Braun’s Clean & Charge (cc) systems are probably the most popular self-cleaning stations for electric shavers.
One reason for this is of course the prevalence of Braun electric shavers, but the stations themselves are useful and practical as well.
And with third-party cleaning solutions being cheap and effective, I think Braun’s stations are well worth it, particularly with the Series 5/8, 7 or 9 that don’t cost a whole lot more than the solo models.
Incidentally, Braun stations are also the most likely to get clogged over time.
The manufacturer even mentions this explicitly in the troubleshooting section of the user manuals, but the directions are extremely vague and not particularly helpful.
So, in this guide, I will go over how to identify a clogged Braun cleaning station and how to unclog it in a few easy steps (with detailed images).
I’ll also address two other less common issues specific to Braun cleaning systems.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Signs of a clogged Braun cleaning base
A clogged drain is the most common problem with Braun cleaning stations.
While they may seem complicated at first, the stations are actually pretty basic in the way they are constructed and in the way they work.
Basically, the cleaning fluid is pumped from the cartridge through a tube, passes through the shaving head, then flows back into the cartridge through a small drain hole.
Using my mad Photoshop skills, I tried to illustrate this in the graphic below:
The bottom of the cleaning chamber is actually slanted towards the drain hole so that the fluid would naturally flow back into the cartridge by gravity alone.
That tiny drain hole (red arrow) is the culprit for clogging the station.
Skin oils, hairs, dead skin and all sorts of gunk can form a plug that completely blocks the small drainage, so the cleaning fluid doesn’t have anywhere to go.
If you experience some of the following situations, you’re most likely dealing with a clogged drainage on your Braun cleaning station.
- The cleaning fluid stays up and doesn’t drain back into the cartridge (or it takes a long time to do so);
- The shaving head is dripping wet even hours after the cleaning cycle ended;
- The shaving head is dirty, particularly on the inside of the cassette;
- There’s an increased consumption of cleaning fluid.
Luckily, cleaning a clogged Braun station is very easy and you don’t need any technical skills or special tools.
Here’s how to do it, step by step.
How to unclog a Braun Clean & Charge station
1. Unplug the power cord from the station and remove the cartridge.
If there’s any liquid accumulated in the cleaning chamber of the station, make sure to remove the liquid before proceeding to the next step.
2. Locate the small drain hole.
Regardless of your Braun station model, there are two holes on the inside of the station: one towards the top of the sloped inner chamber (so higher up) and one on the bottom corner.
Here’s the drain hole on a Braun Series 9 station:
And again on a Series 7:
Since the cartridge has a fine mesh filter that retains all the dirt, it’s very unlikely that the other hole (at the top) will ever get clogged.
The fluid enters the chamber via the hole at the top, is flushed through the shaving head, then goes back into the cartridge through the drain hole at the bottom — that’s the one we’re trying to unclog.
3. Using a wooden toothpick or something similar, clear the drain hole.
With the station open, just push any debris and gunk with the toothpick until it falls from the drainage.
You should also inspect the inner chamber and clean it of any dirt, making sure not to push any of it into the drain.
I recommend using a damp cloth or a wet wipe.
When held at the right angle, you should be able to see daylight shining through a clean drain hole.
Here is an image of an older Series 9 station of mine. You can see the drain hole just starting to get blocked by hairs, but it hasn’t yet reached that point:
The fine hair dust in the bottom right corner can end up clogging it in time.
If needed, you can turn the station upside down and clean any remaining dirt from the opposite side of the drain tube — this may be a bit difficult to perform without removing the top part of the station (see step 4 below).
Important: Make sure however you’re not using water as the station itself is NOT waterproof and cannot be cleaned with water. That can damage the electronic components irreversibly.
That’s pretty much it.
4. [Optional] Remove the outer housing of the station.
If the clogging is severe, you may need to partially disassemble the station in order to get better access to the drain tube from below.
Normally, this won’t be necessary, but if there’s still some gunk that you cannot remove, here’s how to do it.
Holding the station upside down, locate the four tabs that lock the housing in place.
Here are two of them, there are two more just like these:
With your fingernail, gently push each tab inward. You should hear a click when a tab is unlocked.
Once the four tabs are unlocked, press the button that opens the station while also pushing down on the oval part of the charging port so that they’ll clear the housing and the inner part of the station will slide out.
Once the outer shell is removed, locate the tube corresponding to the drain hole you just cleaned in step 3 and using the same toothpick or a q tip remove any remaining dirt from the vent.
Assemble the station back in the same order, making sure to lock the four tabs by pressing them outward until they snap into place with a click.
Getting the housing back in place can be a bit fiddly, so just take your time until everything is back in place.
The process is exactly the same for a Series 5, 7, 8 or 9 station. Unfortunately I don’t have a Series 3 station right now, but it shouldn’t be much different.
Dealing with a stuck impeller
A less common problem with Braun cleaning stations is related to the impeller.
The pump has this small propeller that rotates and pumps the fluid from the cartridge into the cleaning chamber of the station.
In time, it can get clogged with oils, hairs, and dirt and it can actually get stuck.
When this happens, you’ll still hear the station working, but there’ll be no cleaning fluid being pumped and the shaving head will remain dry after the cleaning cycle.
Luckily, the impeller is very easy to unstuck.
Here’s how to do it.
1. First, disconnect the station from the cord and remove the cleaning cartridge.
With the station opened, turn it upside down to get access to the pump. You shouldn’t need to remove the outer housing of the station for this.
2. Locate the impeller and turn it gently using a toothpick or any similar object.
As mentioned previously, the impeller is a small propeller that needs to turn freely in order for the pump to work.
Regardless of your Braun station, you should be able to easily locate it.
With a toothpick or a small screwdriver, gently give it a few turns and loosen any dirt buildups that got stuck in there.
Don’t try to remove all the dirt inside as it will get flushed anyway once the pump starts working normally.
Important: make sure not to confuse the impeller with the outer cover (that also kind of looks like one).
The station (still) splashes fluid and also leaks during cleaning
While not technically a clogging issue, it is somewhat related to the topic and it seems to happen more frequently than I thought.
Precisely, if your Braun cleaning station sprays fluid on your countertop and also leaks from the bottom and you’re positive that the drain hole isn’t clogged, here’s how to solve the problem.
There’s a rubber gasket surrounding the impeller housing that normally seals the space between the impeller tube and the big opening of the cartridge.
In time, that gasket will deform and won’t seal up properly against the cartridge, allowing the fluid to escape.
This seems to happen more often with Braun Series 9 and Series 5 stations.
In order to fix it, you must first remove the outer housing of the station (just follow the instructions in step 4 above).
Locate the impeller housing and visually inspect the rubber gasket sitting at the base.
It should be flared uniformly around the housing (2 to 3mm).
If you notice areas where it is too close or touching the tube, run your finger between the gasket and the tube and push it outward so it stays clear of the plastic cylinder.
That’s pretty much it. Put the station back together and don’t forget to secure the clips as well.
Props to John for sharing the fix.
How to avoid getting a Braun station clogged
Depending on a few factors, you may never have to deal with a blocked drain hole on your Braun station.
But even if that happens and you’ll have to take matters into your own hands, the process is very easy and straightforward as we just saw.
Here are a few tips to reduce the likelihood of the station getting clogged in the future.
✓ Remove most of the hairs from the cassette before cleaning the shaver in the station.
Simply remove the cassette and gently tap the plastic frame on the edge of your sink to remove the hairs.
You can then blow over it or use the small brush (but only on the inside of the cassette, not directly over the foils) to clear any remaining hair strands.
A can of compressed air also works great.
This only takes a few seconds, but it does make a difference and will also allow you to get more cleaning cycles out of a cartridge.
✓ If you use shaving cream, rinse the head with water and remove any foam residue before cleaning the shaver in the station.
Hardened lather can lead to a clogged drain probably more than anything and it can also cause pressure buildup inside the cartridge.
The shaver must be dry before cleaning it in the station, so shake off the water and gently pat it dry with a towel.
You may need to remove the cassette and let the parts air dry as well.
✓ Clean the inner chamber of the station with a damp cloth from time to time.
Fine hairs and gunk will accumulate inside the cleaning chamber and some of it can end up blocking the drain hole.
Just swiftly clean it before it becomes a problem.
✓ Change the cleaning fluid when it becomes excessively contaminated with dirt.
Even if there’s a filter inside the cartridge, some sludge may still pass through it. This is bad for the hygiene of your shaver and it can also block the drain tube in time.
And since third-party cleaning solutions are really cheap, it’s not worth pushing it beyond a certain point.
That pretty much concludes this guide. A clogged drain is by far the most common problem with Braun stations, but luckily one that can be easily fixed.
If you have any further questions or simply want to share your experience, make sure to leave a comment below.
Disclaimer: shavercheck.com and the author of this post are not responsible for any damage caused to your device. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
any idea why I have fluid running out of the bottom of the cleaner when I start cleaning? Is it clogged? though I have run water through it and it seems ok for flow. I had replaced the cleaning cartridge when it started doing this; so maybe the cleaning cartridge is bad? It’s as if the fluid is draining from the bin and not getting into the correct chamber on the cartridge?
Ideas?
Hi Ralph,
Did the problem stop after replacing the cartridge? If not, there may be some liquid escaping between the drain tube gasket and the cartridge. The rubber may become too stiff in time or get damaged. Try to inspect it and see if you notice anything unusual.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My cleaning station is not like the one in your photos. I have a S6. It has a button at the top which, when depressed, engages with the battery charging terminals. The blue LED comes on indicating that it is plugged in but he cleaning station will not charge of cleaning. Any ideas?
Hi,
The Series 6 station is newer than the one in the photos (it was introduced in 2020 and it’s the same that comes with the new Series 5 and Series 7 360 Flex). It is different in the way it connects to the shaver via that locking switch at the top. The LED will flash while charging the shaver. The color is only related to the fluid level (blue, yellow or red).
So I think it actually charges the shaver but there’s still the issue of the cleaning not starting. From what I understand, the cleaning will not start (please correct me if I misunderstood this). Is this a new shaver or you’ve been using it for a while and it only recently started doing this?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My station will not clean my shaver (series 9) once the button is pushed, I have done all the proper steps for a possible clogged drain, but still nothing.
please help! this machine is way to expensive for it not to be working!
Hi Raul,
Did it work at the beginning and suddenly stopped? As mentioned in the article, a clogged station is easy to diagnose, but if it’s not actually starting the cleaning process when you press the button, it may be defective. Does the LED on the station light up when you place the shaver in it? Does it charge the shaver? Also, if the station is in stand-by mode you’ll need to press the start button twice.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have same problem. I purchased the 7526 in 2002. The cleaning station is no longer working. I put the cleaning station away in the box 4 years ago and recently tried using the station again when I replaced the blade and screen last week. The cartridge light goes out so it registers the cartridge. The select button shows the charging led and the cleaning led but the cleaning cycle never starts. When I have the station set on clean and charge the led goes out after about 2 minutes. Please help how to open the station on the old one.
Hi Jesse,
I’m afraid I do not have a Syncro Series 7 model, so I can’t help you since the old station (with the holding arm) is quite different than the one I have and used for this article. But do proceed with care because from what I know there are some wires attached to the bottom of the station and you don’t want to break them when separating the top from the bottom. Also, the plastic clips are very small and feeble and will easily break.
I’m sorry I can’t help any further.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My cleaning/charging station lights up as well as the shaver when I put the shaver in it. However, the blue button on the station no longer lights up. When I press the button nothing happens.
Respectfully,
Domingo Miclat
Hi Domingo,
You didn’t mention your shaver model, but judging by the blue button, I believe you have a Braun Series 7. The LED would turn blue once the cleaning process starts. I understand that your station still charges the shaver, but the cleaning function doesn’t seem to work. If your station doesn’t show a low cartridge, then it may be something wrong with it. Did this happen all of a sudden?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have to commend you for replying to every post on your page. That is incredible!
I have bookmarked your page as I have a series 7 cleaning station that is working fine, but noticed a bit of powder like residue building up in the cleaning compartment. Read your comment and I will try to clean that later on. Great article thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Thank you for the comment, Raymond, I really appreciate it. Definitely a good idea to clean it, that powdery residue from all the fine hair dust is what will eventually clog the drain.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have Braun S3 and the cleaner will not activate. I have cleaned the drain and loosened the impeller as you suggested however, the pump (if there us one) does not activate to lift the cleaning solution up into the impeller. Can you help me?
Hi Dan,
That is not a clogging issue, unfortunately. So it’s probably the motor or the logic board. Those can be replaced if you can source the parts or in a Braun service center. But the cost is probably not worth it and you’d be better off simply buying a new station. If you can tell me the exact model name of your Series 3 I can provide the part number for the station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi i have the same problem blue light comes on then goes off almost straight away , then nothing
Thanks for the advice. I was worried. Pulled my Shaver out and it was still wet. So found this article. I didn’t use a toothpick. I used a bread tie from a loath of bread. But a nice little chunk came out. I could now see straight to the bottom. I will remember this in the future.
Hey,
Thank you for your comment — glad you found the article useful. A bread tie should work just as well. 🙂
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 3 and it just start anymore. Changed cartridge but no luck. What could be wrong?
It would be difficult for me to say what’s wrong just from your comment. Does the station still charge the shaver when you push down the holder?
