It appears that i am having problems with the safety switch. If i unscrew the knob completely, open the top of the shredder, then wiggle the part of the safety switch assembly that goes into the machines safety switch, and then close the top and screw the knob right down some times it works but only for a few seconds or minutes.
Might it be the switch or might it be the prong that goes into the switch or something to do with the knob?
Hi @moream,
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.
I've just had a good read through the manual, which can be found with a quick Google search of the model number and found the following excerpts -
"NOTE: The locking knob has two stages, the first one locks the housing, and the second one pulls on the switch. Once the housing is unlocked, you must push the knob down and turn it at the same time to unlock the secondary lock."
"NOTE: If cover is not correctly fitted and locking knob not securely tightened, the shredder will not operate."
This tells me that the locking knob, needs to press down hard against the exposed metal piece in images 3,4 and 5, which is referred to in the manual as the On/Off key. This pressure will activate an internal component which I assume will be a pressure plate of some kind.
You could check that the cover is sitting correctly and there is nothing blocking it from closing properly, then tighten it down securely ensuring that it is firmly pressing on the on/off key.
Unfortunately, if simply tightening the knob fully does not fix the issue, it seems like there is an issue with an internal component, which Ryobi wouldn't recommend trying to carry out your own repairs on. A service agent, such as a mower or small motors repair shop may be able to assist, but outside of this, due to the age of the machine, I could only really recommend replacing it.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Jacob
