In late November I posted a question
3 Panasonic Univeral Chargers (EY0230 7.2-15.6V) Croak.
I've got three of these puppies and 6 batteries they charge,
for the two Panasonic Cordless Drills I have - and need to
use.

After figuring out that there was no Reset Button on the
chargers and no externall access to a fuse, I hoped that
there was an internal fuse that could be replaced.

The next diagnostic step would be to open up the charger
and look for a fuse - or Reset Button.

The plastic case is held together with four screws - which
happened to be a special "star - with nipple" type - not a
more standard philips head or even a square drive head.
Panasonic apparently doesn't want you getting into their
charger for some reason.

But that's OK - I've got a fairly complete set of tips
- including a range of "star - with hole" tips.

Clever (or devious) Panasonic seems to have foreseen
this possibility - so - the they made the diameter of the
hole through which the screw is placed just barely larger
that the screw head that must go in it. AND - they made
the hole deeper than the "star with hole" tip can fit in
and have enough outside the hole to be able to turn it.

THAT meant that even though I HAVE the right "star with
hole" tip - I can't use it because the "hex drive" head
the tips fit into - has an outside diameter BIGGER than
the diameter of the hole it, and the "star with hole" tip,
must fit into.

SO - in early December I find that there is only ONE Panasonic
Service Center within 50 miles of me. Fortunately, it's only
a half mile from home. Things are looking up!

Unfortunately - this Authorized Service Center also is the
authorized service center - for EVERY PHREAKIN' electronic
device - from Braum electric razors to commercial kitchen
appliances - AND - every vacuum cleaner manufacturer
- on the PLANET! Did I mention that they also SELL just
about every small kitchen appliance - and kitchen accessories?

Now my hope was that THEY would have a tool that would
remove the "special screws" holding the case together -
AND - that I could BUY one - AND replacement parts if
needed and available - since I've got THREE of these chargers.

Great - they have the "special screw driver" - so THEY can
get into the plastic case. BUT - they CAN'T sell ME one -
because they're "not allowed to". Only Authorized Panasonic
Service Centers are authorized to have the "special screw
driver".

GOTCHA'!

OH JOY! Only THEY can open the plastic case - and THEY
apparently have only ONE service tech - AND - THEY service
EVERYTHING - EVERY small appliance maker makes - AND
we're now in The Christmas Rush.

GOTCHA'!

Did I mention that their only service tech had been out for
four days - with The Flu? That's right, it's also The Flu
Season. So it's Ho-Ho-Ho - Sneeze -Sniffle and - Barf!
And THAT means that anything that came in BEFORE I
brought in my charger - and battery - are at LEAST four
days ahead of me. I found this out after waiting a week
before calling to see if my charger had been even looked
at.

GOTCHA'!

So I wait ANOTHER WEEK - and stop in to see how things
are going - they're only a half mile away - remember?

"I'm sorry - the paperwork got separated from the charger
and the charger got separated from the battery - so the
tech didn't know what to do with either of them - so - nothing
has been done on/with them. I have put things all together
and it's all back in the tech area waiting for the tech to get
to them. Check back in a couple of days."

GOTCHA'!

I wait THREE days, just to cut the tech some slack, and
stop in AGAIN. And now we're close to Christmas - and
there's a line of Fellow Sufferers ahead of me. And
this place apparently just got a delivery of small kitchen
appliances AND vacuum cleaners - the NEW Dyson Ball
model - along with fifteen or twenty Commercial Espresso
Machines - the BIG ones. Did I mention that they don't
seem to have a storage room - because all this STUFF
is stacked up on just about every square foot of floor
space - except for a narrow aisle from the door to the
counter? That means 8 or 10 people are stacked up
in a small space - and it seems everyone is holding some
medium sized thing that needs repair or servicing - and
when one turns - even slightly - the whole line has to
shift to make some room.

GOTCHA'!

OH - and the being "served" has a Braun electric shaver
- the one with the "wet self cleaning" feature and he has
PLENTY of questions.

