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  3. Manufacturers using Tamper Proof Screws on equipment I Bought and Own

Manufacturers using Tamper Proof Screws on equipment I Bought and Own

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  • B Bram van Kampen

    Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

    Bram van Kampen

    L Offline
    L Offline
    Lost User
    wrote on last edited by
    #12

    This is yet another way they try to lock in their customers. Repair and maintainance can only be done if you have the right tools. This also has been quite popular with car manufacturers until they were required by law to make their custom tools, software and diagnostic devices available to independent workshops.

    The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
    This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a fucking golf cart.
    "I don't know, extraterrestrial?" "You mean like from space?" "No, from Canada." If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • B Basildane

      Alright, I have to tell this one. 2 weeks ago my wife's hybrid car threw all kinds of error messages. The traction battery was dead and had to be replaced. That's the big one. She was near a dealer so drove it right in. They said it would be $3,200 to install a new battery pack. I said, uh, thanks, I'll fix it myself. They said ha, you can't do that. Long story short, last weekend we took the back of the car apart, extracted the battery pack, put it on the bench, isolated the dead cell. Ordered a new cell from China. Installed it, balanced the cells, reinstalled the pack, cleared the errors, tested the car, runs like new again. Total cost including shipping of the new cell $39. They have all kinds of warning about you will die a horrible electric death if you touch this. Well, I touched it.

      L Offline
      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #13

      Lithiun Something cells are no toys. They tend to explode and burn if they are treated the wrong way or at the end of their life, and the smoke is not exactly good for your health as well. On the other side, these cells have a limited lifetime and should therefore be easy to access and replace. It could be made as easy as plugging in the new cell and letting the electronics in the car do all checking and balancing. The downside to your approach is that now not all cells are equally old and unbalanced voltages will happen more often as the other older cells degrade. This does not really help to prolong the life of the other cells, including the new ones you installed. Repeating this procedure all the time may also cost some nerves. Edit: And now I'm going to take the LiPolys I have charged and go out on a field to fly a little.

      The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
      This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a fucking golf cart.
      "I don't know, extraterrestrial?" "You mean like from space?" "No, from Canada." If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • B Bram van Kampen

        Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

        Bram van Kampen

        D Offline
        D Offline
        dandy72
        wrote on last edited by
        #14

        So-called "tamper-proof" screws aren't designed to keep everyone out, they're just intended to discourage the amateurs. To that end, they're probably effective enough for manufacturers to keep using them.

        B 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • B Bram van Kampen

          Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

          Bram van Kampen

          C Offline
          C Offline
          charlieg
          wrote on last edited by
          #15

          Bram - agree with you. Months ago, I had to replace my wife's keyboard on her Samsung laptop (don't buy Samsung laptops - truly the ultimate consumer design). Usually, I just dig into the bottom, unscrew the 3 or 4 screws holding the keyboard and out it comes. This time? I had to grind off the plastic pegs that were melted during manufacturing. Never have I seen such nonsense. I should have known when I called their support line trying to get into the bottom of the unit - wanted to swap in an SSD. They told me: you can't do that, it won't fit. :laugh: at them, really?

          Charlie Gilley <italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape... "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783 “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759

          F 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • B Bram van Kampen

            Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

            Bram van Kampen

            M Offline
            M Offline
            Martijn Smitshoek
            wrote on last edited by
            #16

            Not 40 kV. Had it been 40 kV, the x-ray negative of your skeleton would have been printed on the wall behind you. The limit was 25 kV, which was just low enough for the leaded glass to keep the x-ray emission from exiting the tube and nuking your progeny. BTW search a little more and you will find bits that will unlock your cryptic screws for you. Triangular, fork-like, torx with a dot, you name it.

