this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2024
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I came up with this question right after I wanted to take apart a microwave to see why it wasn't heating anything before I remembered that that's a very, VERY bad idea

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[โ€“] dan1101@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago

I had a problem with the control panel in my Panasonic microwave and was able to fix it pretty easily. Everything I needed to get to was inside the right front of the microwave; the control pad membrane and the sticker that goes on the front of it.

[โ€“] NeoToasty@kbin.melroy.org 3 points 2 hours ago

This is why we have specialized people who you call to handle these things.

[โ€“] CaptainBasculin@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

DO NOT backfeed your house's electricity with a generator when your electricity gets shut down. You might electrocute someone working on those lines.

[โ€“] Sam_Bass@lemmy.ml 1 points 58 minutes ago* (last edited 58 minutes ago)

At least have it set up downstream of the main shut off and make sure that main is off before firing up the generator. There are devices available commercially that do that for you but they aren't cheap and require professional installation.

[โ€“] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 5 hours ago
[โ€“] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 17 points 8 hours ago

Old CRT monitors. Particularly if they've been recently unplugged. There's a cable in there my old teacher used to call "the superman cable".

[โ€“] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 13 points 8 hours ago

Ok firstly.

Never, work on anything that is still connected to a power supply.

This includes any stored energy. Isolate it first. Gravitational, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic and chemical (if possible).

Don't fuck with stored energy.

Secondly.

Learn how to test if things are live, or have any stored energy.

Thirdly.

Once you KNOW you are safe. Go hard, learn all you can.

[โ€“] Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works 15 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

You can harvest the transformers for a couple junk microwaves to make an arc welder.

If you aren't experienced then pretty much all power supplies, battery backups, and motors should be left to someone else.

I saw someone lose a finger (later reattached) to a washing machine with a jammed tub. It was plugged in and on when they reached underneath it and yanked the belt, their sleeve ducked their hand into the drive wheel.

That said, if it fits your personality it can be both fun and satisfying to learn how to fix stuff. I try to teach anyone who's interested and asks. Except LG washing machines, those things can fuck right off.

[โ€“] pro_user@lemm.ee 6 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

How did they reattach the finger to the washing machine?

[โ€“] elucubra@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 hours ago

super glue. Don't get it on your eyelids, though.

[โ€“] Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works 4 points 8 hours ago

Duct tape of course

[โ€“] JackbyDev@programming.dev 5 points 8 hours ago
[โ€“] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 28 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

Desktop computer power supplies. Don't open them.

[โ€“] elucubra@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 hours ago

BS. Just drain capacitors. I've repaired a few (worthwhile ones) by replacing caps. You just need to know how. As with anything, read up.

[โ€“] tonyn@lemmy.ml 15 points 10 hours ago

How else am I supposed to put the magic smoke back in?

[โ€“] AlternateRoute@lemmy.ca 35 points 14 hours ago (1 children)
  • Laser / LED printers can blind you and may have larger capacitors.
  • Old CRT style TVs / Monitors can get you if not discharged correctly.
[โ€“] Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 9 points 13 hours ago (8 children)

Is it true they can hold on to a charge for decades? I was told that but it seemed unlikely.

[โ€“] JustCopyingOthers@lemmy.ml 4 points 6 hours ago

The coating on the inside of the tube can behave like a Leyden jar caps can accumulate charge over time even without an obvious power source.

[โ€“] JackbyDev@programming.dev 5 points 8 hours ago

I'm treating them like guns. Assume they're loaded until you prove otherwise.

[โ€“] FromPieces@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

That is my understanding. I remember hearing stories about dudes visiting a dump or whatever, kicking through the screen of a CRT and getting zapped like fuck

[โ€“] Naich@lemmings.world 2 points 9 hours ago

Unlikely. Even the best capacitors would discharge through leakage in 5 or 10 minutes.

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[โ€“] Trent@lemmy.ml 50 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

Anything with large capacitors?

[โ€“] TimLovesTech@badatbeing.social 29 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

And people don't realize how long they can hold power after the device has been "off".

Edit - I forgot to add my thing! A good example of something that doesn't sound scary is a TV, but it has large capacitors that can end you (or make a bad day).

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[โ€“] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 10 hours ago

Air conditioner. I melted a screwdriver.

[โ€“] mbt2402@hexbear.net 12 points 12 hours ago

kids today don't know about the scary suction cup on crts

[โ€“] erusuoyera@sh.itjust.works 19 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

This very much depends on your level of skill, experience and awareness of the dunning-kruger effect.

[โ€“] lemmyseizethemeans@lemmygrad.ml 6 points 13 hours ago (2 children)
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[โ€“] dumbass@leminal.space 22 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

If you're gonna take a washing machine apart and you cut all the wires, make sure you cut the main electrical plug off as well or your dumbass son (me) will plug it in and electrocute himself with it.

[โ€“] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

and electrocute himself with it.

Um, aktschully, you shocked yourself. If you electrocuted yourself, you would be dead.

ย 

WAIT. UNLESS YOU DID DIE. DOES THAT MAKE YOU A GHOST?!!! A GHOST THAT CAN TYPE ON KEYBOARDS!!! AMAZING!!!

[โ€“] dumbass@leminal.space 10 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Yes, I am a ghost, I don't type I just yell at it I till something happens, it's exhausting.

[โ€“] dan1101@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago

You are doing it the hard way. You can shrink yourself down and enter the keyboard. By flying underneath the key membranes you can short out the contacts and make the keys trigger. So I've heard.

[โ€“] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 9 hours ago (1 children)
[โ€“] dumbass@leminal.space 3 points 7 hours ago

It's not all bad tho, fuckin with people is fun.

[โ€“] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 16 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

This whole thread is making me anxious

[โ€“] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 24 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I'll expand the microwave to anything that can carry a large electrical charge without you really knowing. I had a UPC that started acting weird, that was one I just sent right back to the manufacturer. I'll swap out batteries, but I'm not cracking open something with that much potential energy stored in it without me fully understanding everything about it - and unless I helped build the thing I do not know enough about it.

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