mate he said he did Not have a de-soldering tool, i also have one the same n the battery died after less than two tears use yet my old one the battery is still good after at least 10 years are these batteries the same as AA batteries but a little fatter? as i got some ENELOOP AA n they are about the best recharcgables i ever used, they are 2450 Milliamps minimum they come fully charged n they hold their charge forever almost loosing at most 20% after a year stored by the way many thanks mate for posting good job
Thanks for the instructional video it was very thorough. I got the battery from Ebay (A-OK-Battery) for $27AUD which equates to 13Quid. Started first go, hopefully no problems after full charge.
Thank you for this great video! The replacement was not worth the time and parts, but it was indeed fun! My unit was about 16 years old when I decided it needed a new battery :D
I have a 10+ year-old Braun Professional and it is finally losing capacity. I've opened it up and it's all the same as this one but the battery is smaller (14mm diam= 4/5AA, not 17mm = 4/5A) so I'll order one of those instead and try it. Great video! Very clear, thanks.
Hey PolyPathUK, Fumbling around I would have messed up somewhere along the line, but with your video, it was a breeze. Thx, now it will live even as the rubber wears off. Good Video!
Seems like everybody happy with the tutorial. It's like Mike said... complicated and needs all the tool like a solder. Bit of a hustle. I've got the same model which I've used for 10 years now. Maybe it's time for an upgrade! Thanks for the nice vid!
I found a shop called Battery world - looks like they will have what I need and have shops everywhere. Once I realised that the 4/5A means 4/5 of the size of an A battery it made it easier to source! I thought it was amps at first...
My Compliments and respect for the demonstrator, obviously he is a skilled electrician with access to lot of tools. This is not doable by an ordinary person like me. Clearly BrAun deliberately made it so hard.
Video at 7:41, with the 3D in the vice, has a good closeup of the charger coil wires. One wire broke free while I was removing the old battery. There are 4 wires coming from the charge coil and all 3 posts had a wire. That picture shows the second post, nearest to the battery, on the side with two posts, appears to have two wires connected. I stripped, tinned, and soldered the broken wire to that post. After I installed the new battery and re-assembled the 3D and put it on the charger the charging light came on. THANK YOU.
This is the best video I've seen on this. If I had a half dozen to practice on I might reach a level of skill where I could do it myself. For those of us who have 10 thumbs, you can find electric toothbrushes on Ebay that use ordinary replaceable AA cells. They are listed as Braun JAPAN Electric Toothbrush Tooth Brush Pluck control DB4510NE for $17.99 US.
when using the desoldering braid (the copper braided) use some flux on the braid where you are going to suck up solder... the solder will flow into it much easier...less heat / time....
Hi. Just did two Braun toothbrushes Model 4729 and 3756. Model 3756 can take a larger 49 by 14mm battery and is a bit more work as has the pressure sensor and coil wires to be de- soldered before gaining access to the battery. Working a treat and is like new again.
I had had mine for ten (pro longer) years, it still works, but I can tell is losing power. Thank you for this video. Things don't last as long as they used to. I can tell by the video, mine is going in the garbage when it dies ;)
Firstly, FU to companies like this, who develop and produce devices specifically to need replacement prematurely. However, this model is actually pretty damn impressive. 10 long years I used it. Perhaps I got an unusually virile battery in mine. I'm sure that's not what these greedy fakkers intended. Finally though, the battery has soiled its trousers. Time to take it apart and follow this fellows instructions.
I have had mine for 14 years, and the battery has finally died. I am a tooth brushing freak. Don't know if this toothbrush is the reason, or not,but I have ONE filling in my mouth, and I am 54 yrs. old! Gonna replace this battery as soon as I buy that soldering tool.. It is way cool!
Nice video. I used it to replace the battery in my slightly older model. I just had trouble putting the bottom back on. I pressed and turned the center section but had to press the outside ring in fully.
Guys, our Braun toothbrush had been getting worse and worse, until recently it was just so slow, even after, like, 24 hours on charge, that it wasn't worth using anymore. Saw this video a year or so ago and thought "forget about it - too difficult!!". It must be a good 10 years old. When I put it on the charger the light on the toothbrush was only coming on extremely faintly. Anyway the other day I saw one in the supermarket at half price (£20 in UK) so said "fuck it, let's get it". To cut a long story short, the next day, something told me to put the old brush on the new charging base (maybe to see if it fitted?) and I immediately noticed the light was on bright!!! So left it on charge overnight, and, hey presto, the next day the old brush was back to spinning super fast like good as new!!!! So it seems the problem was with the charging station/base, not the battery. This could be worth trying before you attempt this super fiddly battery change. Maybe you can take your brush to a friend's house and see if it works on their charger!? Worth a try I'd say.