The blue light comes on, but the lights on left side (series 7 charge station/cleaner) turn yellow even after new cartridge. When I push blue button, it hums a little like it wants to start, but then the light turns red and everything stops. The charger is not clogged. The charger works, but does not clean.
Hi Dan,
So basically the station is signaling a false empty cartridge notification whenever you’re starting a cleaning cycle. If that’s correct, I’m afraid the station is probably defective. Is it still under warranty? If so, you could try and have it repaired or replaced.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 9 station. Lately, I get about 5 cleanings at the most before that red light comes on and it won’t start cleaning. And yet, there’s at least 1/3 of the solution left. With my old station, I had at least twice that number of cleanings and the liquid that was left was minimal and dirty. I checked and the drain is completely open with my series 9. I hate having to buy all this solution that then gets wasted. I don’t want to have to buy a new station. Help!
Hi Gary,
I think I always have more than 1/3 of the solution left in the cartridge when the light comes on, but I do get way more than 5 cleanings from a refill. So I don’t think the fluid level is necessarily the issue here, but other potential causes (contamination, faulty sensor, etc.). Do you use shaving cream or gel? Also, do you remove the hair clippings by tapping them out or with the brush before cleaning your shaver in the station?
–Ovidiu
I have the very same problem in that the S9 cleaner only works for at the most 10 to 12 cleanings. It’s costing me a fortune on cleaning fluid. The only liquid I use is the cleaning fluid.
It my unit defective ?
Hi Carl,
I wouldn’t necessarily say that the unit is defective. Try the suggestions in this post in order to make the cartridge last longer. Also, there are third-party cleaning solutions available for a fraction of the cost. For example, CCRREFILLS or Cleanerist (the latter is only available in Europe). More details here.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, thank you for the information, most helpful. I have a series 3 which I didn’t use for around 18 months (I grew a beard which has now gone). I’ve loaded a new cleaning cartridge but the razor doesn’t get cleaned. I’ve checked the drain holes too, but they’re OK. The unit used to make quite a loud buzz when I turned it on (the fluid pump?) but now it’s quiet and just charges the razor. Any ideas? Many thanks.
Hi Trevor,
If the shaver charges and there’s a new (genuine) cartridge that was installed properly, the culprit could be the chip inside the shaver that’s needed to pair it with the station. They sometimes stop working. Assuming that’s not the case, the electronics in the station (circuit board, pump, etc.) could also be the cause. Unfortunately there’s no way of telling with certainty unless you have another shaver or station. I assume that the warranty has expired, so sending it to a Braun service center could be quite pricey.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu, thank you for the reply and advice. Regards, Trevor
I have a series nine and it looks like the pump… not the drain… is non-functional. It goes through all the mechanics of cleaning but no fluid is brought up and water drains through both holes easily
If the pump is faulty (and it seems to be from your comment), I don’t think there’s much you can do yourself. If it’s still under warranty, I would try to contact a Braun service center and have the pump repaired or replaced. I haven’t seen the pump being sold separately like other components (PCBs, batteries and so on). Finally, there’s the option of buying a new Series 9 station if it’s not worth repairing yours. Just make sure that you get the same part number. For example, the stations that come with the newer 93xx Series 9 are not backward compatible, despite appearing to be exactly the same stations.
–Ovidiu
This is one of the best easy to follow help sites I’ve used. Thank you, I followed the suggestions and read comments, and got my series 7 cleaner working. After dismantling I also gave the circuit board a quick blast of compressed air.
My problem had been the cleaner not working, press clean and lights went from Amber to red after about 10 secs.. All good now, thank you
That awesome, Nigel, glad you got it working again.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I just bought it (S3) yesterday. But the charging station onky charge but do not do the ckeaning at all. And the hole was ok… very disapointed…
Hi Donny,
In the case of a brand new shaver, a clogged station is never a problem. Make sure to follow the instructions in the manual exactly and also check out the troubleshooting section. If the problem still persists, your unit may be defective, in which case you should return it for a refund or replacement.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I had to interrupt the cleaning cycle of my Series 7 because cleaning fluid was over flowing. I cleaned the unit as you instructed but now the cleaning cycle just keeps running and running. Do you know how I can reset it, please?
Hi Howard,
Are you absolutely sure that the cleaning cycle is running indefinitely? The intensive cleaning mode takes up to 20 minutes for example. Also, what Series 7 model do you have?
–Ovidiu
Very good instructions.
Also; I had to turn the “impeller” to get the pump working again. As suggested here: http://www.fixya.com/support/t3858567-braun_clean_renew_not_working#sln_15304187
This worked well for me, and the unit is working again.
Hi Marcus,
Thank you for the comment and the link. This rarely happens, but the gunk, oil, and hairs can block the impeller as well. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to fix.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Thanks for the post it was really useful and definitely I will try it but first I have a question. Once I tried to wash my station with water and simply I took out the cartridge and let the water from faucet run from top part of station and clean all the hairs!!! That was a big mistake I know but now the station is working just I hear all the time squeaky noise from the pump do you know how can I fix it?
Thanks in advance
Hi,
You are very welcome.
It’s a good idea to stick to cleaning the station with a damp cloth just to be on the safe side. While you could let water carefully run through the station, making sure it only drains through the drain hole and doesn’t come in contact with the electronics inside (which are exposed), it’s better to avoid doing it. Some water may have ended up in the pump, which could cause the squeaking noise. Apart from letting it drain and dry completely by turning the station upside down, I don’t think there’s anything you can do. The water should come out anyway when the cleaning fluid runs through the pump.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi,
I tried to use my cleaning station with a fresh fluid tank, but the fluid level light blinks when I insert the shaver and no cleaning will occur. I didn’t find this in the Braun troubleshooting. Do you know what my problem is?
Hi John,
This did happen to me a couple of times with a Series 7 station, but it eventually showed a full tank after removing and inserting the cartridge again. I understand that your station worked normally until this happened? If so, there might be something wrong with the sensor that detects the fluid level. Is your shaver still under warranty? If not, there could be a way of bypassing that sensor, although I haven’t tried it myself. One of our readers pointed that out in this comment.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 7 with the hard to find white wet & dry station.
Sadly when I insert my shaver into the station it the lights Cycle on the left from eco to normal to intensive. Then when I push start “intensive keeps blinking”, but nothing happens and it does not start Cleaning. I tried the fast clean button and still nothing happens.
I had sent this station when it was under warranty and they told me fixing the cable solved the problem.
Sadly I have not used it in over a year and now I have no idea how to get the unit to start cleaning.
Have any ideas?
I think the issue may be caused by a defective electronic component that will likely need to be repaired/replaced. But being an older model, I’m not sure if that’s still possible, even in a Braun service center. The cost could also be pretty high since the shaver is not under warranty anymore.
Thank you Ovidiu you have helped me sort out my 9 series 🙂 from clogging, Braun etiquette cleaning is vague
Regards
Crez
You are very welcome, Crez. Glad you found it useful!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I recently cleaned my series 7 cleaning station. After the cleaning, the motor runs continuously when plugged in (without pushing the button) whether or not the razor is inserted into the cleaning station. The cleaning fluid spurts out of the top and all over the counter surface. What can I do?
Hi Richard,
I assume you cleaned the station with water which is not recommended. You should only use a slightly damp cloth to wipe it clean. From what I can tell, something like a short happened and the station behaves as if the razor is in place and the start button is pressed. I would let the station dry completely for a few days, maybe even take it apart as described in this post and just hope for the best.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu
A really useful series of Q & A’s but I think I have something different for you!
On switch on the level indicator for my charging station (Series 7 790cc) shows “low” and wouldn’t clean the shaver so I left it to charge only which worked perfectly. In the meantime I got a new cartridge and fitted it however when I switched it on it still showed the level as “low” and when I inserted the shaver to try it the level indicator immediately switched to “red” (empty) which obviously isn’t correct.
I have tried giving the unit a good clean (the drain was pretty much blocked) and also tried to move the impeller, as per above,which is very stiff and wouldn’t move more than a mm, if that.
Any ideas? Seem like the sensor has gone and somewhere you mentioned bypassing it – is that possible? Or is the fact that the impeller is stuck the problem – I’m assuming the black impeller at the bottom should spin?
Any advice greatly appreciated! It does still charge the shaver OK.
Kind regards
Ken
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your comment.
First of all, it’s great that you unclogged the station. However, that’s not the reason why it incorrectly signals an empty cartridge. Also, the impeller should be extremely easy to unstuck. My guess is that you tried to move the outer cover. The actual impeller sits inside and is usually white — here is a picture of it.
This issue happened to me as well with a Series 7, but everything went back to normal after unplugging and plugging the cord in. If it still refuses to show a full cartridge, then there might be something wrong with the station, including that sensor. I haven’t tried bypassing it as I never had to, so I’m afraid I cannot help you with any indications. But it appears that it can be done.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi. Thanks for that.
Mine station is still faulty. Does not pick up fluid.
Charges ok. Shaver buzzes but it appears that the fluid is not being picked up.
Hi Mike,
If there’s no fluid coming up, the impeller may be stuck. Try to rotate it by using the tip of a toothpick.
–Ovidiu
I have an s3 shaver and it cleaned the BBC shh hi aver well Andean out of cleaner cartridges and bought more on Amazon. The unit charges my shaver fine the unit does not start cleaning. The cartridges look the same but could there be a slight difference? Let me know!
Does it show an empty cartridge? Is the razor being turned on? As long as they’re genuine Braun cartridges, they will work with any Braun station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a Series 9 shaver with the cleaning/charging station. My problem is that after emptying a genuine Braun cartridge and refilling it with surgical grade isopropanol, when the cartridge is loaded into the station the red light stays on. The charger will recharge the shaver, but the wash procedure will not run and nothing seems to cause the red light to go out. Other comments on this site suggest that it is possible to refill and use cartridges. But is this actually the case, or have Braun introduced a sensor in the series 9 cleaning station to prevent the reuse of cartridges?
Hi Peter,
The sensor only reads the electric conductivity of the cleaning fluid, at least that’s the most reasonable explanation. So you can reuse a cartridge if you use something similar to the original solution. Alcohol alone will always cause the station to signal an empty cartridge which prevents the cleaning process from starting. The simplest workaround would be to use a third-party cleaning solution like the one in this article. You simply add the content of the package to 500ml of 70% (or more) alcohol (you can use isopropanol or ethanol).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi
I have a Series 7 Type 5696
Purchased about 6 months ago.
Shaver works fine….thought I would use the clean and renew station….used previous ones , no problem.
Put in cleaning cartridge – orange light came on….indicated new cartridge
Put shaver in…nothing.No lights at all Pressed twice…took out shaver cleansed…but it was clean any way….
Could the unit just be faulty ?
Thanks
Hi Nigel,
Just to make sure I understood everything correctly — you have used this precise station before and it worked fine? Does the station show a low level when you use a new (original) Braun cartridge?
–Ovidiu
TL;DR: If the motor runs but the razor is still dry, rotate the impeller.
Just more of a thank you. I have a series 5. I was using third party solution and had just refilled a cleaning cartridge, inserted it, turned it on and it made its usual noise but no solution came up (I know the sound enough by now that I was immediately suspicious. Usually there is kind of a gurgling sound along with the buzzing sound. This time just the buzzing sound, no gurgling). Took out the razor and sure enough, the head was completely dry. I tried cleaning the inside of the station and even ran water through it (probably won’t do that again, I was afraid I would inadvertently short it out). Still no fluid. I thought perhaps the third party solution broke it somehow so I bought official Braun ones. Still no fluid! I was thinking I would have to deal with a warranty claim. Luckily I found this page. Sure enough, it was the impeller. Gave it a couple twirls with a small screwdriver and it’s now gurgling great! Thanks for the tips and this site. I bought the 5 because of it, FYI. Great razor.
Thank you for your comment, Tony. Glad you found the site helpful and you’re pleased with your Series 5.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Can i put my shaver wet (Immediately after rinsing under tap water) in the cleaning station or should I wait till it dries?
The shaver should be dry before putting it in the station. For more details, please see this comment.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 5 razor. I installed a brand new Braun cleaning cartridge. When I press the clean button it starts to clean the razor but after about 3 seconds the cleaning solution starts spurting out onto the counter. I tried cleaning the drain hole with a toothpick and it’s totally clear. I also removed the razor head to insure it is clean. Still no luck. Any ideas?
Hi Tim,
Is the solution coming out from underneath the station? I suspect something with the tube that houses the pump/impeller and sits inside the larger hole of the cartridge when the station is closed. Speaking of which, make sure that it is properly closed once you insert the cartridge, sometimes it can remain partially opened.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have the same issue as Tim P. above but with a series 9. On the cleaning phase, the fluid comes up over the top, and not underneath. I too have cleaned the drainage hole, and that doesn’t seem to change. A new foil doesn’t make a difference, neither does reversing the foil on the shaver. A new authenticate Braun cartridge doesn’t make a difference. It is almost as if the fluid were pumping at too fast a rate, and impacting the shaver too hard, rather than flowing and bathing the shaver head. Perhaps the fluid pumped up is constricted, before it reaches the tank, much like putting your thumb over a garden hose? What is the proper means to clean the upper hole?
I’d say that a constricted flow from the pump is rather unlikely. The upper hole doesn’t lead straight down like the other one and if there’s any debris constricting it, that should be clearly visible when looking at the station from the top. You didn’t specifically mention it, but I suppose you did check the drain hole for any clogging. Would it be possible to film the station when this happens and upload the video to YouTube? If the liquid comes at a much higher rate, it would hit the foils and still drain in the cartridge — the station has an overflow drain in addition to the tiny drain hole.
