Fellowes T7CM Troubleshooting

You turn on the switch but nothing happens.

If you are experiencing no power then you should see if the shredder is plugged into the wall outlet. There may also be something with the Power cord and it needs replaced

If the shredder is plugged into an outlet but does not power on, then test the outlet by plugging another device into it. If the other device does not work then try another outlet.

Power Cord is not fully attached to the shredder. Power Cord is damaged, not delivering power to motor.

The power switch will not work properly.

Open up device to address needed technical repairs. look at the Switch replacement and Mother Board Replacement guides for more details on replacement.

You insert paper into feeder but nothing happens.

The shredder will attach to the basket one way. On the bottom of the shredder there is a safety switch and when attached to the shredder will deactivate the safety and will allow you to shred.

In the feeding slot there is a white plastic wedge. When this wedge is compressed it sends a signal to the motor and the shredding begins. If this wedge is not visible when not shredding paper, it is stuck inside the device. This can be fixed by opening the shredder and replacing the spring or entire wedge assembly. If the wedge is visible but does not activate the shredder, the whole mechanism needs to be replaced. The Feeding Sensor Replacement and Trigger Assembly Replacement guides should help with the identification and solution of this problem.

If the basket is to full, you will not be able to place the shredder on the basket properly. As mention above if the shredder is not attached to the basket correctly, then the safety of the bottom the shredder will not deactivate.

Shredder stops mid shredding

Too much paper or too many credit cards could have been put into the shredder at once. Try reversing the wheel rotation using the on, off, and reverse switch located on top of the shredder. If that is unsuccessful remove the obstruction from the shredding wheels and try again. If the shredder is still jammed removal of the shredding wheels is necessary. To remove the obstruction follow the Gear and Shaft Disassembly.

If the shredder motor is running but the wheels are not turning there may be a broken gear. To fix this open up the motor case and replace the broken gear. Here is a guide to help with this process.

Paper shredder is really hot

This paper shredder should only be run for 3 minutes with 5 minutes in-between sessions. Not following this procedure will cause heat to be generated. The lubricant inside the shredder can also be too low. This is fixed by opening the case and re lubricating the system. Use this Shredder Case disassembly to strip the machine down to the part you need.

If there is an abnormal humming or banging sound coming from the shredder, there is most likely something broken in the internal systems. Open the shredder casing and look for visible problems with the gears, shaft, or wiring of the shredder. Here is a complete disassembly of the Shredder Case

A bent shaft will produce a grinding or shrieking noise. If the shaft of the engine is bent try unbending it. If unbending does not work a replacement shaft or motor unit will be required. Use this Shaft Replacement guide for help.

This could be caused by an electrical short or putting too much strain on the motor unit. Stop using the shredder immediately. After 30 minutes try running the shredder again. If the shredder continues to smoke open the shredder casing and determine the cause. Most likely it is a faulty motor unit. This can be fixed by replacing or repairing the motor unit.