I found a 2003 Gemmy lifesize Santa in my now late grandfather's basement over a year ago now. He works ok the swaying motion seems a little slow, but he hasn't broken yet. This video will definitely come in handy when it does break.
Picked one of these up for 25 bucks at a flea market a few days ago, everything works but the head movement and dancing. Thanks for this video, gonna try and get Santa dancing again! ❤
Very welcome! Another thing you could possibly find at a local hardware store are these Faucet O-Rings: amzn.to/2YwgmsI Someone mentioned it long after this video was released that may work better (I've personally not tried them).
So awesome to hear! I've heard you can get some bands in the plumbing section of most hardware stores. I've not personally tried them, but if the band breaks try one from the hardware store. It may last a bit longer that way. Again, great news and great job!
Hi, I got a motion sensored dancing singing Santa. When I plug him in he dances immediately and won't stop. He will sing but only after you push the button But when done singing he continues to dance and won't stop Thoughts please ?
Thanks for the upload! I'm glad you were able to save these from the trash. I have a Gemmy dancing skeleton which has the same mechanism. His belt broke as well but his mouth and neck are also broken.
I had someone tell me the same about mine, when I initially made this video I didn't realize they neck and head should move as well. May open it up again and see if I can fix that, if I do I'll upload a new video about it. May want to subscribe, just in case I figure it out (click the bell button to get notified if I do).
Looney Bird And Rolfe yeah I got it at a flea market for 20 bucks. It's completely broken except for the eye lights and sound so I have a lot of work to do.
This happened to our Santa - I thought after several years it had gone for good but checked youtube and found this - I was pleased to see the belt missing which meant I could fix it! I realise the rubber band’s not going to last, and would like a better solution. To all the people here saying ‘get an O ring but careful about the size’ - what size did you use that worked? That would be really helpful, thanks!
The rubber band worked, but yeah an O-ring is likely a better long-term option. Amazon has various assortments, mine are in storage so don't have the sizes that work available. But picking an assortment oring kit will likely work. I just ordered this kit to test next month: amzn.to/3fjLM9s (not sure if these sizes are correct). If they are, I'll update the video description.
One thing I noticed is that the Santa's head wasn't moving, it's usually supposed to move. So the gears may of worn or most likely, if it has yet, another broken belt in it, that's probably another problem. Worst case scenario, the motor could also be burned out. Same with the snowman, it's head wasn't moving alot and I'm positively sure it's supposed to actually? I've also noticed they dance alot slower than they're supposed to with their regular belts, meaning the rubber bands inside of them are most likely probably slipping or stripping, meaning there's a possible chance they may not last very long, or they could break pretty easily.
Just head to your hardware store and buy an o-ring from the plumbing aisle. Try to match the size and thickness as close as possible, it does not have to be an exact match.
I haven't had this particular issue. Sounds like something with the springs, perhaps it's off track or the springs themselves are broken. I won't be much help since it's not something I encountered.
I’m trying to fix mine. That belt is there and working fine. I think my motor is weak. I’ve taken it completely apart but not into the motor part. I think I need to replace the motor.
Hi, do you know why my Santa won’t swing , the motor works n the band is there changed it n still doesn’t dance, would it need a more tighter band ?? Let me know thanks .
I cannot find anything on the right or left leg in regards to the speed of the Santa mine stopped working but the belt is fine I looked up the right leg and I cannot find the green wire is it under the other material or should it be very visible I think in my case the motor has burnt out Krista shaft is not moving
Got mine at a yard sale for $10. In very very good condition aestheticly. Head turns and sings. Tried the rubber and repair for dancing, no go. Thinking need new motor. Where can I get one? Thank you.
You can get belts at ace hardware, rubber bands are okay, but they are too stretchy and dont last long. They are dancing pretty slow, not sure if that's the band, but they have a speed dial as well, it might be turned down low.
Yes, I agree it's probably a better idea to use belts from a hardware store instead of a rubber band. At the time I made this video, I didn't know they could be found in a hardware store and the Mfgr. never responded to me. Did the best I could with what I knew at the time. This video sill demonstrates where the belts go and the rubber band will work (probably, just not as long). I couldn't find a video that demonstrated this, so wanted to try to help others as best I could.
@@WagnersTechTalk ya np, it's a good video nonetheless. I try to do repair videos on these things when I can, I'm a part of that group channel, gemmy master animatronics
Dude, just checked out your channel, you've got a ton of great content/info there! You've got an awesome subscriber base too, congratulations that's fantastic! I also subbed, going to fun to learn more about animatronics.
@@WagnersTechTalk thank you so much! We definitely have a variety, and lots of item knowledge on what tends to be faulty on items and all that, because we grew up with that stuff as kids when they were new, so we have a whole life experience. This is something we never made a video on though, so it's good this is out there two. We get comments all the time about "how do I replace the gear "where do I find and how do I replace the belt" "how can I fix this" with no explanation on what the issue is. It's hard assuming just by saying "its not working" so ots hard to help. My key thing is do you hear the motor running? Its either the belt broke or a gear. If you cant hear the motor then it's either a wire off the motor or the motor its self. If its something that's suppose to move 2 directions but it's only moving 1 like the head for example it's a component the board. If it's not doing anything at all either a power wires is off or the whole thing is shot and there's board issues. If the audio isnt working, it may be a wire off the speaker, the speaker might be blow or if it's something that's really old that's adapter powered, its sound chip os probably dead from be over voltaged or something. Anyways ya, wed like to make a lot of helpful video, but sometimes people still dont know what to do, or listen to what that parts are called, so it's hard helping someone of they dont know what certain parts are called and how they work. As long as the new 2020 youtube doesnt destroy us, we plan on being around as long as we can.