Hi,
Also have a Series 9 here. It starts cleaning and after a few seconds it starts to first spurt out on top of the station. Thema few seconds later it starts running out of the base of the station. Within a very(!) short time, half the cartridge is leaked out of it.
Holes are all free and clean as far as visible.
I am though not sure what function the second small hole in the middle of That rectangle has. I can see the pump is pumping so much fluid, That it Starts overflowing into the slit that the fan would blow out air.
Also, I opened er while it was still all wet, I can see fluid really comes out of the fan housing.
Seems some sensor indicating it is full and that should tell the pump to stop for a moment, does not work.
Any idea?
Hi Stefan,
The fluid actually comes through that small hole in the middle. There isn’t a sensor that indicates the fluid level, the pump simply drives just enough liquid so that the drain holes can keep up and the liquid will not overflow and simply flow back into the cartridge. On the right part of the cleaning tub you’ll see something like a pocket — that’s actually an overflow system that leads to the same drain hole mentioned in the article. Check to see if it isn’t clogged as well. I’ve never seen this happening, but anything is possible.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have the same issue as Tim and Karl. I have a 1 year old 9 series. When the cleaning cycle starts, cleaning fluid shoots out off the razor spraying the surrounding counter top. Also, fluid leaks at the same time out of the bottom of the cleaning station. Has anyone come up with a solution for this? Thanks!
John – you, me, Tim, and Karl are all in the same boat, except that my Series 9 is somewhat older. A few months ago it started, and, like you, the cleaning fluid sprays out everywhere. I cannot quite tell whether it’s coming from the razor foil itself or the area in front of the razor and the plastic holder. It only does this for about the first four cleans following a new Braun cartridge, but, apart from the mess, I’ve lost masses of fluid.
I am undecided whether it is an issue with the base station or something to do with the seating of the foil on the razor. A new foil has made no difference.
Frustrating.
Hi Clive,
From what I can tell, you’re having the same issue with the gasket that other users had and it’s not caused by the foil. There’s an easy fix and you can find it in the article above (with detailed images).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Excellent advice Was about to buy new unit Read your article,followed the simple instructions and freed the impeller Many thanks
Thank you, John — glad you found it helpful!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 9 and I did everything you said but no luck. The drain was not plugged and the impeller moves freely but it does not dry the razor. The unit will charge and plenty of solution is applied but after that it just goes silent and will not finish the cleaning process.
Hi Cris,
From what I can tell, it wasn’t a clogging problem from the get go. So the station goes through the cleaning normally, but after that, the fan won’t start drying the shaver. This is the first time I’ve heard of this problem given also the novelty of a fan used in Braun stations (which specific only to the Series 9). It’s most likely an electrical issue and I don’t think there’s much anyone can do without the proper expertise. If it’s still under warranty, you should send the station to a Braun service center and have it repaired or replaced.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello. Thanks for the detailed instructions. But I did not find the answer to my problem with mu Braun 790cc cleaning station. Cleaning and charging occurs regularly, but the razor is wet, drying does not occur. The drain hole is clean. I used the charge 3 or 4 times. What could be the problem? There is provided for drying razors with hot air as I understand?
Hi Konstantin,
Only the older 790cc models came with a station fitted with an inductive drying system. All the newer Series 7 (for the past 3 years or so) station don’t have that feature anymore. SO there’s no active drying system and it takes around 4 hours for the solution to naturally evaporate. So in this case I don’t think there was a clogging problem or anything wrong with your station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Oh, I didn’t know. it’s just that my old 8985 razor was actively drying and the razor was getting hot, so I thought that on the 7 series the same system. So there is no active drying on it. It’s strange that Braun removed it because the razor comes out wet and slippery! This is a very strange decision! Thanks for the quick and complete answer.
No problem, glad I could help. I think it has something to do with Braun wanting to consolidate the position of the Series 9 as their flagship shaver and thus the only one that comes with a drying system. Otherwise, the Series 7 would have probably cannibalized the sales of the Series 9. Plus, it’s also cheaper to make a station with fewer features. Anyway, that’s just my take on it.
Hi, My Braun Station cleaner (series 9) won´t stop working after 5 or 6 cycles, and keeps running until all the fluid is drained; then it presents the red light on the left side of the station. Any solution? Thank you.
Hi Miguel,
I’m not exactly sure that I understand the issue. Can you be a bit more specific? Does the station run continuously after you start the cleaning?
Hi,
I’ve used my clean and charge station about 30 times and it does everything well until it goes into the dry mode… my shaving head is still wet even after 40 minutes?
So the problem is that it doesn’t dry anymore?
Any tips?
Thanks
Hi Lorenzo,
You didn’t mention if you have a Series 7 or 9 as they use different drying systems (inductive heating and a fan, respectively). It’s actually not uncommon for the head to be still slightly damp after drying — I get the same results with my Series 9 shavers. I’ve seen a better solution with some Panasonic and Philips stations that use both a heating element and a fan. The combination of the two seems to be much more effective.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My 9385 is pretty wet after cleaning. The fan is working (I can hear it and feel a light flow of air coming from the side of the shaver). Is it normal for it to be so wet after cleaning and waiting for more than 4 hours? Might there be something wrong with the fluid that it does not evaporate?
Hi Mustafa,
With a properly functioning station and a cleaning solution with a higher alcohol content (90% or more), the head should be slightly damp at the end of the cycle, but I’ve never seen one perfectly dry. There’s definitely a difference when using a cleaning fluid with less alcohol though. For example, I’m currently testing more third-party ready-made solutions and there’s one from a brand called Wessper that has only 30% alcohol. After the drying cycle the head of my Series 9 shavers would be dripping wet, so the alcohol content has a great influence on this. On the other hand, it is almost dry when I used a solution with at least 90% alcohol.
I posted a guide on third-party solutions a while back if you want to check it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi,
I bought a brand new 9376. After shaving, the machine shows the drop meaning needs to clean, but none of those three drops on the cleaning station comes up. Charging and the red one work properly except those drops. Is that normal? Or it has any factory reset procedure or calibrating to bring them back on.
Thank you.
Hi,
The only red symbol on the Series 9 station is the low/no cartridge indicator. If it lights up, it means that the cartridge is either empty or there’s no cartridge at all. Charging still works in these conditions, but the station won’t show the hygiene status nor start the cleaning process.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, My Braun series 7, model 790cc-4 cleaning station does not tell me when its time to change the cartridge. The indicator lights never change from a new cartridge indicator. What would you suggest?
Hi Art,
If everything else works as it should, you can continue using the station without much trouble. I don’t think there’s anything you can do about it. Just make sure to replace/refill the cartridge once the liquid drops below one-third of the container or gets really dirty.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Thanks for your clear, helpful suggestions. For the last year my Series 7 has a yellow oily substance on it after a cleaning on the right front edge of the head — the edge that rests on the intake tube area of the cleaner. I wipe it off with a tissue or paper towel, so it’s not a big deal, but it’s a mystery. Do you have any idea what’s going on? The cleaning fluid is the normal clear color.
Hi Rick,
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated.
That’s actually normal and Braun even mentiones it explicitly in the user manual of all their shavers that come with a cleaning station. While the cleaning fluid is indeed clear, once the alcohol evaporates, the remaining substance can have that yellowish, oily appearance. The solution does contain Liomene, Citral and perfume and my guess is that at least one of them is responsible for the oily residue. But there’s really nothing to worry about, I also simply wipe it off with a paper towel.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks so much!
My cleaner pump was not pumping. The impeller turned easily. There was some crud at the intake to the cleaning chamber. Still could not get it to work. I tried to remove the shell, but there was something preventing it from lifting off at the edge near the pump. (understand that the power plug and release button need to be depressed to get clearance) Now the pump turns constantly, but still nothing comes out. Is this the end of the line?
Hi Charles,
Some from what I understand, the impeller wasn’t stuck, the pump is working, but there’s no liquid coming into the cleaning chamber? Is there enough liquid in the cartridge?
Hi,
I have two 5 series shavers (5769 and 5749) only one will work (clean) in the cleaning station, the other just charges but will not allow the cleaning station to work/pump. Is there something I have to do to make the 5749 work in the cleaning station?
Thank you
Hi Gabriel,
The type 5749 is probably an S (solo) model like the 5040s, so it will not work with a cleaning station. Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do about it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey thanks very much; I have a 3 and this helped immensely. Much appreciated!
You are very welcome, glad you found it useful.
Hi,
I have the series 9 shaver. The cleaning station isn’t working. Placed new cartridge and plugged into outlet. The white LED turns on. I insert the shaver and nothing. The white LED just blinks slowly. Any idease?
Hi,
The white LED on the station should only start blinking once you press the start button and the cleaning begins. Is that the case, only that it doesn’t do anything? Try pressing the button again (the station may be in stand-by mode).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello,
I have similar problem.
Mine is also a series 9.
But when I press on the button, the white light will come on but goes off in 1 second. When I press again the same thing happen. What could be wrong? No other light came on.
Hi Raymond,
Did that happen from the very beginning? It definitely looks like something’s wrong with the station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey,
I have been using the Series 3 cleaning /charging station almost 2 years. Yesterday it just went crazy, keeps coming on, buzzing & washing, like very hour. I checked impeller and drain hole, both OK, replaced the solvent cartridge with a fresh Braun one. Did not help. Have you encountered this before?
Hi Matthew,
Sorry to hear about that — I personally never had to deal with anything similar. But by the look of it, something’s definitely wrong. You pretty much did everything you can to try troubleshooting the cause. Finding and fixing/replacing the faulty part would probably be extremely difficult. If you don’t mind taking the shaver out of the station immediately after the cleaning is done, I think you can still get some use out of it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Dear Ovidiu
We have lightning storms in Virginia and the elec fluctuates, browns out, flashes, so my electronics may not be very happy at this point in their short life. Never considered putting a shaver on a surge protector! Thank you for your consideration and helpful website to everyone.
I have a series 5 braun razor. Lately I have been going through fluid cartridges and it is spraying and gushing fluid during the cleaning process. I followed the advise provided and cleaned the cleaning area and made sure the drain hole is not blocked and it still sprays fluid out the top and seems to gush fluid. During the cleaning cycle the cleaning area fills with solution and starts spraying the fluid out the top during the agitation phase. When the razor agitation stops the fluid drains out as expected. In my estimation the cleaning area fills up too high and the razor agitation is spraying. Is there anything in the system that would tell the pump to stop pumping when it reaches a full or in my case over full?
The controller stops the pump from pushing more fluid at pre-determined intervals (correlated with the shaver being turned on and off); it doesn’t actually know if the tub overflows with liquid. By razor agitation I believe you are referring to the razor being turned on. Do you hear the pump running continuously, even when the shaver isn’t turned on?
Yes, when I say agitation,the razor is running. I hear the pump turn on and the razor begins agitating. As the well fills and the razor begins agitating, you can look into the well and see the fluid bubble with the agitation. The fluid rises a bit more and then it begins to spray out of the well. The agitation stops and the fluid drains back out. I does this about 3 times. The spray is so heavy I have placed the unit in my second sink to keep it from running all over the counter.
It seems like the drain just can’t keep up with the flow of liquid filling up the tub. Is the drain hole definitely free of any debris blocking it? This would be the most likely cause.
Thanks for your suggestions. I can drop a toothpick straight through the drain hole. No obstructions at all. The pump seems to be filling the tube very full and as soon as the agitation stops, there is a pause, and then the fluid flows out of the tube. Does not seem to be a fix. I guess I will look for another razor.
My cleaner for series 9 braun shaver will charge my electric razor. However it will not turn on to clean when I push the button on the cleaner. I unclogged the hole and turned the wheel with a toothpick but it will not turn on to push the liquid through. What can I do?
Hi Brent,
Have you tried pressing the button twice? If the station is in standby, it will only start if you press the button twice.
If the station doesn’t show an empty cartridge, it charges the shaver, but refuses to start when pressing the button, then the culprit it’s likely a chip inside the shaver or some other component of the station itself.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks, cleaning the drainage hole worked a treat.
Thought I’d have to chuck the cleaning unit
You are very welcome, Bob — glad you found it useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks very much. Had a stuck impeller on a 6 month old unit. Was going to send it back but your tip had it fixed in seconds.
You are very welcome, Mike. Glad you managed to sort it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
The last 2 times after cleaning my 8, the head of the shaver is very hot. Is it the shaver or the cleaning station?
That’s a bit a strange, I also own a Series 8 8370cc and never noticed anything like that. Was the head hot after leaving the shaver in the station for a few hours?
TL;DR: if the C&C station sprays fluid out of the top and leaks out of the bottom while a cleaning cycle is running, make sure to check that the gasket at the base of the impeller housing is not in contact with the housing. It should be flared 2-3mm uniformly around the housing.
Hi Ovidiu,
I had the same issue as Tim Patriquin and Karl posted about in January and February of 2020, above. A few days ago, I posted a reply to their posts, but in the meantime I think I solved the problem.
I have a 1 year old 9 series (92xx CC). Recently, when the cleaning cycle started, the C&C station was shooting cleaning fluid out of the underside of the shaving head (which faces upwards when the shaver is installed in the C&C station) spraying the surrounding counter top while simultaneously leaking fluid from the base of the station. I regularly clean the drain hole and wipe out inner chamber, as you call it, so I did not think this was a clogging issue.
