Replaced Mum's central heating clock.
Modern ones have a standard backplate.
The old one didn't.
Cables too short.
Fitted junction box where the old one was. Ran cables to new one sited lower on the wall.
Labelled cables just in case.
Much better position. Job well done.
Modern ones have a standard backplate.
The old one didn't.
Cables too short.
Fitted junction box where the old one was. Ran cables to new one sited lower on the wall.
Labelled cables just in case.
Much better position. Job well done.
I've had many customers bring their equipment into the shop with the phrase "I don't think theres anything much wrong with it".
To me, and other professional techs, that statement is meant to convey a subliminal message to us that the customer doesn't want to pay much for repairs.
And naturally, blown fuses, fried transistors or expensive tubes, etc, major disassembly, labor time, ording parts, shipping costs are not in the customer's minds.
And just as naturally, I ignore such messages from them.
Bringing in a 1950's radio-phono console is NOT going to be a $49.95 job as they may have expected.
In addition to "optimistic" customers, I used to get that from the other direction, too. For many years I'd feel a little chill up my spine whenever our sales guy would describe an upcoming installation as "duck soup," as if he would be the one climbing up & down the scaffolding and/or burrowing through the dirt crawlspace under a building (had one of those just a couple of weeks ago)!
A few years back, I finally mentioned my aversion to "duck soup," and I notice he doesn't say that anymore.
A few years back, I finally mentioned my aversion to "duck soup," and I notice he doesn't say that anymore.
Vasoline, I do not see the point about arcing. I would rather use contact cleaner.Changed a fuse that let go because the fuse box is such an old pile of poo. Gee I wonder if it got hot?
Spread a thin layer of Vasoline on the fuses and holder contacts to prevent the arcing that sounded like a slight crackle with my ear to the panel.
View attachment 1117061
Contact cleaner and WD40 are my best friends.
The Vasoline fills in the small gaps left from previous arcing and fills in the air gap thereby preventing arcing. It's just welfare dielectric grease IMHO.
I had P type fuses that would burn out when you started an amplifier. The inrush would draw an arc and heat the fuse enough to fail the thermal part (melt the solder on the spring loaded contact?). Now after a blob of Vasoline on the live side of the fuse, I haven't needed to replace it in years.
I had P type fuses that would burn out when you started an amplifier. The inrush would draw an arc and heat the fuse enough to fail the thermal part (melt the solder on the spring loaded contact?). Now after a blob of Vasoline on the live side of the fuse, I haven't needed to replace it in years.
I guess you could say that I'm a lot like that J H May's guy named Luke.
Those last 25 years at the shop, occasionally people would bring in hair dryers, irons, old fans... etc.
And even though I mainly did tv-audio stuff there, I'd be flexible/diversified enough to make a customer happy.
I once had a Mister Softee ice cream truck's music box in for repairs.
In the shop that thing was loud!
I drove the other guys crazy after I fixed it.... they'd beg me to stop playing that jingle, and told me they'd hit the Wawa for an ice cream cone for me if I shut the sucker off.
Oh, by the way, there ARE lyrics to that music....
I did repair recently two toasters, so I own a spare.
One is a newer design, heating with infra red tubes; This is better, since one can replace a failed tube.
The spring retainer mechanism needed repair. An electro magnet retainer with damaged burnt electric contacts.
The other one is the old design with a resitor wire heater; They consistently fail with that wire cut. Fixing this cut wire is the most common repair, I presume.
Its retainer is the classic bi metal temperature bending strip.
One is a newer design, heating with infra red tubes; This is better, since one can replace a failed tube.
The spring retainer mechanism needed repair. An electro magnet retainer with damaged burnt electric contacts.
The other one is the old design with a resitor wire heater; They consistently fail with that wire cut. Fixing this cut wire is the most common repair, I presume.
Its retainer is the classic bi metal temperature bending strip.
Swapped my kitchen faucet for a new one. Had to bore the mounting hole to modern size to make it fit though. At first I said to myself "1 3/8" hold but it's 1" now... I can't use a spade, forstener bit, or hole saw because they all need a pilot hole and there isn't any material there to centre the bit. Eventually realised that I use a step bit for that hole in metal and guess what? It was the largest size on the bit so it was simple 
It's so much larger than the garbage it replaced that I had to move the paper towel holder, too.
It's funny to see a 2020's faucet on a 1960's sink though.
It's so much larger than the garbage it replaced that I had to move the paper towel holder, too.
It's funny to see a 2020's faucet on a 1960's sink though.
