Electronics (non) repair story

[windeguy]

I will relate a recent experience in trying to get a dolby surround sound multi channel output receiver fixed. This receiver has left, right, center and rear outputs. First attempt was by a fellow in Puerto Plata near Bournigal Clinic. What he ended up doing was connecting the left and right speaker connections together so there was only a monaural signal coming out and charging $1,500 pesos. It makes you think you have the system working, but all he did was add a piece of wire. It took him two attempts to get that far and fail. He has a thriving shop for audio/TV repair and parts in Puerto Plata, but I wonder how many things he actually repairs.

Next, a fellow in Jarabacoa got the receiver to work in stereo, but left the center channel power transistors unsoldered while charging 1,200 pesos. He probably swapped out a bad pair of transistors and moved the failed pair to the center channel. From all of this I learned that the issue appeared to be a problem only with the output transistors, and they are fairly easy to replace, I decided to order some from the US and replaced the bad center channel devices to get it to work properly again. Another example of it you cannot get it done right, you have to do it yourself that is quite common here.

Please keep in mind that I have a background designing digital electronics with a some experience in designing analog circuits/power supplies. Soldering parts is not a problem for me. The hard part for anyone is usually determining which parts are bad and here getting the replacement parts can be an issue. These people both clearly new the transistors were bad, but didn't correctly fix the problems.

I encourage any of you to post good experiences with having electronics repaired ( especially on the north coast) so others will have some options.

[MrMike]

Hey, if the bachatta goes plinky plinky plinky, then it works OK? If you dont like the sound drink more beer.

[windeguy]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Hey, if the bachatta goes plinky plinky plinky, then it works OK? If you dont like the sound drink more beer.

Worse, yet would be an Antony Santos merengue with those 2 chords over and over and over and over....

LOL, that is certainly part of the thought process in the repair non-process here.

I just put on a classic- Stevie Wonder - no plinky plinky .

[amparocorp]

i am curious as to what the techs blamed the problem on. i was told once that classical music was bad for my speakers, high notes from violins cause the speakers to tear.

[MrMike]

I think the point of the OP's post is that the techs were oblivious to there being any problem in the first place.

These guys listen to music loud and outdoors, usually in a colmadon, where stereo sound doesn't really come into effect (since it relies on the listeners position in relation to the speakers)

Hence the self taught techs often don't even know what it is. Got a stereo channel burnt? Hook both speakers up to the other side, problem solved. Give them a home theater receiver with 5 or more channels output and they really start to scratch their heads (they dont have any dolby suround devices to test it with, even if they knew what that was)

[JDJones]

I gave my $$$$$ Amplifier to a guy in Puerto Plata next to PUCMM once, because one side went out. I went back a few days later to see how he was doing, and discovered he had taken it completely apart, and didn't have a CLUE how to put it back together.

I took it home, and finally threw it in the trash after about 5 years of lugging it around.

[DrChrisHE]

Originally Posted by JDJones

I gave my $$$$$ Amplifier to a guy in Puerto Plata next to PUCMM once, because one side went out. I went back a few days later to see how he was doing, and discovered he had taken it completely apart, and didn't have a CLUE how to put it back together.

I took it home, and finally threw it in the trash after about 5 years of lugging it around.

Oh this sounds too familiar...how to bring something in, return with it in 1000 pieces. We made this mistake with a CAR so be glad it was ONLY an amp. I practically had a canary on the spot (dismantled from the engine to the interior). The problem is that some of us get so frustrated that we give up, collect our parts and EITHER find someone else who MAY fix it or do it ourselves.

[amparocorp]

it is a genetic, inborn trait evident even in my 6 year old dominican son. there is nothing that he doesn't know how to do, and will not accept help or instruction. nothing is ever his fault when it goes wrong. same goes for my wife...............

[windeguy]

My receiver developed this problem because it was being run at high volume for an extended period of time while being powered from an inverter. When I checked the internet for similar issues with Sony receivers like mine, I found out that they tend to run hot. Running the receiver using inverter power made it run even hotter than normal and burned out some of the output transistors.

After I made the recent repairs, I put a fan on it (same kind of fan that cools computer equipment). Hopefully this will keep it cooler. At least now I know what to look for and can probably repair it myself if it should have further problems.

The techs who looked at it were simply not telling the truth that they repaired it, despite the fact that this is a fairly simple repair to do for someone with just a volt meter to identify the problem.

[Theforceinme]

Are you guys taking your equipment to authorized repair places? Seems like you're taking the equipment to 'mom and pop' shops. I would highly recommend against this in the DR. You all know there is a lack of basic education in the DR. This extends to repair shops... they just patch things, quick fixes... unfortunately are not all able to fully repair and make it like new.

This is just generalizing though, as some mom and pop stores are quite knowledgeable.