Running Repairs: dispelling a common myth

We use a soldering iron power control as a dimmer for some strings of fairy lights in our bedroom.

After a recent furniture move it stopped working. The controller has been sat by my desk for a couple of weeks waiting for that ‘idle moment’ for me to take a look at it, this evening I couldn’t put my mind to any of the other things I’m supposed to be doing so I took the back off and had a look to see what was wrong. It took a couple of minutes to locate a dry joint which is the most likely cause of the problem. Now ironically, I have to buy a soldering iron to fix a soldering iron power control; the only soldering iron Ginger has is more suited to lead pipe work and leaded glass.

While checking the circuit for problems I was able to dispel a common myth. The US mains voltage is not 110 volts and hasn’t been since the 1950s. It is 120 volts, as my trusty voltmeter attests.

Copyright © 2009 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.