Very good guide! Thanx! I did everything perfectly, but only one thing that didn't work out was to put it back in that plastic shell... Damn! It ended with that one of the small copper wires broke off... Lucky me, I have another exactly the same brush, so I'll give it another try.
Many thanks for the video. I succeed with mine even if I ripped the 4 wired when closing the cap (when I remove the screwdriver from the back hole). I weld them back the best as I can and it Worked. For anyone from Canada Quebec, I found a battery RAZ-17 2150 mAh pour 11$ +tx can. at Jonquière in a battery specialize store that fit perfectly.
You don't have to de-solder the 3 bottom wires. leave them alone! Just de-solder the negative battery tab, and the battery will come out. You can also solder in a fatter battery of the same length. But you'll have to modify the battery holder to make it fit.. Great battery life now. Thanks for the video, it helped a lot! original battery size is 42mm x 14mm.
***** I was referring to the bottom part. You still have to desolder the 3 tabs on top, and just the bottom battery tab. That induction coil with the 3 bare wires just swings out of the way. They are very delicate, so be careful.
The dis assembly instructions were wonderful. I used the flux, soldering iron and solder from my stained glass tool box. However, two steps were omitted in the reassembly section. He didn't show replacing the switch lever or the spring, before replacing the final cover.
Yeah, just placing it in the stand and turning works quite well to release the bottom catch. Thanks for the vid. My question after mucking around with this is why don't all charging systems use this style? So much easier than all the various plug in sytems which require metal to metal contact; mobiles, etc.
thanks for the video! unfortunately the charging wires came off the board as soon as I opened it. However, as I was dissembling the whole thing, the battery started getting super warm. So I cracked the whole thing and removed the battery for proper recycling.
my unit came with 2 toothbrushes, (one blue like yours, and one white) and they both are loosing charge quickly, you have the exact same toothbrush as i do, hope it went okay, there is nothing saying it didnt, i just need to go out and find myself a couple of those batteries somewhere. Greetings from Melbourne! Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the explanations and the video. Unfortunately I have a more recent model, quite similar but a bit slimmer than the one shown here, and there is no peg at the bottom of the charger. How do I open the toothbrush then ?
I purchased 2200 Ni-MH from eBay that was 42,5 x 17 mm, as the only I found to be sold. But after I disassamble my brush (No. 4729) I realized it's original battery is 42,5 x 14,1 mm. (No any tech details written on it) It was quite the chalange to fit it into the plastic holder. I used some round file, to ream. So, to warn all other handymen, check your battery dimentions first, before you order replacement. ;)
great how to i bought a new toothbrush because the old one's rubber handle had gone moldy and had massive scrape marks on the side , tbh it's crazy how long i had mine before i finally got round to replacing it
Enjoyed this very much. I am having two problems. - One I snapped each of the four copper wires at the bottom of the toothbrush when I took off the outer sleeve. Second I'm having difficulty finding a battery replacement. I presume that I must now try to re-solder each of the wires back onto the terminals at the bottom - does it matter which wire goes where? Why are there four wires but only three termnals? I've found a 4/5A 1.2V NIMH battery but it measures 43mmx17mm is this measurement critical - I notice that all the adverts I have seen claim that 4/5A means 43mm x 17 mm
Hi, thanks for the great video. I replaced the battery and it was working fine for a while, but now there's a short circuit somewhere, so the toothbrush is just turning on and off by itself. I'm not sure if it has something to do with the battery replacement, since it started several weeks afterwards. Any idea about this kind of an issue? Thanks in advance.
I hate throwing working things away and thanks to you I could power up my toothbrush again. However, I came up with an ugly but more convenient solution. I disconnected the internal battery, which is still inside, and hooked it up to an external AA battery (placed in a holder which I hot glued on the outside). By some reason it's not enough to just put a charged battery in the holder. I still need to put it on the charger for a a few seconds after changing battery. It's like it needs to verify that "Yes, there's a charged battery to suck power from.".
Thanks for posting the video.....at least it gives an idea of what is involved. Very curious that they would have that tab on the back of the charger to enable removing the base. This is obviously not a "user changeable part", yet they provide that tab?????? This is not a huge challenge for any techie. If you live in North America, DigiKey is a great source for the battery.
Poly, I've tried everything to get the main 'plug' to release but to no avail. Any further suggestions? Great video which I hope to follow once I've got my toothbrush open!
Hi, thanks for posting this fix. I just tried to fix mine. Replaced the old battery with the new one. However, once i installed the battery. The toothbrush started running intermittently and does not look like the button is responsive at all. What do you think might have happened. Thanks for the comment...
