From: James Sweet 
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking misc.consumers.frugal-living sci.electronics.repair alt.home.repair misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Planned Obselescence....A Good Thing?
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 04:11:53 GMT


> 
> But it's the same reason that I continue to accept and use old
> appliances that I can repair myself.
> For example I refuse to buy a stove that incorporates a digital
> timer/clock; they are virtually unrepairable! Eventually can see
> myself, however, ending up with one of those and deliberately
> disconnecting the digital timer clock or modifying the stove to use one
> my older (saved) clock/timers or just dong away with the timer
> altogether.
> 

Why are they virtually unrepairable? The timer/clock modules have only a 
handful of parts, and most of them are pretty standard. On top of that, 
it's very rare in my experience for them to fail. The one microwave I've 
fixed that had a problem with the timer board, it was a cracked solder 
joint at a relay and was easy to fix. I've never seen a bad custom IC on 
one, not saying it can't happen but it's certainly rare.

I have however seen quite a few of the synchronous motors that used to 
drive the mechanical clock/timer assemblies fail.