Hidden thermal fuses
Date: 12-2025
Problem: Thermal fuse failure
Solution: Replace thermal fuse
Cost saved: £119.5
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Repair Log
Here is the repair log for my volunteering sessions at the Sparks Repair Cafe.
The motivation for this is partly that I enjoy helping people out and fixing things, but also the concern of the amount of e-waste that modern society is ending up with. Often these items are not designed to be fixed or even modified to work in a different way. The amount of plastic, chemicals, metals and rare earth metals that just end up in landfill is a distressing thought.
I only manage to take photos and keep track of a small sub-set of the repairs I do at Sparks, but I try to post the ones that I think are interesting, or that have a good story behind them. I also have a “Hall of Fame” section for repairs that I think are particularly impressive, or that saved something special from landfill.
Have a browse, and hopefully you find some awesome repairs, help on how to fix something similar, or get inspired to fix something yourself!!
2023 — 18 2024 — 38 2025 — 39 2026 — 11
Fixed — 80% Not fixed — 19%
Easy — 35 Medium — 33 Hard — 20 Not designed to be repaired — 18
Electronics — 50 Appliances — 45 Mechanical — 6
106 repairs logged £13137.96 saved 529.8kg from landfill CO₂ data coming
80% success rate 52% parts available 20% have documentation 66% medium or harder to repair
A selection of particularly notable repairs — ones with an interesting story, an impressive fix, or that saved something special from landfill.
Dehumidifier upside down board
Problem: Sensor to detect sideways was disconnected
Solution: Re-solder sensor wires
Cost saved: £110
Fun simple fix (once I found it!)
Amplifier Connector Fuzz
Problem: Lots of noise on left speaker channel
Solution: Solder new photo jack
Cost saved: 349.1
Satisfying finding the solution and such a simple fix once found!
Holy Grail Reverb Dead EEPROM
Problem: EEPROM is dead and won't boot
Solution: No fix
Cost saved: 0
Holy Grail Reverb dead EEPROM was fun to figure out!
Torpedo timer (Yes that cool)
Problem: Wouldn't wind up
Solution: Forward to watch maker contact
Cost saved: N/A
It is a WW2 submarine torpedo timer, need I say any more??
Exploded dishwasher triac
Problem: Exploded triac
Solution: Replace triac
Cost saved: £278.8
Fun exploded IC replacement
XBOX_hdmi_chip
Problem: HDMI chip failure
Solution: Replace HDMI chip
Cost saved: £139
Satisfyingly difficult solder job without a rework station!
Arcam_A38_Amplifier
Problem: Current source failure, transformer failure caused by regulator
Solution: Lots of work, replace transformer, regulator, transistors and passives
Cost saved: £1420
Complicated and satisfying repair of a high power audio amp
Audio Mixer USB Connector
Date: 12-2025
Problem: Broken USB Connector
Solution: New USB connector
Cost saved: £119.2
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Desk lamp disconnection
Date: 11-2025
Problem: Wires snapped off from lamp
Solution: Re-solder wires to lamp
Cost saved: £20
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Amplifier failed IC
Date: 11-2024
Problem: Main power IC failed
Solution: Replace main amplifier IC
Cost saved: £76
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Multi-cooker resettable fuse
Date: 11-2024
Problem: Fuse blown - RESETTABLE
Solution: Push button
Cost saved: 220
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Headphone plastic fix
Date: 11-2024
Problem: Snapped plastic
Solution: Insert copper rod
Cost saved: 90
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Why do clippers need a microcontroller?
Date: 11-2024
Problem: Dead microcontroller
Solution: N/A
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Bose Cinemate
Date: 11-2024
Problem: IR Receiver failed
Solution: Replace IR Receiver
Cost saved: 399.4
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Exploded amplifier IC - LM4766T
Date: 11-2024
Problem: Exploded IC
Solution: New IC
Cost saved: £117.5
CO₂ saved: 20kg kg
Headphones cable issue
Date: 11-2023
Problem: Intermittent connection
Solution: New audio cable
Cost saved: £80
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Bosch Cute Drill
Date: 10-2025
Problem: Drill filled with sawdust, misaligning gearbox
Solution: Clean out internals and reassemble
Cost saved: £170
CO₂ saved: 15 kg
Portable Speaker Batteries
Date: 10-2025
Problem: Failed batteries
Solution: New batteries
Cost saved: £110
CO₂ saved: 15 kg
Vacuum
Date: 10-2023
Problem: Belt had burnt through
Solution: Replace belt and clean head
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 15 kg
Broken Blinds
Date: 10-2023
Problem: Trapped mechanism
Solution: Re-attach string and fasten
Cost saved: £80
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Beautiful headphone design
Date: 09-2025
Problem: Attach new cable
Solution: Solder in new cable
Cost saved: £98
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Curse upon Krups engineer!
