I had the surge guard/smart generator mains ATS (automatic transfer switch) unit go bad on my then-3-year-old motorhome. Manufacturer no longer repaired them, wouldn't provide service manual nor schematics, and a "new and improved" model was about $1,400, not including installation. The company that I'd bought the MH warranty through would never answer their phone. I had to be on the road in 3 weeks, or many RV park reservations would be out the window.

I pulled the unit out, and started troubleshooting. Found that the mains contactor had a burned-out coil. Found a replacement online for $50 and ordered it. Tested the control board after analyzing how it was supposed to work, and discovered a blown fuse and a burned-out specialty optocoupler. Contacted the optocoupler manufacturer and they graciously sent me a couple of samples (SMT). Replaced the opto, fuse, contactor and reinstalled the box. Worked perfectly 1st time! So, I saved myself around $1,349 and got it done a lot more quickly than otherwise would have been possible.

 

@stantor Someone will hack those computers in due time. The authorized mechanics need to be able to reset the ID when they replace anything with an RFID.

They've already been hacked, and JD has gone after their own customers with lawsuits for using hacked firmware. They are making DMCA claims on the IP in the controllers and sueing folks for sidestepping their blatant road blocks and fixing their own equipment.

 

John Deere with Ukrainian blackmarket software
Hackaday John Deere

 

I'm going to have to learn how to make proper cutting tools for it

Only if you are using it manually. CNC is all about the tools being both carbide and to a very exact form. I suppose you could make HSS tools similar enough but then you would need a surface grinder and optical comparator also.

 

Thanks for your comments, @strantor and @shortbus . I'll be opening another thread in the near future to deal with this subject, and I hope I can count with your help. So stay tuned!.

 

Well, better late than never.

Don't you mean "Well, better lathe than never."?

 

They are making DMCA claims on the IP in the controllers and sueing folks for sidestepping their blatant road blocks and fixing their own equipment.

And the next step is to replace the computer with one that does not have those restrictions. A functional replacement. What would JD do? Cry or change something. They certainly wont take the individual to court for fixing the tractor they bought. That would be a PR nightmare reflecting in sales.

I'm sure JD introduced this as a way to keep their authorized service people gamefully employed. Using DMCA in this manner should get enough people upset to have Congress modify the law to explicitly remove such protections ... if the people complain, and that means enough people.

Here is the 10th anniversary write up about DMCA from wired.

 

And the next step is to replace the computer with one that does not have those restrictions. A functional replacement.

This isn't like a

Thanks for your comments, @strantor and @shortbus . I'll be opening another thread in the near future to deal with this subject, and I hope I can count with your help. So stay tuned!.

Tag me in it if you want to make sure I see it. I only visit the site every few days and only look at what jumps out at me; chances are I'll miss your thread.

 

@strantor

DMCA summary doesn't seem to include automobile computers. I guess one could argue the RFID usage is excessive, especially in human driven vehicles. I can see it's usage in autonomous stuff and farm equipment certainly can go that route.

 

 

Good advice for the typical American. We need more warning labels. Or maybe less, and let the problem sort itself out.

 

View attachment 221592

That's only tells me there are far too many fracking lawyers and laws today. Our intelligence hasn't changed, the landscape to express our intelligence as been compressed into a child's sandlot by legal restrains and punishment straitjackets.

 

That's only tells me there are far too many fracking lawyers and laws today.

While I have to agree with that, it still take the people doing this type thing for it to even come to some type of litigation. There have always been ambulance chasers.

 

While I have to agree with that, it still take the people doing this type thing for it to even come to some type of litigation. There have always been ambulance chasers.

Those people are being systematically eliminated from the repair talent pool by misguided attempts to control behaviors to the limits set by those ambulance chasers. In the past ambulance chasers followed to catch 'real' accidents, today they help to create the carnage.

Many large city (our local small high school still has shops) schools have been turned into reeducation chambers that eliminate repair related talents and restraint kids for PC socialization instead of teaching them to explore the possibly dangerous physical engineering world in wood, metal and electrical shops we once had everywhere. STEM is great but most of the people I see looking for jobs can't turn a wrench or visualize most things mechanical. It's not because they are less intelligent, it's because that don't have the necessary background developed from a young age.

Many are turning that energy into anarchy (with basic tools like hammers) as a rebellion to the straitjackets.

 

Many large city (our local small high school still has shops) schools have been turned into reeducation chambers that eliminate repair related talents and restraint kids for PC socialization instead of teaching them to explore the possibly dangerous physical engineering world in wood, metal and electrical shops we once had everywhere. STEM is great but most of the people I see looking for jobs can't turn a wrench or visualize most things mechanical. It's not because they are less intelligent, it's because that don't have the necessary background developed from a young age.

I'm one of those people. I had the grades and was *counceled* in highschool to go to college and do something with my life. I didn't because I knew from an early age what I wanted to do. So I did it. And made good money .better than those I went to school with that went to college and had school debt to pay. But you seem to be suggesting that it is one political side that is doing this(I'm going to get banned over this, I know) but at the time of my high schooling it was the opposite party that was in power and pushing for every child to head to the finer side of education. So don't try to tell me I'm wrong. The indoctrination today is comming from those pushing *home school* to learn the right way to think and act.

