Only yesterday... may or may not work outside the UK:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61235367
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61235367
I have a (rare) Panasonic DVD/DVR recorder, I repaired the SMPS supply on it a few years ago.
Since it draws 15 watts when not turned on, I installed a Main Power button on it which basically "pulls the plug" when I'm not using it.
Bad enough that all my tv sets (4) that use juice when turned off constantly trickle the electricity useage, but the change-over to LED light bulbs helps to keep the electric bill in check.
The odd thing is..... we're given/pushed to buy the "new technology", yet we're told to conserve energy.
You gotta admit, the world is one Big Nuthouse.
Been some recent talk of that in the States as well. WiFi Extenders, routers are culprits.
One year we turned on the gas heater for the pool as the grand-kids were coming over -- like getting a month's gas bill in a few hours. The following year, we didn't turn on the heater and the grand-daughters were just fine with it!
One year we turned on the gas heater for the pool as the grand-kids were coming over -- like getting a month's gas bill in a few hours. The following year, we didn't turn on the heater and the grand-daughters were just fine with it!
I repaired one of those $500 - 1k$ (depending on where you get it) "Warning" countertop ovens. It was pretty much new when I got it, discarded to Goodwill after a manufacturing defect (bad crimp / spade lug placement) caused the function selector switch to burn that contact. I simply moved the connections to one of the still working contacts to make a working oven, where I can select both elements or convection, losing the "broil" selection.
After a year or two, the timer / on-off switch mechanics seized, cancelling the timer function. OK, so I'll use my phone to time my baking. Then the temperature control stopped working. Ebay provided me nothing for a similar replacement with the same control range; so I went with a little panel controller, k-type TC and SSR with heatsink for ~$25. Free ship, USA stock.
Now it's Franken Oven with two knobs gone from the control panel; the only surviving control is the one that originally failed. Burned the brownies and my bread, so it's running just a little over the setting, I think around 30F higher. The K type TC is a threaded stud affair, which I mounted in the oven sidewall, at appx the same height and centering as the original sensor bulb.
Fortunately, the controller has a sensor offset adjustment. Sure wish I had one of those mechanical oven thermometers, that you just set the whole thing right inside the oven ($5 on ebay I see...). Instead I'm struggling with an old TC scanner reading some J types, connected by a serial port, where I have to type RL1,2 in a TeraTerm terminal over and over to get readings off the first two channels.
After a year or two, the timer / on-off switch mechanics seized, cancelling the timer function. OK, so I'll use my phone to time my baking. Then the temperature control stopped working. Ebay provided me nothing for a similar replacement with the same control range; so I went with a little panel controller, k-type TC and SSR with heatsink for ~$25. Free ship, USA stock.
Now it's Franken Oven with two knobs gone from the control panel; the only surviving control is the one that originally failed. Burned the brownies and my bread, so it's running just a little over the setting, I think around 30F higher. The K type TC is a threaded stud affair, which I mounted in the oven sidewall, at appx the same height and centering as the original sensor bulb.
Fortunately, the controller has a sensor offset adjustment. Sure wish I had one of those mechanical oven thermometers, that you just set the whole thing right inside the oven ($5 on ebay I see...). Instead I'm struggling with an old TC scanner reading some J types, connected by a serial port, where I have to type RL1,2 in a TeraTerm terminal over and over to get readings off the first two channels.
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There is another version without external sensor, an it has some heater sensor inside.
About same price, 5 and 15 A versions are sold here.
About same price, 5 and 15 A versions are sold here.
Put the controls in a box away from the oven, heat will not damage the electronics long term.
My oven has the main / fan / heater controls in a box above the oven.
It is used to dry plastics, max. we have used is 120 Celsius.
My oven has the main / fan / heater controls in a box above the oven.
It is used to dry plastics, max. we have used is 120 Celsius.
Just fixing a steady steam of audio equipment hacked by idiots. It gets depressing and costs me time I can't fully charge for.
As unpopular as this idea is, it is well past the time when governments need to regulate this activity. Things are way out of control.
As unpopular as this idea is, it is well past the time when governments need to regulate this activity. Things are way out of control.
