Simple home DIY repairs

[Jtb]

On 8/5/2021 at 12:20 PM, Karoon said:

 Anyone could recommend a cheap, durable transparent electric kettle? Bought ones from Giant, NTUC etc (already 3) with 1 year warranty and they each die after a year.

(Need transparent to give comfort its not a gecko pool) 

Tried diy troubleshoot using multimeter. The problem is always the toggle switch. You can remove it and give it a hammer, it will work for a few more days, then die.

 

 

https://sg.cornellappliances.com/launch-of-the-1st-cornell-eco-thermal-pot-where-you-can-get-it-free-in-6-months/

[Arogab]

Buy one for using gas, they seldom spoil at all😁

[Gadgeter]

On 8/5/2021 at 11:24 AM, Kklim said:

Anyone knows how I can disable the dimming function on this?
https://ibb.co/xF5PVs1

On/off switch is to left of the dimmer knob. Bypass the knob and wire straight to switch? 
 

any reason why you want to disable the dimming function? Change of lights?
recently, i started to replace all my switch to smart type.

[Lala81]

51 minutes ago, Arogab said:

Buy one for using gas, they seldom spoil at all😁

You'd be surprised. maybe even more dangerous. The whistling kettle can spoil one after a few years.
Can boil water, but stop whistling.

So sometimes u totally forget about the kettle. Happened to my mum a few times. So we switched to electric in the 2000s.

I try to set a timer on alexa when i leave my stove on, or else sometimes really forget about it.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Lala81

[Arogab]

7 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

You'd be surprised. maybe even more dangerous. The whistling kettle can spoil one after a few years.
Can boil water, but stop whistling.

So sometimes u totally forget about the kettle. Happened to my mum a few times. So we switched to electric in the 2000s.

I try to set a timer on alexa when i leave my stove on, or else sometimes really forget about it.

 

 

Oh, I never experienced that. My one at home is maybe 17 years liao. Or I should say the old one was old that my wife lazy to clean then buy one with bigger capacity after 7 or 8 years.

I do agree with you old people is safer using the electric one like you say. Gives me a good point. Also good thread, I DIY most of my stuffs for years

[Jman888]

34 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

You'd be surprised. maybe even more dangerous. The whistling kettle can spoil one after a few years.
Can boil water, but stop whistling.

So sometimes u totally forget about the kettle. Happened to my mum a few times. So we switched to electric in the 2000s.

I try to set a timer on alexa when i leave my stove on, or else sometimes really forget about it.

 

 

so far all my kettle whistle never spoil, I have to throw them away just to get new one every few years

 

[Lala81]

43 minutes ago, Jman888 said:

so far all my kettle whistle never spoil, I have to throw them away just to get new one every few years

 

Think my mum's one that spoilt was the whistle is in the lid type. Can hear it when u are in the kitchen, but not loud enough

[Kklim]

1 hour ago, Gadgeter said:

any reason why you want to disable the dimming function? Change of lights?
recently, i started to replace all my switch to smart type.

Ya. Old light failing so removed it. Don't want anything too bright coz have two fish tanks below. 

[Kb27]

So nothing to do on a Saturday. Try to repair this black patch on a calculator I was about to throw away.

 

Open up the casing and find the black patch

 

Peel off the silvery sticker

 

Clean up the remaining adhesive with isopropyl alcohol

 

Stick a new aluminum tape cut to size over the display

 

Now it's done. Defective silvery sticker on top, and aluminum tape I used for the repair.

 

The culprit was the backing silvery sticker. It breaks down and is no longer reflecting light. Thus you see the black patch. This kind of LCD depends on reflected light.

 

[Ender]

1 minute ago, Kb27 said:

So nothing to do on a Saturday. Try to repair this black patch on a calculator I was about to throw away.

 

Open up the casing and find the black patch

 

Peel off the silvery sticker

 

Clean up the remaining adhesive with isopropyl alcohol

 

Stick a new aluminum tape cut to size over the display

 

Now it's done. Defective silvery sticker on top, and aluminum tape I used for the repair.

 

The culprit was the backing silvery sticker. It breaks down and is no longer reflecting light. Thus you see the black patch. This kind of LCD depends on reflected light.

 

This might be useful in my case. I have one weighing m/s with darken LCD.. Can use aluminum foil?

[Kb27]

30 minutes ago, Ender said:

This might be useful in my case. I have one weighing m/s with darken LCD.. Can use aluminum foil?

Yes, aluminum foil ok, but it needs to stick to the display so it can reflect light. It's easier with aluminum tape sticker since it already has adhesive.

Anything that is bright and reflect light will work.

[Ender]

2 hours ago, Kb27 said:

Yes, aluminum foil ok, but it needs to stick to the display so it can reflect light. It's easier with aluminum tape sticker since it already has adhesive.

Anything that is bright and reflect light will work.

Steady... Think I'll get the Aluminum tape first before attempting. Thanks...

[Volvobrick]

2 hours ago, Kb27 said:

Yes, aluminum foil ok, but it needs to stick to the display so it can reflect light. It's easier with aluminum tape sticker since it already has adhesive.

Anything that is bright and reflect light will work.

Good info. I may have to repair the LCD on my rower. 

[Kb27]

Be careful when you're removing the original back sticker. Some people use penknife, I advice against it. Bcuz you might damage the polarising filter below.

Either use fingernail like me, or a plastic tool. A plastic (inactive) credit card can work also. Once you lift a corner on the edge of the sticker, you should be able to peel it off slowly, comfortably.

[Ender]

Following @Kb27 's instructions, finally fixed the LCD panel of my weighing mc. Got some stain mark, maybe didn't clean properly. But I'll leave it there since the panel is functional again. 

[Ct3833]

@Kb27 Good stuff . By the way, where did you get that reflective strip? and about polarizer, I thought the polarizer is in front of the panel?  Only the reflective is at the rear? 

[Kb27]

19 minutes ago, Ct3833 said:

@Kb27 Good stuff . By the way, where did you get that reflective strip? and about polarizer, I thought the polarizer is in front of the panel?  Only the reflective is at the rear? 

It's just aluminum tape, it's reflective enough.

I think there are 2 polarizers, one in front and one behind. Anyway, just be be careful not to scratch it or damage the wires etc. It will be bad if you fix the reflection but end up with a dead device. 😃

Edited September 17, 2021 by Kb27

[Gizmore]

Hi all. Need some advice on on glass door hinge repair.

One of the plastic washer of my bi-fold kitchen glass door has worn out.

Anybody knows a shop that I can buy the hinge or the plastic washer?

It's the piece highlighted in yellow.