Those are some Awesome tips right there! If you have a website, maybe you could make a flow diagram to show exactly what you're talking about and how to diagnose the source of the problem. Just an idea, you have tons of knowledge where a flow diagram might be helpful to others. If you don't have a website, I'd be happy to host the diagram for you, if you wanted. Just e-mail me at wagnerstechtalk [at] gmail.com, if needed. What is it in 2020 that is a problem? Does that have to do with the new rules for children?
I also have this guy. I did what you said with the belt and sure enough it started moving side to side and I could actually hear the voice very faintly when I had a 5VC plugged into it. I looked for another adapter and it was a 42vc and I used it total accident I misread the back. Now there is no voice. I do now have the proper 9 volt but still no voice. Did I possibly fry the speak?
Ouch, 42v dc may have fried something. As HHP mentioned, you could try replacing the speaker but there could be something else on the PCB damaged as well.
@@WagnersTechTalk Thanks for the video! I have the same issue where larger adaptor was used on Dancing Santa and have blown the transistor on the circuit board. Do you happen to know what the spec of the transistor in Q3 position is, as I need to get a replacement but can no longer read the numbers! Appreciate if you can help! 🎅😎
Instead of rubber bands, you could also use some belts like this: www.ebay.com/itm/2mm-Hole-Plastic-Belt-Pulley-Gears-Combination-Modulus-Package-Rubber-Belts-Band/253772873728?epid=20030921566&hash=item3b160ac000:g:rW8AAOSw5dlaE3xS . Yours may require a few more belts.
I dont put mine in down position because besides been standing up for 13 year or 14 years now ever sense he was taken outta the box brand new and I tried it today I didn't go fully down but it wasent smooth wene he was going down so I just let him come back up because it's was rough
On mine, has a problem with the jingle bell song, will get to oh jin… then cuts off any idea how to fix this ? This is the only song that stops on it’s own
Does anyone know where to get a replacement motor? The one that moves the hips has started smoking and I can't find any info on a replacement motor. Thanks for any help.
Hi Bobby, sorry I don't know where to find a replacement. You may be able to pull the existing one, locate any numbers on the motor and attempt to hunt one down based on that. I'd definitely not power it on until you locate a replacement.
I'd try unplugging it from the power, then remove the screws on the bottom and check the wires going to the speaker. Perhaps one of them came loose or may need to be re-soldered. Could be other things too, but that's the first thing I'd check.
Hi I watched your video and I thought it was very helpful but I have another issue with a with a 5ft 8 model African-American from Walmart his base is flat not round I had pushed the wrong plug into his adapter and something blue I'm trying to see if I can fix it I am screwed everything at the bottom but he's not working at all so I was wondering if you had any ideas on how I can fix this or if I can fix it at all thank you
Not sure I'll be much help as I'm not familiar with that model. Unplug it, remove the screws from the bottom and make sure the power connector isn't bent/broken. If it is, you'll have to hunt for a replacement part. It would be great if the manufacturer supported these units better with replacement parts. If they do, I've sure not found it.
I took mine apart And the band connecting the motor was just fine yet he still won’t dance. One thing I saw was a free floating yellow wire. Not sure where this is supposed to go ? Any ideas. The red wire is soldered to the motor not sure if yellow is supposed to be or where it’s to go . Can’t figure any reason it won’t dance. Head moves and sings but no dancing. Any help is appreciated
I don't know off the top of my head, but that wire is likely key to why it's not moving. Look around to see if there are any breaks or solder applied that has no wire and that's likely where it goes. Then, just re-solder it and that will likely fix it. You can also check out the YT channel ruclips.net/user/jobeanvideosvideos they have a lot of videos there on similar characters. Maybe drop them a not asking, they'll likely have better information than I. Hope this helps!
I replaced the belt and it still doesn’t dance. The motor isn’t getting any voltage. Also the head doesn’t work correctly anymore. It moves to the left but not back to the right. I have to manually move the head to the right then it will move to the left. And the lip works sometimes. Any suggestions?
Could be the power supply or it could be the main board has some defect (short, blown capacitor, etc.). In this instance, I'm not going to be much help.
Can you help, I can’t get my Santa to stand straight. He was moved incorrectly and immediately fell over I don’t know what happened. I removed his pants to get inside and the 2 poles with the coils are there but he tilts over I’m not sure what is missing from the interior that holds him up?
Are they bolted to the base, did they break? Might need to stand it up and see where the instability is coming from. Sorry, I'm probably not much help but it's hard when you can't see the issue.
@@WagnersTechTalk thank you much for even responding! The poles inside the spring aren’t bolted but it doesn’t look like they ever were. The have white plastic pieces at their ends but neither fits securely inside the pieces they sit on top of. If something broke I’m not sure what exactly but I can’t find jagged edges. Can I email you a pic?