Bruce Many of the newer models have a specially designed lug on the charging base for disassembly - intended for recycling purposes, but obviously very handy for repairs and battery replacement.
Wish I'd found this video before I started. Sniff. Tooth brush was 17 yrs old. Oxidation and rust inside from water infiltration from aging rubber seal at top. But still.... I,ll be faster on u-tube for my next toothbrush.. :)
Hey PolyPath, great vid mate ! At 8:15, seems like you are using a "knitted" flat threa that would remove the melted solder. Can you please let me know what that is ? Many thks
Thanks for taking the time. It is shameful that we live in such a throw-away society. This is a project that I will tackle in the next available weekend. Did you get the battery online?
I just pulled apart my Braun toothbrush using the awesome instructions in this video - Now I am struggling to find a supplier for the battery. Does anyone know where I can pick one up relatively cheaply in Australia?
A few weeks later, mid-October 2014: It looks as if I successfully replaced the battery on the toothbrush, however I forgot to replace the spring, the metal plate that detaches, and the ring that secures the metal brush holder to the plastic outer body of toothbrush. Also, I applied too much force when trying to screw the charging receptable back in on the bottom of the toothbrush (the part the actually sits in the charging stand.) The plastic part with the 3 wires and what seems to be a bit of a toroid winding separated from the outer ring. I am not sure how to re-align the parts. The toothbrush sits askew when placed on the charging stand, the front of it is at an angle. However, the new battery does seem to be charging. I will see if it charges "full up" and if so, I will disassemble the unit enough to try and reinstall the missing parts and the bottom charging connection of the toothbrush properly.
I expect it's there for a reason! You might be able to solder it on again - gently scrape the varnish off the end of wire else you may not get a conductive joint.
hi! i have the exact same toothbrush and tried to replace with the exact same battery, the toothbrush was working but the power switch didnt work and got heat up very much to a point that smoke come of it. do you have any idea whats wrong?
Thanks for the video, its great. I tried to replace mine, almost finished, but I managed to tear two of the copper wires... I would like to fix it. There are four wires coming from the induction charger, and there are only 3 ports on the circuit board. Can you tell me or show me in what order they connect to the board? Is there one extra just hanging there without being connected? Thank you for the help in advance.
Kiss Gábor Hi, 2 of the wires go to middle port. Remaining 2 to the others at the outer sides. I hope you have the wires at both ends still available for soldering correctly. You can find out by lengths, visually under a microscope comparing the ends as I sometimes do or use an Ohmmeter to find out two windings and use one from each while observing the correct winding directions. One other way is put the coil on the base and measure the Voltages (should be additive).
My problem isn't with the battery. A new replacement brush no longer "clicks" when it is put on the handle and nearly comes off in use. Is it time for a new Braun Oral-B Professional Care Toothbrush?
No. It's a Nickel Cadmium battery - it might work but it's almost half the capacity of a 2100mAh NiMH battery. It won't last as many charging cycles either. NiMH batteries can be charged or “topped-up” at any time without affecting battery life. In order to achieve optimum performance from NiCd batteries, they must be fully discharged before recharging. Unlike NiCd batteries, NiMH has no Memory Effect.
Hi, I just changed battery in my toothbrush to AA eneloop (fitted perfectly, my old battery was also 1.2V, but 1100mAh). It charges correctly, but motor won't start, just as in your video. Will it be fixed automaticly after full charge? I think I resoldered it fine.
***** nah.. tried that. you can't use eneloop in this toothbrush for some reasons. I have tried with 2 different batch of eneloops and neither has worked. Still, normal nimh battery works like a charm since then.
skrytkapocztowa It is a good idea to test the motor when the unit is taken apart and the motor is not disconnected because sometimes it is not the battery but the motor with the problem. If it turns only above higher Voltages, say 2.5V, 2.6V,... then it needs replacement. Motors with brush problems usually draw excess current without roation and if you are experienced, you might open it and correct the problem yourself. This goes true for other small motor equipment too.
***** Hello! I also replaced battery to NiCd 4/5A , but braun don't want to charge it. Motor work ok, but green light dont bright and absolutely no charging happens. Do you know, what can be wrong?
Hi PolyPath, it's me again ;-) Just got some new batteries from Farnell and guess what, they are precisely a 4/5A type (from Panasonic) but I've just noticed they were 17 mm long and 43 mm diameter... :-( I'm afraid the battery I got just won't fit properly unless I remove a bit of the plastic internal structure, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm just adding a bit more of excitement to fight the Programmed Obsolescence !
I come back to this video every 3 years or so, to re-learn how to swap out the batteries for my wife's Braun 8850. I've referenced this video at least three times now over the course of a decade, and the process still works just fine. Thank you!
