If you don't want to hijack the thread, then don't do it. It's really just that simple.

 

Here's an example of professionals fixing something when they didn't fully understand what they were doing.

 

This guys a comedian

 

Kind of like watching the Three Stooges, isn't it?

 

This guys a comedian

A very educated comedian that knows sparks mean electrical energy is not being directed at him.

 

I've probably related this story before. Here's the 4 second narration of that story: I repaired my mother in law's washing machine for $1.98 (US) plus tax whereas the repair tech wanted anywhere from $330 to $400.

 

I repaired my mother in law's washing machine for $1.98 (US) plus tax whereas the repair tech wanted anywhere from $330 to $400.

In all fairness those techs need to make money. I just fixed our 20 yr old Neptune dryer. It had a flexible strip which developed an open. I bypassed it with a wire. Works great. They wanted $300 for that part which replaced the entire control panel assembly.

 

I've probably related this story before. Here's the 4 second narration of that story: I repaired my mother in law's washing machine for $1.98 (US) plus tax whereas the repair tech wanted anywhere from $330 to $400.

Here is another issue not discussed. If the manufacturer were to repair the washer as the homeowner did, there would be liability should something happen later as the repair would not be up to manufacturing standards. A "true" repair would have been to replace the entire wire with a new one. Repair shops are restricted to using manufacturer's parts and cannot "rig" repairs like this.

 

In my MIL's case, the manufacturer would sell the entire mechanical section for $135.00 (US). The rest would be labor to pull everything out of the tub and install new guts. The problem was an open Mode Shift Coil. It was held in place with a single bolt. The coil unit itself was an enclosed metal case. Inside was a fusible link that was rated for 106% normal duty. That's just way too close to failure point for me.

I opened the coil and found a pristine coil inside. No black, no smoke, no signs of any stress whatsoever. Just the blown FL. At Radio Shack I bought for $1.98 a new FL, one that was rated for 133% normal duty while still affording a sufficient safety margin. I called the manufacturer and tried to get a new MSC but they wouldn't sell just that part. Nor would they provide any technical data. I had to do a lot of research to find out at what level THEY thought was a good safety margin. Turned out that the coil would drop out if its temperature got over 220˚F. That's way too low to start any fires. When I went with the higher rated FL the problem was gone. And to this day (it was back in 2014 when this occurred) the machine is still running fine. Talk about a deliberate weak link in the system designed to break down a month after warranty expiration. Then to replace a two dollar part (consumer price, I'm sure they got them 10 on the penny) you would have to spend at a minimum $135.00 just for the guts. With labor to replace the mechanism it's more cost efficient to buy a new machine. Their entire agenda. Make you spend money.

That's why they don't want us repairing things. They don't make money. We save money, but they don't make it.

 

In keeping with the title of this thread, "The Right To Repair", one day maybe not too distant there will be nothing we can fix at home or in the regular guy's workshop even with good electrical test and soldering equipment.
Everything is going to be either nano tech or quantum tech things that will just be impossible to work on without a billion dollar laboratory.
There may be some hope with optically based integrated circuits such as CPUs, but how long that will last i wonder too.

So sit back and enjoy the ride that's about all we can do with some things.

 

I've been contacted about inbedded resistors, which can be designed into a PCB. Once this starts to get utilized it will make troubleshooting horrible.

 

I've been contacted about inbedded resistors, which can be designed into a PCB. Once this starts to get utilized it will make troubleshooting horrible.

Yeah and when you get the "Sams Photofact" folder on it it just has one single page with one picture of one PC board with a one line note on the bottom, "To fix replace this part"

 

In keeping with the title of this thread, "The Right To Repair", one day maybe not too distant there will be nothing we can fix at home or in the regular guy's workshop even with good electrical test and soldering equipment.
Everything is going to be either nano tech or quantum tech things that will just be impossible to work on without a billion dollar laboratory.
There may be some hope with optically based integrated circuits such as CPUs, but how long that will last i wonder too.

So sit back and enjoy the ride that's about all we can do with some things.

There are already a lot of things that can't be repaired by anyone as far as I am aware. If a CPU or GPU goes bad due to overheating what can be done to fix it? You would need some kind of device that can see and rebuild the silicon at an atomic level.

Repair could take on a whole new meaning. For instance, with 3D printing it becomes more about replacement rather than repair. I have seen some people 3D printing parts for broken products and I own some 3D printed products.

A 3D printer is pretty expensive but it is far from being a billion dollar investment!!

 

There are already a lot of things that can't be repaired by anyone as far as I am aware. If a CPU or GPU goes bad due to overheating what can be done to fix it? You would need some kind of device that can see and rebuild the silicon at an atomic level.

Repair could take on a whole new meaning. For instance, with 3D printing it becomes more about replacement rather than repair. I have seen some people 3D printing parts for broken products and I own some 3D printed products.

A 3D printer is pretty expensive but it is far from being a billion dollar investment!!

Hi,

You mean plastic parts or metal parts?
Maybe post a pic.

 

I made a conscious decision to design for SMD when possible not to make it more difficult to repair, which isn’t with the right tools, but rather to save cost of using thru hole - insert, bend, solder, cut... thru hole parts cost more as well. Another benefit is the smaller size and better efficiency. I personally stop at 0603 but have been considering going smaller for certain designs.

Why design a 20 transistor differnetial circuit when you can use an opamp? Why design an opamp comparator when you can have multiples on a chip?

What makes it more challenging to diagnose is the unknown circuitry in the IC’s. Many datasheets do not even include a schematic these days. With some work you can gather a lot of information but it takes time.

I have a workmate that has a business reflowing computer motherboards and repairing them.

 

There are already a lot of things that can't be repaired by anyone as far as I am aware. If a CPU or GPU goes bad due to overheating what can be done to fix it? You would need some kind of device that can see and rebuild the silicon at an atomic level.

Repair could take on a whole new meaning. For instance, with 3D printing it becomes more about replacement rather than repair. I have seen some people 3D printing parts for broken products and I own some 3D printed products.

A 3D printer is pretty expensive but it is far from being a billion dollar investment!!

You would just swap the CPU or GPU. Of course you would not repair the silicone, but the part can be swapped. I copied a link below to an example that shows more detail than you probably want to see. Remember right to repair doesn't necessarily mean that any joe bob can fix it in their garage, only that someone with the proper tools can source the parts and make the repair.

 

You would just swap the CPU or GPU. Of course you would not repair the silicone, but the part can be swapped. I copied a link below to an example that shows more detail than you probably want to see. Remember right to repair doesn't necessarily mean that any joe bob can fix it in their garage, only that someone with the proper tools can source the parts and make the repair.

Care to render a synopsis about that video? I wasnt in the mood to watch a 2 hour video today

 

Care to render a synopsis about that video? I wasnt in the mood to watch a 2 hour video today

I'm sorry for the late reply, I haven't been back for a few days. Basically he swaps a GPU in a BGA package using the proper tools, showing that it is possible.

 

I'm sorry for the late reply, I haven't been back for a few days. Basically he swaps a GPU in a BGA package using the proper tools, showing that it is possible.

Oh ok yes, i have seen a number of videos like that and that got me into solder paste soldering with heat gun. I was amazed at how well it works to solder those tiny lead parts. The solder paste solder once melted 'seeks' out the pins and leaves the spaces in between alone. Pretty cool.

 

Voters Overwhelmingly Passed a ‘Right to Repair’ Law in Massachusetts. Carmakers Are Fighting Back (msn.com)