Author Topic: Ever been so mad at a project you wanted to just smash it into the concrete?  (Read 4238 times)

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Offline Conrad HoffmanTopic starter

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I used to be good at fixing things. I'm reasonably sure of this because sometimes people even paid me and were usually happy with the work. Lately I can't seem to fix anything successfully. Right now I'm working on my Kodak 4400 Carousel projector. It had ceramic pieces falling out of the fan vent so I figured it needed an inspection to see what was going on. I have three service manuals and they basically say "remove the six screws and take off the bottom cover." Right. I can't get the front (handle) edge of the cover to budge. It's shifted slightly, but feels like it's screwed or glued. If I pull any harder it's going to break. So now I'm stuck. I can't get it apart and I can't get it back together because it doesn't line up quite right and refuses to move. This is at least my third session with it and I had to put it down and just walk away because it would have been shards and pieces if I kept at it. I did figure out what the ceramic bits were. Peering inside, there's a large white power resistor. The ceramic coating is flaking off the windings, probably nothing to really worry about. It's just old. Not a clue how to get it back together.  :'(
 

Offline helius

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Either there are hidden screws or tabs holding the case together, or there is another piece that must be removed first to allow it to move. Hiding screws underneath labels or rubber feet is very common. Don't these projectors have a lamp module that slides out before it can be further disassembled?
 

Offline boB

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Yes, I certainly feel this way some times.

Looks for a video maybe ?   There sure area  a lot of fixit videos out there these days.

It has been a long time but I have thrown things before.

boB
K7IQ
 

Offline m k

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Good cases for anger and nerve management are unsupported DIY toner and ink fillings.

You just must keep your cool or the stuff is all over the place, and in case of ink it'll definitely be over you.
With toner then you can't even sigh freely.
Advance-Aneng-Appa-AVO-Beckman-Danbridge-Data Tech-Fluke-General Radio-H. W. Sullivan-Heathkit-HP-Kaise-Kyoritsu-Leeds & Northrup-Mastech-OR-X-REO-Simpson-Sinclair-Tektronix-Tokyo Rikosha-Topward-Triplett-Tritron-YFE
(plus lesser brands from the work shop of the world)
 

Offline bookaboo

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One of the things I love about having chosen electronic design as a career path is the never ending source of opportunities to work on personal growth and mindset. I'm eternally grateful when things go wrong, at least eventually.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46473/if---

 
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Offline RoGeorge

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Offline Conrad HoffmanTopic starter

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Oddly, I can't find a single photo or video of the later model "new look" projectors with the case open. I had the thought there might be a couple hidden screws under the front panel, so I took that off this morning. Nothing. It was still useful because it showed what are probably locking areas between the case halves. It might also let the parts shift more, but that will have to wait until my next session. Someday I'll be a better man, maybe, but that day probably isn't today. (I did remove the lamp assembly, remote, doors, knob and the Ty-Rap holding the power cord.)
 

Offline rdl

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Yes.
And in every case Windows 10 was involved.
 
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Offline Sal Ammoniac

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I had a combo printer/scanner/FAX machine that used inkjet cartridges. I wouldn't use it often, and the ink would dry out. Since I have another, more capable, printer, most of the time I'd use this thing to scan documents to PDF files or (even more rarely) to fax a document. Neither of these two operations require the use of ink, but the damn UI on this printer literally won't let you do anything if the ink cartridge is either empty or dried out.

One day I had to urgently scan a document and email it to a family member in a different state, and, of course, the ink cartridge had dried out and the damn thing flat out refused to let me scan the document to a PDF file. My home office is on the third story of my house. After engaging in a battle of wills with this beast for twenty minutes, it finally went flying out the window out onto the concrete driveway three stories below. That was very satisfying. Note to self: never buy another Brother product.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2023, 04:57:31 pm by Sal Ammoniac »
"That's not even wrong" -- Wolfgang Pauli
 
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Offline DavidAlfa

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Yes.
And in every case Windows 10 was involved.

Clearly, you're not using W11 :-DD
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Offline Stray Electron

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  Short answer, Yes!  And I did smash a lot of stuff onto the ground!  I always got a great deal of satisfaction out of smashing it too. But there were a few times that I regretted smashing it.  Not always but occasionally I couldn't replace the item.
 