I would have tossed that hunk of garbage in the recycle bin.
I don't put up with having to deal with crap like that.
Aww, Chris, I've been there, done that, and got the T-shirt.
45+ damn years of servicing.... most not bad, until the damned internet came along and made things worse because of the flood of el-cheapo idiots searching online and putzing around to fix their own crap.
And when they fail, they'd bring the mess to me.
I'm in the same boat. Over 45 years of professional audio service. Tons of training from legit sources and continuing education. Since the internet, everyone is an expert when most clearly haven't got the foggiest notion of what is going on, but they are convinced they know. My bench is worth well over $100K with a lot of current equipment, but some idiot without a THD meter is obviously a master at amplifier repair.
I'm just really tired of this. Honestly trying to help people but all my training and experience isn't worth a plug nickel in today's market except to people who have been burned and I've helped. It just isn't worth it.
I'm just really tired of this. Honestly trying to help people but all my training and experience isn't worth a plug nickel in today's market except to people who have been burned and I've helped. It just isn't worth it.
today i fixed
arcam 5-blown output
nad 3020-failed output transistors on one channel
nad 3130-failed low rail rectifier
nad 3130-failed output one one channel-last user hadnt put the solder shorts back across the 1 ohm's
oh and fixed the broom for the garden 😂😂😂
arcam 5-blown output
nad 3020-failed output transistors on one channel
nad 3130-failed low rail rectifier
nad 3130-failed output one one channel-last user hadnt put the solder shorts back across the 1 ohm's
oh and fixed the broom for the garden 😂😂😂
Nearly as bad as me.
A wheel fell off the vacuum cleaner, typical plastic job that is not up to the job and the centre part that goes over the spindle splayed out. The hub caps (i know 😀) have a plastic bit that is supposed to go around the part on the wheel and reinforce it but that had split as well.
Repaired by means of some old crinkle washers that were a perfect fit to hold it together. That was reinforced with epoxy.
A basic PAYG mobile that is 11 years old was not running as long as it used to before needing recharging. I got a new cheap replacement battery about 4 years ago and it made little difference... cheap batteries. Lived with it like that for the next three years. Last year I got a new Duracell replacement... and still the same. It would only run for around 4 days before the first bar disappeared on the battery indicator and the other three quickly followed. Hmmm. This mobile is basic, it doesn't do apps, it doesn't really do internet (you really wouldn't want it to) but I thought I would risk a factory reset. That was around 3 weeks ago.
Wow, it now ran for 14 days. How cool is that 🙂
You mean you've noticed the shortage on the open market of these. Somebody 😉 must be buying them all.
A bed.
I sat on a side, my 200 pounds broke a wood beam.
It had to break, because undersized and weakened from a wood knot nearly cutting it in two parts.
I was amazed to see they could sell such crap.
It had been repaired already there, with two not so good screws, one useless, the other one found broken presumably from me sitting there.
I fixed it with two sturdy screws, I am sure, the bed is now, perfectly strong there.
I sat on a side, my 200 pounds broke a wood beam.
It had to break, because undersized and weakened from a wood knot nearly cutting it in two parts.
I was amazed to see they could sell such crap.
It had been repaired already there, with two not so good screws, one useless, the other one found broken presumably from me sitting there.
I fixed it with two sturdy screws, I am sure, the bed is now, perfectly strong there.
For chairs, twice now I have used https://shop.servicecaster.com with great result.
Have a 1983 Steelcase office desk chair in excellent shape except the wheels bind-up. I got it from a seamstress office bound with thread clippings. Took a couple days to soak and saw and pick enough thread out that it would roll. (Big arms, you can't get out from a desk without rolling some.) Guess what? Dog hair does the same thing but is harder to clear. Just got a ~~1999 secretary chair from roadside, could not tell at the road that the wheels were bound-up. Now rolling good. Servicecaster has enough information about the thousands of types and sizes of caster stems and screws to pick the right one. OK price.
Have not worn or busted the 1953 Electrolux wheels yet, but anything lesser they would know if there is a replacement.