Where are the Electronic trade and old repair service shops gone to?

[VladKEasternTiger]

Hi gang, I love electronics and working and learning with breadboards and making circuits, working with components and using various testers.

I am a newbie in this hobby and Im wondering where are the television and electronic service and repair shops we used to have in the country? Im speaking for the UK but im sure its the same in the USA Canada and Australia etc.. I remember about 10 years ago I went in to a great service center and they were 3 guys working on monitors and had a full supply of televisions computers and other electronic devices to repair, they were highly skilled in their trade, so where is it all and how do you put your electronic hobby and skill you have to use in a trade where you can make money from it?

[GeekGirl]

I remember about 10 years ago I went in to a great service center and they were 3 guys working on monitors and had a full supply of televisions computers and other electronic devices to repair, they were highly skilled in their trade, so where is it all and how do you put your electronic hobby and skill you have to use in a trade where you can make money from it?

Most TV and computer repair these days is board swapping very little consumer electronics is repaired at component level.

As for how to make money from electronics, I have done for the last 20 odd years by adapting. My business motto is "do what it takes to make a buck" basically if I think a job will make enough money I will do it, be it designing octopus lures, telephone interfacing devices..... I even take on small prototyping jobs (assembling up to 100 units in a run). I even do some free jobs, if the project looks fun, interesting or will expand my knowledge (plus it looks great on your resume

[VladKEasternTiger]

Great Reply, can you send me some revelant websites that can help me understand better the things you mentioned? I looked myself however you can point me in the right direction.. I want to learn what you mentioned

[GeekGirl]

Great Reply, can you send me some revelant websites that can help me understand better the things you mentioned? I looked myself however you can point me in the right direction.. I want to learn what you mentioned

There are really no websites for this stuff, it is all word of mouth, hanging out on lists etc (places like the Altium list have calls for sub contractors from time to time etc.)

Most of my work is word of mouth keep someone happy, and they recommend you to others.

[Ferroto]

Components are cheaper to replace then to fix, sadly. For example I used to fix computers as a summer job, it was real easy, usually software issues that can be fixed with (last resort) a format. The only tools you really need is a pirate copy of a geeksquad MRI cd, a flash drive, and a screwdriver. I got a call from someone who was after talking to a geeksquad tech, the tech couldn't fix there system without replacing the motherboard. I said I'd take a look. I found several bulging capacitors around the CPU, after showing him and confirming that the motherboard would need to be replaced then I said although I can't garrentee anything I could attempt to replace the capacitor. I used a capacitor with a slightly larger voltage tolerance then the one that was previously in there, and got the motherboard working again.

Payment: 1 bottle of whiskey, and free word of mouth advertising.

[VladKEasternTiger]

Nice story but how long ago was this? Im sure this will
not work in todays throw away society

[Ferroto]

Nice story but how long ago was this? Im sure this will
not work in todays throw away society

That was a couple of years ago, Nowadays people throw away perfectly good computers because of a spy ware infections. It's completely wasteful, and likely the reason Microsoft doesn't move to a UNIX platform. When people needlessly buy a new computer they also buy a new Windows license.

So nowadays there's more money to be made from buying computers for parts then refurbishing them and selling them on ebay. Hell sometimes they need absolutely no physical repairs of any kind just a good format. If you do the cost-benefit analysis this industry is surprisingly profitable. A $50 "computer for parts" can produce around $190 if it's less then a few years old. Easily netting $140 (73%) Profit with minimal risk.

My goal in life is to be a business owner and make money off of money.

[VladKEasternTiger]

Make money off money? You should be on a stockbroker forum

[VladKEasternTiger]

"telephone interfacing devices..... I even take on small prototyping jobs (assembling up to 100 units in a run)"

Please explain what you do to design telephone interfacing devices? What do you mean by prototyping jobs? I want to understand what you are saying

[Simon]

I think you need to start looking at the world around you and thinking up your own solutions to "problems" you find, trying to emulate another person will not get you anywhere, find your own nich, for example I am starting to work with a friend and clasic car enthusiast on projects specific for old cars, I may not make a lot of money but will sure have fun taking on the challenge, if it leads to more great.

[VladKEasternTiger]

Will electronics come into play atall in your new projects?

[Simon]

yes of course most of the time, by looking around you and find problems to solve i meant find problems that can make use of an electronic solution. for example a friend asked me if it was possible to design a circuit that would tell him the voltage of his bikes electrical system by turning on a different colour led, so I designed it for him, I learnt a lot in the process and now know I can face bigger projects, for example i am now designing a power management device for vintage/classic cars for another friend.

[VladKEasternTiger]

I thought bikes already had a instrument panel that told the owner about the life of the power of the bike, Can you send me a shematic diagaram of that design that looks interesting, I didnt think of it as you simplified it so well, solutions. I am a newbie in this so these things are out of my grasp but nothing from stoping me from learning, what route did you take to learn and pick up this skill of circuit building?

[Simon]

I learnt by reading the text books in school and hanging around forums, now I'm not an expert designer at all but the few things I do are within my abilities and so work.

Now if you want to learn, find yourself a project, say for example a voltage indicator for a battery and build it even if only on a breadboard, if you don't know how to do it then learn. it requires just a couple of comparators (LM393) and some leds (or a 2/3 colour led), so for this exersise you will have to know about comparators and leds. if you don't know find some online information and learn - google is your friend.

[Zero999]

Why bother repairing anything if it's made cheaply in China and will cost an engineer more in the call out charge than the price of a new one?

There's not much electronic work left in this country, most has gone to China but that's life.

[VladKEasternTiger]

I learnt by reading the text books in school and hanging around forums, now I'm not an expert designer at all but the few things I do are within my abilities and so work.

Now if you want to learn, find yourself a project, say for example a voltage indicator for a battery and build it even if only on a breadboard, if you don't know how to do it then learn. it requires just a couple of comparators (LM393) and some leds (or a 2/3 colour led), so for this exersise you will have to know about comparators and leds. if you don't know find some online information and learn - google is your friend.

Ive been blessed by your advice and the others on this forum, Currently im undertaking a slight challenge and will post a thread on it, I have a old computer that someone gave to me, didnt power up, so I put in a new PSU and now I found out Dell dosent take PSU or components that are not compatible with their brand therefore thinking of a way to adjust the connectors, so far only things that lights is the little green led light on the Motherboard when I turn on the PSU

[VladKEasternTiger]

The only positive
is that electronics have become more
accessible and cheap even for
people who dont work, where I live I see people who dont work yet own fancy wide screen television, music centers, computers etc..