Fixing Bosch Lawnmower

ChilliBob

Hey guys,
Randomly my Bosch Lawnmower gave up the ghost mid mow! Luckily I have a hand push one I finished the mow with.

I looked a, bit more today and the problem is with the engaging of the switch. If you take the habdle apart you can see the switch, push it eith your finger and bingo it works.
I can't quite see why the handle won't ebgage the switch though, it doesn't look like anything is broken.

Abyone came across this? It seems an awful waste of materials (and £100 or so) to dump it over something so small (but critical!) 

TELLIT01

My guess would be that something has broken off either the switch itself or the handle.  Look more closely where the twho components should meet.

ChilliBob

Yeah I've had a good look, nothing obvious seems to be broken. I can see a small crack on the handle, but that just gives a bit more 'flex' to it as opposed to meaning it can't be pulled. I'm tempted to see if I can hack something else to make it work but not sure if that'd be safe! 

Jeepers_Creepers

Some close-up photos, Chilli?

ChilliBob

aye, see here  

ChilliBob

Bah comment wasn't supposed to come out in the middle! You get the idea! 

Jeepers_Creepers

Good photos!

Without 'cuting yourself (ie - with it not plugged in) could you unclip that switch and reposition it in the other half, exactly in the same place (would it sit there in a fixed place or slide about?)? If you can try this, then you should be able to see how well that thin orange plastic lever manages to press on the switch. (It looks quite flexible).

My best guesses are that either the switch has stiffened up a bit so is harder for that orange sprung-lever to press it, so the lever is just flexing too much instead, or possibly that the crack in the handle is doing the same thing - the handle is flexing too much and therefore not pressing that wee lever down on the switch.

The handle might appear to be doing its job as before, but if it's flexing more, then it won't be. The only way you can tell is if you actually observe it as it acts on the switch.

As for freeing the switch - if that's what it needs - you should be ok spraying it with WD40 - try and get it inside, past the trigger button.

Jeepers_Creepers

Don't forget to press the white button first...

Jeepers_Creepers

And can you add an equally wonderful photo of the crack in the handle?

TELLIT01

Would it be possible to put something between the two orange pieces to prevent the section which contacts the switch from flexing so much?  A small piece of wood or plastic might do the job.  As the motor works if the switch is pressed, does that seem to require a lot of pressure?

ChilliBob

On further inspection, I reckon it might be the flex in the handle now. It looked like a tiny cracks yesterday, today, well see for yourself!...