Outstanding CZcams presentation! You should be a technical writer for complex military or scientific equipment maintenance! I did that for 40 years and must say your work is exemplary.
Thanks!
I would like to express my thanks to you for this video. The movie is crystal clear, I can see exactly what you are doing. My wife has two of these toothbrush units and they both need replacement batteries. I will give this procedure a try because I really like repairing devices instead of throwing them away.
I have used this model Type 4736 over 15 years. Now I replace the battery just follow your video shared. It works continue. May be another 15-year more. So, I am impressed made in Germany. Thanks for your sharing.
I don't mind that you're not a great de-solderer. The video was informational, and the patience displayed and the eloquent speech was a pleasure to watch, listen, learn and follow. Most of all you gave me the courage to go and do it. Original replacement battery was 5.95 USD on ebay. I went ahead and ordered a slightly longer battery for 10USD, because I know how to make it fit. Thank you, Sir.
Would you say the 49x17 cell will fit without major modification?
Luke Henton I have the Oral-B Pro 3000 (annoying because of more de-soldering points such as the resistance light and alternative brushing modes switch). Inside the battery compartment, you can see that it will fit a longer battery (about 6mm longer) but they've literally heightened the plastic tabs in order to prevent a shorter battery from bumping around. I plan on melting those tabs away to fit a longer battery. So yes, minimal because its just the soldering iron to the plastic. I'm not quite sure what another guy commenting here was thinking with a thicker battery; that would be more of a major modification IMO.
UPDATE:
When I received the new battery I realized that the battery size I needed was 14mm diameter not 17. It was too thick to do what I originally planned. So I had to forgo the entire white plastic battery holder, and used electric tape where metal contacts were exposed to eachother. The battery was also so long that I had to shave some of the plastic connecting the recharging coil. After putting everything back together I was disappointed it didn't charge. I opened it up again and found that one side of the charging coil wire had broken, so I undid a loop (to obtain more wire) and soldered it back to its contact. Snipped off the excess and put it back together. It works great! It would've been easier had I gotten a 49x14 instead, but I wasn't going to order a new battery and wait another week and a half.
I was transfixed watching you; I admire your patience and tenacity, and the spirit of mending things rather than throwing them away!
That said, it's all utterly beyond me, sadly, and I won't even try mending the dead toothbrush of mine! 😀
Thanks to your video, another toothbrush got a second life and didn't end up prematurely in a landfill due to a worn battery. Thank you very much!
I just completed the replacement of the first of two batteries. It went flawlessly, thanks to your thorough video. i found the hardest part was snipping the battery terminals to size, but I soon developed a technique with a sharp pair of scissors. By the way, those little black things that you were afraid of losing stay very secure if you leave the spring on the base. Thanks again for a great job.
Brilliant, good as new after a 30 minute replacement job. One comment though I thought the whole of the base turned to remove but it's just the very centre... my first thought was that I had broken it at the very start, after that it was a breeze to replace. Many thanks for saving me money!
Thanks for this great tutorial!
Unfortunately I am totally inept at soldering but fortunately my Braun suddenly came back to life after I had opened it up and fiddled with the on/off switch.
I'm happy!
What a happy news. I might have to try that as well.
Excellent demonstration, thank you. Talk about built in obsolescence! Well done.
Thanks very much for the video. I found that the entire circuit board can be snapped out (very carefully) from the plastic housing making it much easier to de-solder the battery tabs. The fine copper wires can be removed from the plastic holder (very gently - they are super fragile) so the end piece can just flop over, out of the way. Then release the circuit board from the end near the base and it swings out of the plastic battery holder. Be sure to slid the motor base into the tabs of the plastic part before re-soldering the tabs on the circuit board when you're done with the battery. When I first put it all together, the charging light was blinking red, so I dis-aseembled it again and checked my solder joints. One wasn't up to snuff so it was re-heated. All is well now and the green light is blinking. Thanks again for helping to rid the world of e-waste (if even for a few more years). Be sure to recycle your old battery properly. Cheers!
THANK YOU!!! I Fixed my TOOTHBRUSH!! I didn't even need to replace the battery, just took it apart and put it back together (although the base got put in backwards) it actually charges now!!
Thanks for sharing this video. I've been meaning to clean the area where the brush head goes in and just couldn't figure out how to open the darn thing. Now i know.
Thanks for the video! Just fixed my 2006 era Type 4736 (same as in video). The hardest bit for me was clipping the new battery's terminals to size (a better tool would have helped, but scissors was all I had). One of the terminals ended up snapping off after I threaded it through the small aperture in the plastic batt compartment, so I ended up soldering a salvaged terminal from the old batt directly onto the new batt! Worked OK!