I have a small swing hip center the music plays but his hips do not move what do you think it is Can be the cause of it Or where do you recommend I can take it to get it fixed It is very special to me because His santa suit has the logo Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL I'm sad because his hips do not move
could you look at your snowman and tell me or send a picture of what wires connect to what colors out of white cord leading to the head someone cut them in the one I have. Every single wire to the motors etc have been cut and i need know how they go back especially on the ones without matching colors
my dancing santa stop singing, I took of the top and I see that the speaker box got disconnected and i'm not sure how to fix it, there are two green wire lose and also a red & black wires lose,I also see two black wires from the neck, I'm not sure which goes where?
The Santa still works, the Snowman stopped and I added another rubber band (it snapped). However, going to hit a hardware store in the plumbing section they may have smaller (stronger) bands. That is based on a few recommendations I received in the comments.
Not sure, the voice was working on these two. You can remove the bottom cover and see if there are any loose/broken wires there. Just make sure it's unplugged if you attempt to take a look.
That's likely going to be the wires to the actuator in the mouth area (broken wire or actuator). Not something I've run into and won't be too helpful with.
You might have to push really hard the first time. Mine is a road-side find, so not sure about the stiffness of a new one. Just put your hands on each shoulder push down and let it pop up. If that doesn't work, maybe the springs are off the track? Should be able to just pull the skirt up and take a peak (that didn't sound right lol)
I can you help me I have Life size singing dancing bear it doesn't dance but the speaker make a like drum beat noise i have found a green wire as come loose in the boot it's got like silver connected I don't know if it goes to the boot can you help please
I would try to find where it connected, sounds like a broken solder joint but could be wrong about that. If you can find where it connected and it's a perfect patch, you might be able to use a soldering iron to reflow the solder and make the connection. Just a guess though.
Maybe check to see if the springs have slid off the support system? You'll have to remove the staples from his pants (sounds weird), but then you'll be able to see what's going on.
I probably know I’m a Aussie to and I own this item so put you Santa on the ground so the belly is facing up on the bottom of the base some Santa’s have locking pins if there is a brown lock twist it left there is another one on the other side of the base and you twist it again once the locking pins are out push on the shoulders and he should pop up
@@animatedchristmascollector3754 I haven't put him on his back but I have turned both things both ways and he still won't pop up ... But I will try laying him down and get back to you
Not that I'm aware of, you'd probably have to pull the motor out and search for a similar replacement. I couldn't even find "official" belts for the repair :)
I don't think you need to hack it, there is a mic input that you could use to connect your audio source. Not sure how well that would work with a musical sound track though I do remember using a Mic with it and the mouth would move when we spoke into it.
Nice fix but... I wouldn’t use rubber bands, just because they will snap and you will probably have to repair it again soon so I would try using Rubber belts😉 also the heads are supposed to move, probably a split gear, I think what you did is a great temporary fix but if the future I would use rubber belts
I appreciate your comment Chase. Keep in mind, I found these on the side of the road (headed for the dumpster), I spent nothing on them :) I looked on ebay and Amazon for belts, couldn't find a link (if you have one, let me know please). So, I went with what I had and it worked fine. Is it perfect, probably not. Will it last, maybe not but it's easy enough to repair. Now, I could have used a higher-tension rubber-band that would probably last much longer but I made do with what I had on-hand and was quite pleased with the results. Thanks for the split gear idea, I'll check it out in Nov. when we go to set them up again. If it's a gear that is cracked/split I'll just 3D print one and put my design on thingiverse for others. Thx again!
Great video. I was dumb and tossed my last one away without trying to fix it. Got a newer version two years ago, and now I am having issues with it. Have you tried to do anything with the circuit board? I looked at mine and the capacitor was shot, but can't get it to run after replacing. Any chance you have a circuit board schematic or would know where to start after the a new capacitor was put in? No sound or anything power wise. Just a quiet non working santa haha.
Hi Ryan, I don't have a schematic of the circuit board. In fact, I tried finding an official o-ring to replace mine with and came up with nothing. At the time I made this video, there was virtually nothing I could find on the Santa nor the Snowman. I did find a power supply that seems to work (in the video description), perhaps check yours to make sure it's getting power. Wish I could help more.
@@WagnersTechTalk I appreciate the answer! Its so hard to find stuff for these now, which surprises me a bit due to popularity. The power supply on mine seems good, but the capacitor blew to hell. I resoldered a new one in and still nothing. Everything on the board looks ok but hard to tell I guess. So expensive to replace so was hoping to tackle it myself like you did.
Just ran across this video. Does anyone have the matching Mrs. Claus that was made this year? I have the exact same Santa. He’s broke some plastic latch on the spring lock mechanism. But still able to secure him with the cam locks
Probably need to unplug the power, remove the screws from the bottom of the base and see if there is a loose wire. If there is, may need to be re-soldered. Don't know exactly, just a thought.
Nice! How old are your kids! Mine is 3 and he dances with our santa all the time lol, Its like his toy so i have to keep it up all year round in his room, but during Christmas i put it in the living room. Bye and thx :)
Push it's shoulders down, it will compress to about half the size. Keep in mind, the one I have did not come in a box (found on the side of the road), so maybe I'm missing something?