Offline Conrad HoffmanTopic starter

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After carefully removing the clear face of the control panel, trapped between the case halves, it was possible to get the case apart. I don't know if it could be managed without removing that, but the service manual says nothing about it. The source of the ceramic pieces falling out is now obvious. The parts list calls it out as "Resistor, dropping" but unlike all the others, no value or wattage is given. No problem there as it's labeled and measures about 3 ohms. Shouldn't be a problem to replace it. I'm a bit calmer now!

 
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Offline TERRA Operative

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Note to self: never buy another Brother product.

Brother printers for laser, Epson for inkjet.
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 
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Offline coppercone2

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after the 100th attempt, the miller welder showed error code #5, but responded to controls, after a burned smell. Now its back to not responding to controls but I know where the problem might be.

I think its been almost 2 years now. The only thing that keeps it in one piece is the high voltage circuit boards

 If only that high voltage was not there.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2023, 04:26:15 am by coppercone2 »
 

Online Smokey

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Sounds like you need... A Widlar-izer!

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/the-widlar-izer!/

 
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Offline armandine2

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JVC Cassette Player CQ-1K Belt Change

there is an idiots guide to the above, online  :-+ so in theory it is an easy fix. Some tangle of wires to manage otherwise what can go wrong?

the belt is fitted over the large pulley wheel by flexing a plastic gear - sussed that eventually.  but Fate intervened as I put the case back on as I confused the loose plastic dc power insulator for an imagined headphone insulator  :palm:
In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught - Hunter S Thompson
 

Offline vk6zgo

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Not a project, but something at my work many years ago.

At the TV transmitter site I worked at, we had a "Flying Spot Scanner", which was used when needed to display the station test pattern or apology for lost programme, or whatever. (we had a box of BW slides).

This thing was full of tubes, & was used every day, so one of the weekly "routine tests" was to measure selected parameters of the device, switchable on the front of the devices.
To this end, we had a dedicated meter in a small metal enclosure with a lead terminated in a 1/4" jack plug, which plugged into socket on the FFS.

The plug wasn't just a bakelite one , but was made from moulded rubber, which had perished, allowing access to the inside connections.
It had received a "bodge repair".

It had another problem, in that the meter would sometimes stick, but this could be overcome by unplugging then immediately re-inserting the plug.
Being sticky, the needle didn't drop back to zero, & the "nudge" freed it to go to the correct reading.
The meter was particularly troublesome this time, & although I got it to work several times with this procedure, it eventually refused "hard" when I was trying to read the HT supply.

As I fiddled with the plug, the "bodge" repair failed and I got a nice HT "belt".
In a rage, I threw the thing across the room, where it ended up hitting the bottom of a rack!--OOOPS! :-[

Somewhat abashed, I took it to the workshop & made an elaborate repair, removing any chance of touching the "hot bits".
Expecting the worst, I plugged it in to find it now worked perfectly, with not the slightest sign of sticking.
 
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Online tautech

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On this topic, yes many times however now quite picky what I take on.  :phew:

Although the one thing that always drove me is, if a man made it then a man can fix it < which has served me well over several decades. Yet one needs do preliminary investigations to then walk away if not in the right frame of mind to tackle a new venture and chew your cud for a good while until in the right mindset arrives/returns.

The biggest help is a PC at the bench so to ask Mr Google.......
Avid Rabid Hobbyist.
Some stuff seen @ Siglent HQ cannot be shared.
 
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Offline TERRA Operative

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after the 100th attempt, the miller welder showed error code #5, but responded to controls, after a burned smell. Now its back to not responding to controls but I know where the problem might be.

I think its been almost 2 years now. The only thing that keeps it in one piece is the high voltage circuit boards

 If only that high voltage was not there.

What's the model number? I used to work in the welder repair game, I might be able to rustle up a service manual if you need it. :)
« Last Edit: May 24, 2023, 11:44:16 am by TERRA Operative »
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 

Offline TERRA Operative

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In a rage, I threw the thing across the room, where it ended up hitting the bottom of a rack!--OOOPS! :-[

Somewhat abashed, I took it to the workshop & made an elaborate repair, removing any chance of touching the "hot bits".
Expecting the worst, I plugged it in to find it now worked perfectly, with not the slightest sign of sticking.

