Here is a bit more on fixing an OfficeMax OM99732 Cross-Cut Shredder (OfficeMax Item 21243539): After just over a year of very light use, my shredder simply stopped shredding. The green "Power" light would come on and the motor would run in reverse but it simply would not shred normally. The fuse -- checked with a VOM (volt-ohm-milliampere) meter -- was good.
After testing the various switches (top-mounted control switch and inner safety-interlock switch), I determined that apparently the light-activated circuit that sensed when a sheet of paper was inserted had failed.
Let me take a step back and say that I contacted OfficeMax when my problem first occurred and called the 800 support number they offered. Because my shredder was out of warranty, I could not exchange it for a another one. OfficeMax had no advice on troubleshooting or how to fix my problem. Also, OfficeMax does not offer repair service or parts for the OM99732 shredder.
In the end, I found that jumpering the number 2 and 3 pins on the back side of the four-pin circuit board connector for the photoelectric sensor wiring harness would make my shredder run forward. I accomplished this by simply soldering a "bridge" between the two pins.
The downside of this fix is that the shredder runs continuously when I slide the control switch from "Off" to "Auto". Sliding the switch to "Reverse" reverses the shredder.
This isn't a perfect fix: I'd prefer to have the shredder work in the original automatic mode. Still, it shreds perfectly and I didn't have to throw a fairly expensive shredder in the trash because it was unusable and irreparable.
A better solution would be decent customer service from OfficeMax including tech support, reasonable out-of-warranty repairs and available repair parts. I'm not holding my breath.
Coc Zamudio
April 2011
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