My tips:
- you don't need pliers to take the seal off the top; strong fingers/thumbs will do and less likely to damage it.
- you can use the charging base to help screw/unscrew the bottom cap; perfect shape.
- I bought 42 x 17mm battery from eBay seller "componentshopcouk" for £3.50. Cheapest I've found in UK.
Very nice video. Followed your instructions and it worked! In my case, though, I had to cut the joints of the battery since I could not remove the soldering. Cut them and placed the new battery contacts on top of the old ones. No problem. It worked like a charm. Thank you again for this explanatory guide :)
Well done. Thanks so much for sharing. Great close ups. Thx for taking the time to make this.
Really insightful and informative. Really bad that companies make it such a pain to replace the battery. I wish I could just send it off somewhere to get the battery replaced. Well done for posting this video though..
Thanks Bruce. The molten solder is sucked up by "De-soldering Braid" - you can get a reel of it from Maplin.
If you paid attention to him mate he said he did Not have a de-soldering tool, i also have one the same n the battery died after less than two tears use yet my old one the battery is still good after at least 10 years are these batteries the same as AA batteries but a little fatter? as i got some ENELOOP AA n they are about the best recharcgables i ever used, they are 2450 Milliamps minimum they come fully charged n they hold their charge forever almost loosing at most 20% after a year stored by the way many thanks mate for posting good job
Thanks for this clear and complete process video.
Thanks for the instructional video it was very thorough.
I got the battery from Ebay (A-OK-Battery) for $27AUD which equates to 13Quid.
Started first go, hopefully no problems after full charge.
Thank you for this great video! The replacement was not worth the time and parts, but it was indeed fun! My unit was about 16 years old when I decided it needed a new battery :D
Thank you for this informative video. I followed your tips and the toothbrush works nicely again.
I have a 10+ year-old Braun Professional and it is finally losing capacity. I've opened it up and it's all the same as this one but the battery is smaller (14mm diam= 4/5AA, not 17mm = 4/5A) so I'll order one of those instead and try it.
Great video! Very clear, thanks.
Thanks for showing how to replace battery in 60 easy steps!
Hey PolyPathUK,
Fumbling around I would have messed up somewhere along the line, but with your video, it was a breeze. Thx, now it will live even as the rubber wears off.
Good Video!
Seems like everybody happy with the tutorial. It's like Mike said... complicated and needs all the tool like a solder. Bit of a hustle. I've got the same model which I've used for 10 years now. Maybe it's time for an upgrade!
Thanks for the nice vid!
I found a shop called Battery world - looks like they will have what I need and have shops everywhere. Once I realised that the 4/5A means 4/5 of the size of an A battery it made it easier to source! I thought it was amps at first...
Me too. Until I read your comment. Thanks for posting :)
My Compliments and respect for the demonstrator, obviously he is a skilled electrician with access to lot of tools. This is not doable by an ordinary person like me. Clearly BrAun deliberately made it so hard.
Video at 7:41, with the 3D in the vice, has a good closeup of the charger coil wires. One wire broke free while I was removing the old battery. There are 4 wires coming from the charge coil and all 3 posts had a wire. That picture shows the second post, nearest to the battery, on the side with two posts, appears to have two wires connected. I stripped, tinned, and soldered the broken wire to that post. After I installed the new battery and re-assembled the 3D and put it on the charger the charging light came on. THANK YOU.
Great video. Really well done. Thanks for sharing!
This is the best video I've seen on this. If I had a half dozen to practice on I might reach a level of skill where I could do it myself. For those of us who have 10 thumbs, you can find electric toothbrushes on Ebay that use ordinary replaceable AA cells. They are listed as Braun JAPAN Electric Toothbrush Tooth Brush Pluck control DB4510NE for $17.99 US.
У китайцев всё не так:или двигатель сгорит или зарядка сломается
Thanks Bruce for your help. Great video, and my old toothbrush now on its way to a new life as rechargeable toy train engine.
Perfect video! Very very professional! Thanks
when using the desoldering braid (the copper braided) use some flux on the braid where you are going to suck up solder... the solder will flow into it much easier...less heat / time....
Мудрое замечание
Hi. Just did two Braun toothbrushes Model 4729 and 3756. Model 3756 can take a larger 49 by 14mm battery and is a bit more work as has the pressure sensor and coil wires to be de- soldered before gaining access to the battery. Working a treat and is like new again.
Great video. I have just opened by Plak control to replace the battery. Thank you.
