Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Solar rock light. Thought it might be the switch but it turned out to be the control chip, corroded leg. Fortunately I have a supply of a similar type to that fitted. Few moments work with the soldering iron and solder sucker got the old one out. Fitted new IC (QX5252) and now works again. :)

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Hideous flaking paint on the front of the house. Cheapskate builder put a plywood panel under the bedroom bay window. The rest of the house is properly rendered but this was badly painted . One day Iwill pull off the fake Tudor beams and look under the bay window properly.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Garden shredder: Cutting knives were dull and not shredding properly. Replacement knives are not available as the unit has been out of production for some time

The small bolts holding them on were seized so I had to take off the knife carrier to be able to drill out the bolts (carefully to keep the threads in the carrier) Run a tap down the threads to clean them out. Then selected the best edge on the knives with least deep dings, they're double edged, and trued them up on my small sharpening station. Then honed them on the oil-stone until they cut paper.

Reassembled onto the carrier with new bolts and refitted to shredder. Works a treat now.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Good job that man. Is it one of those impact shredders or the quieter crushing type? I have the latter and have noticed that the cutter adjustment is almost at its limit so am wondering if I'll be able to fix that when it ceases working properly. I bought it from Lidl years ago and can't imagine spares will be available.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

It has one moving part: The spinning disc knife carrier that is directly mounted on the motor shaft. The blades work against the bottom edges of the feed chute somewhat like a guillotine and it is VERY noisy especially when dealing with larger branches, it can handle up to 25mm, so I wear ear defenders.

Looks like this:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/at...4&d=1470567898

Mine looks a bit more "used".

Attachment 26684

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

I do this, the ones supplied are normally really cheap and low capacity, all my lights stay on all night now :)

---------- Post added at 15:03 ---------- Previous post was at 14:49 ----------

These are quite useful.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aurora-SP10.../dp/B006DX82SK

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Cheers! Ordered immediately! :)

---------- Post added at 16:58 ---------- Previous post was at 16:56 ----------

Mine has blown the third replacement starter capacitor. I can't remember enough motor theory to decide how to upgrade it. Like yours, mine is old and unsupported by the manufacturer.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

So long as the capacitor is the same value and voltage rating anything should do the job.

The capacitor feeds a secondary winding on the motor and drives a current in approximate quadrature phase to the main winding. This creates the required rotating magnetic field that carries the rotor with it.

Smaller induction and "squirrel cage" motors create the same effect with several short circuit copper straps in the main laminate stack. See shaded pole motor.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

I bought all 3 caps from different suppliers (and all look slightly different) copying the "original" cap specs. Perhaps the one that was in there was not the original and was under rated? :confused:

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

How did they fail?

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Failed to rotate, after switch on after a short jam (1 or 2 secs before I hit the off switch).

No swelling of the cap as I would expect though. Motor shaft greased and easy to turn with no sticking.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

How strange. I've not known these to be an unreliable component. Our old Indesit washing machine had one in and was still going strong when I scrapped it.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

I think it's the big back EMF that is damaging them. These 3 are the only big caps that I have seen fail in this way in over 40 years. They are RUN capacitors, and as such are quite large to get rid of the heat during operation.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Couple more solar rock lights: First one, no battery charge, another old solar cell with corroded through connections. Fitted upgrade cell and sealed tight with silicon rubber.

Second one was suddenly not lasting very long and rather dull despite having had my upgrade. One of the (4) LEDs had failed and was pulling the whole thing down. Fitted a new LED and sealed the reflector back in place with more rubber.

Only two left now with the old solar cells. These only put out about 40ma whereas the new cells can deliver 150ma in strong sunlight.

Re: What have you fixed lately?
 

Double hung sash in the bathroom. Needed new putty where some had come loose, sanded down sashes and full repaint. Pugged* up slightly rotten sill, more filler and paint. All looks pretty good now. :)

Need to do the same on the computer room window tomorrow.

* Pug is a dialect term for pounded clay down here but is used nowadays for filler in cars and decorating.