Percussive maintenance really is the best thing sometimes. :-DD
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 
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Offline coppercone2

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Dynasty 200dx I have a useless service manual I need like component level lol, I replaced maybe 50 parts on it bc of various burns n stuff. Milled and glue charred pcb too. It’s why man invented the hammer like 2001 space odessey

Stuck with overtrmp error 5 . I replaced the big caps that were bulging a little (measure fine on lcr) and it booted once where I can control the panel. The thermistor readings are fine with dmm . Would like to test em with a mugger to earth though
« Last Edit: May 24, 2023, 05:11:00 pm by coppercone2 »
 

Offline coppercone2

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TO give better details

1) -5 and a stuck voltage/current value alternate on the front panel display (I assume this means error code #5, temperature error)
1a) the sensors measure OK on a DMM

2) the unit makes a buzzing noise that coincides with the display (the pitch of the film can inductor on the main board PCB whine changes when it shows -5 and when it shows the voltage/current value, so it alternates between say a 40 and 50 hz bzzzt

3) the unit had most of its semiconductors replaced, I suspect its the inverter controller card (including big IGBT and the rectifier). This one has alot of MOSFET cascodes or something, I had to repair burn damage here

4) I repaired other damage to the inverter power supply on main board (some how I think a small ceramic cap was causing a flyback diode to explode on a 20V rail?)

5) repaired damage to MCU board (tvs diode)

6) found one loose connector on the output

7) Replaced the main electrolytic caps (1400uF monster caps). They were swollen on top, but after I removed them, very painfully, I measured them OK at 100, 120Hz and 1KHz on DE-5000
7a) This is the last repair I did, last night. When I turned it on after the repair, it displayed error code and faintly smelled of burned semiconductors. I turned it off and turned it back on, and displayed the code but when I hit a button it actually responded and let me adjust the current, and all the switches worked and gave me front panel feedback. When I turned it off and waited and turned it back on, it was back to the -5 error. I think I am playing whack a mole with the inverter card.


I also I think I checked everything else, replaced some power resistors, and attempted to run it with a disconnected solenoid, fan, thermistor, etc. It appears its the thermistor on the rectifier that its complaining about, but when I measure that with a DMM on the input to the MCU board, it reads OK.

I think I am playing whack a mole with the fucking cascode on the inverter control board, that had severe damage, so I bought a replacement PCB for this today. Last gamble? There is like 20 4pin mosfets there (HV), and a bunch of op-amps and 74 series shit, that I all replaced multiple times, but I had it go up a few times in the last year (I think its only been a little over a year, not two years, its a blur) where my procedure is to replace all the fets before trying again. The only thing I noticed is that there is one 74 series gate running at 100F (the others are at 80), and its near the fets. I had the mill the PCB out near the fets and redo it with rivets and epoxy. I suspect there is something more going on here. I just wanna get rid of this compromised board.

I also have it running through a variac set to like 105V (20A variac) that is turned on, then the welder is turned on, so I don';t need to deal with a 800V rail.


But I also though this over a little, you know.. the board replacement sucks but its a tool that has high voltage in it and I need to hold it in my hands, its not the worst idea in the world to not use dodgy PCB (its like a fiberglass bumper repair).
« Last Edit: May 25, 2023, 02:22:51 am by coppercone2 »
 

Online RJSV

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Think of this self-control aspect, even though I'm sure you don't need a lecture.
Adults can maybe mitigate the aspects of losing control, for couple seconds,...but
   I've watched an attentive MOM go ballistic on similar issues, when an upset kid tried pulling up nearly every (expensive) front yard decorative bush.
"Taking out your frustrations, on another living thing...",
but similar response, when kid was smashing broken toy, MOM pointing out that toys were a loving gift and so should be left out of some grief frenzy...
.
.
.
.
(Unless it's some TV toss drama show-off)
 

Offline thermistor-guy

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Ever been so mad at a project you wanted to just smash it into the concrete?

No, but the closest I've been: glaring at an Epson inkjet printer that refused to scan to a remote PC, because one ink cartridge was empty.
And sitting nearby, was my neatly arranged storage tub of hammers and hand axes ...
 

Offline TERRA Operative

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Dynasty 200dx I have a useless service manual I need like component level lol, I replaced maybe 50 parts on it bc of various burns n stuff. Milled and glue charred pcb too. It’s why man invented the hammer like 2001 space odessey

I have this manual on my NAS, it might be what you have already though? Once I remember the Miller partner portal login (it's been 10 years...) I'll see if I can find more.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AbmCZZFmvnaZQ04w5Bh-TJpSg_JAkeDf?usp=sharing
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 


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