 

Many are turning that energy into anarchy (with basic tools like hammers) as a rebellion to the straitjackets.

I wasn't able to edit my last post for some reason. But just wanted to thank you nsa for baiting me into saying what I did, and possibly getting banned for taking your bait. The mods will love you for it.

 

I'm one of those people. I had the grades and was *counceled* in highschool to go to college and do something with my life. I didn't because I knew from an early age what I wanted to do. So I did it. And made good money .better than those I went to school with that went to college and had school debt to pay. But you seem to be suggesting that it is one political side that is doing this(I'm going to get banned over this, I know) but at the time of my high schooling it was the opposite party that was in power and pushing for every child to head to the finer side of education. So don't try to tell me I'm wrong. The indoctrination today is comming from those pushing *home school* to learn the right way to think and act.

It's not political as with a political party. It's an must restrain 'male' ideology that spans the political spectrum. The indoctrination today is happening on all sides.

 

Sorry for the political overtones of this - it may be removed. It's not my intention to speak politically. All I want to show is the level of what I call rampant hyper-stupidity. What is even scarier than this video is that people BELIEVE it. It's the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds of this video that I find scary and disturbing. If you haven't seen it - give a watch. You may be appalled at what you see. I know I was. It's a painful watch. And again, it's not meant as a political statement on my part - it's just the level of sheer stupidity that Americans are giving themselves over to. It's called "Credulity" - the willingness to believe in something just because someone said it was so.

 

Sorry for the political overtones of this - it may be removed. It's not my intention to speak politically. All I want to show is the level of what I call rampant hyper-stupidity. What is even scarier than this video is that people BELIEVE it. It's the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds of this video that I find scary and disturbing. If you haven't seen it - give a watch. You may be appalled at what you see. I know I was. It's a painful watch. And again, it's not meant as a political statement on my part - it's just the level of sheer stupidity that Americans are giving themselves over to. It's called "Credulity" - the willingness to believe in something just because someone said it was so.

??? Why even try.

 

??? Why even try.

It's called "Insanity", trying to change things and getting the same result over and over and over.

They say "The only thing that is constant is change." But it seems this level of (Lack of) intelligence just doesn't change. Super-preachers arise and place themselves in positions of great power and wealth. Her carrying on and on isn't evidence of divine guidance. Rather, it's evidence of power and greed over those who are willing to follow what some so called "Preacher" says. Remember Billy Grahm? "If I don't raise X amount of dollars the lord will come and take me away from this ministry." And he got his donations. I doubt god would have had any purpose for bringing him to heaven - ESPECIALLY if he was doing so much true "Good" for god.

The "Bakers" Tammy & Jim had so much money they didn't know what to do with it all. So they got an air conditioned dog house for their dog. That smacks of godly intention, doesn't it.

Look; I'm not down on religion, nor am I opposed to our democratic process of choosing those who represent us. Sometimes it goes the way I vote, sometimes not. That's democracy. It's the very thing that truly makes America Great. Not any individual or group of individuals, it's the ability to elect our representers.

The subject of this thread is "the right to repair." And I don't want to hijack this thread and turn it into religious or political discussions. IF I want to do that I'll start a specific thread for such. So how does this rant of mine relate to the right to repair stuff? I guess I got off on a tangent. But in a way, it's people who are being trained to throw something away when it doesn't work. It's easier to throw it away and buy a new one. Heck! The NEW one will be better than the older one. That's what we're being told. And sold. My Mother-in-Law's washing machine was designed to fail. And when it failed, purchase of the failed component was not possible. I would have had to buy the whole mechanism and either do the hard work of pulling the old out and installing the new - or paying someone to do the job. Fortunately I'm cheap. I'd rather break something and see if I can fix it. Turned out to only cost me $1.98 to fix her machine whereas it could have cost as much as $400. OR buy a new machine.

We're being told we shouldn't be fixing things. In part because some fix things in ways that can be risky, cause fire, injury or death. Are you in favor of someone fixing the brakes on their car? What if they make a mistake? What if they take shortcuts? What if they can't stop and hit a school bus - or a short bus? That may be the reason behind not repairing things, but who's VCR failed and was fixed with a rubber band and some tape and then died because of it? Some things SHOULD be done by qualified persons. However, sometimes those "Qualified" persons are just as foolish as the back yard mechanic who wants to put special rims on a car but can't because the brake caliper interferes; and they take a grinding stone to the caliper to make clearance for the wheels. No joke - I've seen it at a tire shop. I was appalled to see that. Thought to myself "Don't drive in front of that car."

There ARE people who should not be fixing things. But there are also professionals who shouldn't. There's been a "Dumming Down" of the typical consumer. I resist stupidity in all its forms. Whether it's Credulity or just sheer outright lies; some people should not be fixing things. Or owning things that can be dangerous. Guns; cars; who knows what else.