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That $12 lamp I tried to fix ate up three whole afternoons
I found this cool little desk lamp at a thrift shop in Portland for $12, figured it just needed a new switch or bulb holder. Three afternoons later I had tested every single wire, replaced two capacitors I didn't even need to mess with, and bought a multimeter I probably won't use again for a year. Turned out the problem was a tiny crack in the brass contact inside the socket, took me about 30 seconds to bend it back into shape with a toothpick. Felt like a real goofball when I realized how simple it was, but hey, now I know way more about lamp wiring than I ever wanted to. Has anyone else spent way too long fixing something that ended up having a dead simple fix?
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hugo_moore23h ago
Three afternoons is NOTHING. I spent the better part of a WEEK on a stupid vacuum cleaner my wife picked up at a garage sale for five bucks. I rebuilt the whole brush roll assembly, replaced the belt twice, took the motor apart and cleaned it, even rewired the switch. Turns out the clog was just stuck right behind the hose inlet. I could have cleared it in about 90 seconds with a coat hanger. So I feel your pain, but I honestly think those long troubleshooting sessions are worth it. You learned a ton about lamp wiring that you'll probably use again someday. Plus that multimeter? You'll be shocked how often that thing comes in handy once you own one.
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oliver_torres44h ago
Three afternoons on one lamp is kind of a lot though.
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