DIY with function over finesse!!

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Hell Razor5543
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

This is NOT DIY, but I was helping a friend deal with the suspension on a recalcitrant Xsara Picasso. There were a couple of nut/bolt combinations that would undo so far and then tightened up again. Chris then went and got an unusual lump of metal, and we ended up with the necessary leverage to get the nuts and bolts undone, where the bolts could then be introduced to a bench wheel wire brush to clean up the threads. This is similar to that lump of metal;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174128513734 ... %7Ciid%3A1
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

The curse of the moulded plug!!

SWMBO was hoovering the carpet this morning when the hoover just stopped!! She did her usual checks of filters, plug etc, and left it to cool down to try again. An hour later it still didn't want to play so she brought it to me saying "I've done it again!!" She does not have a good record with appliances having destroyed 3 previous vacuum cleaners, 2 PC's, 2 mobiles and a washing machine to date!! :evil:

So this afternoon I looked into it for her and started by checking the fuse, OK, and then, as it has a moulded plug, I dismantled the casing to get to the switch and motor. I didn't think to take any pictures but I'm sure the inside of a vacuum cleaner is pretty familiar to most :-D Once I had access to the internals I started with a motor brush and impedance check, OK, smoothing capacitor check, OK and switch check across its terminals, OK. Hmmm! So I did a continuity test from plug pin to switch for the live, OK and from plug pin to the capacitor for the neutral, not OK!!! So I had a break in the neutral wire inside the lead. I cut the moulded plug off and stripped the neutral wires from the plug:
Checking the meter reading very low resistance lead to lead
Checking the meter reading very low resistance lead to lead
No circuit from the pin plug to the neutral wire!!
No circuit from the pin plug to the neutral wire!!
So as you can see the connection from the neutral pin to the wire has failed inside the moulded plug!! I fitted a new plug from stock and she is finishing the carpet as I type :-D

So the moral of this story is if you have a moulded plug, as most things do these days, don't take it for granted!!! :-D
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by bobins »

Big Clive on Youtube was demonstrating a questionable moulded plug on a bit of Chinese tat on one of his strip downs the other day. The plug wasn't compliant because the earth pin was part shielded, the plug still worked fine with the fuse removed - i.e. it still happily powered the bit of kit he was investigating, and the fuse itself was of non-compliant construction. Apart from that, the plug appeared fine #-o
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

As the day dawned dry and sunny I decided it was time to visit the mancave and catch up with goings on there. My mate Dave, whose brother owns the mancave, was over there working on his V6 Delica:
Delica
Delica
Having got it on the ramps the front exhaust section was removed:
Up on the ramps
Up on the ramps
Dave then cut out the fractured expanding joint:
The broken one
The broken one
and settled down to play with his new toy.
Dave's new toy (My poor picture!)
Dave's new toy (My poor picture!)
After half an hour's work we had the exhaust ready to refit:
The completed job.
The completed job.
Unfortunately I had to leave him before the refit was complete but as he had to go home in the Delica and I have not heard anymore I'm sure it all worked fine. Before I left I took a quick shot of his brother's Minis which still await rebuilding!!:-D
The Mini collection
The Mini collection
For the record this all started when Dave built a new exhaust in stainless steel (practice with his new toy I suspect :-D ) but used the original expansion joint which promptly began to whistle annoyingly at 3000rpm. So he had to dismantle the front end to fit the replacement today!! :)
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by myglaren »

I'm sure sparklesticks are fun to play with but have managed to avoid them up to now.
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

Calling vintage electronic buffs!!
Today brought a visit to my friend's in Dunstable to see if I could discover the problem with his Wurlitzer Lyric jukebox. Apparently he switched it on the other day, all the lights came on as usual and the selection process began as expected and loaded the single he had chosen. He then watched the stylus move onto the disk and heard.....nothing!! Putting his head close he could just hear the direct sound from the stylus thereby confirming that the problem was in the amplification and/or speaker system. At that point he called me for advice so I popped over this morning for a preliminary assessment! Here is what I found:
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
Own work
I decided the best thing to do was bring it home and have a good look. As I gently worked through the wiring this happened:
Own work
Own work
So with reference to the diagram in the manual I was able to work out where it came from and refit it.
Own work
Own work
This picture has the red arrow indicating which wire it was. You can see that without it there is no power feed through to the audio circuits so I am hoping it is the problem.
Own work
Own work
However the power transformer has signs of significant burning and I discovered that the twin speakers (8 ohm) in the jukebox had been wired in parallel and connected to just the right channel, presumably because at some point in the past the left channel had failed and so the bodge was made by someone with little understanding. That would have meant loading a single channel with a 4 ohm load and hence doubling the current draw from the designed level which may have resulted in the burning of the transformer!!
So in view of that and the potential unreliability of the circuitry remaining, we have decided to replace the amplifier altogether so a bit of rewiring will be necessary to still feed the lights and selector mechanism as they currently operate as slaves from the amplifier power supply. I expect we will fit a modern preamp to the turntable output and then feed that into a modern stereo amplifier to drive the speakers. Fingers crossed!! :-D
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

A quick update on the jukebox problem.

