What's inside of the Dyson Cord Mystery Box?

In this video we look inside of the Dyson Hair Dryer Mystery Box. I have a couple of Dyson HD01 repair videos and I get many comments and questions from those videos. One of questions that I get asked a lot is " What is in the box on the Cord?" I have always assumed it is some power filtering for the high frequency brushless motor circuit. I am not sure exactly what is in it. I do know I have tested these HD01's with straight 120VAC Input and ran them without the original cord. Lets find out together what is inside. Hope you find the video interesting and thanks for watching!
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[@jdmccorful]

It's how we learn. Nice showing of inner works. Thanks for the look.

[@ronniepirtlejr2606]

It looks like it would be some kind of EMF filter for the sensitive electronics. I'm just guessing? I guess I'll go ahead and finish watching the video👍 Wow,...It looks like really put up a fight with you! Thanks for all the trouble you had to go through!👍

[@ThriftyToolShed]

Filter for sure! Yeah , that housing is much thicker than it looked from the side and also made out of PC. Lol...

[@michaelhodge9902]

You should do a teardown of the craftsman cordless nailgun.

[@ssmohamm]

Lol, i just bought this for my wife on her birthday and looking at the bulky thing was wondering precisely that

[@danielv6157]

Just watched this video and the tear apart one. Very informative, thank you so much for posting! I’m working on one that has a damaged power cord. I see some “replacement” cords available online. However, these don’t have the box. Do you think these would be safe to use? If so, are there any consequences of replacing it with one of these?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

The box is simply a filter circuit. It is a noise filter, the best I can tell. I have run many of these dryers without it, but I can't say for 100% it doesn't help the life of the motor and heater control circuit. I have never looked into the power line noise with a scope to compare just how noisy these are. With the high frequency circuits I am sure they are very noisy. I would think it's a possibility the noise could have some effect on external devices and signals especially audio signals, but most likely fine to use it no more often than they are used really. Thanks for your kind comment. Best of luck to ya!

[@danielv6157]

@@ThriftyToolShed Sounds like I may have to give it a shot! Thanks for the reply!

[@selenelo5281]

Is that work the transformer convert 120V to 100V if I have the same issue when i bring the hair dryer back from Japan to US ?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

No. It is simply filter capacitors inline as shown in the video.

[@ElectromagneticVideos]

From a manufacturing perspective its really odd that they put a filter like that in the middle of the power cord. It would be way cheaper to include those capacitors either in the dryer itself or the GFCI plug. I wonder if the device failed some sort of regulatory test in one or another market and putting the filter in power cord was the cheapest was to make it comply without changing the plug or dryer design. And those capacitors are huge drawing almost half an amp at 120V. I wonder if they are aimed at reducing power line harmonics from the switching power supply rather than higher frequency noise?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

Very possible. That does make sense. The box in the middle of the cord has always seemed so weird. I have run these before without the box so I know it was not an DC supply as many people kept saying or asking me about it. I also know you know better than me that a 1800W dryer would need a much larger box on the cord for a DC supply powerful enough to run it. Thanks so much for sharing your comment. I respect your opinion very much!

[@ElectromagneticVideos]

@@ThriftyToolShed You just got me thinking: do those dryers offer stepped heat (low medium high) like a cheap one, or is the heat control continuous with no steps? If it is continuous, there is probably something like a triac switching every AC cycle creating even worse step type noise than an electronic power supply (which in hindsight would be huge for 1800W) and that might be the reason for the huge filter caps. If you ever have a broken dryer like that would be interesting to take it apart!

[@ThriftyToolShed]

It uses a triac to control heating. It does offer 3 steps or heat modes. It was fun to repair a couple of these. I am working on one now as well. It's been really fun. A researcher got up with me about modifying one of these for him to turn down lower for his lab use after seeing one of my videos about repairing one. He originally thought he could use a Variac to control the Dyson and then contacted me. It's been a fun project and a blessing to be a part of. I do have a couple older videos repairing a couple of these if you would like to see inside. Full disclosure, it was my first one to take apart so it's a little bit how not to take it apart. Lol. But that is how I had to learn how to take it apart. Thanks for your knowledge and sharing! kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3ipnJydnaeJpqc

[@ElectromagneticVideos]

@@ThriftyToolShed I just looked at the video in the link - is that ever an eye opener! I would never have expected so much electronics in a hair dryer, but I guess with the prices Dyson charges for things its no issue in terms of manufacturing cost and many regulating air speed and temperature to within a few percent is part of the sales pitch. What was most interesting to me is the inclusion of the ionization generator to bleed away static on hair. It never occurred to me to put something like that in a hair dryer but I'll bet it makes more of a difference to the user that the rest of the fancy electronics!

[@kaidukas]

I get power to the gsci unit but no power to the dryer bc when I plug it in I get a quick 3 red lights & one white m light before it goes out. The unit never turns on. On the gsci (underneath the test button, above the Dyson logo) the light on mine doesn’t illuminate. I’ve tried test, reset. Filter clean, etc. do you know what it could be? The dryer is about 2 years old…I use it maybe twice a week at most in the winter & never in the summer. It cost nearly $500 (I purchased it brand new) it should still work but I am at a loss of what it could be. I’m hoping you might be able to help

[@ThriftyToolShed]

The closest to this issue I have seen was in the HD01 repair #2 video. I was seeing a similar error and then it quit completely. I ended up finding a diode on the board that was shorted so it was a power supply issue on that one.