            C B 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • B Bram van Kampen

              Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

              Bram van Kampen

              K Offline
              K Offline
              KC CahabaGBA
              wrote on last edited by
              #17

              I resent the term 'tamper proof'. What right does the manufacture have to make a wholesale determination that my intent is to 'tamper' by simply opening something? If their engineering team had devised the 'perfect' device then there would be no cause to open it and thereby justifying the term but until they can keep all performance inhibiting materials out and build the perfect device that will never break, wear out, become contaminated by external encroachment; GET OFF MY LAWN!! I own it, I will do with it what I choose! (as noted by the OP)

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • B Basildane

                Alright, I have to tell this one. 2 weeks ago my wife's hybrid car threw all kinds of error messages. The traction battery was dead and had to be replaced. That's the big one. She was near a dealer so drove it right in. They said it would be $3,200 to install a new battery pack. I said, uh, thanks, I'll fix it myself. They said ha, you can't do that. Long story short, last weekend we took the back of the car apart, extracted the battery pack, put it on the bench, isolated the dead cell. Ordered a new cell from China. Installed it, balanced the cells, reinstalled the pack, cleared the errors, tested the car, runs like new again. Total cost including shipping of the new cell $39. They have all kinds of warning about you will die a horrible electric death if you touch this. Well, I touched it.

                R Offline
                R Offline
                rnbergren
                wrote on last edited by
                #18

                your in Heaven now. You just don't know you have died.

                To err is human to really mess up you need a computer

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • C charlieg

                  Bram - agree with you. Months ago, I had to replace my wife's keyboard on her Samsung laptop (don't buy Samsung laptops - truly the ultimate consumer design). Usually, I just dig into the bottom, unscrew the 3 or 4 screws holding the keyboard and out it comes. This time? I had to grind off the plastic pegs that were melted during manufacturing. Never have I seen such nonsense. I should have known when I called their support line trying to get into the bottom of the unit - wanted to swap in an SSD. They told me: you can't do that, it won't fit. :laugh: at them, really?

                  Charlie Gilley <italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape... "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783 “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759

                  F Offline
                  F Offline
                  Foothill
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #19

                  charlieg wrote:

                  don't buy Samsung laptops

                  Don't buy Samsung products period. The only Samsung product that I have owned that didn't die early is my Android phone (Galaxy S4). BluRay Player: stopped recognizing BluRay disks after 11 months Multi-Function Printer: became a $300 paperweight in less than a year after every sheet of paper would jam with no clear way to repair 26" Widescreen Monitor: rendered useless when the transformer/filter for the back-light fried. Luckily I was able to order that $1.75 part from China and there were lots of how-to fix videos on the internet. I don't think I will buy another Samsung product again.

                  if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); } Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016

                  C B 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • B Bram van Kampen

                    Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

                    Bram van Kampen

                    M Offline
                    M Offline
                    Mike Otterbine
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #20

                    I think this whole topic is not valid in light if reality... The reality? Yes, it's yours to do with what you want - but then you sue after you hurt yourself or burn down your apartment building...(then your neighbors sue you - then all of you sue the iron company) So, you cannot look at this topic without taking into account the liability people like you, yes you, create for honest companies... Two idiots in NJ (some time ago) picked up a running lawnmower and used it to cut hedges...they failed and got hurt...They won in court.... That's why all the 'stupid' restrictions...Now grow up and understand the world your infantile demands have created....

                    B 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • B Bram van Kampen

                      Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

                      Bram van Kampen

                      U Offline
                      U Offline
                      User 12328618
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #21

                      Also, despite the stickers or screws that warn warranty void if opened, that is not true. Legally, they have to prove that your opening and modifying the device caused it to fail. If I replace the battery in my phone and the screen goes out, then the screen is covered because obviously the two are unrelated. As far as the star screw with the stub in the middle, a drill bit can take care of that. Actually, a screw extractor can take care of any security screw, just have the right sized one on hand to replace it.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • B Bram van Kampen

                        Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

                        Bram van Kampen

                        K Offline
                        K Offline
                        Kirk 10389821
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #22

                        My refrigerator started freezing. the guy showed me the PLASTIC part. He says they break every 6-8 yrs to encourage you buying a new one. They used to be metal. My Pontiac Aztec has had EVERY window motor kit replaced. The driver side window, 3 times. The mechanic showed me the PLASTIC wheel that used to be aluminum. He said he has seen the old ones last for 20yrs. The new ones get about 4-6 (so just after they come off lease). And the cheap ones you get to replace them cost LESS than the LABOR to install them. There are 2 things going on. First is planned obsolescence, and the second is non-user servicable. Find the tools, and fix them. Like you are doing. KitchenAid has a great standing blender. Well, the CONSUMER one is basically the same as the commercial, but again, one of the main gears is now made of plastic instead of metal. It breaks. The original design was all metal and have been handed down from grand parents. That is now the Commercial version. It is clearly not accidental. So, I wonder what your feeling would be about buying a TRACTOR from John Deere, only to find out that software can shut you out of performing repairs? [Why American Farmers Are Hacking Their Tractors With Ukrainian Firmware - Motherboard](https://motherboard.vice.com/en\_us/article/why-american-farmers-are-hacking-their-tractors-with-ukrainian-firmware)