I had had mine for ten (pro longer) years, it still works, but I can tell is losing power. Thank you for this video. Things don't last as long as they used to. I can tell by the video, mine is going in the garbage when it dies ;)
Lol get someone to change the battery for you..if you can :-)
Very nice, clear video and explanation. Many thanks!
really great video :)
So now I know what to do when mine runs out of it's 3 years warranty!
Pou
Firstly, FU to companies like this, who develop and produce devices specifically to need replacement prematurely. However, this model is actually pretty damn impressive. 10 long years I used it. Perhaps I got an unusually virile battery in mine. I'm sure that's not what these greedy fakkers intended. Finally though, the battery has soiled its trousers. Time to take it apart and follow this fellows instructions.
I have had mine for 14 years, and the battery has finally died. I am a tooth brushing freak. Don't know if this toothbrush is the reason, or not,but I have ONE filling in my mouth, and I am 54 yrs. old! Gonna replace this battery as soon as I buy that soldering tool.. It is way cool!
Well said. The word need a better product than this crap.
Ни чего не бывает вечного
Nice video. I used it to replace the battery in my slightly older model. I just had trouble putting the bottom back on. I pressed and turned the center section but had to press the outside ring in fully.
Followed your video, toothbrush works like new. Thanks a lot.
Awesome tutorial...many thanks !
Guys, our Braun toothbrush had been getting worse and worse, until recently it was just so slow, even after, like, 24 hours on charge, that it wasn't worth using anymore. Saw this video a year or so ago and thought "forget about it - too difficult!!". It must be a good 10 years old. When I put it on the charger the light on the toothbrush was only coming on extremely faintly.
Anyway the other day I saw one in the supermarket at half price (£20 in UK) so said "fuck it, let's get it". To cut a long story short, the next day, something told me to put the old brush on the new charging base (maybe to see if it fitted?) and I immediately noticed the light was on bright!!! So left it on charge overnight, and, hey presto, the next day the old brush was back to spinning super fast like good as new!!!!
So it seems the problem was with the charging station/base, not the battery. This could be worth trying before you attempt this super fiddly battery change. Maybe you can take your brush to a friend's house and see if it works on their charger!? Worth a try I'd say.
Very good guide! Thanx!
I did everything perfectly, but only one thing that didn't work out was to put it back in that plastic shell... Damn! It ended with that one of the small copper wires broke off...
Lucky me, I have another exactly the same brush, so I'll give it another try.
Excellent video now i know what is in my electric toothbrush...
What is more importent, I made my toothbrush to proper work again. Thank you very much for this tutorial, sir!!!
Many thanks for the video. I succeed with mine even if I ripped the 4 wired when closing the cap (when I remove the screwdriver from the back hole). I weld them back the best as I can and it Worked. For anyone from Canada Quebec, I found a battery RAZ-17 2150 mAh pour 11$ +tx can. at Jonquière in a battery specialize store that fit perfectly.
well done, fight the system
You don't have to de-solder the 3 bottom wires. leave them alone! Just de-solder the negative battery tab, and the battery will come out.
You can also solder in a fatter battery of the same length. But you'll have to modify the battery holder to make it fit.. Great battery life now. Thanks for the video, it helped a lot! original battery size is 42mm x 14mm.
How did the battery come out? It must be still soldered to the positive tab?
*****
I was referring to the bottom part. You still have to desolder the 3 tabs on top, and just the bottom battery tab. That induction coil with the 3 bare wires just swings out of the way. They are very delicate, so be careful.
You are confusing the issue. I didn't say you had to de-solder the 3 wires to the induction coil.It's quite clear from the video.
PolyPathUK hi mate yep I got that wrong sorry! keep up the good work!
The dis assembly instructions were wonderful. I used the flux, soldering iron and solder from my stained glass tool box. However, two steps were omitted in the reassembly section. He didn't show replacing the switch lever or the spring, before replacing the final cover.
Yeah, just placing it in the stand and turning works quite well to release the bottom catch. Thanks for the vid. My question after mucking around with this is why don't all charging systems use this style? So much easier than all the various plug in sytems which require metal to metal contact; mobiles, etc.
Thanks a lot for this tutorial!
Excellent, thank you.
thanks for the video! unfortunately the charging wires came off the board as soon as I opened it. However, as I was dissembling the whole thing, the battery started getting super warm. So I cracked the whole thing and removed the battery for proper recycling.
Thank you for the informative video.
my unit came with 2 toothbrushes, (one blue like yours, and one white) and they both are loosing charge quickly, you have the exact same toothbrush as i do, hope it went okay, there is nothing saying it didnt, i just need to go out and find myself a couple of those batteries somewhere. Greetings from Melbourne! Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the explanations and the video. Unfortunately I have a more recent model, quite similar but a bit slimmer than the one shown here, and there is no peg at the bottom of the charger. How do I open the toothbrush then ?