"Rather than use Braun's EXPENSIVE "head cleaner" - can
I just use alcohol?" Oh - I see. Alcohol will destroy some
of the parts in the "head". Well - is there another - less
expensive "head cleaner solution" I CAN use? No? Well
can I get a discount on the Braun "special head cleaning
solution" - if I buy - TWO!? No? Well what if I buy THREE?
Oh - there is NO discount - at ALL?

So you're telling me the ENTIRE "head assembly" now must
be replaced - just because I used alcohol on it? And you
mean to tell me that the replacement "head assembly"
PLUS labor - is going to cost me almost as much as a new
one? And I HAVE to use - and therefore repeatedly BUY
the Expensive Head Cleaner Solution?

Hell - I'll just go a buy another electric shaver!

You got any DEALS on this model?

:
:
:

This guy has wasted EVERYONE's time - AND - now the
person behind the counter - who this time happens to
be the owner - is just a wee bit ****ed.

GOTCHA'!

About 30 minutes after walking in the door to this
Service Center I finally am at the counter where
I'm told - by the owner - who is ****ed even more
because half the people who HAD been in front of
me had eventually been told that "we can't get a
power cord for that unit because it's been discontinued
for so long" or "I wish I could help you - but that's the
only manufacturer we're not authorized for" or had
to listen to "You mean to tell me that it's gonna take
two weeks - just to get the parts - that MIGHT fix
this thing?". He's not a happy man - and is struggling
to remain barely remain civil with me. Seems he's
aware that I've been in several times - and am not
"thrilled" with the service I've received so far - his
office being close to the counter - with its door always
open.

GOTCHA'!

To his credit - and much appreciated - he assured me
that he'd get together with his now recovering from
the flu tech and the tech would call me the next day.

Cautious Optimism.

True to his word, this morning the Tech calls me.

"I THINK the problem is a blown fuse (Inside the case
that I can't get into - because it requires a "special
screw driver" - that they have - but I CAN'T have)
but I can't be sure until I replace the fuse - and the
fuse - with labor - is $37.62 - including tax. And I'll
have to order the fuse - so it'll be about a week - or
more. This may not FIX the problem - but I won't know
THAT 'til the fuse has been replaced." (can you say
"Signed Blank Check" boys and girls?).

GOTCHA'!

I ask "You've got TWO of my chargers AND a battery
pack. So is the $37.62 for TWO fuses and ALL the
labor?"

(this guy DOES NOT want to tell me the price of a fuse
for this thing - since I'm guessing it's maybe a buck
-at the most)

GOTCHA'!

"I've got THREE of these chargers that all
stopped working - so you better order THREE fuses.
Oh - just tape the cases together and put the "special
screws" in an envelope for me". And a copy of the
schematic? Could I BUY a copy?"

With a little luck, god willin' and the crick don't rise,
there's only a few more GOTCHA's to go - before
I either have working chargers or know that I need
to buy JUST new chargers - which I suspect will
be impossible - because they're probably only
available as a "set" - the "battery AND charger"
set - which costs about 10% less than buying a new
Drill and Batteries and Charger set.

GOTCHA'!!!!!!!!

I hope you got a Been There - Done That comiserating
chuckle out of this Tale of Woe. I'm trying to see
the humour in the situation - but there's a fine line
between a chuckle and hysterical laughter.

Think I'll go out to the shop - and look at the parts that
need some holes - that I need my cordless drillS to
drill. And yes - I do have a drill press - which I can't
use for this application - and yes - I do have one of those
Egg Beater hand drills - a nice old Miller Falls - with a
real Rosewood Handle - that the top threads off of so
I can get to the full set of drill bits stored inside - which
I picked up at an estate sale. And yes - that will work -
sort of (I've tried).

So there you have it, a Cautionary Tale / Tale of Woe
AND - a Drive By Neener.

"charlieb" tells us a story of panasonic woes...