Nevertheless, I followed all of your very helpful C&C station cleaning instructions, including the tip to clean the overflow drain you mentioned in the comments above. In addition to a toothpick, I found that a can of compressed air (the kind used for cleaning electronics) was very helpful for getting the crud out of all the knooks and crannies in the C&C station. Just do it outside! The compressed air was especially helpful for cleaning the overflow drain. After that very thorough cleaning, my C&C station still sprayed cleaning fluid out of the underside of the shaver head while simultaneously leaking fluid from the base. Frustrated, I left it to sit and tried to locate my manual, warranty and purchase receipt.
After a time, I got to thinking why would cleaning fluid shoot out of the top AND leak out of the bottom at the same time? I unplugged the C&C station and removed the cartridge. The interior of the station was covered with a film residue, most likely left behind after the alcohol in the cleaning fluid evaporated. There should be no cleaning fluid or residue inside of the station. The fluid should be pumped out of the cartridge through the impeller, circulate through the shaver and inner chamber, and then return to the cartridge through the drain. Since fluid sprayed and leaked while the impeller was pumping, the leak must be coming from where the cartridge meets the impeller housing.
In the 3rd picture of Step 4, above, there is a clear view of the impeller housing below the red arrow (which points at the drain). The impeller housing has a rubber gasket at the top of it. In that picture, the gasket appears to be a uniform distance from the impeller housing all the way around, perhaps 2-3mm. My gasket was touching the impeller housing in some places and too close to the housing elsewhere. I surmised the gasket no longer sealed up against the cartridge. The gasket was still pliable and seated properly in the C&C station, so I ran my finger between the impeller housing and the gasket to flare the gasket out away from the impeller housing. I then re-installed the cartridge and ran a cleaning cycle. Problem solved, no more sprays or leaks!
Thanks for your wonderful site! I bought my 9 Series based on your detailed reviews and comparisons. All of the tips, tutorials and guides on your site have made my 9 series a joy to use every day. May I suggest that the tip about cleaning the overflow drain be included in the main article? It was only after reading through dozens of comments that I came across it.
I have videos of the spraying and leaking if you would like them for your site.
Hi John,
Thank you so much for the detailed explanation — it never occurred to me that the gasket could be the culprit, but it makes perfect sense. I will include it with your permission to the main body of the article and I will also take more detailed photos of the gasket to make it as clear as possible.
Thank you again for taking the time to share the solution. I think the videos could be useful as well for someone trying to identify the problem.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Series 9 here – it works but only barely. Where it used to fill the chamber quite a bit with the liquid, nowadays it makes a “sad” sort of sound and only maybe half fills the chamber. So when it’s done cleaning, typically I find the half of the head that was pointing down (submerged) is clean and the other half stays dirty.
I’ve pulled it all to bits, cleaned all the holes and tubes, impeller seems to turn okay.. so not sure why it’s doing this.. maybe it needs a new motor?
It could very well be the pump struggling. Does this happen with a new cartridge as well (so no sludge or over contaminated fluid)?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, I found your post very useful, however the troubleshooting did not work for me, my problem is I didn’t use the cleaning station for a while and just recently bought 3 new cartidges, but after replacing the red light is there, which flashes when the shaver is on the cleaning station, and stays steady when the shavers not on the station. Is there anything I could do? I’m afraid my warranty has ran out too.
Hi,
This definitely isn’t a clogging issue. You didn’t mention it explicitly, but I suppose the cartridges you bought are genuine Braun CCR refills? Just to rule them out as a possible cause. One of my older Series 7 stations used to do this from time to time, but it always worked after unplugging it and reinserting the cartridge. I know it’s a long shot, but worth a try.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 9 cc and a series 9 s. Can the s be changed and cleaned in the cc stand?
You can only charge the Series 9 s in the station, the cleaning function will not work.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Many thanks for a great article & yes the drain hole was blocked (razor series 5, 590) whole cleaning station now sparkling & light shining through drain hole BUT still alot of splashing of fluid from top of unit……ideas please!
Tom
Hi Tom,
Check out this comment by John for a possible solution.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Checked that out, no leaks from cartridge but although drain hole is perfectly clear, fluid level builds up around razor & then splashes everywhere; when I take the razor out fluid is not draining quickly enough or too much being pumped!!!!??? Bizarre I know, any further thoughts welcome,
Tom
I have a Series 7 (not even a year old). The C&C station was showing “orange” for fluid level, so I didn’t change it. Turns out it ran out of fluid and the inside became a mess. I cleaned it all out, and replaced the cartridge, and the fluid level changed to green, but why isn’t it showing red when it’s empty?
Maybe the fluid is not yet at the level where the station would show an empty cartridge. If there is something wrong, it’s not really a big inconvenience. On rare occasions a station would erroneously show the empty cartridge notification even with a new cartridge — that would be a problem.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I guess it could be worse, but it really turned out to be a big mess I had to clean out inside all because I thought the fluid level was fine and it wasn’t pumping up any fluid because it was already empty. The cleaning station would go through all the motions (activate the shaver, run the pump, etc, it just wasn’t actually cleaning anything, rather depositing hair and other gunk inside the cleaner unit).
I see, that does sound like it snowballed into something more serious. Most users (myself included) dread the low cartridge notification, especially when there still seems to be enough fluid in the cartridge. But in this situation, it would have been useful. I usually take the cartridge out of the station once the cleaning is done, so I’m always aware of how much liquid is left. I guess that’s why I never really considered it important.
It is under warranty, so I may call Braun and see what they say about it. I can’t figure out what could prevent the low cartridge notification from activating.
I have a series 9 2 months old the red level light is on although the fluid is half full when after cleaning the shaver is very wet I have looked into cleaning to see if there is any blockage but nothing all clear put it all back together but the red light is still there help
The red LED will light up when there’s still fluid left in the container, usually one third or even half the tank. If the station thinks the fluid is over-contaminated (by measuring the electric conductivity), it may appear even sooner than that. After the drying phase (which takes around 45 minutes) the head should be dry, maybe a bit damp.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey Ovidiu,
Thank you so much for this detail post!
I am having issues where after the cycle finishes, the head will remain wet for much much longer than it used to. (Never gets 100% dry and still dripping after hours) so i thought it would be a clogged drain like you noted. However it was completely free of any solids to prevent the flow of used liquids. Am wondering if the 70% isopropyl I purchased is actually much lesser in its purity and is therefore struggling with drying up (through evaporation) as it would otherwise do. I also feel like it’s not cleaning as well as it used to with the proprietary Braun cleaning fluid but this could be in my head.
If you have any other thoughts about this I’d love to hear it. Thank you.
Hi,
You are very welcome.
Can you please tell the model of your Braun shaver? Also, after the cycle ends, can you lift the shaver from the station and look inside to see if there’s any fluid left that refuses to drain? If not, then this can only be attributed to the different cleaning solution you’re using. One workaround would be to take the shaver out after cleaning, remove the shaving head and just let it air dry. It should evaporate much faster.
Also, there are some really good third-party cleaning solutions like the CCRRefills or Cleanerist, you should definitely consider them as well.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have this same issue. Drain hole is perfect, no fluid in the chamber after, but razor is still dripping wet. I can hear the fan running, but it seems like it’s not actually ‘blowing’ on the razor? Where does the fan air come through at?
I have a Series 9. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Hi Ron,
The fan is active for around 50 minutes or so after the cleaning cycle. There’s a cutout in the front part of the chamber that allows the air to come through. However, after the drying phase, the shaving head won’t be bone dry, but still a bit damp. It shouldn’t be dripping wet by any means if there’s no fluid in the chamber.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 9 the three lights signaling when the shaver needs to be cleaned, come on even though the shaver was just cleaned. When I first got the shaver it would take several shaves before all three lights came on. What do you think is the problem.
If you are referring to the three droplets on the station (meaning the shaver needs a thorough cleaning), I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It seems to be the case with most Series 9 cc shavers. I now have two and both of them do the same thing. But since the differences between the 3 cleaning modes are marginal, there’s nothing to worry about.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you. I’m just ignoring the lights now and cleaning once a week.
Thanks for putting this up, I thought my station was busted so was about to purchase a new one, after doing your cleaning routine it now works again
That’s awesome, Mike, glad you found it useful. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have the 9276cc (Canadian here) and wonder why the 3 lights indicating the degree of cleaning needed on the cycle (on the base station) don’t light up even though they are present.
The manual states these lights (15c on the diagrams) are model-dependent; as far as I know, this is the flagship, so I’ stumped!
Just to make sure I understood correctly, when you place the shaver in the station, none of the 3 lights show up? All the 92xxcc come with the 3 cleaning modes as far as I know.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello,
I have a series 5. The last cartridge change out, I walked back into the room after an hour or so, and there was fluid everywhere, and the cartridge was half empty. At that time, I cleaned out the drain hole. Today I replaced the cartridge again, and stayed there to watch it cycle. Fluid comes into the “well” and continues to rise while the shaver vibrates, splashing a lot of fluid out of the top around the shaver handle etc. The fluid drains down, albeit slowly, and the cycle goes again. I double checked the drain hole, and it is open. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Chris,
Check out the The station (still) splashes fluid and also leaks during cleaning section in the article above, it seems to be precisely that case here.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you Thank you Thank you. I took the whole thing apart, checked the seal, and while it was open, I blew some compressed air thru all the drain holes. The machine now works perfectly again.
That’s awesome, Chris, glad you managed to fix it.
Good morning, after much reading concerning not being able to charge an s type series 9 shaver in the cleaning station, is there a way to bypass or fool the charging station to be able to charge the shaver. Wondered if it uses the cc type shaver ueses a magnet to close a switch in the cleaning station? Thanks.
Hi Jim,
As far as I know, the only way to achieve this with an s model is a firmware update. However, it can only be performed in a Braun service center. I don’t know if they’re willing to do it though or how much it would cost. But the chances are very slim in my opinion.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I just want to thank you for posting these helpful instructions. It solved my problem like a charm! I’m so happy to be back in business.!
That’s awesome, Russell, glad you found it useful in solving the issue.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi I have the Braun 3 shaver /cleaning system however the system only shows the blue light when plugged in… the razor charges but the system makes no noise and doesn’t initiate ..I even bought another Braun cleaning system which also doesn’t come on? So I am assuming that the shover isn’t communicating with the system?
Any ideas..
Hi Barrie,
Since the problem is still there even with a different station, there’s likely a problem with the shaver. The microchips that communicate with the station sometimes stop working and there’s not much you can do, unfortunately.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a Braun 9 shaver with the Clean and Renew system which I foolishly tried to clean before reading this board. And the circuit board probably got wet because pushing the button had no effect. So I took it apart following your instructions and then cleaned it with canned air, put it out in the sun and prayed. Before trying to put it all back together I tried pushing on the little switch on the circuit board and miraculously it made noises and started to work again. But now the problem is the on/off switch came loose and is now sitting on my desk. When I try to reassemble the unit the switch always comes loose and won’t hit the circuit board switch. Is there a trick to getting the on/off switch back in the clean and renew system and getting it to stay in place? I don’t think gluing it would work as the plastic end has to be free to press against the circuit board. I hate to have gotten this far to not be able to get it back together and have to go buy a new cleaning system. Any suggestions?
Hi David,
Definitely don’t glue it. I think you simply didn’t put the switch back in place correctly. Remove the outer case of the station and try again, it should be really clicky when placed correctly. I do not have any detailed images at hand right now, unfortunately. But it can be a bit tricky getting it right.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Dear Ovidiu,
thank´s for the good instructions – my Cleaner Unit now works again and pumps the cleaner fluid.
best regards, Paul
You are very welcome, Paul, glad you managed to fix it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I ran a cleaning cycle and the fan won’t stop running now. Ran for 12 hours unplugged it and when I plug it back I. The fan comes back on
Sorry Braun series 9
Hi Chris,
I’ve never come across this problem before. Have you tried pressing the station’s ON/OFF button? That’s how you would normally stop the fan before the end of the drying cycle (that should normally be completed in around 40 minutes).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have this problem too. Everything was working fine, but now the fan keeps running and running. None of the buttons work either. Only options are unplugging it, and when you plug back in, fan runs and runs.
sorry… put in email wrong on last comment. please fix, especially if you have an answer. thanks
I’m afraid there’s no quick fix to this as it seems to be a logic board issue. If it’s still under warranty I would send it to a Braun service center to have it repaired or replaced. Otherwise you should inquire about the price first as it might be cheaper to buy a new or used station on eBay.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey.
Great blog.
Just wondering have you ever try use Series 7 cleaning station to clean series 9 shaver?
Will it work by chance?
Thinking bou to get series 9 without CC to save sone money if S7 CC would work for S9
Hi,
Thank you for your comment.
It will definitely not work, the station and shavers are not interchangeable. Also, only the Series 9 solo models starting with 93 (like the 9340s) will work with a compatible Series 9 station. More details here.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great blog Ovidiu. I have a Model 5762 shaver. Since I don’t shave very often since growing a beard, I clean my shaver very infrequently. After attempting to clean the shaver today with a new cartridge installed, the pump in the cleaning station didn’t work at all. After turning the cleaning station on and off several times, it slowly started to work for a few seconds at a time. Eventually, I got it to work continuously and finish a cleaning cycle. It seems, however, that if you don’t use the cleaning station regularly, the pump may freeze up and not work. I’m going to use the cleaning station regularly once per week now and see if that solves the problem. Also, like you advised in one of the comments above, I clean my shaver regularly with the brush and I also remove my cleaning solution cartridge between cleanings and store it separately. Since this is an evaporative solution, I’ve found that I can extend the longevity of the cartridge for months and save myself a lot of money on genuine Braun cartridge replacements. Thanks for your advice.