Thanks a lot for the tutorial.
Cheers
I purchased 2200 Ni-MH from eBay that was 42,5 x 17 mm, as the only I found to be sold. But after I disassamble my brush (No. 4729) I realized it's original battery is 42,5 x 14,1 mm. (No any tech details written on it)
It was quite the chalange to fit it into the plastic holder. I used some round file, to ream.
So, to warn all other handymen, check your battery dimentions first, before you order replacement. ;)
great how to
i bought a new toothbrush because the old one's rubber handle had gone moldy and had massive scrape marks on the side , tbh it's crazy how long i had mine before i finally got round to replacing it
Enjoyed this very much. I am having two problems. - One I snapped each of the four copper wires at the bottom of the toothbrush when I took off the outer sleeve. Second I'm having difficulty finding a battery replacement. I presume that I must now try to re-solder each of the wires back onto the terminals at the bottom - does it matter which wire goes where? Why are there four wires but only three termnals? I've found a 4/5A 1.2V NIMH battery but it measures 43mmx17mm is this measurement critical - I notice that all the adverts I have seen claim that 4/5A means 43mm x 17 mm
Thank you , now I know which battery to purchase.
Hi, thanks for the great video. I replaced the battery and it was working fine for a while, but now there's a short circuit somewhere, so the toothbrush is just turning on and off by itself. I'm not sure if it has something to do with the battery replacement, since it started several weeks afterwards. Any idea about this kind of an issue?
Thanks in advance.
I hate throwing working things away and thanks to you I could power up my toothbrush again. However, I came up with an ugly but more convenient solution. I disconnected the internal battery, which is still inside, and hooked it up to an external AA battery (placed in a holder which I hot glued on the outside). By some reason it's not enough to just put a charged battery in the holder. I still need to put it on the charger for a a few seconds after changing battery. It's like it needs to verify that "Yes, there's a charged battery to suck power from.".
drive.google.com/file/d/0B2LpIo2A2IqXTml4ZWlKLVlvdGM/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/0B2LpIo2A2IqXUmZkR0hQWTluN3M/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/0B2LpIo2A2IqXUFF0WUdDT0xwUVE/view?usp=sharing
youtube saves the day again. I have pretty much the same model.
Thanks for posting the video.....at least it gives an idea of what is involved. Very curious that they would have that tab on the back of the charger to enable removing the base. This is obviously not a "user changeable part", yet they provide that tab?????? This is not a huge challenge for any techie. If you live in North America, DigiKey is a great source for the battery.
Poly, I've tried everything to get the main 'plug' to release but to no avail. Any further suggestions? Great video which I hope to follow once I've got my toothbrush open!
For those wondering the I'm pretty sure the battery is manufactured by GP batteries. The product code is GP211AFH.
Thanks, a very good video and very helpful, too tricky for me - I will just buy a new one
thankyou couldn't see how, yet I knew it could be done
Hi, thanks for posting this fix. I just tried to fix mine. Replaced the old battery with the new one. However, once i installed the battery. The toothbrush started running intermittently and does not look like the button is responsive at all. What do you think might have happened. Thanks for the comment...
To unscrew the base cap, simply use the charging base itself which will act as a perfect screwdriver. Be careful though.
Bruce
Many of the newer models have a specially designed lug on the charging base for disassembly - intended for recycling purposes, but obviously very handy for repairs and battery replacement.
Thanks Pete !
Thank you. It helped me
Wish I'd found this video before I started. Sniff. Tooth brush was 17 yrs old. Oxidation and rust inside from water infiltration from aging rubber seal at top. But still.... I,ll be faster on u-tube for my next toothbrush.. :)
They used to make oral b whitening toothbrush with two AA batteries and it’s great. I just use rechargeable batteries!
Hey PolyPath, great vid mate ! At 8:15, seems like you are using a "knitted" flat threa that would remove the melted solder. Can you please let me know what that is ?
Many thks
Yes battery capacity is measured in ampere-hours.
it's worth noting that the battery size is different for some Braun models: the 4729 uses a 4/5 AA battery instead of 4/5 A.
Hi, thanks for this video but I have question to you. Where I can buy battery yo my electric toothbrush? I have oral-b care 1000.
Thanks for taking the time. It is shameful that we live in such a throw-away society. This is a project that I will tackle in the next available weekend. Did you get the battery online?
Hi great vid. Very informative . Where is the best place to buy the battery? Uk. Cheers
I just pulled apart my Braun toothbrush using the awesome instructions in this video - Now I am struggling to find a supplier for the battery. Does anyone know where I can pick one up relatively cheaply in Australia?