Does anyone think they can help me my Santa’s mouth talks when he is saying like ho ho ho but it does not move when he sings. He also doesn’t dance at the beginning he will like move to the side slowly and sometimes back but then just stays still does anyone think they can help me?
NOTE: Another thing you could possibly find at a local hardware store are these Faucet O-Rings: amzn.to/2YwgmsI Someone mentioned it long after this video was released that may work better (I've personally not tried them).
Getting that rubber band on was a pain, but OMG he dances again!! Thank you so much!
Awesome, you're very welcome!!
I found a 2003 Gemmy lifesize Santa in my now late grandfather's basement over a year ago now. He works ok the swaying motion seems a little slow, but he hasn't broken yet. This video will definitely come in handy when it does break.
There’s a speed dial somewhere in the Santa if you turn it up he should dance faster
Picked one of these up for 25 bucks at a flea market a few days ago, everything works but the head movement and dancing. Thanks for this video, gonna try and get Santa dancing again! ❤
Now I'm going to look like a the IT hero fixing one of the Office Santas! Thank you for this my friend!
Very welcome, hope it helps!
Thank you! Now we can continue to enjoy this treasured Christmas decoration.
You are so welcome!
You're so good at fixing I'm proud of you
Thank you so much!! I thought my Santa will never dance again. You made me happy!
Very welcome! Another thing you could possibly find at a local hardware store are these Faucet O-Rings: amzn.to/2YwgmsI Someone mentioned it long after this video was released that may work better (I've personally not tried them).
Thank you for this video. Made a 3yr old very happy as ours broke and I just fixed it. Happy holidays
So awesome to hear! I've heard you can get some bands in the plumbing section of most hardware stores. I've not personally tried them, but if the band breaks try one from the hardware store. It may last a bit longer that way. Again, great news and great job!
Hi, I got a motion sensored dancing singing Santa.
When I plug him in he dances immediately and won't stop. He will sing but only after you push the button But when done singing he continues to dance and won't stop
Thoughts please ?
nice find! The santa is pretty common but the snowman is rare! I really want one !
Adding my thanks to the others for your ingenuity and for sharing it.
My pleasure! Hope you find it helpful.
Thanks for the upload! I'm glad you were able to save these from the trash. I have a Gemmy dancing skeleton which has the same mechanism. His belt broke as well but his mouth and neck are also broken.
I had someone tell me the same about mine, when I initially made this video I didn't realize they neck and head should move as well. May open it up again and see if I can fix that, if I do I'll upload a new video about it. May want to subscribe, just in case I figure it out (click the bell button to get notified if I do).
You have a skeleton!
Looney Bird And Rolfe yeah I got it at a flea market for 20 bucks. It's completely broken except for the eye lights and sound so I have a lot of work to do.
@@SPCAnimatronics COOL!
@@WagnersTechTalk OK
Thank you for rescuing them. Those people should not throw away gemmy item.
You can buy these belts too, if you use one the figures will move way better. But this is still very good!
Thanks, my Santa stopped moving, this was very helpful. Will be repairing my Santa. The Grandkids love him.
This happened to our Santa - I thought after several years it had gone for good but checked youtube and found this - I was pleased to see the belt missing which meant I could fix it! I realise the rubber band’s not going to last, and would like a better solution. To all the people here saying ‘get an O ring but careful about the size’ - what size did you use that worked? That would be really helpful, thanks!
The rubber band worked, but yeah an O-ring is likely a better long-term option. Amazon has various assortments, mine are in storage so don't have the sizes that work available. But picking an assortment oring kit will likely work. I just ordered this kit to test next month: amzn.to/3fjLM9s (not sure if these sizes are correct). If they are, I'll update the video description.
@@WagnersTechTalk Haha! I just ordered pretty much the same one here in the UK. Thanks!
where can I get parts for this Santa ? The upper section has springs but nothing inside spring . So santa stay short does not have parts for length.
Hi Susan, I don't know the answer. I tried locating replacement belts and came up with noting.
One thing I noticed is that the Santa's head wasn't moving, it's usually supposed to move. So the gears may of worn or most likely, if it has yet, another broken belt in it, that's probably another problem. Worst case scenario, the motor could also be burned out. Same with the snowman, it's head wasn't moving alot and I'm positively sure it's supposed to actually? I've also noticed they dance alot slower than they're supposed to with their regular belts, meaning the rubber bands inside of them are most likely probably slipping or stripping, meaning there's a possible chance they may not last very long, or they could break pretty easily.
Thanks for your input, I may revisit this at some point in the future. I appreciate your feedback!
Just head to your hardware store and buy an o-ring from the plumbing aisle. Try to match the size and thickness as close as possible, it does not have to be an exact match.
On the right foot, lift up the pant legs and there's a wire which is for you to control the speed of the movement
I could not find the wire on my Santa I picked up the leg pant leg under the other material
Can you help specifically on making it go back to the original height we tried pulling it down and it stays the same ?
I haven't had this particular issue. Sounds like something with the springs, perhaps it's off track or the springs themselves are broken. I won't be much help since it's not something I encountered.
Would you have any ideas how to make him sit in a sleigh. Thinking of no moving maybe just singing.
You could probably press him down, then set him on the sleigh bench (I would think).
I’m trying to fix mine. That belt is there and working fine. I think my motor is weak. I’ve taken it completely apart but not into the motor part. I think I need to replace the motor.