Well that settles it for me.

I am NOT buying a panasonic.

"charlieb" wrote in message
...
In late November I posted a question
3 Panasonic Univeral Chargers (EY0230 7.2-15.6V) Croak.
I've got three of these puppies and 6 batteries they charge,
for the two Panasonic Cordless Drills I have - and need to
use.


Snip of what sounded like a lovely Christmas Season!

Charlieb, Spray the screw with something like TopCote and make am impression
of the screw with some Epoxy or Bondo and use that for your own special tool
to remove the screw or let the epoxy stick and remove the screw, then put
you own screw back in.


Merry GIFTmas and have a successful Calendar Change.

"Lee Michaels" wrote in message
...

"charlieb" tells us a story of panasonic woes...

Well that settles it for me.

I am NOT buying a panasonic.




Actually Panasonic makes a very good tool and especially their drills.
Charlieb having problems with 3 chargers sounds like another problem
altogether. I would not let his lousy experience with his lousy service
center sway your decision.

charlieb wrote:
(snip)

The plastic case is held together with four screws - which
happened to be a special "star - with nipple" type
(snip)

It isn't very hard to break the nipple out of the screw. Did you try?

Leon wrote:

Charlieb, Spray the screw with something like TopCote and make am
impression of the screw with some Epoxy or Bondo and use that for
your own special tool to remove the screw or let the epoxy stick and
remove the screw, then put you own screw back in.

Or use a screw extractor to remove the "special" screw and replace it with
something more consumer-friendly.

On Dec 30, 3:19*pm, charlieb wrote:
In late November I posted a question
3 Panasonic Univeral Chargers (EY0230 7.2-15.6V) Croak.
I've got three of these puppies and 6 batteries they charge,
for the two Panasonic Cordless Drills I have - and need to
use. *
{snip}

I ask "You've got TWO of my chargers AND a battery
pack. *So is the $37.62 for TWO fuses and ALL the
labor?"

Pretty odd that you have three chargers taking a dive on you.
Panasonic cordless isn't el cheapo crap, so it's doubly strange.

You can get a Torx w/hole security screwdriver for pretty cheap:
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wirel.../dp/B001862BY8

Or you can buy a working charger on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-7-2V-9...mZ360119646504

Or, you could sell all of your existing stuff, as is, on eBay if
you're looking to unload Panasonic.

R

"charlieb" wrote in message
...
The plastic case is held together with four screws - which
happened to be a special "star - with nipple" type - not a
more standard philips head or even a square drive head.
Panasonic apparently doesn't want you getting into their
charger for some reason.

AKA Torx Security heads. Buy the tool at
http://www.wihatools.com/indexes/indxSecuritytorx.htm, a couple of bucks for
a single allen key type driver. While yer at it, tell those "service" center
folks to go screw. That's among the worst customer treatment horror stories
I've heard. (Are you by any chance Canadian?) Proper etiquette is to bring a
20 oz dead blow with you when you indignantly retrieve your chargers and
batteries from their "care". (BTW, apropos a different discussion here, the
Mac2 had deeply recessed T15 head screws, to force you into their service
centers. I had to destroy the handle on a driver, and weld it to another
driver to reach the screws to get inside the case. Some companies just
aren't service oriented.)

Mike Paulsen wrote:
charlieb wrote:
(snip)

The plastic case is held together with four screws - which
happened to be a special "star - with nipple" type
(snip)

It isn't very hard to break the nipple out of the screw. Did you
try?

Assuming it's a standard tamperproof torx, the tool you need should be
on the shelf at Sears.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've got several options
for solving my problem now.

This wasn't a rant about how horrible Panasonic is.
There's a reason why I have two of their cordless
drills, three chargers and six battery packs. The
drill is light, smaller in size than say a Dewalt, has
a small comfortable grip and delivers more than
adequate torque and pretty good variable speed
control.

