# Electric hair trimmers. Always break down at the charger. Why

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-hair-trimmers-always-break-down-at-the-charger-why/751456>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 7, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-hair-trimmers-always-break-down-at-the-charger-why/751456 "2016-04-07T16:21:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nansbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nansbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nansbread)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-hair-trimmers-always-break-down-at-the-charger-why/751456/1 "2016-04-07T16:21:30Z")

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I have been through about 3 electric hair trimmers. They work great for a few months and then this happens.

The charger does not work. The red light comes on only when the charger lead is placed in a particular position. Ie there must be loss of contact somewhere. The trimmer is taken out of the charger connection, after it has been charged for about 4 hrs before being used.

I use the trimmer may be twice a month. The trimmers, cheap £20 jobbies, last me just 6 months. Why does this happen with hair trimmers and not mobile phone chargers etc.

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**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-hair-trimmers-always-break-down-at-the-charger-why/751456/2 "2016-04-07T19:20:28Z")

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They generally go bad because hair gets in them blocking contacts. You can extend their life by periodically taking them apart and cleaning them. This is also true of the corded variety though it will take longer for them to break down.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-hair-trimmers-always-break-down-at-the-charger-why/751456/3 "2016-04-07T20:53:38Z")

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This has never happened to me, maybe because I periodically clean the little hairs that get stuck in the trimmer. I use the tiny brush they always come with.

A trimmer generally lasts me 2-3 years before it breaks because I drop it too often. :o