| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| dpack |
dishwasher repairour dw lost function on the hot and auto buttons, once the door and control panel were open getting the buttons and pcb out as a unit was a bit fiddly. once it was out a bit more fiddling established that the problem was two tiny bits of plastic "springs" that had snapped .just the box bit is not available and a whole unit is £140 + vat and out of stock as it is 7 yrs old. ,torx set , leatherman , tweezers, super glue , 2 sizes of plastic tube and a couple of bits of wicker off my basket was enough to dig out the broken bits re cut the remaining bits of "spring" and make two new button shafts to push the switches on the pcb. tis all back together and working ,good fun and a lot cheaper than the part or a new dw 
it has made me wonder how many things get scrapped cos a tiny bit of a 20p plastic moving part breaks 
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| Nick |
Far too many. But next time buy Bosch and check Espares. |
| Slim |
Maybe less in Sweden with their proposed new tax break for repairs? |
| dpack |
i had noticed the swedish good sense re repairs, i expect that things that come with a 25 yr parts availability promise like meile stuff and bosch with their reasonably priced modules and spares will out sell the short life / hard to mend stuff from now on.
my mum and dad had one of these thor washer/dishwasers when they first came out as my dad worked for a firm that made laundry equipment among other things and i think he got it as a work related bargain. in the 40 yrs they had it before they replaced it i can remember taking a 4 leg puller to it once to change the main bearing, re filling the centrifugal flywheel speed limiter thing with fresh oil once and replacing the water pump once. in the ten years after that they had 3 new modern ones. proper solid kit that could rip your arm off if you stuck it in the spin cycle 
when this dw is eventually beyond fixing i recon i will either go for a new bosch or a 10 yr old meile. our boiler is 20 on the outside but most of the working parts have been replaced so tis effectively almost new
the cooker is in the process of having the hot bits replaced so again is becoming new ,my grannie had an electric cooker over 50 yrs with assorted replacement elements, im unlikely to get that out of this one but getting it past 5 with a few repairs aint too bad these days. the new stick blender is on it's second mend in a year or so but for a tenner that seems reasonable. etc etc i dont like "disposable" stuff (bog roll and wallpapering knife blades excepted ). bits eventually break but if they can be repaired/replaced it makes lots of sense rater than replacing a hundred good parts cos one is busted, not breaking is best but a new axe handle now and again etc. |
| Mistress Rose |
I agree about being able to mend things. We try to buy things that will last as it is far more economical if you can get spares, even if you have to pay our more in the first place. This assumes of course that you can afford the initial price.
My parents had an electiric cooker in 1947 when they got married, and I think it finally gave up in the 1980s. It had to be switched off at the mains after use in the end as one of the hotplates was inclined to come on without being turned on, but otherwise worked well. Made, in conjunction with Mum, beautiful Victoria sponges. My Bosch washing machine and spin dryer are still going strong after more than 30 years and the dishwasher, after a shirt button caused some problems from the beginning is about 30 years old now I think. |
| Woo |
Good work Dpack, nothing less than I would expect though. 
I find new items are too complicated and go wrong too easily because of it. I have a meille washer which still goes when required 18 years on. the problem was it would not hot fill and we needed it to because of how we create power. also its capacity was getting limiting for 6 of us. we purchased a new one with hot and cold fill, not easy to find I can tell you. it is great in so much as it also holds a huge load and the motor is efficient. but there have already been problems and one reviewer described it as needing a F1 car style body you have to take the thing apart that regularly... luckily himself is terribly good at fixing stuff... just wish he didn't have to spend so much time doing it. before his sight went wobbly he would diagnose and repair to micro component level. its not broken its a new challenge! |