Date: 09-2025
Problem: Broken switch plastic!!!
Solution: New plastic
Cost saved: £50
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Water Fountain Leakage
Date: 09-2024
Problem: Water leaked into PCB
Solution: Replace components
Cost saved: £41
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Sony Walkman
Date: 09-2023
Problem: Intermittent audio connection
Solution: Get a replacement 3.5mm
Cost saved: £150
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Til’ the wheels come off
Date: 09-2023
Problem: Wheel kept slipping off a trolley
Solution: Widen diameter of axle
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Camera Lens Stuck
Date: 09-2023
Problem: Lens stuck opening
Solution: Bit of oil on mechanism
Cost saved: £50
CO₂ saved: 4 kg
Bad IMU Production
Date: 09-2023
Problem: Shorted connection on IMU
Solution: Remove excess solder
Cost saved: £75
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Sewing machine capacitor!
Date: 08-2025
Problem: Full speed sewing machine
Solution: Replace capacitor
Cost saved: 150
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Xbox One HDMI
Date: 08-2024
Problem: No HDMI signal received
Solution: Replace HDMI chip on motherboard
Cost saved: £94.85
CO₂ saved: 40 kg
Dead Charger Shaver
Date: 08-2024
Problem: Dead charging circuit
Solution: Scrapped for parts
Cost saved: £60
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Roberts Radio Voltage
Date: 08-2023
Problem: Screen won’t turn on
Solution: Removed the buck converter, replace with an LDO
Cost saved: £119.85
CO₂ saved: 4 kg
Air Fryer
Date: 08-2023
Problem: Dead thermal fuse
Solution: Replace thermal fuse
Cost saved: £59.80
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Sewing machine capacitor
Date: 07-2025
Problem: Shorted capacitor
Solution: New capacitor
Cost saved: 250
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Sage toaster control board
Date: 07-2025
Problem: IC had blown on control board
Solution: Can't replace IC!
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Pop goes the capacitor
Date: 07-2025
Problem: Exploded capacitor
Solution: Junk it
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Dehumidifier upside down board
Date: 07-2025
Problem: Sensor to detect sideways was disconnected
Solution: Re-solder sensor wires
Cost saved: £110
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Canon camera lens
Date: 07-2025
Problem: Stuck lens mechanism
Solution: Tiny dab of thin oil
Cost saved: £50
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Failed Battery pack for Vacuum
Date: 07-2025
Problem: Dead batteries
Solution: New batteries
Cost saved: £74
CO₂ saved: 15 kg
Amplifier Connector Fuzz
Date: 07-2025
Problem: Lots of noise on left speaker channel
Solution: Solder new photo jack
Cost saved: 349.1
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Koala Light
Date: 07-2024
Problem: Won't turn on
Solution: Dead battery, re-wire to be plug powered only
Cost saved: £15
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Kindle
Date: 07-2024
Problem: Stuck on screen
Solution: Send to Amazon for voucher off new kindle. Dead battery
Cost saved: £80
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Hair Straighteners
Date: 07-2024
Problem: Intermittently turning off
Solution: Re-solder wire connection
Cost saved: £160
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Akai Turntable
Date: 07-2024
Problem: Can't sync direct drive
Solution: Switch cleaner on potentiometers
Cost saved: £280
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Roberts Radio Switch
Date: 07-2023
Problem: Won’t switch FM/DAB Mode
Solution: Replace tactile switch
Cost saved: £110
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Shredded gears with your ebike_motor sir?
Date: 07-2023
Problem: Shredded planetary gears
Solution: Replace gearbox and bearings
Cost saved: £775
CO₂ saved: 150 kg
Squished wire in plug
Date: 06-2026
Problem: Squished wire causing resistance
Solution: Re-fit plug head
Cost saved: £5
CO₂ saved: 0.5 kg
Ryobi Multi-Tool
Date: 06-2025
Problem: No longer spinning
Solution: New trigger mechanism
Cost saved: £58
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Kinked Kable Kaused Kaput
Date: 06-2025
Problem: Wire getting twisted and shorting
Solution: Re-attach wire
Cost saved: £90
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Disconnected wire on electronic scale
Date: 06-2025
Problem: Disconnected wire
Solution: Reconnect wire
Cost saved: 30
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Boom box new belts
Date: 06-2025
Problem: Belts on the tape player failed
Solution: New tape player belts
Cost saved: £89.9
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
More Roberts Radios!
