This method of construction isn't just used in hair dryers, it can also be found in some other heating devices like hand dryers.

I was using this dryer to dry my beard after washing it, when the unit failed. So I thought it would be fun to explore the construction and serviceability.
Spoilers - there's very poor serviceability, since I think the heater is either wound around the core in place, or the whole assembly uses a manufacturing jig that holds everything in place.

If the heater is applied as a complete unit after the motor has been fitted, then someone will have to use long nose pliers between the heater coils to guide the rectifier connections to their solder point.

These units could have use as a convenient source of a fan powered hot air blower for other applications. Or perhaps a source of useful heating elements (resistors?) and a fairly powerful motor.

The heating elements have a fibreglass string core to make sure they don't distort and touch each other in use if the unit is dropped or bumped. Oddly, the fan motor's resistance element was thinner and finer than that of a heating element with the same resistance.

The motor seems to be a classic 385 which is available in a few different voltage ratings. This one was much faster in use than at 12V so I'd guess it may be a 24V model with the benefit of forced air cooling. The motor housing had interesting features to reduce the risk of hair getting wrapped around the motor shaft.



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