Fix It? or Throw it in the Gutter and Go Buy Another

I looked at the lamp in the back yard and it was flickering and I said “Oh brother, I’ll throw it in the gutter and go buy another”

“But wait a minute these things are $40 bucks” she said.

“Yeah?”, doesn’t matter it’s cheap.

To appease, I jumped on the Google and searched the interwebs.  I found a tutorial with a video at LED Supply. The article read: Yes, you can totally fix this and it will only cost ya 10 bucks free shipping. I whipped out the credit card and filled in the forms on the E-Commerce website and I pressed the “buy” button. That was Sunday.

I received the email on Monday my part had shipped and the ETA was Saturday. I get home from the Salt Mines today and what do I find on the kitchen table but a wee little package with my new part to fix the flickering light.

I put down the package and I’ll said I’ll do it after dinner.

Dinner is done, now let’s get to fixin!

I pulled the article and now I’ll link it

Altair Lighting LED Lantern: LED Driver Replacement

I pulled the lamp off the wall and with no electrocution. Now that it’s on the table I followed the instructions. A couple screws here and 3 screws there. Remove the LED driver and cut some wires. Installed the new driver and connected some wires. Three screws in then mount the lamp with 2 screws and 2 nuts.

Bingo, It works.

This still makes me think. What is worth fixing and what is easier to toss and buy new. I saved at least 30 bucks and time driving to Costco or ordering on amazon. It’s possible I might have had to buy 2 so they matched now saving $70 dollars. Since this is the home of the parental units they are happy and for them it cost them nothing. But they like that I saved them some money just like when I fixed the oven 2 weeks ago saving $200 or more.

When you have broken things you need to think of more than just the cost to replace.

  • What is the cost of the time to replace it
  • Can you do it negating that cost
  • Do you have to pay someone
  • Does it need to be done now
  • Do you want to buy new so you can have new item (which still could fail as things are cheap)
  • Can you learn something when doing this
  • NO, I WILL NOT DO THIS FOR YOU! I charge to much

The video

 

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Loren Nason

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