what causes appliances to fail (electronic scales/digitalthermometer)?

[[email protected]]

I'm just curious. I have had 2 sets of scales fail where all the
circuits on the LCD display light up and the don't respond to controls
(batteries ok). An indoor outdoor thermometer stopped displaying
correctly also. Is iT moisture getting in and can they be repaired by
(eg) cleaning with alcohol?

I saw someone clean the inside of a mobile phone with a white foam.
John Thanks

 

[JB]

I'm just curious. I have had 2 sets of scales fail where all the
circuits on the LCD display light up and the don't respond to controls
(batteries ok). An indoor outdoor thermometer stopped displaying
correctly also. Is iT moisture getting in and can they be repaired by
(eg) cleaning with alcohol?

I saw someone clean the inside of a mobile phone with a white foam.
John Thanks

Numerous possible failures in the circuitry, or Heat, static or shock to the
display itself.

They have to be painstakingly clean and very carefully installed when
replaced or there will be missing segments.

 

[[email protected]]

I think that perhaps cheaper appliances aren't well manufactured. I'm
on my second set of digital kitchen scales . If I remember last time
it stopped working then later started working again then stopped for
good.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

My Royal postage abruptly stopped working (display but no measurement).
Royal wouldn't do anything about it, so Costco swapped it for a good one.

Perhaps the strain gauge is unduly "sensitive" to stress.

 

[JB]

I think that perhaps cheaper appliances aren't well manufactured. I'm
on my second set of digital kitchen scales . If I remember last time
it stopped working then later started working again then stopped for
good.

High hunmidity, steam or moisture from cleaning can lead to failures of the
circuitry because of condensation on the board and around CMOS devices.
Best to do all cleaning with a damp rag that has been wrung first. Keep
well away from sink and stove.

 

[Dave]

I'm just curious. I have had 2 sets of scales fail where all the
circuits on the LCD display light up and the don't respond to controls
(batteries ok). An indoor outdoor thermometer stopped displaying
correctly also. Is iT moisture getting in and can they be repaired by
(eg) cleaning with alcohol?

In a nutshell: a combination of cheap low-quality components coupled with
cheap low-quality construction. Failure to adequately seal
moisture-sensitive components marketed to reside in a bathroom guarantees
early failure from preventative causes. Ditto with failure to adequately
mechanically isolate components senstive to shock. The use of micron-thin
ribbon cables in flexible joints, the list goes on and on. You get what you
pay for, if you can buy a brand spanking new digital scale for $18, and you
consider that a healthy chunk of the price is for shipping the product to
the store, plus advertising, marketing, and engineering, how much is
actually left for manufacturing? How long do you expect a digital display
which cost less than a dollar to last? Today's society has been conditioned
that a) stuff isn't supposed to last for more than 2 years and b) if you own
stuff over two years old you're a LOSER (can you say "auto industry"?) and
c) if something breaks it's to be tossed in the bin and replaced with new.

 

[iws]

|
| | > I'm just curious. I have had 2 sets of scales fail where all the
| > circuits on the LCD display light up and the don't respond to controls
| > (batteries ok). An indoor outdoor thermometer stopped displaying
| > correctly also. Is iT moisture getting in and can they be repaired by
| > (eg) cleaning with alcohol?
| >
| > I saw someone clean the inside of a mobile phone with a white foam.
| > John Thanks
|
| Numerous possible failures in the circuitry, or Heat, static or shock to
the
| display itself.
|
| They have to be painstakingly clean and very carefully installed when
| replaced or there will be missing segments.
|
I recently noticed the digital display on my wall oven had become quite dim
although it was still functional. I searched the internet and found the
display board was easy to install but cost $170. On looking further, I
learned that the dimming was almost certainly due to the heat induced
deterioration of one or more electrolytic caps and that replacing them could
fix the problem. I replaced all four on the board amking sure they were of
the high temperature variety. Fry's and Radio Shack did not have one of the
caps so I used two in parallel to get the right value. Lo and behold, the
display was back to its original brightness and done for a few buck in parts
and some of my time. So it is possible to repair some of toady's appliance
circuitry easily and cheaply.

 

[[email protected]]

Even though thing are cheap, as a consumer I'd rather buy quality. It
used to be that you could trust a name like Sony.
I'm looking for a set of old fashioned mechanical weighing scales.

 

[JB]

Even though thing are cheap, as a consumer I'd rather buy quality. It
used to be that you could trust a name like Sony.
I'm looking for a set of old fashioned mechanical weighing scales.

I hear ya'!

I went out of my way to buy a microwave oven with a mechanical timer. There
is almost no circuitry when you dispense with the foolish gingerbread and
flashing lights. When the magnetron finally slips away, I can get one from
some cast off oven with a goofed up controller. My first oven went goofy
after 2 years so I replaced the board with a mechanical timer and went
another 10 years. Over exuberant cleaning by OL.

Our society has been conditioned to support lying salesmen who make 1c on
the dollar while the rest goes overseas. In the meantime we are filling
landfills. A lot of neat old art deco stuff can be modified so you don't
get electrocuted. My vacuum is a Hoover from the 70s and I laugh at all the
expensive plastic trash they are cranking out now because it will never be
able to do half the job for 2 years.

 

[Baron]

news:[email protected]...

I hear ya'!

I went out of my way to buy a microwave oven with a mechanical timer.
There is almost no circuitry when you dispense with the foolish
gingerbread and
flashing lights. When the magnetron finally slips away, I can get one
from
some cast off oven with a goofed up controller. My first oven went
goofy after 2 years so I replaced the board with a mechanical timer
and went another 10 years. Over exuberant cleaning by OL.

Our society has been conditioned to support lying salesmen who make 1c
on
the dollar while the rest goes overseas. In the meantime we are
filling
landfills. A lot of neat old art deco stuff can be modified so you
don't
get electrocuted. My vacuum is a Hoover from the 70s and I laugh at
all the expensive plastic trash they are cranking out now because it
will never be able to do half the job for 2 years.

Sad but true !

 

[Bob Larter]

Even though thing are cheap, as a consumer I'd rather buy quality. It
used to be that you could trust a name like Sony.

Sony? You've got to be kidding!