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • B Bram van Kampen

                          Hi, We all know those screws with no Star, Slot, Philips op Posidrive self tapping screws. Star(Torque) and Hex Drives with a pip in the centre to stop me inserting a standard tool to undo the screw. The question is 'Why' manufacturers go to this length. I am talkin about small domestic appliances, for instance Irons and Toasters. It has been mentioned that they try to protect a patent inside. Well, if I was after discovering an important patent, I would go to the Patents Office, and request the Patent Documentation. Moreover, if I indeed wanted to look inside to see how it works, a hacksaw and an angle grinder would in most if not all cases give me access to the innards. Another reason that has been mentioned is 'Consumer Safety' That comes into play were voltages seriously higher than 240/380 Volt come into play. Historically, a Colour CRT had a voltage applied in the range of around 40kV. Never seen tamper proof screws used in these scenario's. Another app is the Power Supply in a Microwave Oven, which uses a Voltage Multiplier Stack to generate voltages between 4 and 16 kV. Never found any security screws there either. A Further reason stated was: 'No User Serviceable Parts Inside', in other words, This is Our Area, Don't Go There. That is the most annoying one. I do not rent the appliance, I Bought it, and I own it. It is for me to do with as I wish, modify it as I wish, and accepting that as soon as I open or modify it, that I am out on my own, and that factory guarantees are null and void. All in all, I do not accept that I should be locked out of an appliance I have bought, by tamperproof screws. Running a Laundrette for 20 years, Irons fail, mostly because of a temperature over run, and the thermal fuse failing. A Steam Generator Iron? All works on 220/240 Volt. Nothing of extreme danger there. Fit a New Thermal Fuse and the item will work again. By fitting tamper proof screws, the manufacturer makes such repair difficult, if not impossible. We get on average a Year out of an Iron by repairing. On average each Iron needs 3 repairs in it's one year life, before it is written off and dismantled for spares. Tamperproof Screws work against the motto of 'Repair, Re-Use, Re-Cycle' -

                          Bram van Kampen

                          P Offline
                          P Offline
                          patbob
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #23

                          There is a Right to Repair[^] movement in the US that is trying to stop manufacturers from preventing owners from repairing things. In the US, it's state-by-state legislation. Right now, Nebraska's legislation[^] is the one most under fire. Its amusing to see what excuses and rationalizations the corporations come up with.

                          I live in Oregon, and I'm an engineer.

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                          • M Martijn Smitshoek

                            Not 40 kV. Had it been 40 kV, the x-ray negative of your skeleton would have been printed on the wall behind you. The limit was 25 kV, which was just low enough for the leaded glass to keep the x-ray emission from exiting the tube and nuking your progeny. BTW search a little more and you will find bits that will unlock your cryptic screws for you. Triangular, fork-like, torx with a dot, you name it.

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                            Charles Programmer
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #24

                            I'm reminded of the line: "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." In your case though, you know not of what you speak. 25KV was not the limit, they used special glass in some of the later tubes, I remember personally encountering voltages of 30KV, and after I had left doing TV repair, reading of 35KV. I have no doubt that things went up from there. Stop showing your ignorance, and let things be said, there are far more knowledgeable folks out there than yourself.

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                            • F Foothill

                              charlieg wrote:

                              don't buy Samsung laptops

                              Don't buy Samsung products period. The only Samsung product that I have owned that didn't die early is my Android phone (Galaxy S4). BluRay Player: stopped recognizing BluRay disks after 11 months Multi-Function Printer: became a $300 paperweight in less than a year after every sheet of paper would jam with no clear way to repair 26" Widescreen Monitor: rendered useless when the transformer/filter for the back-light fried. Luckily I was able to order that $1.75 part from China and there were lots of how-to fix videos on the internet. I don't think I will buy another Samsung product again.