Thank you for your comment, glad you found the information useful.
It is possible for the impeller to get stuck, usually because of dirt buildups inside the housing, but other than that the pump should still work fine even if you don’t use the station regularly. So it is a bit odd what happened with your unit, but it’s good that it works again.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Many thanks for such a well described process. I had been putting up with a wet shaver every time I cleaned it and was considering buying a new charging station or a whole new shaver. I can’t believe that a blocked hole was behind it all along!
You are very welcome, Jonathan, glad you were able to solve the problem.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello,
My issue is that my shaver only cleans through part of the process and then it stops with the dirty light flashing and wont go to the blue check saying it’s finished. This has never happened before and it happened on the dirtiest degree which my shaver has never been at before.
Hi,
From what I can tell you have a Series 7. The cleaning process in the high-intensity mode can take a while (with some longer breaks in-between), are you absolutely certain that the cleaning process won’t resume if you just leave the shaver in the station? That would also explain the selection of the cleaning mode since the hygiene status of the shaver won’t be reset unless the blue check shows up.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello,
Thanks for such a quick response and my b on not mentioning that it was a series 7. Yes, it cleans for a small amount of time and then just stops with the dirty light still blinking.
Hello,
hopefully this reply will find its way.
I faced the same issue and solved it by setting the shaver (series 7) to the lowest intensity level (light blue one) before putting it in the cleaning station and started the cleaning.
For me this worked. Hope this will help you/anyone.
I kept having the issue with fluid splashing out and getting all over. i cleaned all areas and checked the seals and all was good. I did find that there is a plate on the series 9 on the right side and there is a hole that is slightly hidden that was plugged. Once i cleared that out everything is now working fine.
Hi! I cleaned and refilled my series 9 carthridge after indicator turned red. But now it is blinking red and station wont clean the shaver. I tried with filling it to different levels and cleaning the drain but it doesnt help. What could be the problem? Thanks
Hi Denis,
What did you use to refill the cartridge? Did you make the solution yourself?
Hey, I have a 797cc and almost immediately after buying it stopped working. Since then it’s been a total piece of crap and never worked again. With no shaver or cartridge in place the second it’s plugged in the pump runs. If the cartridge is in place the pump just shoots the contents out. With the shaver in place the shaver will communicate with it and run, but again, the pump just runs non stop. While diagnosing it I filled an old cartridge with water and use it to see if there would be any change but all it does is eject all the water. And now the pump squeals and seems to be making contact with the edges of the housing creating a high pitch squeal as it runs that’s incredibly loud. I’ve ordered what looks to be another station that also has the quick clean and heating functions like mine to use for parts as it is white. How hard is it or how do you go about replacing the pump itself? I didn’t see any obvious way to remove it from the top or bottom. Thanks!
Hi Jay,
It’s a bit tricky to explain how to remove the motor, so here’s a video that shows how to do it. It’s for a Series 5 station, but the process is similar. However, since your station shoots the liquid out, the motor appears to be working. The problem seems to be rather with the logic board or maybe a short somewhere. I think a better idea would have been to simply buy a new, compatible station and use that one instead of trying to repair yours.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Having issues with my 7 series. What part of the cleaning station reads the fliud level? It going red when there is more then half full. I will clean the drain hose,it a little dirty but not bad. Any advise will help. Thank you.
Hi David,
There are two wires that go down the intake tube and most likely detect the electrical conductivity of the fluid, not the actual level.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a Series 7 shaver. Recently when I place it in the cleaning unit, the four lights on the right side begin cycling top to bottom without stopping. This prevents the blue start button from activating. Any thoughts?
Haven’t personally deal with this, so I cannot suggest a fix from my own experience. It seems like the station is having trouble reading the so-called health status of the shaver and decide upon the cleaning program. The issue is likely with the station’s electronics, but I wouldn’t rule out the shaver either. I don’t think there’s much you can do without testing with a different Series 7 shaver or station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I’m trying to fix a Series 9 cleaning station that is squirting fluid out the top, even though the drain hole is clear.
I’m thinking the problem is with the overflow (?) reservoir to the right — it looks like cleaning solution fills up that area, but I can’t find where it drains out. Is there another hole there? Where is it?
I’ve removed some of the trapped debris in that reservoir and it has improved the performance, but it isn’t completely fixed.
What I think is happening is that with the second drain clogged, the primary drain doesn’t work as well because there’s no air path. Like when you turn over a water bottle and it just goes “glug glug glug” instead of flowing smoothly out. I can see this happening when the unit should be draining.
Found the secondary drain in the overflow reservoir. I would advise updating the unclog instructions to say it should also be cleaned.
This drain is almost impossible to see or clean from the top, because access is blocked by the reservoir wall. The drain is right next to the primary drain, on the other side of the wall.
You can get a toothpick to it by poking up from the bottom; both drains are going through the same larger (~.5″) hole. I was able to clean out this reservoir by turning the unit upside down and shaking it vigorously.
We’ll see tomorrow if this worked.
Unclogging the second, hidden drain resolved the problem. If you have the Series 8/9 cleaning station (the one with the fan, not the heater), then be sure to unclog both the visible drain and the hidden drain.
Ignore what I said about “air path”, that’s obviously wrong because the reservoirs are open to the air.
Hi Michael,
Many thanks for taking the time to share this. I will update the post to include the part about the overflow drain as well. At the time when I originally wrote the article I wanted to keep it as short as possible, so I never really considered including anything about the overflow as it seemed very unlikely to ever get clogged (my station never fills up to that point). I guess I was wrong.
Thank you again for the comment, much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
The overflow drain took 4.5 years to get clogged. I clean the main area every time I change the cartridge but I didn’t clear out the overflow area before because access is constrained and I didn’t realize it had a drain.
I have a Braun series 7 cleaning station. Today it stopped working. I have cleaned the hole you described but still doesn’t work. when I place the razor in the station the lights on the left side light up. I recently put in a new cartridge. But the lights on the right side do not light up and the blue light does not light up when I press it. So it will not clean the shaver. Do I need a new station?
Hi,
It appears that you don’t have a working station, so cleaning a potentially clogged drain won’t solve the issue. I know this is a long shot, but make sure that the razor is placed in the station correctly. Also, does the razor charge? If the problem persists, the culprit is likely the logic board of the station, but sometimes the dedicated chip inside the shaver fails also.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello,
Thank you for the article. I have a series 7 charging station for a 790 Braun shaver that no longer starts a cleaning cycle. I made the mistake of running the whole unit under water and went to turn it on, possibly still a little wet and it was functioning completely erratically. I let it dry completely and now the center blue light only flickers once as the shaver is inserted into the cradle and does not stay lit after this to indicate it’s ready to clean. The LED lights on the left and right work that indicate cleaning solution level and how dirty the shaver is. I took apart the unit and wiped everything down that looked dirty and was able to get it to begin cleaning for a brief time but then it stopped and I haven’t been able to understand what helped or will fix it fully. Is there any tips you can offer?
Thanks.
Tim Fleming
Hello Tim,
Running the entire station under water was definitely not a good idea. Even tilting the station with a cartridge inside can actually cause the fluid to spill and damage the logic board or the motor. The fact that it stopped working again after wiping it dry isn’t a good sign and there’s probably not much you can do except buying another compatible station. If you can determine the faulty part (maybe with the help of a knowledgeable friend), you might be able to order and replace it. Series 7 station components can usually be found on Encompass or eBay.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
hello
i have a series 9 model
from the first use im having the red light showing and some times flashing and after several attempts it disappear and then it works
I’m having this issue most of the time even if i replace the cartridge with a new one
regards
Hey,
That’s definitely not a clogging issue. If the shaver is still under warranty, I would suggest contacting Braun and detailing this problem, they will likely send you a replacement. I did encounter this issue, but only briefly with a Series 7 station (it would usually work properly after removing and inserting the cartridge again).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, аfter disassembling the cleaning station ( the 9 series) to thoroughly clean it ,the impeller stopped working. The low fluid, red light is flashing and I hear a buzzing noise. The station still charges the shaver. I found a cheap 5 series station. Will the impeller from the 5 series station work ?
Hi,
You are actually referring to the motor that spins the impeller and I’m afraid I can’t say with certainty if a Series 5 motor will work (it could, but again, I do not have the exact part number to confirm if it’s the same or a compatible part).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
When I put the razzor into the cleaning unit a red light comes on on the unit and it doesn’t turn ob.
Hi Glen,
Can you provide more details? What is the shaver’s model? Did it start doing this all of a sudden? Does it happen with a brand new cartridge as well? Does the station still charge the razor?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have an issue with the cleaning cycle starting spontaneously (without me pressing the button). This first started when I made the mistake of running warm water through the cleaning station unit to try to clean it and didn’t unplug it.
I tried leaving it unplugged for a day to see if it would reset but it’s still happening.
Is there a solution to this?
I should have mentioned that it’s a Series 9. And it seems to spontaneously go into the cleaning cycle about once a day.
Hi Steve,
Unplugging it wouldn’t have made any difference (except for your own safety). The station should not be washed with water under any circumstances. From what I can tell, the power switch was probably shorted out and the water damage sometimes closes the circuit as if the button is being pressed. You could try opening the station and with a q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol, carefully try cleaning the small circuit board of the power button. But make sure the station is unplugged before doing anything. It’s a long shot, but worth trying.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you Ovidiu. You are certainly a wealth of information. It turns out that the station stopped turning on by itself, by itself. It no longer wakes me up in the middle of the night.
Unfortunately, now when I press it to go through a cleaning cycle, it just runs on and on and doesn’t stop (although I eventually stop it). Any ideas about how to remedy this? Again it’s a cleaning station for a 92xxcc series shaver.
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve,
You are very welcome — the moisture must have evaporated in the meantime.
Regarding the new problem, it could be related to the previous one, but then again it might be a completely different issue. This type of behaviour can happen, especially with some of the older Series 7 models if the shaver hasn’t been cleaned for a really long time using the station. It sometimes fixes itself after a few cycles (at least that’s what happened with my shaver). In the case of the Series 7, a workaround would be to put the shaver in the lowest speed setting before using the station, but the Series 9 doesn’t have that, so there’s not much you can do.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great information on this site! I have an older Series 7 and thanks to this site, I just fixed the “stuck” impeller problem, thanks to the information on this website. In addition, I have had the black gasket come off from the housing unit and essentially just sits on the cleaning cartridge. I know this is not as it was designed, but have continued to use the cleaning unit as is, but I know that it is likely the driving reason for the leakage, and thus fluid “waste” that I have had over the past year. Is a replacement gasket available? If so, where can I buy it? I have NOT seen any other comments on this site, with others having a similar problem with the gasket.
Thank you for your comment, George, glad you were able to fix the issue. While you can find lots of different components for the Series 7 (like logic boards, pop-up trimmers, motors, etc.), that gasket is way too specific and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it listed anywhere. Your best bet would be to buy a used/broken station for cheap.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Thanks for your reply. But I think there’s some confusion, I said I have a series 9, not 7, it’s a 92xxcc. Although you do mention the 9 at the end f your reply. And I do clean it regularly, after every three shaves. So are you saying there is nothing I can do to fix this?
Hi Steve,
I know you have a Series 9, I just mentioned the 7 as an example as that’s the one I had a similar issue with. I’m afraid I’m not aware of a fix.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Not wanting to give up, I decided to take one more crack at fixing my series 9 (92xxcc) cleaning base. Although you said you weren’t aware of any solutions to it running on and on, I took off the cover for the base (using your detailed instructions) and tried cleaning the circuit board, very carefully, to make sure I cleaned every nook and cranny, and especially the tiny on-off button (which I clicked a number of times, making sure the mechanism was well cleaned), using a Q-tip and 99% isopropyl alcohol. I saw you recommend this solution to another person and gave it a try. And it worked!
The unit operates normally now. I thought I’d wait through a few cycles before making that claim but it is continuing to work normally. So I think I’m in the clear. And even though you didn’t provide this solution to me directly, your advice nevertheless helped solve the problem. So thank you!
One thing I’d like to suggest, if you don’t mind, is if you could provide more detail to your followers on how to put the housing back together. It really took me some time to finally get it right. And I’m sure many of your readers have experienced the same issue. The challenge is that the on-off button doesn’t clip in the base in any way and it’s difficult to keep it seated properly so it stays in the right place when the cover is put back on. I found that I had to carefully place it in the right place so the tiny protrusion on the under side of the button sat right above the tiny button on the circuit board. But the hardest part was learning that the small “j” shaped clip on the underside of the black button (not the circuit board button) needs to loosely attach to the body (like a very loose paper lip) and then to hold everything vertically and gently lower the housing onto the base making sure everything stays in place. If it does, the housing will fit properly and the button will sit right on top of the tiny button on the circuit board. If not, the whole thing probably won’t fit together right and you’ll have to start over. Anyway, I hope that helps.
Thanks again!