Date: 06-2024
Problem: Won't boot; dead buck controller
Solution: Replace buck with LDO with enable
Cost saved: £76.50
CO₂ saved: 20 kg
PARTY
Date: 06-2024
Problem: Won't turn on
Solution: Replace transistor
Cost saved: £39.40
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Kids Electric Car
Date: 06-2024
Problem: Dead battery, won't drive
Solution: Replace battery, replace momentary switch
Cost saved: £157.50
CO₂ saved: 50 kg
Hand(le) off my guitar!
Date: 06-2024
Problem: Handle came off
Solution: Braided steel wire with rivets
Cost saved: £59.80
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Coffee Switch
Date: 06-2024
Problem: Button won't work
Solution: Glue flexible plastic
Cost saved: £45
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Portable Coffee Grinder
Date: 06-2023
Problem: Motor wouldn’t move grinder
Solution: Insert missing circlip
Cost saved: £24.99
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Strimmer Cables
Date: 05-2025
Problem: Wire disconnected
Solution: Re-connect and crimp wire
Cost saved: £60
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Gameboy cartidge battery replacement
Date: 05-2025
Problem: Dead battery in cartridge
Solution: Solder in new battery
Cost saved: £130
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Holy Grail Reverb Dead EEPROM
Date: 05-2025
Problem: EEPROM is dead and won't boot
Solution: No fix
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Portable Speaker - Dead Battery
Date: 05-2025
Problem: Battery died
Solution: New battery
Cost saved: £32
CO₂ saved: 4 kg
Bluetooth headphones - Safety feature failure!
Date: 05-2025
Problem: RTC safety sensor on battery faileed, preventing boot
Solution: New NTC resistor
Cost saved: £74.8
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Torpedo timer (Yes that cool)
Date: 05-2024
Problem: Wouldn't wind up
Solution: Forward to watch maker contact
Cost saved: N/A
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Dodgy Charger Port
Date: 05-2024
Problem: Won't charge unless held in position
Solution: Replace charging port
Cost saved: £438
CO₂ saved: 300 kg
Coffee Grinder Not Grinding
Date: 05-2024
Problem: Grinder would not turn on
Solution: Re-solder connection
Cost saved: £60
CO₂ saved: 15 kg
CD Player Tray
Date: 05-2024
Problem: CD player would not play
Solution: Replace belt and lubricate mechanism
Cost saved: £150
CO₂ saved: 30 kg
Dodgy Strimmer Connection
Date: 05-2023
Problem: Snapped connection on motor
Solution: Re-solder power cable
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 30 kg
Mangled Cable – Scooter
Date: 05-2023
Problem: Exploded PCB from cable being crushed
Solution: No Fix
Cost saved: £90
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
E-readers and water don’t mix!
Date: 05-2023
Problem: Failed IC
Solution: N/A
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Infernal Coffee machine
Date: 05-2023
Problem: MYSTERY
Solution: ALSO MYSTERY
Cost saved: £1250
CO₂ saved: 50 kg
Annoying desk lamp won’t cooperate
Date: 04-2026
Problem: Dead PCB
Solution: N/A
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Electronic toothbrush wires
Date: 04-2025
Problem: Charging wire had become disconnected
Solution: Reconnect charging wire
Cost saved: 80
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Bosch Athlet Battery Board
Date: 04-2025
Problem: Batteries fully drained, short on control board
Solution: New batteries, replace diode on board
Cost saved: £98
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Gunky bearing
Date: 04-2024
Problem: Wouldn't spin
Solution: Clean main bearing
Cost saved: £75
CO₂ saved: 20 kg
Mazzer Burrs
Date: 04-2024
Problem: Burrs hadn't been used for a while and collected moisture and started to rust
Solution: Rust remover, scrubbing, washing, and coating in coffee oils
Cost saved: £49.95
CO₂ saved: 60 kg
Lamp
Date: 04-2024
Problem: Not turning on
Solution: Re-solder connections
Cost saved: £20
CO₂ saved: 15 kg
Strimmer motor disconnected
Date: 03-2026
Problem: Motor wire disconnected
Solution: Resolder motor wire
Cost saved: 80
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Dodgy Screen on Voice Recorder
Date: 03-2025
Problem: Screen connector was dirty
Solution: Clean connector with contact cleaner and fibre brush
Cost saved: £80
CO₂ saved: 4 kg
Kettle temperature switch
Date: 03-2025
Problem: Snapped plastic in switch
Solution: Superglue and activator on broken plastic
Cost saved: 40
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Exploded capacitor CD player
Date: 03-2025
Problem: Kerblammed capacitor
Solution: No fix
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Please descale your appliances :(
Date: 03-2025
Problem: Exploded boiler unit due to scale
Solution: De-scale boiler and re-apply sealant
Cost saved: £139
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Bike light - disconnected cables
Date: 03-2025
Problem: Internal cables disconnected
Solution: Re-solder cables to PCB
Cost saved: £30
CO₂ saved: 2 kg
Slow cooker
Date: 03-2024
Problem: Wouldn't turn on or heat up
Solution: Reset thermal fuse
Cost saved: £250
CO₂ saved: 30 kg
Microphone Screen dodgy
Date: 03-2024
Problem: Lines on screen
Solution: Clean connector
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Magnifier Light
Date: 03-2024
Problem: Would not turn on (dead transistor)
Solution: Replace transistor and board
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Electric violin replacement amplifier
Date: 03-2024
Problem: New amplifier unit installation
Solution: Solder in and test!