                              if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); } Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016

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                              charlieg
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #25

                              Don't get me started on my Samsung dishwasher. Best money I ever spent was the maintenance plan. After 18 months of self-maintenance, I said screw it. Sears was easily past twice the original price of the dishwasher by the time they finally fixed it. Never again

                              Charlie Gilley <italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape... "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783 “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759

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                              • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                You can buy "tamper proof" screw bit sets on Fleabay for peanuts - I have a few - so they don't really impact Repair, Reuse, Recycle in any significant way. They do prevent idiots getting them open while plugged in with a kitchen knife and suing the manufacturers when they hurt themselves and burn the house down. Most products these days are just that: replaceable products that are designed to be replaced relatively quickly. This is why I pay extra: my toaster for example is a Dualit instead of a Russell Hobbs because it's made of real metal, held together with real screws, and all the parts are buyable on FleaBay. If you are breaking irons every four months, you are buying domestic irons and using them industrially. I prefer the reverse: buy industrial and use domestically!

                                Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

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                                Bram van Kampen
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #26

                                Well, I know these bits, and, they could do the trick, but for the fact that it needs a 3 inch length to reach down the bottom of the 9/32" hole where the screw head is located. The ones for sale here are 1 inch long. They come with an extension which does not fit down the hole. Had the manufacturer used Standard Torq, Pozidrive or Philips Head screws, the problem would not have arisen.

                                Bram van Kampen

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                                • F Foothill

                                  charlieg wrote:

                                  don't buy Samsung laptops

                                  Don't buy Samsung products period. The only Samsung product that I have owned that didn't die early is my Android phone (Galaxy S4). BluRay Player: stopped recognizing BluRay disks after 11 months Multi-Function Printer: became a $300 paperweight in less than a year after every sheet of paper would jam with no clear way to repair 26" Widescreen Monitor: rendered useless when the transformer/filter for the back-light fried. Luckily I was able to order that $1.75 part from China and there were lots of how-to fix videos on the internet. I don't think I will buy another Samsung product again.

                                  if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); } Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016

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                                  Bram van Kampen
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #27

                                  Well, I Agree, Don't buy Samsung Mobile Phones either. My Wife's Samsung Galaxy phone's battery stopped holding charge after 9 months from new. Batteries replaced, phone repaired, and repaired again, Never fully Fixed. Then, a Samsung phone caught fire while charging, in the house of a friend of my daughter, somewhere in Ireland. Two young people dead. My wife retired her Samsung Galaxy since.

                                  Bram van Kampen

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                                  • B Basildane

                                    Alright, I have to tell this one. 2 weeks ago my wife's hybrid car threw all kinds of error messages. The traction battery was dead and had to be replaced. That's the big one. She was near a dealer so drove it right in. They said it would be $3,200 to install a new battery pack. I said, uh, thanks, I'll fix it myself. They said ha, you can't do that. Long story short, last weekend we took the back of the car apart, extracted the battery pack, put it on the bench, isolated the dead cell. Ordered a new cell from China. Installed it, balanced the cells, reinstalled the pack, cleared the errors, tested the car, runs like new again. Total cost including shipping of the new cell $39. They have all kinds of warning about you will die a horrible electric death if you touch this. Well, I touched it.

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                                    Bram van Kampen
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #28

                                    Well, You nearly make me eat my complaint, and I hope you are still alive to read this. Say your traction battery has an action radius of say 160 miles, and, assume say a conservative gas equivalent of 20 miles per galon. The battery then stores the energy equivalent of 8 galon of gas. That constitutes a serious Molotov cocktail that you now store in your garage and drive along the road. This would be something that should be done properly, so as to protect your own, and also public safety. The first question is, are the cells you buy from china for $39 fully up to spec, or, are they rejects that 'Still Work', but may become dangerous later in their life. I would be very weary of doing something like that myself, before I appraised myself of all the facts in the matter, including how to quality test the cells. This is actually a different issue. It comes down to: 'Should the Public be allowed to Create a Potential Fire Bomb'. I am unaware of legislation in the US, but would not at all be surprised if it was allowed there. Here in the UK, such things would be strictly forbidden by law.

