A few weeks ago I bought one of those Italian DElonghi oil vent heaters from a recycle shop for 1000 yen. Decided to try it out last night and no go. Never had one of these before so wasnt sure if I was turning it on correctly or not but assumed that the rocker switches should have LEDs to indicate on but nothing was lit up. The timer switch or what I think is the timer switch was just turning freely in both directions even though it had an arrow pointing left to right. The rheostat/thermostat thing was clicking when turning that from zero to any number so that seemed okay.
I dont mind doing simple DIY stuff as long as it doesnt involved anything electrical so the challenge was set. Next thing was to research google and you tube until I found some info on the heater and lo and behold there is a guy who has taken one apart to show how to repair them. now the one he was repairing was a little different to mine as it didnt have the rotating timer switch but the way he explained how and where the different wires worked and went my confidence was growing just a little. Remember I dont like electrical stuff as it easily kills and you cant see it until its too late.
Decided to bypass the timer switch and set it up the same way his was and it worked. Rocker switches lit up and after a few minutes warmth from the heater. This got me to thinking how hard will it be to take the timer apart and check that. 2 screws later and as I take the timer apart I notice some of those little plastic cogs are just loose and not connected to anything. Okay, now to work out where the cogs should go. There are only 4 and two are in place so it shouldnt be too hard. One of the two that is still in place actually separates to create 5 parts. 3 hours later Im still trying to work out the right combination and where the bloody little things go. 3 white cogs and one blue cog cant be really that hard to work out. After another check of the other half of the timer switch I see another small blue cog being used as a stopper cog. Now the timer has an arrow on it so this makes me think that the blue cog must stop the white cogs from turning thus the arrow on the timer switch. Another hour and Im still trying to find the right combination. Another 30 minutes and finally its done and Ive got the right combination but then comes the next problem of trying to get everything to line up and put the two halves of the timer back together. Then it hits me, put the cogs together on the other half and presto it should easily slot together. Now thats done put the timer back in and rewire up and check. Again nothing. Decide Ive had enough and will just put it all back together. All back together one more check and nothing, then I decided to slowly rotate the timer dial switch and then all the light come on and then go off again as I keep rotating. When the timer gets to 11 on the switch it comes on but keep turning to 12 and goes off. Then I notice some little red inner markers that arent inline with the outer red markers. Decide to put them in line and rotate the timer again and nothing. Then I move some of the red markers around number two to the inner line and presto the lights come on when the timer is rotated to the 2.
Now did I just waste half my day because I didnt know the timer had little markers or adjusters on it