A few weeks later, mid-October 2014: It looks as if I successfully replaced the battery on the toothbrush, however I forgot to replace the spring, the metal plate that detaches, and the ring that secures the metal brush holder to the plastic outer body of toothbrush. Also, I applied too much force when trying to screw the charging receptable back in on the bottom of the toothbrush (the part the actually sits in the charging stand.) The plastic part with the 3 wires and what seems to be a bit of a toroid winding separated from the outer ring. I am not sure how to re-align the parts. The toothbrush sits askew when placed on the charging stand, the front of it is at an angle. However, the new battery does seem to be charging. I will see if it charges "full up" and if so, I will disassemble the unit enough to try and reinstall the missing parts and the bottom charging connection of the toothbrush properly.
I expect it's there for a reason! You might be able to solder it on again - gently scrape the varnish off the end of wire else you may not get a conductive joint.
hi! i have the exact same toothbrush and tried to replace with the exact same battery, the toothbrush was working but the power switch didnt work and got heat up very much to a point that smoke come of it. do you have any idea whats wrong?
good video, thanks
I changed mine and motors works (battery came charged) but now the "charging light doesn't turn on" even though brush works.. Do you know the issue?
I have Phillips sonicare, I can't find anywhere the battery replacement on the internet shops:-/
Hmm. I want to do this. I really do. But I don't have a soldering iron, so I'm not sure the cost-benefit is favourable.
Thanks for the video, its great. I tried to replace mine, almost finished, but I managed to tear two of the copper wires... I would like to fix it. There are four wires coming from the induction charger, and there are only 3 ports on the circuit board. Can you tell me or show me in what order they connect to the board? Is there one extra just hanging there without being connected? Thank you for the help in advance.
Kiss Gábor Hi, 2 of the wires go to middle port. Remaining 2 to the others at the outer sides. I hope you have the wires at both ends still available for soldering correctly. You can find out by lengths, visually under a microscope comparing the ends as I sometimes do or use an Ohmmeter to find out two windings and use one from each while observing the correct winding directions. One other way is put the coil on the base and measure the Voltages (should be additive).
Can I get this Battery in Maplins or has anyone an alternative?
And thanks for the video, will replace as soon as I get the battery.
My problem isn't with the battery. A new replacement brush no longer "clicks" when it is put on the handle and nearly comes off in use. Is it time for a new Braun Oral-B Professional Care Toothbrush?
I have one still working after 10 years, just charge it all the time
No. It's a Nickel Cadmium battery - it might work but it's almost half the capacity of a 2100mAh NiMH battery. It won't last as many charging cycles either. NiMH batteries can be charged or “topped-up” at any time without affecting battery life. In order to achieve optimum performance from NiCd batteries, they must be fully discharged before recharging. Unlike NiCd batteries, NiMH has no Memory Effect.
More than I want to tackle, where do I send to have a pro change the battery?
you probably wouldnt want to pay for someone to do it as tehy would likely need to charge similar to a new brush.
Hi, I just changed battery in my toothbrush to AA eneloop (fitted perfectly, my old battery was also 1.2V, but 1100mAh). It charges correctly, but motor won't start, just as in your video. Will it be fixed automaticly after full charge? I think I resoldered it fine.
***** nah.. tried that. you can't use eneloop in this toothbrush for some reasons. I have tried with 2 different batch of eneloops and neither has worked. Still, normal nimh battery works like a charm since then.
skrytkapocztowa It is a good idea to test the motor when the unit is taken apart and the motor is not disconnected because sometimes it is not the battery but the motor with the problem. If it turns only above higher Voltages, say 2.5V, 2.6V,... then it needs replacement. Motors with brush problems usually draw excess current without roation and if you are experienced, you might open it and correct the problem yourself. This goes true for other small motor equipment too.
***** Mine also required charging before first run but even then it lasted only for 3-4 days. Tested on both new and older one eneloops.
***** Hello! I also replaced battery to NiCd 4/5A , but braun don't want to charge it. Motor work ok, but green light dont bright and absolutely no charging happens.
Do you know, what can be wrong?
Hi PolyPath, it's me again ;-)
Just got some new batteries from Farnell and guess what, they are precisely a 4/5A type (from Panasonic) but I've just noticed they were 17 mm long and 43 mm diameter... :-(
I'm afraid the battery I got just won't fit properly unless I remove a bit of the plastic internal structure, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm just adding a bit more of excitement to fight the Programmed Obsolescence !
Is the toothbrush still water resistant after this procedure?
Put a little silicon grease on the seals should do. I also used a 1:1 mix of beeswax and mineral oil (mixed while molten, then cooled) to good effect.