Hey Steve,
Many thanks for the detailed follow-up — that is awesome, glad you were able to fix the problem. I totally agree with regards to putting the housing back together, it’s definitely trickier than one might think. I will update the post and include more detailed instructions, so thank you for pointing that out, much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My Braun cleaning station does not work woth my new Braun shaver. I put the shaver in the cleaning atation with a new cartridge. The light comes on and I push the black button on the cleaning station and the light goes off. Nothin. What’s up? Thanks.
Hey,
Can you be a bit more specific? What is the exact shaver model? Also, you mentioned that the station doesn’t work with your new Braun shaver. Was the station purchased previously, maybe with a different shaver?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
hi, i couldn’t remove the outer house of the station, why?
i followed all the steps and unlocked 4 tabs, but it seemed only the frontal part was loosened, and the back was still locked
Hi,
Most likely the charging port and possibly the button that opens the station get in the way and the housing can’t slide out. Make sure you push them in gently so the housing clears them and it can then be removed. I mentioned this in the article as well.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
is it possible to make a video how to remove the outer house case? i hardly find on the internet…… and i damaged it last night sigh……
Make sure you push them in gently so the housing clears them and it can then be removed<<<<
i repeated this step again and again, push the start button down and that oval button tgt, but only the frontal part loosened
It can be tricky to get everything lined up. Also, make sure all the clips are undone and that you haven’t missed any (sometimes they can just go back to the original locked position) and again check that the button on the back and the charging port don’t get in the way. Take your time and be careful as plastic does break.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
This is a great source for information applying to the Braun Cleaning Station, and I thank you.
Now – Where can I find a Sealing Gasket and white spreader ring (?) for my Cleaning Station. My gasket frequently falls to end up on top of my cleaning fluid container as I renew my cleaning container.
Is there a general parts list for the Braun Cleaning Station and for my Series 5 Razor?
Thank you,
Guy
Thank you, Guy, glad you found it useful.
I don’t think you’ll be able to find those parts. From what I know, Braun doesn’t sell them separately (I even checked their Encompass listing). Your best shot would be to buy a used, even defective Series 5 station (eBay, Craigslist) provided that the gasket and ring are still in good shape.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey , i have a braun series 9 model 9291cc
At first while i was putting it in the cleaning station, the cleaner will spread fluid + runing the shaver , but now when i put it ij the cleaner , it only spread fluid
How can i solve this problem ? I got always
3 liquid sign
Hi Tamir,
By spreading fluid do you simply refer to the fact that the station pumps fluid normally or does it splash it all around? I reckon it’s the former, but just making sure. If the shaver stopped turning on during the cleaning process, the culprit could be a defective chip.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I used to have a series 7 and cleaning station for it. Then I bought the series 9 and the cleaning station about 18 months ago. I noticed that with the series 9, whether the station indicates 1, 2, or 3 lights the cleaning cycle time is all the same. Whereas the cleaning cycle time time on the S7 would be longer and intermittent to run a 3 light cycle than the 1 light.
Is there something wrong with my series 9?
Hi Michael,
In my opinion there’s nothing to worry about. The differences between the three cleaning modes on the Series 9 are subtle, not to mention that most of the time the station would simply select the most intensive program (the three lights) even though the shaver was only used for one quick shave.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Ovidiu
I just changed the cartridge and POW… It wouldn’t start again!!!
I cleaned the charger as per your examples…
When I plugged it in, a green light appeared above the Power Button…
After 5 seconds the light went out…
After multiple attempts, the green light came on with a green Water Drop
to the right of the Power Button…
I tried the button and it started the Cleaning Cycle….WHEW~~~~!!!!
What A Relief… BUT, VERY BEWILDERING INDEED!!!!!
Thank You
Michael
Hey Michael,
You are definitely not the only one to have experienced something odd with a Braun station. I’ve used and owned dozens across all the different ranges and I even used the infamous unplug and plug back in method. And it actually worked a couple of times.
Hopefully you won’t have to deal with that glitch again.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello
My series 9 splashes out a lot of the fluid from the top during cleaning, but does not leak from the bottom. I have cleaned the drain and that seemed to work the first time I used it, but started spitting out again. Is it just a drain hole issue or could it be something else?
Hi Paul,
It sounds like it’s something else too, likely an issue with the gasket that seals the intake tube. Please check out this part in the article for more details of how to fix it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi,
My Braun series 9 shaver will not start charging when I place it in the charging unit. I’ve cleaned the charging unit – there wasn’t anything blocking the drain, and generally it was fairly clean. As I put my shaver in the unit a white light above the start button is slowly flashing. No noise. For a few seconds their was a red image to the left of the white light, but that has gone off. I have a new cleaning unit in the charger. Never had a problem before. I wonder if it is a problem with the shaver? I used it whilst in the shower, (no gel, minimal soap) but took the head off and let it dry all day before trying to charge it. Now my shaver is totally dead.
Have you any thoughts on what could be causing this?
Thanks,
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
Just to make sure I understood this correctly: your shaver doesn’t turn on (when you press the power button) and also doesn’t charge (via the station or by plugging the cord directly into the port at the bottom)?
I’m asking because to me it doesn’t seem to be an issue with the station, but with the shaver itself.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you for posting this well written explanation complete with images and illustrations. I have had more than one Braun razor and cleaning station over the past 20 years. I bought my series 9 about 3 years ago and everything was doing the job perfectly as always until about 2 months ago when I found the bathroom vanity glazed in dried fluid and the red “empty” LED lit even though the canister was relatively new. I did a cursory cleaning of the base and tried it again with the same result. I found your post and studied it at length and decided to go for it. It took me several tries to get the 4 clips to release in order to disassemble the upper from lower part of the unit and once I did it still took some wrangling to get it all to slide apart. Of course the “start cycle” push button went flying along with the lenses for the LEDs. After a thorough cleaning, inspection and drying the reassembly began . . . um yea, that IS NOT quite so straight forward as one might think. Oh and don’t forget to snap the 4 wee retainer clips BACK into place either once you have it all in place! All seems well again – for now anyway. The Braun products are all very solid and well engineered but like with anything else there are always going to be “gotchas”.
Thank you for your comment, Tim — glad you were able to fix it. I agree, it can get tricky to disassemble the station, but it can be done with a bit of patience and persistence.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My Braun cleaning station 7 is stuck. I cannot open it properly to get the cartridge out
There could be a few causes why it doesn’t pop open easily anymore, including wear or even some plastic parts being broken from years of use. Or the parts could just be misaligned and do not slide as they should. It would be impossible to say without actually examining it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Rotating the impeller rotor fixed my problem! It didn’t seem to be stuck, but it didn’t work before and now it does!
Many thanks for the suggestion!
No problem, Stephen, glad you got it fixed.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
The red light on my Braun Series 9 cleaning station won’t go off.
Changed the refill and nothing.Cleaned the station and still nothing.
Help,please
Hi Emilio,
Could be a faulty/dirty circuit board or sensor (the one that measures the electrical conductivity of the fluid). Some users that had a similar issue managed to get it fixed by cleaning the tiny board with some compressed air or isopropyl alcohol (on a cotton swab).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Tks so much.Will try.
Sweet of you to answer.
I don’t know what series I have.. On the bottom I see it says type 5434. The 5434 number is listed in several places on the bottom. So I’m guessing series 5.
The unit charges fine. Blue LED lights up.
My problem is I cannot get any fluid to pump through to clean the razor. There’s a brand new reservoir in it. I have manually turned the impeller many many times, to no avail. Is there anything else I can do or do I need to buy a new Cleaner/charger base?
Hi Curt,
Could be a logic board issue or the motor itself that drives the impeller. It would be difficult to know for sure and while you may be able to source the part, I think it would be easier to get another station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
I was silently reading your writeups, loved your writing and I want to thank you for your thought and help for the community.
I have series 7 and 9 shavers (both wet and dry). Could you please tell me
1) What could be the reason my shaver is always slightly wet after completing the cleaning cycle?
2) Is denatured alcohol is safe to use to make cleaning solution?
3) After using your own cleaning solution (https://shavercheck.com/braun-ccr-alternative/), have you noticed any damage to your shaver or cassette?
Thank you,
Abbasi
Hi Abbasi,
Thank you so much for the kind words, glad you found the info useful.
Regarding your questions:
1) Even if the station is fitted with a drying system, be it induction heating or a fan, the head of the shaver is often still damp at the end of the drying cycle. Some stations (like the ones from Panasonic) use both heat and a fan and are slightly more effective. I wouldn’t worry too much though. I for example remove the head from the shaver and just let it air dry for a few hours after the cycle is done.
2) Yes, it is. In fact, Braun sometimes uses denatured ethanol in the OEM cleaning cartridges.
3) None so far. And I’ve even used Isopropyl alcohol which is harsher than ethanol to plastic according to some reports. So far so good.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a Braun 5651 cleaning station that I have used with my 8985 series 5 shaver. It has worked flawlessly until just recently. It seems to be able to measure the level of cleaning fluid I have left and displays that accurately (full at the moment), but none of the lights (eco, normal intensive) light up when I place the razor in the slot nor will it clean any longer. It will charge while docked and lock down the razor when I press the blue button, but no longer will clean. I just changed out the batteries and had to take the razor apart to do so. I am wondering if there is something I did when reassembling the razor (works fine though) that might be causing this problem with the charging station, or if it is just coincidence. I figured I would check here before investing in a new station. It seems to be a great source of information. Thank you.
Hi Chuck,
The internal components of your particular Series 5 are basically modular, in the sense that nothing is soldered, everything works by contact (for example, the current from the batteries to the motor or from the charging pins on the back to the batteries). So while something could have been misaligned during the reassembly, the fact that the station charges the razor seems to indicate that everything was put together correctly. There’s the possibility of something you might have done to the logic board when removing the batteries for example, although not very likely.
So it could be a mere coincidence, but a rather strange one. Apart from double-checking everything again, I don’t think there’s much you can do.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
If the Braun shaver sits in the cleaning base with the shaver head tilted, the cleaning fluid will spray out of the rectangular hole on the bottom of the shaver head. Adjust the shaver in the base so the shaving head is aligned with the shaver body. The chrome strip on the bottom of the shaver head should almost touch the chrome of the shaver body.
Hi
Thank you for your tutorial which was very helpful for cleaning and unclogging the drain and the impeller.
When I had to take off the outer casing the on/off button came loose, do you know which way this clips back on? Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else?
Thanks Reza
Hi Reza,
Thank you for the comment, glad you found the post useful.
The on/off button doesn’t clip on, you must just put in place, then the outer casing will actually hold it in place. Make sure the station is upright when sliding the outer case or else the button will fall off. Here’s a pic I took that shows how the button should be placed (before putting the case back on).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great info, but I’m having a different problem. My razor is a Series 9, S9 Sport is on the front and it’s a type 5793. I can’t find the model number on the razor at all, but I recall that it didn’t specifically show up as a number on the Braun site. Problem: We move between two houses and I wanted a clean and charge station at each house. Bought razor new, set it up in house 1, works great – all functions. Ordered a spare cleaning station, Part 81481301 from Braun factory outlet. Station arrived at house 2. It will charge razor but absolutely no cleaning action. Light on switch comes on when plugged in. Put razor in, get the single beep and charging appears to be happening. After a brief while, the station starts beeping every 5 seconds and the lights on the razor and on the base blink in time with that. Pushing the clean button twice has absolutely no effect. SO: I called factory outlet for the second time and they verified that I had ordered the right cleaning station. They then sent me a replacement and it doesn’t work in exactly the same manner. Is there something about buying through Costco that my razor and/or cleaning station are different? Factory Outlet says there is only this one cleaning station for Series 9 – I’ve now got 2 stations that don’t work exhibiting exactly the same behavior. Any suggestions? Thx in advance
Hi Bob,
I think they are wrong about the station being compatible with your shaver. The S9 Sport is a 93xx model (you probably have the 9310cc), while the 81481301 station you ordered is only compatible with the 92xx and 90xx Series 9 models. You need an S9-3 station (type 5430), the SKU is 81687142 or 81759573, both should work.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you, I will try again – would think that the manufacturer’s own people wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. We’ll see.
First of all I’d like to appreciate the knowledge you are sharing here and also replying to the comments posted here, Kudos to you.
I have a series 5 shaver (old) and it’s still running rock solid after so many years. Do not use it that frequently now as I’ve grown a beard so mostly for styling and stuff, never had to change the shaver foil and still have the original cartridge with home made cleaning solution (isopropyl alcohol 70% or spirit + lemon oil, if you have anything better please suggest) Braun products are really build to last, but recently when i pushed the button to remove the cartridge there was a black rubber in the small drainage hole that got stuck on the cartridge as the housing was lifting up, now i tried my best (also followed your guide) to fix it back on to the white drainage pipe but it just doesn’t stay there, falls off as if it’s become loose or streched or something it’s not become hard though still soft. I think I’ll have to stick it around the drainage pipe with feviquick or something….any ideas?
Hi Arib,
Thank you for the comment, much appreciated.
Rubber gaskets do lose their elasticity in time and considering the age of your Series 5, it’s not entirely uncommon. Feviquick is a brand I’m not familiar with I’m afraid, so I cannot say anything about it from my own experience. I do see that it’s suitable for bonding rubber and plastic, so it should work fine.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
thanks man! amazing site, very helpful.
I have a question: how does the ‘clean indicator’ work?
I have a series 7 with cleaning station. But no matter how long i run the cleaning proces, the lower light (with 3 drops. indicating the most dirty state) always remains on.
So according to the indicator, the shaving apparatus is still not clean.
do you have an idea what might cause this?
thanks!