[@KT-lw4ci]

Wife took US dryer to Asia and now it’s not working. Is a fuse or circuit blown? Anyway to fix? Dyson said it’s the only product they don’t repair due to lack of parts 😢

[@ThriftyToolShed]

I believe a lot of Asia is 220V 50Hz power. It may have damaged the power supply part of the circuit on the main board. Hard to say really. I would truly doubt it is an easier fix like the thermal fuse in the "Dyson HD01 Repair #3 video". It's more likely similar to the " Dyson HD01 Repair#2" with the power supply issue. I found a bad SMD diode on that repair. It does suck that Dyson doesn't repair these. I try to share as we learn on some of these to try and help others. If nothing else maybe you or a friend that likes to tinker can get it going after watching the videos....

[@user-rq3df1oc2w]

My wife has dropped her Dyson "mystery box" on a tile floor a couple of times and it is now cracked with a small plastic chip missing. Dangerous to still use? Repair suggestions?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

It can be dangerous and especially around water for sure. If no actual wire or metal parts are exposed it might be ok to use the gray epoxy over the crack or chip? I would not ever trust it around water even new, but especially if compromised.

[@Joshoohaah47]

Odd question, my partner has one of these that she bought while overseas and it was manufactured to run on 240V. I’m assuming when we get it home and plug it in to the standard 120V, nothing is going to happen. I’m not sure that an adaptor will do much of anything, could it be modified to run on 120V? Or would I be better off changing the chord completely? It beats spending another $600 for just a 120V difference.

[@ThriftyToolShed]

Unfortunately the dryer is designed to work with 240v and is not going to run on 120v even if the cord is replaced. You may be able to sell it while still overseas though and then buy the correct rated model once back in the states may be your one of few options.

[@liamlinh]

@@ThriftyToolShed I got another case with 120v but the grid provide 220v, is there any way to mod it to 220v, a transformer is too big to bring around

[@ThriftyToolShed]

Transformer is the only way I would know of.

[@liamlinh]

@@ThriftyToolShed thanks, it is the only solution for now. But I found sb mod it, not sure how they do it, maybe change the board or mosfet somehow

[@fickdich9918]

I have one of these in the UK (240V) But it doesn't have that filter block, any idea what the reasoning is for using it? And not using it in the case of 240V?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

I would guess it was due to electrical compliance in the country it was sold in? Also being lower current @ 240V instead of 120V and twice the current it could be that the noise only hits a non conforming standard at that ampacity? Thanks for sharing, I did not realize the 240V version did not have the filter block.

[@stapleford]

Indeed no it does not have it in UK Just replaced the power cord on wifes which has sentimental value due yo failed core by the cable inlet a common fail

[@drowningfish2140]

I know it's months later but I'll mention that my mum has a similar dyson one from Germany that is of course 230V and it DOES have this box on it. I'd assume UK standards may not be as strict.

[@lisamerritt6758]

Is it possible to have an electrician shorten the cord from 9' to 6' on my Dyson Hair Dryer? Thank you!

[@ThriftyToolShed]

It is possible. If one is willing to go through the trouble to do it, I don't know. It's best to take the dryer apart and shorten at the dryer end. You can see how much it takes to do this in the disassembly video I have on the HD01.

[@user-og2lv2pd3x]

How to connect to the mains to 220 volts, I have the same box, I thought to remove it and directly to the 220V outlet

[@ThriftyToolShed]

I have tested the 120V models here in the US by running from 120V straight in and bypassing the filter. I don't know for sure if 240V models are the same, but I would think so. Just make sure you don't have a 120V model, they can't run on 240V at all.

[@user-og2lv2pd3x]

У меня модель на 120 Вольт! Возможно запустить напрямую минуя фильтров от 220в ?

[@user-og2lv2pd3x]

Please help me! How to convert a hair dryer from 110 to 220 volts ?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

I don't think it is a way to convert 120V to 240V without a high VA transformer. It is designed to run nameplate voltage. For example, the heater element is set for voltage of 120V and it would be twice the wattage at 240V and burn up very quickly.

[@liamlinh]

@@user-og2lv2pd3x same problem for me, is there any solution for this. All device today should auto adapt from 110v to 220. What a shame to dyson

[@kingofsphagetti]

So interesting, i have a question. If i take out those capacitors in the middle of the cable and just connect cables to cables it will be 240V ? Am i right? My point is; i bought a dyson airwrap for my family in europe and they are not able to use it due to Voltage differences. They have 220v- 240V instead 120V. Dyson manufacturing does not help me out about this issue. I did not know that. If i remove that mystery box and make serial connection to cables does it works?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

So the box is mainly for filtering and it will work with or without it from what I have seen. Just be more electrical noisy. That said, it has to be the same voltage so the 120V unit is still 120V. 240V would still be 240V.

[@kingofsphagetti]

@@ThriftyToolShedthanks

[@gusminik]

Salut. est ce que vous avez essayé. Est ce que ça marché j'ai le même problème. ​@@kingofsphagetti

[@hunterhourany1612]

It’s literally an AC to DC power converter. Most electronics use one.😂

[@ThriftyToolShed]

Survey says.... X What do you think after the video?

[@anthonyj5633]

Anyone know where I can get a replacement cable?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

eBay is one of the few places . Or you can buy a broken hair dryer that has a good cord. Example cord you will have to replace ends or solder wires on... www.ebay.com/itm/235589157206?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=xwz9f6kaslg&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=D_qZMHXJQNK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY