Here's the instructions I was following.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Repair-your-FisherPrice-cradle-swing/step4/Swapping-motor-bits/

 

Perhaps someone else can verify, but it seems your diode is in the wrong direction. This could be a reason for a fried transistor...

But the transistor got fried before I replaced the motor. It was hot before I ever took the old motor out.

 

I did replace the motor. Didn't help and the transistor just kept getting hot every time I put the batteries in.

Also here's another pic. The yellow and green wires are the ones connected the motor.

The only thing I replaced was the black transistor (I don't know what a diode and capacitor are...) but I put it exactly like it was before.

First, did you replace the transistor with the exact same part number?

Capacitors are the large-ish cylinders with xxuF where xx is their size in micro(u)Farads. Those are the electrolytic type, and have a stripe down one side indicating the negative side, since electrolytic capss are very polarity sensitive (if you hook it up backwards, they explode). These make up the majority of the top side (cream colored side) of your circuit board, they have two pins out of one end (at the radius, called radial capacitors), and are bent flat to the board to save space.

Smaller capacitors are often tan or blue discs or round blobs with the leads often coming out on the same end. They should say something like 104 (0.1uF) or 472 (470 pF), along with a voltage rating (50V). You'll see one of these and a diode across the motor quite frequently.

Diodes are the relatively small cylinders that are either glassy transparent red, or solid black, with a stripe close to one edge. The stripe is often black on the glassy type, and silver on the black type.

This is only for through-hole components, surface mount part identification isn't so easy, these are the parts mounted on the "green" side of the circuit board without any leads to speak of.

The reason I asked which transistor you used for replacement, is that the emitter, base, and collector (E, B, C) are not always in the same order, and there are two major types of transistors, NPN and PNP, which are not interchangeable.

The wires labeled E B C are heading to the large transistor that is screwed to the chunk of metal, the chunk of metal is a "Heat Sink" to keep the transistor cool, and the size of the transistor is larger since it switches larger currents, and generates heat while doing so.

If any of these are touching, or if the old transistor failed "shorted", it could have caused a cascade failure that you won't be able to find without some test equipment, a DMM at minimum.

A Quick test would be if you disconnect the motor wire, do the transistors still get hot quickly?

The other thing to look for is any of the Electrolytic capacitors (the big cylinders laying down, described above) showing a brownish or tan substance "leaking" around the leads, or appearing bulged compared to the other capacitors in the circuit.

 

But the transistor got fried before I replaced the motor. It was hot before I ever took the old motor out.

...then it will be a point to remember, otherwise, you'll blow out the diode, then the transistor...

 

EDIT: As far as maintaining the direction, I did this a long time ago so I can't remember for sure. I followed the instructions on that website.

 

Perhaps someone else can verify, but it seems your diode is in the wrong direction. This could be a reason for a fried transistor...

I'm sorry... I have no idea what you just said. Haha... Does that mean I wired the diode backwards?

 

A Quick test would be if you disconnect the motor wire, do the transistors still get hot quickly?

I don't have 4 D batteries to try it out - but what would that tell me?

BTW... thanks to all for being patient with my complete ignorance here.

 

I'm sorry... I have no idea what you just said. Haha... Does that mean I wired the diode backwards?

Sorry, yes, flip the diode so it looks the way in the picture on the right...

 

Sorry, yes, flip the diode so it looks the way in the picture on the right...

But on that repair site, his pic looks just like mine... Not arguing with you, just confused. Do you think that dude did it wrong and led me astray?

And this also doesn't explain why it got hot in the first place...

 

But on that repair site, his pic looks just like mine... Not arguing with you, just confused. Do you think that dude did it wrong and led me astray?

And this also doesn't explain why it got hot in the first place...

The silver stripe on the diode should be closest to the yellow wire.

Find 4 D batteries, and try turning it on while the motor is disconnected. If it doesn't heat up, odds are that the diode is pointed the wrong way.

No problem in patience, I type really, really fast. But I sometimes miss key words when reading, so my answers can be really, really wrong.

 

Thanks so far guys! Going to bed but I'll check in again after I try with the diode the right way.