An Arctic Cat 650 H1 ATV which I purchased, used, this summer. It came with a snow plow which was a major insensitive to buy it as I live in the country and have a 1/4 mile long driveway and a yard with a propensity to drift in with the prevailing NW winds.
I had to remove the front body parts (all plastic), and pulled the radiator to clean it of debris, installed a new temperature sensor for the electric fan, installed new radiator hoses with new clamps, removed a defective 2wd/4wd actuator and replaced it with a manual actuator, drained front & rear differentials and installed new lube. (Oil, air cleaner, spark plug were done this summer)
And it worked awesome in clearing up after a couple of snow falls. I just kick myself for not buying one of these 25 years ago.
I had to remove the front body parts (all plastic), and pulled the radiator to clean it of debris, installed a new temperature sensor for the electric fan, installed new radiator hoses with new clamps, removed a defective 2wd/4wd actuator and replaced it with a manual actuator, drained front & rear differentials and installed new lube. (Oil, air cleaner, spark plug were done this summer)
And it worked awesome in clearing up after a couple of snow falls. I just kick myself for not buying one of these 25 years ago.
Cut a hole with your holesaw in piece of wood, and use that as a guide. Then you do not need a pilot holeSwapped my kitchen faucet for a new one. Had to bore the mounting hole to modern size to make it fit though. At first I said to myself "1 3/8" hold but it's 1" now... I can't use a spade, forstener bit, or hole saw because they all need a pilot hole and there isn't any material there to centre the bit. Eventually realised that I use a step bit for that hole in metal and guess what? It was the largest size on the bit so it was simple
It's so much larger than the garbage it replaced that I had to move the paper towel holder, too.
It's funny to see a 2020's faucet on a 1960's sink though.
View attachment 1117616
The CPU fan on an older PC was getting noisy. Usually I just peel up the label in the center to expose the bearing for a few drops of oil. This fan was molded closed on both sides so I needed to drill a small hole in the center to get at the bearing. All is quiet, cool and maybe good for another decade.
Built up an 18 mega samples USB scope.
It has a 28 pin SMD dual A2D converter.
A pig to solder as its fine pitch.
First attempt didnt work despite resoldering.
So removed chip from pcb and a short between two vias.
Soldered it back in and it started to work.
The knack seems to be to overload SMD pins with solder then wick off excess. Use plenty of flux to make solder flow better.
Overloading with solder makes solder flow right around pins, then copper braid wicks off excess from front of pins.
I tried hot air but the chip starts floating all over the place.
Its hard to get right small amount of solder from syringe.
A smaller needle wont allow solder to flow out.
It has a 28 pin SMD dual A2D converter.
A pig to solder as its fine pitch.
First attempt didnt work despite resoldering.
So removed chip from pcb and a short between two vias.
Soldered it back in and it started to work.
The knack seems to be to overload SMD pins with solder then wick off excess. Use plenty of flux to make solder flow better.
Overloading with solder makes solder flow right around pins, then copper braid wicks off excess from front of pins.
I tried hot air but the chip starts floating all over the place.
Its hard to get right small amount of solder from syringe.
A smaller needle wont allow solder to flow out.
Last night, something went poof in my largest amp after it had been running for hours. I turned it off, switched to a different amp, and went to bed. Today I opened it to see what the problem was...
A 5R 5W resistor turned into carbon. The SMPS still works fine! The resistor was between the two caps in the middle of the photo. Maybe I should use a 10 watt part (or 2R2/5W).
A 5R 5W resistor turned into carbon. The SMPS still works fine! The resistor was between the two caps in the middle of the photo. Maybe I should use a 10 watt part (or 2R2/5W).
A PAR64 RGB LED can.
The reds were a bit intermittent. Turns out that the 2W dropper resistor (I assume that's what it is) had a dodgy solder connection to the circuit board. Probably from heat cycling over the years.
Resoldered all three dropper resistors and reassembled. Sorted.
Remade a dodgy safety ground connection to the can itself while I was at it.
The reds were a bit intermittent. Turns out that the 2W dropper resistor (I assume that's what it is) had a dodgy solder connection to the circuit board. Probably from heat cycling over the years.
Resoldered all three dropper resistors and reassembled. Sorted.
Remade a dodgy safety ground connection to the can itself while I was at it.
Any resistors that have to handle a heavy load and heat up, I suggest raising them off the board to give them airflow and prevent heating their connections.
If the leads are too short for such a thing, then replace the resistor.