I don't know where to get replacement motors, it's not something I've had to do yet.
You could also do the same thing for the head to move but it's really hard
In santas left foot theres a speed dial and theres one on the snowman's base
Will the same trick work on the dancing pirate skeleton
Not sure, I only have these two.
Yes it will
Do you know anything about the electronic circuit board replacement
No, sorry. I've not done anything with the PCBs.
Hi, do you know why my Santa won’t swing , the motor works n the band is there changed it n still doesn’t dance, would it need a more tighter band ?? Let me know thanks .
Likely a tighter band, check the video description for some options. You can also likely pick them up locally instead of using rubber bands.
I cannot find anything on the right or left leg in regards to the speed of the Santa mine stopped working but the belt is fine I looked up the right leg and I cannot find the green wire is it under the other material or should it be very visible I think in my case the motor has burnt out Krista shaft is not moving
the heads could also be a belt or a gear you find it the same way as the other one
How do you remove the head? I have to fix my outdoor Santa's arm where it connects to the shoulder.
There’s a lever in the back of its head and press it and remove
Got mine at a yard sale for $10. In very very good condition aestheticly. Head turns and sings. Tried the rubber and repair for dancing, no go. Thinking need new motor. Where can I get one? Thank you.
Thank you so much this helped me a lot!
HI MY SANTA WONT SWITCH ON AT ALL ANY IDEAS? I thought there maybe a fuse inside but only a pcb board
Sorry, don't know the answer. Could be the board, the power supply, etc.
You should also get a Black Santa That Can Go with those 2 and you can get the life size animated SantaTeddy Bear 🧸 That can go with the 3 too
You can get belts at ace hardware, rubber bands are okay, but they are too stretchy and dont last long. They are dancing pretty slow, not sure if that's the band, but they have a speed dial as well, it might be turned down low.
Yes, I agree it's probably a better idea to use belts from a hardware store instead of a rubber band. At the time I made this video, I didn't know they could be found in a hardware store and the Mfgr. never responded to me. Did the best I could with what I knew at the time. This video sill demonstrates where the belts go and the rubber band will work (probably, just not as long). I couldn't find a video that demonstrated this, so wanted to try to help others as best I could.
@@WagnersTechTalk ya np, it's a good video nonetheless. I try to do repair videos on these things when I can, I'm a part of that group channel, gemmy master animatronics
Dude, just checked out your channel, you've got a ton of great content/info there! You've got an awesome subscriber base too, congratulations that's fantastic! I also subbed, going to fun to learn more about animatronics.
@@WagnersTechTalk thank you so much! We definitely have a variety, and lots of item knowledge on what tends to be faulty on items and all that, because we grew up with that stuff as kids when they were new, so we have a whole life experience. This is something we never made a video on though, so it's good this is out there two. We get comments all the time about "how do I replace the gear "where do I find and how do I replace the belt" "how can I fix this" with no explanation on what the issue is. It's hard assuming just by saying "its not working" so ots hard to help. My key thing is do you hear the motor running? Its either the belt broke or a gear. If you cant hear the motor then it's either a wire off the motor or the motor its self. If its something that's suppose to move 2 directions but it's only moving 1 like the head for example it's a component the board. If it's not doing anything at all either a power wires is off or the whole thing is shot and there's board issues. If the audio isnt working, it may be a wire off the speaker, the speaker might be blow or if it's something that's really old that's adapter powered, its sound chip os probably dead from be over voltaged or something. Anyways ya, wed like to make a lot of helpful video, but sometimes people still dont know what to do, or listen to what that parts are called, so it's hard helping someone of they dont know what certain parts are called and how they work. As long as the new 2020 youtube doesnt destroy us, we plan on being around as long as we can.
Those are some Awesome tips right there! If you have a website, maybe you could make a flow diagram to show exactly what you're talking about and how to diagnose the source of the problem. Just an idea, you have tons of knowledge where a flow diagram might be helpful to others. If you don't have a website, I'd be happy to host the diagram for you, if you wanted. Just e-mail me at wagnerstechtalk [at] gmail.com, if needed. What is it in 2020 that is a problem? Does that have to do with the new rules for children?
I also have this guy. I did what you said with the belt and sure enough it started moving side to side and I could actually hear the voice very faintly when I had a 5VC plugged into it. I looked for another adapter and it was a 42vc and I used it total accident I misread the back. Now there is no voice. I do now have the proper 9 volt but still no voice. Did I possibly fry the speak?
You probably made the speaker blow out which you will need another speaker. The component also might be fried
Ouch, 42v dc may have fried something. As HHP mentioned, you could try replacing the speaker but there could be something else on the PCB damaged as well.
@@WagnersTechTalk Thanks for the video! I have the same issue where larger adaptor was used on Dancing Santa and have blown the transistor on the circuit board. Do you happen to know what the spec of the transistor in Q3 position is, as I need to get a replacement but can no longer read the numbers! Appreciate if you can help! 🎅😎
I love fixing stuff that's broken
So I have a Canadian deluxe version of the snowman but the only movement that works is his head movements
Instead of rubber bands, you could also use some belts like this: www.ebay.com/itm/2mm-Hole-Plastic-Belt-Pulley-Gears-Combination-Modulus-Package-Rubber-Belts-Band/253772873728?epid=20030921566&hash=item3b160ac000:g:rW8AAOSw5dlaE3xS . Yours may require a few more belts.
