ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades How much cheaper can they get?

Very true. How many these days have the PC board held by nothing more than slots inside the plastic casing? When you remove the rear cover, there's then nothing to support the rest of the set without allowing it to rest on the back edge of the PC board. It's a real struggle with those to work on them without risk of damaging something.

Not just tv's.. anything electronic now it seems!
My parents have gone through 2 if not 3 microwave ovens in the past decade, and of each of them had them repaired at least once for the magnetron and circuit boards.. All were Panasonic "inverter technology" as well... Meanwhile the old microwave they bought in 1985, a "Quazar" still happily buzzes away in my kitchen and has never been opened up for servicing!

A.D

Adam,
Did you know that back in 1985, microwave ovens actually used radio-activity to cook food?.
The humming is from the fan that kept the plutonium cool.
I wouldn't be opening that bad boy up either.

I always thought it was the Delorean trying to get up to 88 mph......

Actually Paul,
If you were lucky (or unlucky, whichever way you look at it) and defeated the door interlocks, you could strip wall-paper or paint at 20 yards, you'd want to keep the cat and the kids out of the room at the time.

Sorry I'm only kidding.

You have to remember though that Tesco often sells items below cost to attract attention.
I'd say those toasters are a loss leader.

They may be a loss leader but the low priced ones don't work to good.

One week ago my brand name toaster of many years died at 5am and I went to the 24 hour big box store to buy a new one so I could have breakfast. I paid $6.99 for no name one as I figured why do I need a more expensive one its just a heating element and bi-metalic switch no matter what the price.

After incinerating a half loaf of bread on the lowest setting as the toaster would not shut off and pop the toast out it went back to the store for a refund. I bought a $15 brand name like I had before and it worked the first time.

Unfortunately nothing in the aisle was made in North America including the really expensive toasters.

I guess that's something we'll have to get used too - the former Industrial countries (USA, Western Europe) are going towards a service economy, pushing production into countries where unskilled labor is cheaper. Only special high-tag items (more or less hand made, traditional products) will continue to be produced here.

That's economic reality... mixed with politics. but that doesn't belong here.

Seriously, even household items of the 1970s labeled "Made in Germany" weren't necessarily made there... many of the were actually GDR OEM products.

Or take circuit breakers.... the pretty unique Austrian F&G RCDs were carefully labeled "F&G Austria" but _not_ "Made in Austria"... I didn't even notice that until I saw a GDR made RCD that was a spitting image of the F&G.

On the other hand this is comming back on some employers. A few years ago i was approached by my previous employer and invited to attend an interview for a post with them. Being currious I went along. I knew the job, working on VFT (Varrible Frequency Transmmision) when I asked why they were intrested in me when they could easily get a graduate fresh from uni they said "graduates can only understand electronics they are lost when it comes to vacume valves and the like" So it looks like my old post office training has came in handy. I never took the job

I have to completely agree with Mike and Pauls experience with the substandard built TV's, Video equipment etc. and almost impossibility to repair them.
Schema's are non existent with the user manual anymore like in the good old days.

Flimsy circuitboards with connectors which can easily be transferred. ( I usually mark them with a permanent marker )
and take photo's as I take matters apart.

I do the odd repair for friends and family. Still got 3 older 26" TV's in my garage to fix and are worth the challenge because of vintage mid 80's. with standard components.

The SMPS in newer appliances used have often blown capacitors and these are sometimes underrated 85°C types instead of the 105°C types.

I'm working on a nice Sony TC-730 auto reverse reel to reel at the moment which has a problem with the drive to the reel motors. Very well built machine ( one photo in the gallery ). packed with circuit boards and wiring looms.
I bought two of these on trademe, one working and one DOA, which I was aware off. I like to get them both going again. Nice little project with the real stuff.

I will post some pics of the electro mechanics of this machine.

Regards, Raymond