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I tend to agree with the $10 phone battery example, but not necessarily the TV or fridge example. Perhaps I'm biased because I know how to repair the first, bu
by fanzhang 9y ago
I tend to agree with the $10 phone battery example, but not necessarily the TV or fridge example. Perhaps I'm biased because I know how to repair the first, but the latter two seems like I need to take time to learn the specialized skill of diagnosing it and repairing it.
Repairability isn't a very visible or salient feature of a product. So manufacturers probably do underoptimize for repairability. They can probably do more to make the most breakable parts user accessible and have self-diagnostics.
In many of the cases where repairing makes sense, the manufacturer often does make it easy. We change the oil filter on the car and don't throw the car away. Yet if a engine bricks on a 20-year-old beater, even experienced auto repairman may recommend scrapping the car over an engine replacement -- despite the engine being a visually small part of the car.
- omikun 9y agoThe capacitors in TVs and monitors are easy to fix. Just look for bulging caps, desolder those, then order replacements and solder the new ones back on. I’ve fixed a couple with no real knowledge other than basic soldering skills and some googling. I’ve also fixed a dryer by soldering two contacts together. It’s amazing what a little soldering know-how can accomplish.
- adrianN 9y agoCalling the TV repair man when the TV broke used to be the normal thing to do. Today you just buy a new one. Replacing a capacitor is easy and cheap when you know what to do, but even when you have to call a professional it's usually much cheaper than replacing the whole thing. Still, people don't do that anymore.
- walshemj 9y agoAnd you also called the TV repairman as messing with the HT circuits (which can carry a really nasty voltage) was not for amateurs.