@@WagnersTechTalk so the belts in him are not snapped his motors are fried
Hi, if the band is not snapped, what other reason wont it work, thanks
Could be a number of things: power supply, board issue, motor burned out, etc.
I dont put mine in down position because besides been standing up for 13 year or 14 years now ever sense he was taken outta the box brand new and I tried it today I didn't go fully down but it wasent smooth wene he was going down so I just let him come back up because it's was rough
On mine, has a problem with the jingle bell song, will get to oh jin… then cuts off any idea how to fix this ? This is the only song that stops on it’s own
Definitely something internal to the electronics in the base. I honestly don't know what (bad ram chip perhaps).
Does anyone know where to get a replacement motor? The one that moves the hips has started smoking and I can't find any info on a replacement motor. Thanks for any help.
Hi Bobby, sorry I don't know where to find a replacement. You may be able to pull the existing one, locate any numbers on the motor and attempt to hunt one down based on that. I'd definitely not power it on until you locate a replacement.
i have the smaller snowman....approx. 12 inches tall.
he has also stopped moving. is the mechanism the same?
I wish I could say, I only have these two that I found on the side of the road. I don't have anything else to compare them to.
Could you please do a video for the speaker. My santa dances but can't hear any music? Thank you
I'd try unplugging it from the power, then remove the screws on the bottom and check the wires going to the speaker. Perhaps one of them came loose or may need to be re-soldered. Could be other things too, but that's the first thing I'd check.
thanks i hate to through things away
Hi I watched your video and I thought it was very helpful but I have another issue with a with a 5ft 8 model African-American from Walmart his base is flat not round I had pushed the wrong plug into his adapter and something blue I'm trying to see if I can fix it I am screwed everything at the bottom but he's not working at all so I was wondering if you had any ideas on how I can fix this or if I can fix it at all thank you
Not sure I'll be much help as I'm not familiar with that model. Unplug it, remove the screws from the bottom and make sure the power connector isn't bent/broken. If it is, you'll have to hunt for a replacement part. It would be great if the manufacturer supported these units better with replacement parts. If they do, I've sure not found it.
I like the santa and the snowman
I took mine apart And the band connecting the motor was just fine yet he still won’t dance. One thing I saw was a free floating yellow wire. Not sure where this is supposed to go ? Any ideas. The red wire is soldered to the motor not sure if yellow is supposed to be or where it’s to go . Can’t figure any reason it won’t dance. Head moves and sings but no dancing. Any help is appreciated
I don't know off the top of my head, but that wire is likely key to why it's not moving. Look around to see if there are any breaks or solder applied that has no wire and that's likely where it goes. Then, just re-solder it and that will likely fix it. You can also check out the YT channel ruclips.net/user/jobeanvideosvideos they have a lot of videos there on similar characters. Maybe drop them a not asking, they'll likely have better information than I. Hope this helps!
I replaced the belt and it still doesn’t dance. The motor isn’t getting any voltage. Also the head doesn’t work correctly anymore. It moves to the left but not back to the right. I have to manually move the head to the right then it will move to the left. And the lip works sometimes. Any suggestions?
Could be the power supply or it could be the main board has some defect (short, blown capacitor, etc.). In this instance, I'm not going to be much help.
My o ring is ok, But motor doesn't seem to be spinning. I can move belt and he does seem to move. Any suggestions ??
The motor is likely wore out. I'm not sure where to get a replacement motor. There doesn't seem to be any on-line source for parts.
I bought a motor replacement in a shop where they sell things like speakers, motors, and electronic pieces
Thank you so much
Can you help, I can’t get my Santa to stand straight. He was moved incorrectly and immediately fell over I don’t know what happened. I removed his pants to get inside and the 2 poles with the coils are there but he tilts over I’m not sure what is missing from the interior that holds him up?
Are they bolted to the base, did they break? Might need to stand it up and see where the instability is coming from. Sorry, I'm probably not much help but it's hard when you can't see the issue.
@@WagnersTechTalk thank you much for even responding! The poles inside the spring aren’t bolted but it doesn’t look like they ever were. The have white plastic pieces at their ends but neither fits securely inside the pieces they sit on top of. If something broke I’m not sure what exactly but I can’t find jagged edges. Can I email you a pic?
I have a small swing hip center the music plays but his hips do not move what do you think it is Can be the cause of it Or where do you recommend I can take it to get it fixed It is very special to me because His santa suit has the logo Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL I'm sad because his hips do not move
could you look at your snowman and tell me or send a picture of what wires connect to what colors out of white cord leading to the head someone cut them in the one I have. Every single wire to the motors etc have been cut and i need know how they go back especially on the ones without matching colors
that worked for me thank you
You're welcome!
my dancing santa stop singing, I took of the top and I see that the speaker box got disconnected and i'm not sure how to fix it, there are two green wire lose and also a red & black wires lose,I also see two black wires from the neck, I'm not sure which goes where?
We have the same problem with ours- would love to get his mouth moving. Have you had any luck?
I know it's a little rough but do you know if your snowman and Santa still works I just wanted to know
The Santa still works, the Snowman stopped and I added another rubber band (it snapped). However, going to hit a hardware store in the plumbing section they may have smaller (stronger) bands. That is based on a few recommendations I received in the comments.
