Data from Underwriters Laboratories and other sources have shown that modern appliances have a useful life of 7 years.
This is due in large part to the Tin whisker growth in Tin-Lead solder in integrated circuits and pc boards shorting out adjacent circuit paths. Also, the swelling of plastic parts in CD players and other devices with sliding surfaces have rendered them in-operable. This applies to automotive electronics as well. Better to replace than repair affected appliances. Modern device repairs by me have been limited to battery replacement and aluminum electrolytic capacitor replacement only. A single appliance service call may cost more than the purchase of a new appliance nowadays. This trend will probably only increase in the future.
See Modern Marvels, Episode 19 for chilling evidence. Bottom line is that there is no commercial solution for this malady.
Crapped out Cell Phone battery necessitated a new battery be installed. Verizon did not want to fix my phone, but wanted to sell me a new phone! Cell Fixer (next door) offered to fix my phone for $ 90...but looks like a less than profitable business; no customers other than me...limited hours of business. My guess is all Cell Phones that need repairs are scrapped with a new phone being the only viable alternative once your old one craps out. Current life expectancy of cellphones (2018) is 36-48 months with 36 months being the more frequent figure used. Cell phone Specs say battery is non-removeable...what does that mean? Does that mean it can never be replaced? Our ever burgeoning landfill nowadays contains more cell phones than empty soup cans!
Cheers, DPW [ Everything has limitations...and I hate limitations.]

adden: Verizon cancelled my phone plan...now phone can be used for pix, internet searches, e-mail but no phone calls as long as it is charging...whoopee!

 

This trend will probably only increase in the future.

And yet, I keep fighting it.
I just lost a microwave oven for a plastic button.
Nothing about tin whiskers or integrated chips, just the hinge on the door latch.
Bottom line? Don't worry. If they can't depend on the electronics failing, they can take the excess quality out of the mechanical components.

 

This is due in large part to the Tin whisker growth in Tin-Lead solder in integrated circuits and pc boards shorting out adjacent circuit paths.

Lead free solder would solve that problem.
Is it only over here that we are now required (from 2004 I think) to use lead free solder?

 

Lead free solder would solve that problem.

Tin whisker growth

They are called Tin Whiskers because the problem is caused by Tin (stannun). I humbly suggest that Tin free solder would be most likely to solve the problem.

 

Lead free solder would solve that problem.
Is it only over here that we are now required (from 2004 I think) to use lead free solder?

Solder with lead suffers less from tin whiskers than unleaded.

It was discovered decades before RoHS was thought up by the EU that adding lead to tin solder mitigated the problem.

 

The above explains why high reliability circuits, such as those in satellites and telecommunications equipment (exempt from RHOS in the EU for that reason AFIK) use leaded solder.

 

They are called Tin Whiskers because the problem is caused by Tin (stannun). I humbly suggest that Tin free solder would be most likely to solve the problem.

Of course! Silly me!

 

Lead free solder came from the political decision that lead was to be banished because of it's poisonous properties. It was nice of them to exempt lead in batteries (another political decision).

Anytime a group decides (votes) to rid society of a poison, it's a political decision. Our moderators perform a political act when they debate closing a thread. All politics, like humanity, is not bad.

 

Data from Underwriters Laboratories and other sources have shown that modern appliances have a useful life of 7 years.
This is due in large part to the Tin whisker growth in Tin-Lead solder in integrated circuits

One of the main reasons I have found, especially with power appliances involving heating elements is the 'miniature' printed circuit relays now used, the last one was on a $350.00 1800w Toaster oven where the manuf would not sell a replacement board as it was deemed non-user replaceable, they required it shipped in for repair.
The cost to me of replacing the relay, $2.50 for the fix.
Max.

 

Data from Underwriters Laboratories and other sources have shown that modern appliances have a useful life of 7 years.
This is due in large part to the Tin whisker growth in Tin-Lead solder in integrated circuits and pc boards shorting out adjacent circuit paths.

And yet there are 50 year old electronics that still work.

The miniaturization plays more to the shorting out adjacent circuits. Poor soldering techniques is a big player.

The MTBF increased so much and the items are so cheap, the manufacturers needed to keep all their loyal customers. As long as they can price the item to where it's more beneficial for the consumer to replace, repairs become unnecessary. The percentage that can repair their own, is not the market the manufacturers seek.

On edit:

I worked on equipment designed in the late 50s/early 60s. During the first 30 days at a unit, the watchstander would experience more operational failures with the timing equipment then they would with the replacement equipment during a four year tour.

 

I've been keeping a gas dryer running since 1968 (49 years). The dryer is deceptively simple. I almost lost it if not for ebay and the web. It had the original drum belt up until about 2 years ago.

I missed a PMable item. Grease in the high temperature fan bearing assembly. Part was $15.00. Grease was about $30.00. I had to research the grease to use. It probably took out the belts (fan and drum). I made upgrades, so a bearing failure will make a brass tipped set screw fail and added three $10.00 PTFE thrust bearings. A piece of high temp felt cost me about $70.00 to make a gasket.

I plan to use the rest of the felt to re-build the lint filter. Making the lint filter from scratch will be a challenge without proper tools.

I have 4 ignitors which should last my lifetime, but I'll try to reverse engineer them. e.g. Find out voltage, design temp (probably 2500 deg F), temperature coefficient, Resistances cold and at 2500 degrees.

PM's always included cleaning, inspecting and painting if needed, This time around, I added machine screw thumbscrews to replace the sheet metal screws for the things that need to be removed, Needed a $100 rivet nut tool to do so.

Prices in approximate USD.