I looked around and found a JVC amplifier equipped with a phono input so I don't need the preamp.
The new amp inputs
The new amp inputs
That meant some jiggling with the original amp wiring to divert its phono input (3 pin din from the turntable) to a pair of output phono sockets which I could then connect to the new amps phono input with a standard phono-phono lead. In the end I noticed the original amp had a 3 pin din socket for a remote volume control which obviously is no longer going to be needed so I simply cut two plugs off my lead and connected them directly to that 3 pin backside and fed them out a spare hole ready to plug into the new amp.
rewired socket
rewired socket
Now we just plug the turntable lead into that socket instead of its original phono input and thereby ensure complete separation of the old amps audio circuitry from the new amp.
Just so I don't forget!
Just so I don't forget!
Because the jukebox's lights and selector mechanism are powered from the power supply on the original amp I will refit that just as a power supply to avoid changing all the other internal plugs. The old audio circuitry is now isolated and will not therefore overload the power supply so hopefully all will be good.
Rewired amplifier
Rewired amplifier
I am slightly concerned about the burning in the main transformer but we have been unable to find a replacement so the only option there may be to have it rewound. However I am going to take it over and test it in the jukebox on tuesday so watch this space!!
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Had to consult this video, when the simple question was asked, "I need some bulbs replaced in my light fitting".

Gu10 bulbs, multi light fitting just like in the vid, and no logical way I could come up with to actually get the bulbs out of the fitting. Maybe the chromed metal ring had to be unscrewed, pulled out...no. Maybe the frosted glass surround unscrewed...no. maybe the bulbs just pushed up and turned and would drop down...they would in theory but didn't.

So resorted to youtube and the answer....sticky tape :-D



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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by myglaren »

I had a rubber sucker to remove and insert them but have left it on a job somewhere.

Screwfix, and many other places have similar tools, this one posher than mine was.
I keep thinking of buying a new one.
One day.
ae235.jpeg
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

Yes the rubber sucker works well, I use an old valve grinding tool which does the job. I find it worth cleaning the contact slots and a spray of contact cleaner and a smear of appropriate conductive grease on the studs before fitting the new lamp. Usually I use copper grease from the workshop but you can get more appropriate options:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201988725643 ... SwYS9Zarqs :-D
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

From the parts thread:

"Ok, best of luck with it and to be honest they shouldn't charge much for this as it's a gravity feed fill and an engine ECU additive reset.
Marc"

The quote from the dealer to top up the Eolys and reset ecu while it is in for the recall was £400 for the fluid and 1.2 hours work. So that would be £500 + Vat ish in total. Just not gonna happen!!!

To me that is clearly a 'we don't want the job' price. Will contact Ian at BL to get a price from him and then go from there!! :shock:
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

Time for an update on the jukebox repair. I finally got the new audio and speaker leads made up on Saturday so today I went to put it all back in the jukebox. I installed the original amp for its power supply functions to the disk selector mechanism and the panel lights and then wired in the new amplifier. The moment of ttruth, plugged both in and powered it up. The lights all lit up and the control panel came to life to select a record to play. Having selected a record the mechanism rotated to the requested slot, lifted it from its dock and placed it in playing position. As we waited for the stylus arm to swing into position I noticed we still have smoke from the main transformer. 8-[ At this point the arm retracted and the lift mechanism replaced the record in its slot in the cassette!! Failure!! :evil:

So the next step is to have that transformer remade as there are no spares in Europe or the US as far as we can find, so it's off to be refurbished!!

Watch this space!! :)
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

I had to get up at 4 this morning to take some friends to the airport. So I got in the Subaru, started it and turned on the lights!! Funny I thought a bit dim on the driver's side, so I got out to look and sure enough driver's dipped beam missing. A couple of friendly knocks made no difference so I had to drive there with just the one headlight. However the sidelights were working so I could be identified as a car. On my return I went back to bed then got up an hour ago to investigate. As modern cars go access is not too bad on the Subaru, no bumper off nonsense etc., so I quickly sussed that the bulb was blown. I replaced that from stock and then refitted the cover etc and closed the bonnet. Turned on the lights for a final check and was dismayed to see the nearside parking light out HmmP I'm certain it was on in the night!!! Opened it up again and replaced that bulb and now all is working correctly. Just as well, MOT booked for tomorrow!! :)
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

Some useful kit in this DIY man's sale at AMS (the saleroom where Gibbo found his Zoe I believe): :-D

https://www.ams.uk/catalogue.cgi?preview=y&auction=2072
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
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Re: DIY with function over finesse!!

Post by mickthemaverick »

Well the car passed the MOT with two advisories: nearside numberplate light not working and small hole in the tailpipe.

As I was bored this morning I decided to sort the number plate light, easy job I thought, remove two screws, pull out the light and replace the bulb. So I backed the car into the garage doorspace to give me covered work area and opened the boot. What type of screws are they I wondered?, looked at the lenses to discover there are no screws on this car!! So that meant boot lid liner out and replace the bulb from inside. Was I grateful for having invested in a set of trim tools!! The liner is held in place by 9 trim plugs and 2 studs which are the "lid closing stoppers". All 11 came straight off with the correct trim lever and the liner fell down without any jiggling whatsoever. The number plate lamps were then accesible through moulding apertures and I replaced the lamp from stock. Repositioned the liner and replaced all 11 plugs and job jobbed!!

The exhaust will have to wait until I next take the car to the mancave and probably a bit of Tigging will be involved! :-D
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
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