Can electronics break on their own?

[drfsupercenter]

My mom's printer stopped working, and she immediately blamed me, despite the fact that I didn't do anything. Jokingly, I asked if it would take a computer expert's opinion to persuade her that electronics can break without a person actually breaking them, and she said "yes".

So here I ask of you guys, can electronics break on their own? Some of my past electronics, for example... my DVD burner broke due to wear-and-tear, my fan broke due to the fact that it was several years old and they don't last forever (that and it was on clearance... they don't put things on clearance if they work )

I admit to being clumsy and sometimes dropping things. But you can't drop a printer!!! I usually admit when I break something, but some things just break without me having anything to do with them. Since my mom didn't want to believe that a oscillating fan can break on its own, she blamed the fact that I didn't get the dust off... even though I talked to someone who is good with motors, and he said it's physically impossible to break a motor just from dust.
Also, she seemed to think that I broke our DVD player by putting a DVD in it... isn't that what you're supposed to do? I would think that my mom putting in a DVD and leaving it on Pause for an entire week would have more to do with that than me.

I'm not trying to prove my parents wrong, or argue, I would just like some of you guys to agree with me that just because something breaks, it's not necessarily someone's fault. Let's face it... if electronics lasted forever, why would they keep making them?

[Derree]

Of course they can break on their own...I would refer to it as wearing out as opposed to breaking but everything has a life span that it will work and then wear out...

[volfann]

Define the word break!!

[katzdvd]

I agree with Derree, but I will take it a step further;

NOTE: - Please excuse the lengthiness of this reply, but I feel it must be said!

Today, quality/longevity/durability of products are nothing like that of years ago. Maybe 20 yrs. ago or so, you could purchase an item, not just electronics, but really anything in general, & expect it to last a good long time.

Then, somewhere along the way, GREED set in & people realized; "How are we going to make tons of $$$ is things don't wear out or break prematurely ???" Emphasis on the word prematurely!!!

At that turning point, manufacturing quality in this country & other as well took a real downturn; Some may not agree with me here, but I'll wager that most folks will... "They" have cheapened up everything, some items have an incredibly short useful lifespan, as we have become a "throwaway society"! Emphasis on throwaway society !

Especially with electronics; Things work great, then with (usually) no warning, you go to power it up & it is completely dead.

Case in point; I purchased a Very Top Quality (well known) brand chain saw about 3 yrs. ago; warranty on parts was for a year; 1 year & 3 months into the life of the saw, the $200 coil (electronics) went "dead".
No warranty coverage at that point, & until I would have purchased the part & paid for the labor at the shop, for a small amount of $$$ more, I could have purchased a brand spankin' new saw, which eventually in the end I did, after fuming about it for awhile...
(not from the same shop)

I would say that your Mom's printer was a victim of that; the bad part of this whole thing is, even when you spend big bucks & think you are getting a top quality product, the "quality corners" are still cut all to heck, when comparing to quality of years ago.

Guess I can turn the "rant off" now!

My suggestion to you drf is, give your Mom a Great Big Hug
& wish her the best Mother's Day Ever!!!

[LT. Columbo]

break? no. bust? yes

[drfsupercenter]

Thanks guys, that was exactly what I was looking for.

Example, my parents' 20-year-old VCR, works fine (even though it's mono and I wouldn't dream of it being good quality), versus my brand new stereo VCR, that one's already having issues.

So it wouldn't be too uncommon for a 3-year-old printer to break, right? Mine broke within a year, so I just called Epson and they gave me a new one for free. I'm not sure that happens often though.

Shame I can't fix that fan, this computer generates too much heat! I'm just using an old box fan out of the basement, but if only I could get my hands on a pre-"disposable era" oscillating fan, that would be nice

[katzdvd]

So it wouldn't be too uncommon for a 3-year-old printer to break, right?

I would say in todays' world, anything could possibly break in a couple months time! And, I got a free replacement printer like that once too, drf!

Example, my parents' 20-year-old VCR, works fine (even though it's mono and I wouldn't dream of it being good quality), versus my brand new stereo VCR, that one's already having issue

You're learning! You are too young to realize or remember those days, drf, but you go ask some older folks about this, maybe your grandparents; They will tell you, "stuff used to last forever", & they are not kidding!!!

Just ask L.T. - I bet he has a dozen "busted" printers throwed out back in the bush!

[drfsupercenter]

LOL,

They sent me a R260 instead of the 220. Turns out the 220 was discontinued, probably because it "broke too easily". Go figure!

I remember that happening with Christmas lights too. We bought these super-cheap ones at Wal-Mart, and they broke a year or two later. My mom was convinced "oh you must have mistreated them, back when I did lights they never broke!". I went to Wal-Mart and they said "oh we stopped carrying those because they broke too easily!"
I wanted to so badly, nothing like experts saying what you've been trying to say for years!!!

[LT. Columbo]

Just ask L.T. - I bet he has a dozen "busted" printers throwed out back in the bush!

you got it. a bum could have a yard sale in that bush

Thanks guys, that was exactly what I was looking for.

you're welcome.

[katzdvd]

you got it. a bum could have a yard sale in that bush

You better go check; one may be living in there with all the stuff you threw in it!

[drfsupercenter]

We found a "broken" CRT monitor on the side of the road, that wasn't broken! The stuff people throw away these days, LOL

Wait, that's just proving my point, they either break or get thrown out within a few years!

[burnme]

Power surges and lighting will break electronics. Always make sure you use power surge protection on everything tied into you computer or networks.

Dust can ruin a motor I don't know who told you differant there but it can. Ever wonder why we put filters on AC's? Why you have air filters in cars?The screen that is by the fan on power suplys. Anyway dust will ruin a motor in time.

The main thing to remember on this Mothers Day is that no matter what .....
Moms always right...

[drfsupercenter]

SHH, you're ruining it

And yes, we have power surge protectors on everything. As far as the motor goes, the dust was just ON the fan blades, not actually inside the motor itself (I took it apart in attempt to fix it, and failed)

[soup]

You could have went out & bought your mother a brand new printer for Mother's Day.

[drfsupercenter]

She's considering getting a new one... it just broke today so I wouldn't have known