The display on your paper shredder will show different lights depending on the situation. Usually, these lights signal different modes, timers, and other things.
But, there are also error indicators that let you know when there’s something wrong. So, if you see a red light on your shredder when it’s not working and jammed, what does that mean exactly?
Why Is There A Red Light On Your Shredder When It’s Not Working?
Before I talk about how to get rid of the red light on your paper shredder, I think it’s important to know why it’s there in the first place. Now, we already know that the tool is jammed.
But, that doesn’t always cause a red light. Sometimes, the jamming is minor enough that there aren’t any indicators, and you can fix it. So, why is there a red light suddenly?
Red lights on a paper shredder often signal overloading, which is the highest possible form of jamming.
Overloading occurs in paper shredders when you try to shred too many things at once, don’t clean internal components often enough, or try to shred a material that’s too strong/thick for the blades.
Keep these things in mind to avoid this happening in the future. But for now, you’re already experiencing overloading and need some solutions for this problem, so try out the ones I’ll share below!
Fixing A Jammed Shredder That’s Not Working and Showing Red Light
- Do Some Internal Cleaning
Paper shredders have a bin inside them that collects everything you shred. But, everything doesn’t fall directly into this bin. Loose paper bits fly all over inside the machine.
These bits aren’t that problematic at first, since there are only a few of them. If you keep using the shredder without ever cleaning it though, all those little bits start collecting and turning into larger bits.
Those larger bits reach the point where they start jamming certain components inside of the tool. The blade mechanism is the most common victim of jamming like this.
The lights on my display are normal. If you happen to see a red one, and the tool is jammed, the overloading is probably because of all the loose paper that collected inside.
It’s the most common cause of overloading since some users keep using the tool without ever cleaning it. That makes it fill up with junk to the point where it overloads, resulting in this issue.
The best way to fix this is to remove the covers on your paper shredder and start cleaning internally. Use a blower to get rid of all the loose paper bits.
Even after that, small bits might stay stuck. I recommend using tweezers to pull those out individually. It’s a tedious process, but it’ll fix the shredder, get rid of the red light, and deal with jamming.
- The Bin Is Maxed Out
It might not be the entire shredder that’s overloading. Instead, maybe it’s just the bin inside that’s overfilled with paper bits. Some users, especially new ones, may not remember to empty it.
When it gets too full, that bin has no more room for further paper bits. That means anything else you shred will start going everywhere inside the tool since it can’t go in the bin.
This leads to massive problems, but modern shredders have a way past it. To prevent this from happening, a lot of them simply stop working when their bin is too full.
Look at the bin I’m inspecting in the image down here. It’s got so much paper inside it, and nobody has emptied it in a long while. Always ensure that your bin doesn’t look like this too.
Some paper shredders might signal this kind of overloading using a similar red light, hence why you’re seeing one. So, just empty the bin out to see if that does anything for you.
Related: Paper Shredder Sensor Not Working
- Overheating May Be Another Reason
In some rare occurrences, the red light doesn’t indicate overloading at all. Instead, it’s telling you about a whole other, and potentially more dangerous problem; overheating.
Overheating is rare in paper shredders, but not impossible. It’s usually a result of prolonged use without any breaks, or using the shredder in a really hot environment.
Regardless of the reason for overheating, it’s a big concern. The tool will completely stop working during this, almost like it’s jammed.
I suggest turning off the shredder through its power button as I’m doing in the photo below. Either that or you can unplug the entire machine.
With no power flowing through the tool, put your hand on its back or sides to see if it’s noticeably warmer than usual. If the answer is yes, just keep it off for a few hours.
That will give it enough time to cool down, after which you can turn it back on and use it safely without complications popping up, and no red light in your way!