Many thanks for the comment, glad you found the site useful.
Just to make sure I understand this correctly — after the cleaning cycle is complete, the station would still show the 3 droplets instead of the check mark? Or is it that the station always selects the high-intensity cleaning mode after you place the shaver in it (even though it’s relatively clean)?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu,
I have a series 9 shaver, and suddenly, the smartcare center does not indicate that the shaver needs cleaning anymore. Although, the shaver itself indicates it by the ‘drop’ you see on the screen.
I could not get it to work again, so I ordered a new smart care center.
But, unfortunately, the shaver still won’t clean, and the smart care center doesn’t ‘read’ that the shaver needs cleaning.
So, finally, I bought a new series 9 Pro shaver. Shaves perfectly, indicates that it need cleaning, put it in the brand new smartcare center, but unfortunately it’s also not picked up as dirty.
Normally, even if it isn’t dirty, you can activate the basic clean by pressing the button, but even that doesn’t do the trick…
I’m really stuck here… Thanks for looking into this!
Hi,
That is really strange. In fact, it would be highly unlikely to get a defective new station or Series 9 Pro, so there could be a compatibility issue.
Please let me know the following so we can rule that out:
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu,
I have a series 5 shaver and two days ago I faced the problem that cleaning station starting cleaning process and after few seconds stopping. Cleaning indicators (all three lamps) after this still is on. I checked drainage and pump propeller and everything is working.
Do you have an idea what could be the problem and how to solve it?
Hello,
Does pressing the station’s start button again help? As in it picks up the cleaning cycle from where it stopped?
If not, I would also try cleaning the small circuit board with a cotton swab and 99% Isopropyl alcohol (the station must be unplugged, with the cartridge and outer case removed); it’s a long shot, but might work.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you for your help. Station is working!!!
Hi,
I have a Braun Series 7 electric razor (). When I plug it in, the blue light at the top briefly turns on and then remains off. After I use the razor and plug it back in, the cleaning process doesn’t start. I have verified there is enough cleaning fluid (usually the lights would tell me if that weren’t the case) and also it seems the two little holes where beneath the bottom of the razor are clear. Any other ideas on why the cleaning process may not be starting up?
Thanks,
Hi Anthony,
By blue light at the top do you mean the blue LED at the center of the station’s start button? Does the station pick a cleaning mode (the droplet LEDs)?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Wow, thank you for the detailed resolutions to common problems with the clean & renew stations.
I have a series 9 s 3cc, I think. Can’t find any specifics on the shaver or housing, except when, I initially purchased it last summer.
In any event, before reading your insightful instructions on how to care for it, I would periodically, run water through the station and drain hole to clean it out. We’ll of course it lead to disastrous results, In that, It would start and stop and the red light would keep blinking.
Of course this didn’t start till the warranty just happen to expire.
After shopping around for a replacement, the thought, came, I wasn’t alone and so I stumbled upon your website and Low and behold, after following your detailed instructions, it’s working again,.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely
Mark Godfrey
Hi Mark,
Thank you for the comment — that’s awesome, glad you got it working again.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Every day that I use my razor it’s wet from the last cleaning cycle. My razer isn’t clogged, but I cleaned it anyway to see if it would help and it didn’t.
I make my own solution and it’s the first refill. It never did it with the cartridge it came with.
Any other ideas?
If the drain isn’t clogged and the fluid doesn’t pool in the cleaning chamber, I think the culprit is the alcohol concentration of your solution. Precisely, it’s too low. Try making your solution with alcohol of at least 90% concentration. You can check out my guide here as well.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I purchased 70%, as recommended by the refill maker. I guess it’s too low? That really sucks
I personally notice a big difference between 70% and 100% — the latter dries much quicker. What refills are you using? Most will work with 70-100% alcohol.
Ccrrefills.com
Update, looks like even though light was going through it was indeed clogged.
It’s good you tackled it early on. Also, you can use 99% alcohol with CCRREFILLS, I’ve tried it myself and works perfectly.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Update: still wet, definitely not clogged or pooling up, just not drying.
Just to make sure I have all the details: what is the exact model of your shaver? Do you check if the head is still wet right after the cleaning/drying cycle?
Hi Nicolae,
Thanks for your guide! I found your page after dealing with a stuck impeller ( I didn’t use the base for a couple of years )
Unfortunately in my case it didn’t went fine.
The impeller is probably turning freely but it seems its engine isn’t working anymore.
After removing the housing I located some spots of what may seem oxidation on top of the engine, right in the spots of the +&- contacts
I tried to clean it with some cotton and alcohol with no success
Best would be to disassemble the engine and try to clean the +&- plugs
Has anyone ever tried it?
Hi Mauri,
I haven’t taken apart the motor so I don’t have any hands-on tips I’m afraid. I’m a bit skeptical about the success of the operation, to be honest. If you don’t manage to fix it, maybe a better option would be to try and source the motor or a cheap/used station (eBay).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great information, thank you for putting this together. My series 9 cleaning station continues to flash red (empty), even though I put a new cartridge in. Any thoughts as to why this maybe?
Hi Brian,
Thank you for the comment, I really appreciate it.
Could be a faulty/dirty circuit board or sensor (the one that measures the electrical conductivity of the fluid). Some users that had a similar issue managed to get it fixed by cleaning the tiny logic board with some compressed air or isopropyl alcohol (on a cotton swab). That would be your best chance of getting it to work again. You can follow the instructions in the post above if you want to give that a try.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a Braun series 9 cleaning station It works fine but never shuts off. The fan just continues to run. Any suggestions. Thank you.
Hi Don,
Does it run continuously for more than one hour? Have you tried pressing the station’s button? That will interrupt the drying process.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Braun series 9 , 4 yrs. old, carefully taken care of. Recently, cleaning station is bubbling out solution from the well, cleans ok, a bit damp next day on razor head. Any ideas ? Thank you Herb.
Hi Herb,
Two main issues I would look into. If the solution is foaming up a lot, is there a chance some shaving cream/lather/soap ended up inside the cartridge? Maybe you clean your shaver with liquid soap sometimes or you wet shave. If not, a combination of the other two problems I addressed in the article, namely a clogged drain and possibly (but less likely) a deformed gasket. The latter usually leads to liquid shooting out of the station, so I don’t think it’s the case. But if the drain hole is (partially) clogged, the solution doesn’t drain back into the cartridge fast enough and since the shaver is running, it can bubble out of the cleaning chamber.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
my cleaning station is a little oily, can I run some hot water thru it via the tray, or even just run some down over the drain with the water spigot?
Hi George,
I would strongly advise against that. It’s even mentioned explicitly in the user manual. Also, if you browse through the comments on this page, you’ll find that some users ended up with an unusable station after doing just that. The station itself is not waterproof and the logic board can be irreversibly damaged by water.
I recommend wiping it with a damp cloth or maybe a wet tissue, but making sure it’s not overly saturated with liquid. You can then use a dry cloth to remove any remaining smudges. You can also check the drain hole to see if there’s any residue obstructing it (just follow the steps in the article above).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 9 shaver and I shave daily. I use the cleaning station once a week. Recently when I would insert the shaver in the station, the three lights on the right would not turn on. I would have to jiggle the shaver or repeatedly reinsert it until the three lights turn on. It was gradually getting worse. I didn’t know if I needed to get a new cleaning station or a new shaver which would come with a new cleaning station.
Then I read your article. I cleaned out the drainage hole with a Q-tip. The cleaning station works fine now. So I would like to thank you for solving my problem.
Thank you so much for the comment, Jack, glad you got it sorted.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you Ovidiu for this detailed guide. I was upset that my series 7 station wasn’t working. Stuck impeller, solved in 3 minutes with a toothpick. Saved me buying a new station. Thank you.
Hi Carlo,
That’s awesome, thank you so much for taking the time to share this. Glad you got it working again.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Greetings, Ovidiu –
Thanks so much for the tutorial on cleaning out the drain hole. I have a novel twist: Since the Clean & Renew cleaner sits right next to my WaterPik, I decided to “power wash” the drainage hole using a directed blast of water right into the hole. It worked like a charm!
Also, thanks to you informative tutorial, I now know about the impeller and how to free it up should it ever seize.
I do have one question: My unit is no longer heating. This happened after a year or so of intermittent use. I grew a beard!
I will do a bit of research before I replace the unti, but I think the issue is electronic and beyond the scope of easy home repair.
Thanks again for your informative posts.
– David
Hi David,
Thanks so much for the comment. Using the Waterpik surely is effective and as long as you make sure the liquid doesn’t get inside the station where the electronics are, I think it’s also safe.
You probably own a Series 7 from the old generation from what I can tell since that one had the only Braun station with an inductive heating element. Trying to repair it yourself would be complicated, so if you want to get another station in the future, I have an article that also lists the compatible S7 stations along with the exact part numbers, so hopefully you’ll find it useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi .
I have a shaver series 9. The care system charges the shaver when placed on care system but the light on the care system keep blinking. I have changed the cartridge and the drains are not plugge. They have
beenare cleaned. I need help, is the care system done and needs to be replaced?
Hi Ali,
If you bought a genuine cartridge and the LED keeps blinking, there could be a defective sensor or logic board. However, some users have managed to fix a similar issue by cleaning the small logic board with a Q-tip and Isopropyl alcohol. With the station unplugged, you can follow the directions in the post above to remove the outer casing and expose the internals. You can try gently cleaning the board with Isopropyl alcohol, it definitely won’t hurt trying to fix it instead of buying a new one.
By the way, if your shaver is still under warranty, definitely contact Braun support and send the station for a repair before doing anything yourself.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Did anybody ever sort out the issue with the Series 9 squirting fluid out of the underside of the razor head while cleaning? It makes a mess and wastes cleaning fluid.
My cleaning station is not blocked (cleaned out with compressed air) and the razor has also been cleaned, so it is not a blockage issue.
A video here – https://youtube.com/shorts/D_x_EWF7RkI?feature=share
Braun Series 9 – Type 5791, with a 5425 cleaning station.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for sharing the video. That’s quite an unusual variation of this problem. Have you checked the gasket that surrounds the intake tube (where the pump is located)? You will find more detailed instructions in the article above. Please report back after that, if the gasket is fine there could be an issue with the shaving head of your razor — normally you should only see a bit of liquid oozing through that slot in the head.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Ovidiu,
Thanks for the reply.
The gasket looks fine. I checked everything before posting.
I will have a closer look at the head, in the area of the slots.
Having checked the head, all looks good.
I am wondering if this is just caused by wear?
Could be, something’s definitely amiss. The oscillation of the blades simply seems to push a lot of fluid toward the back of the head and this shouldn’t happen normally. If you try to move the head — ie tilt it forward/backward — without disconnecting the shaver from the station, does it have any effect at all?
Ovidiu,
If I tilt the head towards the back of the cleaner, the leak stops, as the holes are no longer exposed, but that makes me wonder if the shaver is getting cleaned properly.
Almost tempted to try a S9000 prestige if I am honest, as I think the Series 7 works better than the Series 9 (for me).
Hi Kevin,
I’d say yes, it is most likely still properly cleaned. As long as the foils are submerged in the liquid that is pumped from the cartridge and the blades are moving, that’s all that matters for effective cleaning. If what’s causing this is in the cassette itself, it should be fixed the next time you replace it. But if the problem is with the lower part of the shaving head where the holes are, it’ll likely keep happening.
I’m not sure if you’re referring to the old Series 7 generation, that one is quite similar performance-wise. If you’ve used rotaries before and had great results, the S9000 Prestige (the original one with the round heads) is about the best rotary right now.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have found another video of the same problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfIngnq-HhQ
The author states Braun changed the motor. As my Series 9 is probably out of warranty, it is probably not an economical repair. I will check. I am disappointed to be honest. A premium product should last longer, and the series 9 was not cheap.
My series 7 is indeed the older generation.
(Apologies for posting here, I could not reply to you below).
Hi Kevin,
I read the replies on the video and the author does indeed say it was the motor. I think the explanation from the service center was incomplete regarding the cause. Could be the linkage from the motor to the blades and/or excessive vibrations caused by the premature wear of a component. I understand your disappointment after paying a premium. You should double-check to see if it’s really out of warranty and even it is, I would still contact Braun support, they’re usually very helpful and would at least give you an estimate for the repair.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Kevin,
Did you ever get this problem fixed? I am experiencing this issue also. Fluid spray out of the cleaning station all over the top of it… enough for it to run down and into the button… hope no damage was caused by this!
I have noticed the angle the shaver goes in, does change the effect.
Not sure maybe is there something loose in the bottom section of the head shaver that’s creating enough of a gap for the fluid to spray?
I’m a little reluctant to send back to Braun as I really do not want to be without a shaver for possibly 3 weeks!
