Ok OK, perhaps my comments were not meant to be a total annihilation of AB’s name although to some it would seem like it.
It was more frustration and spur of the moment stuff.(hehehe, but that was yesterday eh)
I know the thing had worked for 20 years and now will probably chug on for another 20. I would call that pretty reliable.
I know the world has changed into a disposable world and the term ‘uneconomical repair’ has slipped into service engineers everyday language. (the local dump is full of VCR’s, monitors and TV’s that probably have only minor faults)
but in this case what would you do?
The machine was not working, I was not the first on the scene - 2 others had attempted repairs, one had rewired the outgoing circuit, the other changed the solenoid valve. The result was, it was still the same – the valve intermittently chattering.
Along comes Goody, he checks the voltage at the output and he sees the voltage fluctuating while the output light is steady. A talk with the manager – new plc or attempt internal repair. Of course he is going to go with the faster and cheaper option.
I am a business man too and I know which I would rather have done but business is not all about making as much money as you can, as fast as you can.
I did not expect too many problems by opening the box but as you know by now, I did.
Halfway in, it crossed my mind to turn back and change tack but I am made of stronger stuff than that.
The result is a better than before machine because I also replaced the older blown output (it controlled a warning lamp) The customer knows the rest of the outputs are 20 years old and I will not be going back in there for another repair.
I might end up with, as they say in Yorkshire where I live –
‘the bun and the ha’penny’ (what does that mean to the yanks hehehehe)
As Ron says, it has been a good topic with some interesting opinions, I am surprised Terry hasn’t give me a bit of good natured stick, last I heard he was moving to England. Maybe he is going to call on me looking for work, so he is holding back