I have the santa. He will not stand up all the way. Any suggestions? Thanks
May be that the springs have weakened or have come loose, hard to say.
@@WagnersTechTalk thanks
A great idea, although using a Good quality Loom Band would probably get the movement back to original
I (think) I pinned a post with some bands that should work better.
@@WagnersTechTalk yes with O rings, loom bands also work though
Dancing Santa stopped dancing, motor smoking? Need help finding one. Thanks
I don't know where to get replacement parts. But if it's smoking, definitely don't plug it in.
The motor burned up, you can probably find the motors online somewhere
I just came across a Santa.. & only a Santa. Does anyone know what cords or anything I need to get it powered on? Anything else, I'm all ears.
Please see the video description for the one I'm using.
@Wagner's TechTalk I saw the one you're using.. what does the other side plug into?
Mine will dances but the sound isn’t working can you help with that ??
I've not had that issue. I'd start by making sure it's unplugged and remove the panel at the base and see if any wires have come loose.
How do you get the voice box to work
Not sure, the voice was working on these two. You can remove the bottom cover and see if there are any loose/broken wires there. Just make sure it's unplugged if you attempt to take a look.
How do you fix his mouth when everything else is working
I didn't have a need to take the head apart, I don't have an answer for you unfortunately.
this will snap in a year i recommend bring the snapped belt to ace hardware and gettings a new one they will be called o rings
o-rings are probably a better idea, no doubt. But, this is another solution that works but probably not as long. The steps are the same, regardless.
Belt looks ok the head moves and it sings but no dancing what else could it be
Is the motor spinning?
What if they won't pop up? Can't get my Snowman to pop up when I push on the shoulders.
Likely the springs are off the track, haven't had that happen myself but may have to press them in manually to get it back on the railing.
Do u know where I can buy a cheap replacement head for the santa bc mine doesn't have that problem it has a different problem?
The only thing I could find is this link, I hope it's helpful for you: www.gemmy.com/help_answer.asp?ID=10
What do you do if the mouth won’t move anymore
That's likely going to be the wires to the actuator in the mouth area (broken wire or actuator). Not something I've run into and won't be too helpful with.
I recently bought the snowman at a sale. However he will not go up. Tried pushing on shoulders and nothing happens, any ideas.
You might have to push really hard the first time. Mine is a road-side find, so not sure about the stiffness of a new one. Just put your hands on each shoulder push down and let it pop up. If that doesn't work, maybe the springs are off the track? Should be able to just pull the skirt up and take a peak (that didn't sound right lol)
@@WagnersTechTalk lol
I can you help me I have Life size singing dancing bear it doesn't dance but the speaker make a like drum beat noise i have
found a green wire as come loose in the boot it's got like silver connected I don't know if it goes to the boot can you help please
I would try to find where it connected, sounds like a broken solder joint but could be wrong about that. If you can find where it connected and it's a perfect patch, you might be able to use a soldering iron to reflow the solder and make the connection. Just a guess though.
Ok thanks l will let you know how I get on
My dancing santa makes a poping/ cracking sound when I plug it in. It doesn’t dance or sing. Any suggestions? Thank you
This sounds like an issue with the electronics itself, sorry I don't have any recommendations.
I can't get my Santa to pop up when I push his shoulders... any suggestions please?????
Maybe check to see if the springs have slid off the support system? You'll have to remove the staples from his pants (sounds weird), but then you'll be able to see what's going on.
@@WagnersTechTalk
Thank you so much for getting back to me... I really appreciate your help. 👍
I probably know I’m a Aussie to and I own this item so put you Santa on the ground so the belly is facing up on the bottom of the base some Santa’s have locking pins if there is a brown lock twist it left there is another one on the other side of the base and you twist it again once the locking pins are out push on the shoulders and he should pop up
@@animatedchristmascollector3754
I haven't put him on his back but I have turned both things both ways and he still won't pop up ... But I will try laying him down and get back to you
Thank you so much for contacting me. 👍
How do you get the upper half of the suit off?
If I remember right, they were stapled. I used a butter knife to pry them up.
How do I fix mine where I can get it to clapse down
It might be the springs came off the railing or have broken.
I couldn’t tell where the motor is on the santa
See at 05:53 , right under the long red handle is the motor (small white round plastic piece is connected to the motor) Hope that helps you out.
I replaced the belt with a smaller one, but the motor isn't running. Is there a replacement motor available?
Thanks
Not that I'm aware of, you'd probably have to pull the motor out and search for a similar replacement. I couldn't even find "official" belts for the repair :)
I’m looking for a motor too, did you find one?
You can find the motor on aliexpress
Help I can not get mine to stand up. The pins are out but it still don’t pop up
Do you know how to hack it to sing anything you'd like?
I don't think you need to hack it, there is a mic input that you could use to connect your audio source. Not sure how well that would work with a musical sound track though I do remember using a Mic with it and the mouth would move when we spoke into it.
@@WagnersTechTalk That's super helpful! Thank you.