 

The silver stripe on the diode should be closest to the yellow wire.

Thanks for clarifying that, sometimes, it's hard to think like someone not versed in electronics. Sorry to be dodgy on that!

Not a problem with you, just with my ability to communicate...

 

Thanks for clarifying that, sometimes, it's hard to think like someone not versed in electronics. Sorry to be dodgy on that!

Not a problem with you, just with my ability to communicate...

Volunteer to help kids learn electronics/robotics. You quickly learn how to speak non-geek, and it is quite fun, if you like kids, anyway. The ones I deal with are always filtered out for aptitude, which makes it a bit easier.

 

I understand why you guys think the diode is backwards. it looks that way to me, too, but I want to point out polarity markings I think I see on the motor (see attachment).
I should point out that there is no rule which forces the negative supply rail to be ground. It does seem strange that they would use a black wire on the + terminal of the motor.

 

Volunteer to help kids learn electronics/robotics. You quickly learn how to speak non-geek, and it is quite fun, if you like kids, anyway. The ones I deal with are always filtered out for aptitude, which makes it a bit easier.

I usually deal with people further down the electronics scale, people with no knowledge of anything electronic, sans their iWhatever. I don't usually deal with talking about diodes with them...

[...]if you like kids, anyway.

Nearly a deal breaker...

Actually, I want to go back to teach(college level) in a few(like 5-6) years... who knows if that will happen...

 

I understand why you guys think the diode is backwards. it looks that way to me, too, but I want to point out polarity markings I think I see on the motor (see attachment).
I should point out that there is no rule which forces the negative supply rail to be ground. It does seem strange that they would use a black wire on the + terminal of the motor.

Yes, but given that in other images, the yellow wire goes to Vcc through the transistor in question, I'd have to say green goes to ground...


That gets me thinking, what are the chances the motor is attempting to turn in a way the worm gear prevents, stalling out and killing the transistors. The wires used are the wires that came with the original motor, so the direction may have changed....

 

I want to point out polarity markings I think I see on the motor (see attachment).

Good catch, Ron!

 

I understand why you guys think the diode is backwards. it looks that way to me, too, but I want to point out polarity markings I think I see on the motor (see attachment).
I should point out that there is no rule which forces the negative supply rail to be ground. It does seem strange that they would use a black wire on the + terminal of the motor.

See Step 4 of the motor swap out.

The new motor is from a Glade auto air freshener, which uses blue/white wires for the connection.

He shows them next to each other, but one upside down, perhaps he swaps polarity so the motor will turn in the right direction? The swing itself uses the green/yellow wires to power the motor.

In other words, it's a hack rather than a direct replacement, but I don't typically put instructables very high on my "solid information sources" list.

 

See Step 4 of the motor swap out.

The new motor is from a Glade auto air freshener, which uses blue/white wires for the connection.

He shows them next to each other, but one upside down, perhaps he swaps polarity so the motor will turn in the right direction? The swing itself uses the green/yellow wires to power the motor.

In other words, it's a hack rather than a direct replacement, but I don't typically put instructables very high on my "solid information sources" list.

The picture I posted if from the OP's post #19.
I'm sorta color blind. I see now that the wire that I called black is really green. In any case, I don't think our OP swapped motors, did she? It looks like the cathode of the diode on her motor connects to the + terminal of the motor (which would be correct, unless the motor is wired backwards), and to the motor case.

 

The picture I posted if from the OP's post #19.
I'm sorta color blind. I see now that the wire that I called black is really green. In any case, I don't think our OP swapped motors, did she? It looks like the cathode of the diode on her motor connects to the + terminal of the motor (which would be correct, unless the motor is wired backwards), and to the motor case.

I think that is where the confusion lies.

From the OP:

As far as maintaining the direction, I did this a long time ago so I can't remember for sure. I followed the instructions on that website.

From the site:

A comparison pic of the 2 motors. Left with the white cap is from the swing, right with the green is from the air freshener.

The diode is pointing toward the yellow wire in the non-modified "white cap" motor, which I'm guessing is the original swing motor from what was stated.