                                    Bram van Kampen

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                                    • B Bram van Kampen

                                      Well, You nearly make me eat my complaint, and I hope you are still alive to read this. Say your traction battery has an action radius of say 160 miles, and, assume say a conservative gas equivalent of 20 miles per galon. The battery then stores the energy equivalent of 8 galon of gas. That constitutes a serious Molotov cocktail that you now store in your garage and drive along the road. This would be something that should be done properly, so as to protect your own, and also public safety. The first question is, are the cells you buy from china for $39 fully up to spec, or, are they rejects that 'Still Work', but may become dangerous later in their life. I would be very weary of doing something like that myself, before I appraised myself of all the facts in the matter, including how to quality test the cells. This is actually a different issue. It comes down to: 'Should the Public be allowed to Create a Potential Fire Bomb'. I am unaware of legislation in the US, but would not at all be surprised if it was allowed there. Here in the UK, such things would be strictly forbidden by law.

                                      Bram van Kampen

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                                      Basildane
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #29

                                      I get 86 mpg in hybrid mode, and 163 mpg in fully automatic mode. I am still alive, but I now unsubscribing from this thread. I think you are insane. There is no point in continuing this nonsense.

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                                      • M Martijn Smitshoek

                                        Not 40 kV. Had it been 40 kV, the x-ray negative of your skeleton would have been printed on the wall behind you. The limit was 25 kV, which was just low enough for the leaded glass to keep the x-ray emission from exiting the tube and nuking your progeny. BTW search a little more and you will find bits that will unlock your cryptic screws for you. Triangular, fork-like, torx with a dot, you name it.

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                                        Bram van Kampen
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #30

                                        No, Not to get into a Side Line argument, but I distinctly remember to have to buy a probe for UpTo 50 kV. My old one went up to 25 kV, and blew a link when used on a HT system marked 40 kV. Should not have tried it, but, at the time 'I was Young and Foolish'. I remember measuring 32 kV, indicating that the Line FlyBack transformer had a few shorted windings. Replaced same, and, the system worked again, bringing the voltage up to the specified 38.75 kV. This was in the late 1980's. I understand the issue with X-Rays, however, the manufacturers of these CRT Tubes must have found a way around the problems. I was at the time fixing TV's for friends, not designing CRT's

                                        Bram van Kampen

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                                        • M Mike Otterbine

                                          I think this whole topic is not valid in light if reality... The reality? Yes, it's yours to do with what you want - but then you sue after you hurt yourself or burn down your apartment building...(then your neighbors sue you - then all of you sue the iron company) So, you cannot look at this topic without taking into account the liability people like you, yes you, create for honest companies... Two idiots in NJ (some time ago) picked up a running lawnmower and used it to cut hedges...they failed and got hurt...They won in court.... That's why all the 'stupid' restrictions...Now grow up and understand the world your infantile demands have created....

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                                          Bram van Kampen
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #31

                                          Well,

                                          Member 11375229 wrote:

                                          Two idiots in NJ (some time ago) picked up a running lawnmower and used it to cut hedges...they failed and got hurt...They won in court....

                                          Well, I assume that the defendant in the case left a running lawnmower in a public place, which would be reckless behaviour, punishable by law if an accident occurs as a result. I doubt that the manufacturer of the lawnmower was held liable in that case. There are indeed issues about public safety, which I addressed elsewhere in this discussion. Everybody, in Every Action in their life, does things which can attract liability. From walking down the pavement to crossing the road. If the state were to protect us against all of this, the only way to do that would be a universal directive for everybody to stay at home and in bed. Then we would all die from hunger and thirst. Whereas the manufacturer has a duty to provide merchandise meeting the required safety requirements, the duty to maintain these requirements passes from the seller to the buyer at the point of sale. The point is, that when I buy an Item, it is Mine, to do with as I wish. There are a number of exceptions to this in the UK, which I accept as 'Reasonable' Foremost are the 'Gas Regulations' Although I own my Gas Fired Central Heating Boiler, I am by law not allowed to interfere with it, reason being: I could blow up my neighbours house (as wel as my own) by a faulty service. This is not enforced by secret screws, but, by force of law.

                                          Bram van Kampen

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