how do people work it out

[glenn property of pam]

Ive been on this forum for a while and im always amazed at how people work out things that would never cross my mind. Things like if I push the horn and wiggle the key while turning left the motor will crank. etc etc (not a true example but you get the idea)
I find it more interesting that some one would think of press or turn another switch to fix a problem as it would never occurs to me to even try it.

 

[littlerayray]

Re: how do people work it out

its all in the way a person thinks
and the experience they have
when it comes to rigging a load i am one of the best i can make a load do just about what i want by the placement of the straps or choker chains relative to the block of the crane

 

[dingbat]

Re: how do people work it out

It all comes down to a basic understanding how things work. Once you understand the fundamentals of the basic mechanisms, its pretty easy to apply them to more advanced (multiple basic mechanisms) systems. Break things down to the fundamentals and work from the simplest to the most complicated.

Checking for power is the most basic of fundamentals.......

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: how do people work it out

It all comes down to a basic understanding how things work. Once you understand the fundamentals of the basic mechanisms, its pretty easy to apply them to more advanced (multiple basic mechanisms) systems. Break things down to the fundamentals and work from the simplest to the most complicated.

Checking for power is the most basic of fundamentals.......

if you understand the fundamentals you would not try the push every button until something works. Maybe you have to be a free thinker. The more experienced I get the more incapable of thinking outside the box I become.

 

[southkogs]

Re: how do people work it out

if you understand the fundamentals you would not try the push every button until something works. Maybe you have to be a free thinker. The more experienced I get the more incapable of thinking outside the box I become.

... LOL, or sometimes you just get so ticked off you grab a hammer, belt the stupid thing and viola! It works.

 

[bassman284]

Re: how do people work it out

... LOL, or sometimes you just get so ticked off you grab a hammer, belt the stupid thing and viola! It works.

Pretty much how I do it. The old fashioned spit and a wallop - doesn't usually do a whole lot of harm and may do some good.

I think serendipity sometimes enters into it. Sometimes you're messing with something and something unexpected happens that turns out good or useful and may have further applications. Kind of like patting your head with one hand and rubbing your stomach with the other while hopping on one leg - it won't always help, but who knows til you try it?

 

[dingbat]

Re: how do people work it out

if you understand the fundamentals you would not try the push every button until something works.

And why not?

Fundamentally, switches have high failure rates. They can fail N.O., N.C. or short internally. The failure mode is not always immediately evident. Switches are frequently daisy chained which further complicates the situation. Flipping thru the switches to check functionally is a good troubleshooting tool.

 

[jwalterus]

Re: how do people work it out

a lot of times it happens because you're frustrated, feel the need to do something, and decide to try something else

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: how do people work it out

The worst is when you take something apart to find out why it does not work...can't find any obvious problem....reassemble it and it works.
Well, OK, I guess that's better than if it still does not work, but still frustrating.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: how do people work it out

Break every system down to basics Electrical, fuel, and work performed. All are related but separate.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: how do people work it out

wow this one made me laugh. I have a Suzuki grand vitara 06 and on the way to work all the dash gauges cut out and the esp/abs lights came on. so I go on a forum and search for someone who has seen this problem before. I found a post where no experts chip in but in the post the OP says that if you hit the door unlock switch everything will start working again. Well yesterday was the first time I have locked the doors in ages as the truck had to sit outside the fenced yard so I was willing to try anything. well to my surprise I unlock the doors and the gauges started to work. So heres the kicker........im not going to work out how the hell it happens im going to relax and just except that its fixed.....welcome to a easy life...lol

 

[woody66912]

Re: how do people work it out

All you guys are working way too hard at this stuff, I just use "THE FORCE". Once you understand the (theory of operation) you can jump around systems and trick them into thinking they work, Henc THE FORCE.

 

[NYBo]

Re: how do people work it out

I can't count the times that, after I came upon a solution, I had to ask myself how the heck I came up with it. The human brain is a tremendously complicated, marvelous place, and we have things going on in there that we're not aware of. A lot is what is often called "intuition."

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: how do people work it out

this would fall under "special instructions"

had a car once, when you wanted the heater controls to change, you selected what you wanted, then hit the dash hard. (found it by getting frustrated and slamming my fist on the dash). was a bad vacuum connection.

Had another car, that when you wanted to change cassette tapes, you pushed the button and also "applied repeated firm blows to the dash" that was just a cheep AM/FM cassette deck (I think $19 new)

the oddest that I ever have encountered is a laptop that would only charge when sitting on the table. turned out to be a bad solder joint on the power connector.

as stated prior, the human brain is a wonderful diagnostic tool. in frustration, many of us try other things unknowingly until something happens.

 

[NYBo]

Re: how do people work it out

Scott, the technical term is "percussive repair."

 

[southkogs]

Re: how do people work it out

Scott, the technical term is "percussive repair."

<Technical term added to personal vocabulary> "check."

... love it

 

[Grub54891]

Re: how do people work it out

... LOL, or sometimes you just get so ticked off you grab a hammer, belt the stupid thing and viola! It works.

If ya can't fix it with a hammer,, ya got yerself an electrical problem...

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: how do people work it out

If ya can't fix it with a hammer,, ya got yerself an electrical problem...

Gunner right that one down...could save you a half a day's work sometime.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: how do people work it out

Got a wife that plays poker with the boys. She usually gets beat and I hold my own. When i'm up against a hard call, I'll glance at her her and she's playing with her glasses. I'll raise and be countered with a fold or a losing call. Not choreographed or planned. I just accept it and rake the pot. We only utilize ten percent of our brain's capability, or so I'm told.