Debug the World by alice gray, jack knife
September 28th, 2006 12:29 PMAfter removing the side of the machine (fig 1,) we decided that the lever which was activated by the door opening was not a tight enough fit (fig 2,) so we wrapped some aluminum foil around the joint (fig 3,4.) Testing indicated that this did not fix the problem.
Reexamining the workings, we realized that we had the lever inside positoned wrong, and that the door wouldn't stay shut at all (fig 5.) This took some creative thinking and swearing (fig 6, 7.)
We realized that the weight on the cam that operates the door wasn't heavy enough to properly align and trigger the beginning of the cooking process, and tried bending it. This was especially clever because the oven happened still to be plugged in. I (Jack) sustained a scar (fig 8.) Alice felt nothing, but saw a great spark. The outlet became nonoperational. Do not try this. We acquired an extension cord and a circuit breaker to avoid some of these problems (fig 9) and managed to remember to unplug the toaster in all later operations.
Eventually, we also attached a small rock to the weight with electrical tape (fig 10.) This succeeded in starting the process (fig 11,) but opening the oven door no longer stopped it (fig 12.) More fine-tuning was tuned.
Eventually, the combination of reweighting and ciruit bending enabled proper function to France. Therefore, we are now SCIENTISTS.
(Special thanks to Sean for debugging the sf0 video player. It works just fine in Mozilla Firefox now.)
Fig 1: Open oven
The weight that closes the circuit has slipped entirely off the top of the circuit due to Alice's wrestling with the cover.
Fig 2: door hinge
the wire sticking out is part of the lever that hooks to the door spring. it needs to go back through that loop on the oven door.
Fig 3: foiled again
winding this strip of foil around the hinge joint to force it into alignment didn't fix the problem.
Fig 4: collaboration
ultimately this didn't fix the problem, but it's a nice action shot.
Fig 5: the real problem
this is the switch that needs to be adjusted. The two copper strips make contact and complete the circuit when the weight is pulled back by the spring, which is deployed when the door is closed.
Fig 6: Jack removes spring
This is the spring that holds the oven door closed.
Fig 7: adjusting the circuit
doing this without unplugging the toaster first is stupid, btw.
Fig 8: Jack's injury
there's a spot of copper from the circuit melted into my blade. Alice felt nothing.
Fig 9: after the circuit breaker popped
we continue testing. and remembered to unplug the toaster.
Fig 10: everybody wants a rock to wind a piece of tape around
electrical tape binds a small rock to the plastic weight that closes the circcuit when oven door is closed.
Fig 11: beginning of test
oven starts correctly as Alice pushes button. Rock weights down circuit.
Fig 12: test fails
the light (and heat) should have gone out when the oven door was opened. circuit needs adjustment.
Clearly we are SCIENTISTS! toaster works! (video)
Download FLV
toaster oven now works when lever is pressed, stops when door is opened, and starts again when door is shut!
Playing with a plugged-in appliance notwithstanding, this was very clever and resourceful!