Anyone with a possible fix or further insight I’d appreciate to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for your help with the awesome guide, now my cleaning station is buzzing in the bathroom
Awesome, I’m glad you managed to fix it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello. I came here because I had a problem, but in the process of a making a video to show you the problem, I discovered the solution. I thought you and other visitors to this page might be interested. My 790cc-7LDE was not charging or cleaning. I would plug it in, and the green power light on the base would turn on, but when I put the shaver in the cradle, neither the blue light on the base nor the blue light on the shaver would turn on, and the big button on the base would not react in any way. Then, after a while, the blue light on the shaver would start blinking rapidly. I cleaned the base as per your instructions, and also pushed the reset button on the shaver (which I had never done before). As. I started making a video, I noticed that the blue light on the base came on briefly, so I wiggled the shaver around, and figured out that both blue lights would turn on if I held it just so, so it was clear that the problem was a faulty connection. I used a jewelry polishing cloth to clean the springy contacts on the base as well as the contacts on the shaver, and the problem was solved!
https://diode.zone/w/dr3mBc3AtyFQv96BfuSwph
Hi,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share this — it will definitely be useful to someone experiencing the same issue. From the video it was clearly a faulty connection, I would have loved to also see a shot of the contacts on the back of the shaver. I’ve seen Series 9 contacts covered by the rubber/plastic material on the back of the shaver and was curious whether in this case it was the same culprit or just some oxidation/grime.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I found that, on the Series 7, there’s a slot you didn’t mention. For me, that was the biggest problem. I followed all the suggestions you made above (many thanks for sharing), but still wasn’t working.
Perhaps I’ve missed it above, but I didn’t see this mentioned…. As you look inside the Series 7 cleaner, you’ll note a hole on the left (as you’ve outlined in your image). There’s also a hole directly across from it on the right side, much bigger. Here’s a link of picture modified from your image above.
https://imgur.com/a/NYfCUd6
Refer to the yellow arrow. This hole is actually a cover, insert an object inside the hole (I used the end of a Q-Tip with the cotton swap removed) and pop off the cover (popped off easily). I found a load of “gook” inside there. I cleaned that out and replaced the cover and everything is now working like new.
Hi,
Many thanks for the comment. On the Series 7 station that’s the hole through which the fluid is pumped into the cleaning chamber. Because the cartridge has a fine mesh filter, it rarely gets clogged, but obviously is not impossible, especially if the fluid drains at a slower rate and some of the dirt gets in there. I will update the post and make it clearer, thank you again for the heads up.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
HI , I’m using Braun 9 Pro, my cleaning station is not working. Charging is no problems so far. Cleaning is working at all. Please Advice.
Hi,
Can you provide more details? Does the red light come one when you try to start the cleaning process? Have you used a new cartridge?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Ovidiu.
I confess to not having read all 303 comments. I’ll do that after I post this, as I think I might have a really rare issue here.
I have a Braun 350cc-4, and the cleaning fluid stopped flowing, though the level was OK and the pump was running at full speed.
I went through all the cleaning steps, with no success. So I took the whole thing apart, using the correct TORX bit, and your instructions.
Discovered a tiny bit of HD polyethylene, roughly cylindrical, about 2mm OD, that was jammed in the fluid passage that leads from the pump to the two sprayer holes in the chamber of the base.
I picked that out, and inspected it.
It is from the cap on the cleaning cartridge, one of the two pins that it seems are thermal-welded to help secure the cap in position.
It probably broke off when the cartridge was opened, and fell into the larger of the two holes, then got sucked into the pump, and eventually made its way up into the passageway where I found it.
I reassembled the unit, and of course it leaked because I didn’t install the red o-ring properly. Re-did it all. Now it’s fine.
Thanks for being there and helping us tinkerers with our tinkering.
Greg Moehl
Hi Greg,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this — that really is a one-of-a-kind issue, at least I’ve never come across something similar until now.
Taking the station apart was the only way to find the problem and I’m glad the tinkering paid off. I never liked those pesky pins as the seal is kind of fiddly to remove and I sometimes spill a bit of the solution when opening a new cartridge. I also think the piece fell into the larger hole, otherwise it would have been caught by the mesh filter at the bottom of it.
Thank you again for the comment, I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Was dealing with a clogged drain hole. With your helpful guide, I was able to unclog it. Thank you so much!
That’s awesome, Jesse, glad you were able to get it sorted.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Series 9 Braun and using shaving cream. After removing foil, the base of the shaver has significant dried shaving cream which does not wash off with hot water. Suggestions please?
Hi Scott,
Try letting it soak in some warm soapy water (you can use liquid dishwash soap) for around 30 minutes, then wash it with warm tap water and maybe even use a soft bristle toothbrush to gently remove most of the remaining dried lather. When letting it soak, make sure you only submerge that black plate on the shaving head, not the entire thing.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Your suggestion worked great! Thank you.
Awesome, glad it worked.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
OMG – After rinsing my cleaner with water one day, it would turn on and run the shaver but there was no suction of the cleaner fluid. Found your article and you suggested using a screwdriver to manually turn the impeller. I thought FOR SURE this was BS and not going to work because I thought I probably short-circuited it….but lo and behold after some turns of the impeller with a flathead – IT WORKS NOW. YOU’RE A GENIUS and I thank you profusely. Don’t have to go waste money on a replacement. You da best!
Stephen,
Thanks so much for the comment, glad your station is working again. Just make sure not to rinse it again in the future. 🙂
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, I followed all the instructions and the cleaning station doesn’t seem to have any blockages, (can see daylight through the drain hole etc)
it completes the cleaning cycle fine, pulls in fluid, runs the shaver etc.
however next day when I come to use the shaver it has sticky yellow residue on the shaver head. I’ve cleaned and cleaned the station but to no avail.
I’m using the braun cartridges.
I pulled out the shaver a couple of hours after cleaning today and can see it is wet with a slightly thick yellow liquid. (drain holes still clear)
I have a series 7 shaver and station. is there some issue with the heating/drying perhaps?
Hi Roger,
That yellowish residue is quite common (I’ve seen it as well occasionally) but it shouldn’t be a lot or very sticky — it should come right off if you wipe it with a tissue. A cleaning station with a heating element like the old Series 7 station can make this happen more often than in the case of a cleaner with a fan or without any active drying system. Heating the cleaning fluid and speeding up the evaporation significantly is what makes this worse. You can try and take out the shaver from the station immediately after the cleaning cycle is completed and just let it air dry with the head removed — the yellowish residue will likely be a lot less.
Finally, if the cleaning fluid is old or overly contaminated it can also make this problem worse.
But in any case it’s not a cause of concern.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi. I have a series seven cleaning station. And the fluid level indicators only glow red. This is new. Unit will not work at all. I have used my own fluid for some time. Holes are clear. I don’t seem to be able to reset? Help?
Hi,
A couple of questions.
— What is the exact model name of your Series 7?
— When you say this is new, are you referring to the cleaning refill or to the shaver&station?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu, I cleaned the base of my Series 7 in the sink and I did run water through the base with cartridge removed and unplugged. I let it dry but the pump now runs continuously when I plug it back in the power cord. Seen this before? It looks like I shorted out the pump motor and it now doesn’t stop running.
Hi Richard,
I think the problem is more likely with the station’s logic board. In order for the pump to run, there are a few requirements that must be met: the shaver must be placed in the station, it can’t be clean (one of the three cleaning modes will be selected) and you must press the button to start the cleaning. Since the station runs as soon as you plug it in, my guess is that the tiny board was damaged by water.
When it’s only an issue caused by oxidation, there’s a fix that involves cleaning the board with a cotton swab and some isopropyl alcohol. But in this case I think the chances of it working are very slim. But maybe give it a try. You would need to open the station to gain access to the board (you can simply follow the steps in the post above).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, I have cleaning station series 9, but when I insert the cartridge and turn it on, power light is on, but not those lights on the right side which indicates the cleaning. it’s like that from begginig.
Thanks
Hi Goran,
Those lights show up only after you place the shaver in the station and a cleaning program is then selected automatically (one, two or three droplets).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have a series 3 station and im unsure what the problem is. When i dock the shaver, it doesnt seem to charge it anymore. Ive had the impleller clogging issue in the past and have figured it out but this seems to be a different problem. Ive since replaced my old s3 shaver since it wouldnt charge anymore even when directly plugged to the charger, but even the new s3 doesnt seem to charge when docked into the cleaning station. Is it the charging prongs or is it likely something else?
Hi Charles,
Can you tell me the exact model name of the new Series 3 shaver you bought?
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Many thanks! It was the little pump fan 😀
Awesome, glad you managed to sort it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovi,
I just noticed that not all of the LEDs are lighting up on the cleaning station that came with my Series 9 Pro. For example, only the second water drop lights up and not both the first and second lights.
Hi Jonathan,
Have you ever seen the first LED light up (alone or together with the second or third one)?
Good question. I thought when I bought it about a month ago that the very first time I put the razor into the station all three lights came on.
Then maybe once I had the first two lights on. After that I only have one light on. I always thought it was the first light, but it’s the middle light only.
It appears that the first one just doesn’t light up anymore. And the third one also — the Series 9 station would often select the intensive cleaning mode (3 droplets) even if it’s not really necessary, so the fact that you’re only seeing the middle LED lighting up could also mean that the third one is permanently off. It won’t however affect the functionality and effectiveness of the station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
UPDATE: I looked more into it and it appears that Braun updated the stations recently and that’s actually the normal behavior. For example, if the normal program is selected, only the second droplet will light up. Previously, the first two would have been shown. This is the case with the cleaning stations of the latest Series 9 Pro+ and I suspect some of the latest S9 Pro as well.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you Ovid!! That is information that I would not have been able to get anywhere else. And thanks for taking the time to look into it. I appreciate it!
Hello. I’ve bought Braun Series, 9 9477 shaver about 3 weeks ago. I started using cleaning station, using original Braun liquid. First 5 cleaning were correct – the shaver was almost dry.
Today I cleaned shaver again. After cleaning machine stoped, the shaver was totally wet. I checked cleaning machine hole but I wasn’t clogged. Cleaning station drying engine was hearable but shaver was wet and smelled alcohol. Every time I shave I use your instruction-before cleaning station I clean shaver using water and soap.
Do I have to worry? I used Philips shavers till now. It’s my first Braun series, 3 weeks and problems started.. What should I do?
Hi Ivan,
If you’re using the cleaning station there’s no need to wash the shaver with water and soap beforehand. Just tap out some of the clipped hairs from the cassette (so you won’t over contaminate the fluid) and then you can clean it using the station.
After the cleaning part is over (the one that lasts a few minutes, the shaver is switched on and off and the fluid is pumped from the cartridge), the station should start to dry the shaver. And that part lasts for around 50 minutes. Only after that the cassette should be mostly dry. It won’t be perfectly dry on the inside, but it won’t be dripping wet either. But you must let the shaver sit inside the station while the fan is running.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for response. I did as you wrote. I input dry shaver into cleaning station. I waited about 45 minutes tiil cleaning station stopped working. After that shaver was very wet and smelling this Braun alcohol liquid. I wait about three hours after the shaver got dry, outside the cleaning machine. Using it last 4 times (or 5) there was no problem – after 45 minutes shaver was almost dry.
What could happen that this time cleaning station didn’t dry my shaver? Cleaning hole was empty.
You are very welcome.
Provided that fan is working (I assume it does), there are only two possibilities why the head would be really wet at the end.
One is that the liquid doesn’t drain back into the cartridge — you will even be able to see it around the foil frame. This happens when the drain hole is blocked by hardened dirt, which usually happens after a long time.
The other one is when for some reason the cleaning fluid contains less alcohol and more water. For example, when I use a 70% alcohol solution the head would be significantly more wet after drying compared to when I use a 90% alcohol solution. Alcohol evaporates a lot faster than water.
Since the blocked drain is out of the question, my assumption was that you cleaned the shaver with water, the cassette was really wet before using the station and somehow the water didn’t evaporate completely.
I really can’t see other possibility. I would like to ask you to clean it again after your next shave, and try to observe if there’s anything wrong — like the fan not working or some fluid that remains in the cleaning chamber during the drying cycle.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for response.
As I wrote in last post, shaver was completely dry after I input it in cleaning machine.
After I end shaving, I firstly clean shaver using soap and water (now I know I don’t need it when I use cleaning station). Nextly I open a shaver : I put cartige aside to dry it and lightly wipe dry inside of shaver using tissue. Than I wait about one hours till cartige and shaver is dry. After that I clean shaver using cleansing station.
I notice light level of hair sediment inside cleaning station but it’s hole wasn’t clogged.
I use original Braun liquid. This wax my 4 of 5 using of cleaning station (I purchased shaver about 3 weeks ago). Every time I close liquid container after using.
So shaver was dry and there was no clogging symptom. That’s why I was wondering why shaver was still wet after using cleaning station and ask a question here, on this web site.
I will shave tomorrow so I will check if problem is still available. But The bad taste remained – I use a expensive shaver, made correctly all steps and before less than one month problems appear.
I shaved today, dry the shaver after 1,5 hour and I used cleaning machine. Again after cleaning shaver got very, very wet. I noticed that there is some liquid left on the down side of cleaning machine. I made photos: https://ibb.co/KhskdfT
https://ibb.co/zr8FvZG.
What’s going on? Do I have to make a complaint in Amazon shop, where I bought shaver?
I would contact Braun support and let them know about the problem, they’re usually very helpful. The problem is with the shaving head and why is it still wet — provided the fan is 100% working. The liquid at the bottom of the station in the second picture isn’t necessarily related or indicative of a problem. Right after removing the cartridge, the part of the station that houses the impeller will be soaked in liquid and some will drip. I usually put a crumpled paper tissue inside to absorb any drippings.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you so much for this tutorial. It saved me a heap of time in dismantling the base unit. My unit had a seized motor which I dumped in an ultrasonic cleaner and then dried and filled it with light machine oil which restored the motor to full operation.
That’s awesome, Michael, congrats on the motor overhaul. Never done that, but I just might in the future.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu