can someone please help me try an fix this?

Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
So I was given this dancing solar chicken as a gift from a girl who recently passed away. It's just a stupid little toy, but it's really special to me. Recently someone knocked it on the ground and broke it into two pieces pieces. The only thing that came apart from it is this piece of copper wiring that was spooled together. It appeared to be connected in one place to a positive terminal on a small circuit board and that's about the extent of my knowledge on this. The wire has else fallen off. I have some soldering tools I could use to fix this if need be. I've uploaded some pictures to try an help if you can lead me a hand fixing it I'd be more that appreciative.
 

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Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
So I was given this dancing solar chicken as a gift from a girl who recently passed away. It's just a stupid little toy, but it's really special to me. Recently someone knocked it on the ground and broke it into two pieces pieces. The only thing that came apart from it is this piece of copper wiring that was spooled together. It appears to be connected in one place to a positive terminal on a small circuit board and that's about the extent of my knowledge on this. I've uploaded some pictures to try an help if you can lead me a hand fixing it I'd be more that appreciative.
 

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ISB123

Joined May 21, 2014
1,236
Take some close images on that circuit board.The wire is a coil which was probably used to move some kind of part and take pictures of the bottom of the duck.Did the toy had some kind of small magnet inside the coil or a rod?
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Best I can suggest is; get hold of a jeweller's loupe and scrutinise the solder joints on the board to see if you can spot the stumps where the wires broke off.
 

Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
There's also a magnet that I'll show in another picture. I thought it might have attached to the circuit board because it sticker to the metal bits of that black thing (transistor?) But I am assuming maybe it swings over the spooled tire to make it dance left and right?
Take some close images on that circuit board.The wire is a coil which was probably used to move some kind of part.
14150461281231716363375.jpg 1415046192636-1392637425.jpg
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
That spool is an electromagnet, and that wire has a thin layer of insulation on it. If it has any breaks, it can be repaired but it is tricky to scrape the insulation off so that it will take solder. Sandpaper works pretty well. Folks use a knife for thicker wire but that looks really fine. The body of the chicken probably has a small magnet mounted on it that responds to the magnetic field from that spool.

I have a couple of solar dancing things in my kitchen, if you can get a good photo of the board I might be able to compare it to mine. Cannibalizing another similar device might be an alternative for your repair.

Ah, I see better pictures have arrived. Note the magnet on the pendulum.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
So what can I do to fix this?
What's on the board with the white screen-printing on it?

One picture above shows a board with only 4 solder points - 2 of which have red wire to them.

The 2 left over pads could be for the 2 wires on the coil.

Probably doesn't matter which way round - but if it does, you've got a 50/50 chance of getting it right first time.
 

Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
That spool is an electromagnet, and that wire has a thin layer of insulation on it. If it has any breaks, it can be repaired but it is tricky to scrape the insulation off so that it will take solder. Sandpaper works pretty well. Folks use a knife for thicker wire but that looks really fine. The body of the chicken probably has a small magnet mounted on it that responds to the magnetic field from that spool.

I have a couple of solar dancing things in my kitchen, if you can get a good photo of the board I might be able to compare it to mine.
That's exactly what it is. I posted a few photos after finding the magnet. I don't see any breaks in the wire, but it has disconnected itself completely from the board. There was a piece connected 1 of to two solder points on the board.

How would I go about repairing the spool that's all bunched up? Cut it? 1415046987280-585130988.jpg
 

Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
What's on the board with the white screen-printing on it?

One picture above shows a board with only 4 solder points - 2 of which have red wire to them.

The 2 left over pads could be for the 2 wires on the coil.

Probably doesn't matter which way round - but if it does, you've got a 50/50 chance of getting it right first time.
Looks like a solar panel with two a positive and negative connection point on it.
 

Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
The coil is glued on the bottom between those two elevated things.
Basically this is how it works.
Yeah it was definitely glued on there. How should I rewind it? Is it it something very delicate? I've tried to rewind it a little but it just seems to be coming loose
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
How would I go about repairing the spool that's all bunched up? Cut it?
I'd try first to rewind it. If that's simply not possible, don't worry about losing a few turns. This will have a only a tiny impact on the coil's performance. The key is that the coil must be continuous to conduct electricity. You can test this with a multimeter. It's probably ~100Ω, give or take. Point is, it's not infinity.

A coil also needs to not have shorts (resistance too low), but I don't think you'll have that problem.

If you cut the wire, you'll have to splice it, if the cut is not near the end of the winding. I guess you wouldn't cut it if that was the case.
 
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ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
That's exactly what it is. I posted a few photos after finding the magnet. I don't see any breaks in the wire, but it has disconnected itself completely from the board. There was a piece connected 1 of to two solder points on the board.

How would I go about repairing the spool that's all bunched up? Cut it? View attachment 75092
Try to spread the loose wire flat on a light surface so you can see what's going on, don't cut anything off unless you're certain there's only 2 wires coming from the spool.

There's probably a tolerance spread for the number of turns, as long as its not too much wire, it might not notice.

Putting turns back on without the jig used at the factory, would be pretty difficult.

To solder the ends of the enamelled wire - you only have to scratch off enough enamel to tin some solder onto the copper, once the copper wire is hot, the rest of the enamel on the end will peel - keep feeding in cored solder for its flux to stop the copper oxidising.
 

Thread Starter

jonr991

Joined Nov 3, 2014
12
Try to spread the loose wire flat on a light surface so you can see what's going on, don't cut anything off unless you're certain there's only 2 wires coming from the spool.

There's probably a tolerance spread for the number of turns, as long as its not too much wire, it might not notice.

Putting turns back on without the jig used at the factory, would be pretty difficult.

To solder the ends of the enamelled wire - you only have to scratch off enough enamel to tin some solder onto the copper, once the copper wire is hot, the rest of the enamel on the end will peel - keep feeding in cored solder for its flux to stop the copper oxidising.


So what I've noticed is this. There are no breaks in this wire, but some of the wire has gotten. Losse. There are like two loops that I can't foe the life of me get back on it correctly. What I'd like to know is if I can just bundle it under the spool or something ? Because I must say this is extremely frustrating and confusing lol
 

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ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
So what I've noticed is this. There are no breaks in this wire, but some of the wire has gotten. Losse. There are like two loops that I can't foe the life of me get back on it correctly. What I'd like to know is if I can just bundle it under the spool or something ? Because I must say this is extremely frustrating and confusing lol
There's no way to sugar coat it - I'd have given up on it by now!

How many loops are out and bunched up?

It doesn't look like winding loose wire back onto the spool is a practical proposition.

Your only hope is to separate out the loops of escaped wire, cut off the excess and join the ends - any mistakes will cross-couple sections of winding - if you even have continuity through the coil, you could end up with a section of winding shorting round in a loop.

Must admit; I'd bite my lip on the sentimental bit, and buy another to nick parts from.
 
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