And I suspect that tool manufacturers don't go out
of their way to screw with customers - so the security
torx screws are probably used for another reason
- customers screwing with things they shouldn't -
and filing a law suit when something goes wrong.

As to the service of this particular Service Center
I think this situation was The Perfect Storm kind of
thing. The "holiday season" ALWAYS seems to make
everything a bit crazy. Seems EVERYONE has some
electronic device or small appliance that they absolutely,
have to have working in order to do some "holiday season"
driven thing done - BEFORE Christmas. Throw in The Flu
and nothing works right or on time.

And backing up a bit - I had had a problem with the
110 VAC circuit my lathe - and two of these chargers
were on. That traced back to a faulty installation of
a 220 V circuit breaker - done by - wait for it - a licensed
electrician - and because I'd pulled a permit to have
the electrical work done - inspected by a county electrical
inspector. So that may be why these Panasonic chargers
went PHHHHHHT! Keep your fingers crossed for me - and
maybe new fuses will make them all better.

Now I think I'll go out to the shop and make a wood offering
the The Cabal. Oh what have I done? Ignore the previous
sentence. Forget it - please. I MEANT to say "Make a
sacrifice to the Wood Working Diety." Honest - that's what
I meant to say.

I'm getting a vague sense of foreboding. Damn.


Or - THEY may actually be out to get me? Now all I need
to do is figure out which THEY is conspiring against me.
God I hope is not The Cabal. Hmmm - forget I said that

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Dec 30, 3:19 pm, charlieb wrote:
In late November I posted a question
3 Panasonic Univeral Chargers (EY0230 7.2-15.6V) Croak.
I've got three of these puppies and 6 batteries they charge,
for the two Panasonic Cordless Drills I have - and need to
use.
{snip}

I ask "You've got TWO of my chargers AND a battery
pack. So is the $37.62 for TWO fuses and ALL the
labor?"

Pretty odd that you have three chargers taking a dive on you.
Panasonic cordless isn't el cheapo crap, so it's doubly strange.

You can get a Torx w/hole security screwdriver for pretty cheap:
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wirel.../dp/B001862BY8

Or you can buy a working charger on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-7-2V-9...mZ360119646504

Or, you could sell all of your existing stuff, as is, on eBay if
you're looking to unload Panasonic.

R

One of you kind gentlemen with tool expertise might be able to help *me*.
(sorry if this is not directly woodworking connected)
On my LPG bottles there is a Torx *type* screw. I say *type* because it has
only 5 points instead of 6.
Where might I find a "driver" for that type screw?
Many, many thanks,

Max

"Max" wrote in message
...
On my LPG bottles there is a Torx *type* screw. I say *type* because it
has only 5 points instead of 6.
Where might I find a "driver" for that type screw?

They're called Torx Plus 5 points.

http://www.toolwarehaus.com/STAR%20TORX.asp
http://www.wihatools.com/700seri/716_ipr_serie.htm

"MikeWhy" wrote in message
news
"Max" wrote in message
...
On my LPG bottles there is a Torx *type* screw. I say *type* because it
has only 5 points instead of 6.
Where might I find a "driver" for that type screw?

They're called Torx Plus 5 points.

http://www.toolwarehaus.com/STAR%20TORX.asp
http://www.wihatools.com/700seri/716_ipr_serie.htm

Thank you,

Ordered a set.

Max

Very interesting, entertaining and enlightening ! !

charlieb wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions. I've got several options
for solving my problem now.
[snip]

maybe new fuses will make them all better.

Now I think I'll go out to the shop and make a wood offering
the The Cabal. Oh what have I done? Ignore the previous
sentence. Forget it - please. I MEANT to say "Make a
sacrifice to the Wood Working Diety." Honest - that's what
I meant to say.

I'm getting a vague sense of foreboding. Damn.


Or - THEY may actually be out to get me? Now all I need
to do is figure out which THEY is conspiring against me.
God I hope is not The Cabal. Hmmm - forget I said that

There is no ... erk...