Cost saved: £110
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
PS5 vibration not working
Date: 02-2026
Problem: Rumble feature not working
Solution: Re-solder motor to PCB
Cost saved: 50
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Explosive microcontroller??
Date: 02-2026
Problem: Microcontroller exploded somehow?
Solution: No fix
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
KitchenAid mixer at full speed
Date: 02-2026
Problem: Mixer kept running at full speed
Solution: Replace out startup capacitor (had shorted)
Cost saved: 180
CO₂ saved: 3 kg
Exploded dishwasher triac
Date: 02-2026
Problem: Exploded triac
Solution: Replace triac
Cost saved: £278.8
CO₂ saved: 50 kg
Mangled USB port
Date: 02-2025
Problem: Mangled USB port to be replaced
Solution: Solder in new USB port
Cost saved: 49.5
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Disconnected supply grinder!
Date: 02-2025
Problem: A wire had snapped off!
Solution: Re-solder wire
Cost saved: £60
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Blender blended bearings
Date: 02-2025
Problem: Blitzed bearings
Solution: N/A
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Ultra 1968 Vinyl Player
Date: 02-2024
Problem: Terrible sound quality
Solution: New pre-amplifier transistor
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 20 kg
Bang-polar Junction Transistor
Date: 02-2024
Problem: Exploded BJT converted to dust
Solution: Replace BJT and board
Cost saved: £19.90
CO₂ saved: 5 kg
Rear bike light - dynamo
Date: 01-2026
Problem: Wire had snapped off
Solution: Re-solder wire
Cost saved: 4000
CO₂ saved: 0.5 kg
Kettle Contacts
Date: 01-2026
Problem: Kettle contacts tarnished
Solution: Brillo pad and contact cleaner on contacts
Cost saved: 30
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
Please descale espresso baskets!
Date: 01-2026
Problem: Clogged espresso machine
Solution: De-scale espresso basekt & clean
Cost saved: 240
CO₂ saved: 10 kg
Waterlogged weighing scale
Date: 01-2026
Problem: Water getting to the PCB and corroding wires
Solution: Clean PCB and re-solder wires
Cost saved: £20
CO₂ saved: 1 kg
XBOX_hdmi_chip
Date: 01-2025
Problem: HDMI chip failure
Solution: Replace HDMI chip
Cost saved: £139
CO₂ saved: 30 kg
Cat Electronic Feeder
Date: 01-2025
Problem: Dead microcontroller
Solution: N/A
Cost saved: 0
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
Arcam_A38_Amplifier
Date: 01-2025
Problem: Current source failure, transformer failure caused by regulator
Solution: Lots of work, replace transformer, regulator, transistors and passives
Cost saved: £1420
CO₂ saved: 60 kg
Portable Projector – Dead Battery
Date: 01-2024
Problem: Dead battery
Solution: No Fix
Cost saved: £300
CO₂ saved: 0 kg
PA Kit
Date: 01-2024
Problem: Went bang!
Solution: Replace drivers and board components
Cost saved: £481.72
CO₂ saved: 100 kg
Marshall Bluetooth Headphones
Date: 01-2024
Problem: No Bluetooth
Solution: Replace battery and NTC
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 20 kg
MacBook water ingress
Date: 01-2024
Problem: Water damage
Solution: Replace FPC connector
Cost saved: £796
CO₂ saved: 200 kg
Audio Amplifier
Date: 01-2024
Problem: USB connector not connecting
Solution: Re-solder connector
Cost saved: TODO
CO₂ saved: 1 kg