Nice fix but... I wouldn’t use rubber bands, just because they will snap and you will probably have to repair it again soon so I would try using Rubber belts😉 also the heads are supposed to move, probably a split gear, I think what you did is a great temporary fix but if the future I would use rubber belts
I appreciate your comment Chase. Keep in mind, I found these on the side of the road (headed for the dumpster), I spent nothing on them :) I looked on ebay and Amazon for belts, couldn't find a link (if you have one, let me know please). So, I went with what I had and it worked fine. Is it perfect, probably not. Will it last, maybe not but it's easy enough to repair.
Now, I could have used a higher-tension rubber-band that would probably last much longer but I made do with what I had on-hand and was quite pleased with the results. Thanks for the split gear idea, I'll check it out in Nov. when we go to set them up again. If it's a gear that is cracked/split I'll just 3D print one and put my design on thingiverse for others. Thx again!
Wagner's TechTalk m.ebay.com/itm/2mm-Hole-Plastic-Belt-Pulley-Gears-Combination-Modulus-Package-Rubber-Belts-Band/253768377383?epid=15016995464&hash=item3b15c62427%3Ag%3ArW8AAOSw5dlaE3xS&_nkw=rubber+belts&_from=R40&rt=nc
mitcdale672 LDS can you just like stop asking for the santa every time you see one?
TheVintageKing7 ikr
Great video. I was dumb and tossed my last one away without trying to fix it. Got a newer version two years ago, and now I am having issues with it. Have you tried to do anything with the circuit board? I looked at mine and the capacitor was shot, but can't get it to run after replacing. Any chance you have a circuit board schematic or would know where to start after the a new capacitor was put in? No sound or anything power wise. Just a quiet non working santa haha.
Hi Ryan, I don't have a schematic of the circuit board. In fact, I tried finding an official o-ring to replace mine with and came up with nothing. At the time I made this video, there was virtually nothing I could find on the Santa nor the Snowman. I did find a power supply that seems to work (in the video description), perhaps check yours to make sure it's getting power. Wish I could help more.
@@WagnersTechTalk I appreciate the answer! Its so hard to find stuff for these now, which surprises me a bit due to popularity. The power supply on mine seems good, but the capacitor blew to hell. I resoldered a new one in and still nothing. Everything on the board looks ok but hard to tell I guess. So expensive to replace so was hoping to tackle it myself like you did.
The snowman’s arms are supposed to move but it looks like they snapped off it happened to mine to
Good to know, may have to take this thing apart again :) They did seem to just dangle.
Please can someone tell me how to remove his trousers??? They need to be cleaned/ replaced
Just ran across this video. Does anyone have the matching Mrs. Claus that was made this year?
I have the exact same Santa. He’s broke some plastic latch on the spring lock mechanism. But still able to secure him with the cam locks
Looks like some kid grabbed his eye glasss too
I totally missed that! I'd like to see the dancing santa return to the stores.
My Santa’s sound isn’t working so you have any fixes?!?
Probably need to unplug the power, remove the screws from the bottom of the base and see if there is a loose wire. If there is, may need to be re-soldered. Don't know exactly, just a thought.
Or the speaker is broken
Would this work for the bear as well?
Not sure, I only have these two.
@@WagnersTechTalk Oh ok! Thanks :)
@@strawberries123i have the bear, it does work for the bear but the bear is designed a little bit differently
I have the snowman, santa and frankenstein
His head is supposed to go from side to side as well
..
What makes him sing?
Can you do the same thing on the 4 ft Santa
My Santa is roughly 4ft, does yours look like the one in this video? If not, not sure without a picture.
Nice! How old are your kids! Mine is 3 and he dances with our santa all the time lol, Its like his toy so i have to keep it up all year round in his room, but during Christmas i put it in the living room. Bye and thx :)
That's awesome that you have it setup in your child's room! My youngest is 14 but even the older kids love having it around :)
My gemmy santa i struction says there is a knob at the top of figure’s bidy to pop him up...i can’t find it
On mine, you just press down on the shoulders and it pops up. Not sure about other models.
@@WagnersTechTalk yeah i just pressed down on shoulders and it pops up...problem now is santa only dances...no sound
Make sure the volume is turned up at the base of the machine, power supply is functioning properly, aside from that I'm not sure.
this is nice and all but HOW DO I PUT THE SNOWMAN IN ITS BLOODY BOX
Push it's shoulders down, it will compress to about half the size. Keep in mind, the one I have did not come in a box (found on the side of the road), so maybe I'm missing something?
Does anyone think they can help me my Santa’s mouth talks when he is saying like ho ho ho but it does not move when he sings. He also doesn’t dance at the beginning he will like move to the side slowly and sometimes back but then just stays still does anyone think they can help me?
also i subscribed
Much appreciated, hope you enjoy my other content!
Awesome!
Thank you buddy!
Would you sell the snowman I’ve always wanted one
You need to fix the gear in the head it’s just a 10 tooth that needs to be replaced
Can I buy the snowman
I'm sorry, my kids love it so I can't. But I appreciate the question.
Oh if there are kids that love then I don’t want to take there happiness
NOTE: Another thing you could possibly find at a local hardware store are these Faucet O-Rings: amzn.to/2YwgmsI Someone mentioned it long after this video was released that may work better (I've personally not tried them).
Lakewi44 did
I'm pretty sure it's pronounced jimmy but they spell it gemmy
Yep, I think you're correct www.dictionary.com/browse/gemmy