For a number of years now i have been quite irritated at the quality and lifespan of boot and shoe laces but in particular boot laces. They seem to last at best a few months before the outer skin starts to fray and then breaks revealing the core of the lace. The outer skin then slides along the inner core making it almost impossible to use the lace because when tied it starts to undo itself. It also makes it almost impossible to unlace and re-lace the boot through the eyelets. I tried various sources and makes of lace but they all suffered from the same problem. After collecting a series of unmatched laces i decided to try to fix the laces i had and put them back into use. I found a very good, reliable solution using a sewing machine. Click here to read on for the details of this simple repair.
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Around 2015 my car developed a strange problem which to this day i still find difficult to understand. While stationary with the engine running, depressing the brake pedal caused a strange noise to occur, coming from the front of the car. I took it to the dealers and they said it was a known problem. Basically, when pressing the brake pedal, the cars electronic system decided that the headlight level should be adjusted! The noise i was hearing was the headlight level motor hitting the end stop. If i did not get it fixed, eventually the motor and/or the mechanism would fail. This is all the more alarming that the headlights are normally adjusted using a switch and control on the dashboard. The problem was identified by Nissan as being due to corrosion of electrical contacts in the rear light units. Why exactly corrosion in a rear light unit should cause the system to decide to adjust the headlight level i really do not understand. However, the replacement units seemed to fix the problem. Over the winter of 2021/2022 i noticed some condensation in the passenger side lamp unit indicating that moisture was getting in. I decided to remove the lamp units and investigate further before any water getting into the bodywork did any further damage. Click here to find out more about this project. I recently noticed that some of the fluorescent bulbs in the stairway of my apartment block appeared to have failed. When both the bulb and the starter unit were replaced the problem remained. A bit of testing revealed that the ballast had failed and with a bit of research i was able to locate a suitable replacement saving a great deal of money over replacing the entire light unit. Click here for the details behind this project. These headphones were purchased around 2005/2006, possibly a little earlier for use with Skype on a laptop PC that my Mum and Dad used to keep in touch with me while i was travelling as part of my work. At some point in the past they were damaged and were put into storage. I have a use for them in the future so i decided to see if i could repair them. The headphones work but one of the ear speakers worked intermittently when the connecting wire was moved. Click here to read more about this project. I have used Electronic Mains Timers for many years particularly in the greenhouse to control the heating and ventilation. The models i have , i purchased betweem 8 and 10 years ago. Over the past couple of years the LCD screens have faded slightly and at the end of Summer 2020 the screens went blank. I knew these devices had small backup batteries that powered the display and control electronics and assumed that the batteries had reached the end of their operating life. I managed to locate replacement batteries and set about trying to repair the timers to save them from the recycling yard. While reparing the timers i discovered a design problem that had caused one of the components to fail but could so easily have been avoided by selecting the correct component. Click here to read more about this repair project. I had noticed recently that the battery life of my Velleman pocket/portable oscilloscope had greatly decreased and that it did not hold its charge between each use resulting in it having to be charged before each use. I had a little difficulty getting a suitable replacement battery pack but once i had obtained one the oscilloscope was back to normal operation. Click here to find out more about this project. Over the past couple of years my Dyson Vacuum cleaner on/off switch has been operating erratically. When sliding the control between the various positions it has been crackling making the sound of electrical arcing and the motor would not operate when the switch was moved without fiddling with the position of the switch. This all led me to believe the switch contacts were dirty and/or worn out. I was able to find a replacement switch in the UK and after a couple of hours had a working, reliable vacuum again! Click here to find out more about this project. This Braun Contour 6522/5703 rechargeable electric shaver was given to me by yet another man who wanted his shaver repaired during the COVID-19 pandemic as it was no longer holding a charge and had developed a strange habit of 'locking' whereby the start/stop button would be pressed, the shaver would buzz for a fraction of a second then stop. Pressing the button after this had no effect. The shaver would have to be plugged into the mains for a few minutes and then it could be used normally until the battery drained. As the shaver was in good condition i thought it was well worth trying to repair it and keep it from the recycling centre. Click here to read more about this project. After over four years of regular use the tyres on my Mum's scooter were almost completely worn down to the internal canvas. After some difficulty i was able to source replacement puncture proof/solid tyres and although the COVID-19 Pandemic was in full swing they were delivered very quickly. Click here to see how they were replaced. I recently repaired an electric shaver for a man who wanted a spare as we went into the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.Click here for more details. This has led to a small flurry of people both local and further afield inquiring if i could do something similar for them. This project was for a Braun Contour 5895 rechargeable shaver which while still working was no longer holding its charge for more than a couple of days. Click here for more details of this project. |
AuthorAllan Faulds is an Electronic Design Engineer who develops Hardware and Software on a professional basis. He has a strong interest in applying his design and development skills to his areas of interest such as bicycle lighting and plant growing and greenhouse and garden control technology. Archives
January 2024
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