SMALL EQUIPMENT REPAIR

Learn to Repair Equipment

When engines or machines stop working, the work stops. That costs time and money. This course can hep you avoid delays and disruption.

Who is this Course for?

Anyone who wants to be better at repairing equipment - from handymen and mobile servicemen to innovators and people working in an equipment repair workshop, computer or mechanics shop, factories, students, self employed tradespeople and others.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Scope and Nature of Small Equipment Repair
   • Basic electrical principles
   • Series and parallel circuits
   • Components inside equipment and appliances
   • Electrical Components
   • Electromechanical components
   • Materials
2. Equipment, Tools and Safety
   • Who is responsible?
   • Tidiness
   • Crowded Sites
   • Other Hazards
   • Clean up & Tool Storage
   • Measuring devices/tools
   • Electrical Safety
   • Types of adhesives/ tapes that can be used
   • Using Power Tools
   • Legals Considerations
3. Practices and Techniques Used in Repair
   • Metals
   • Plastics
   • Soldering
   • Wire-stripping
   • Screws/Bolts/Rivets/Welds
4. Parts for Small Appliances or Equipment
   • Parts of small appliances
   • Cord set
   • Switches
   • Relays
   • Fuses
   • Controls
   • Light Fittings
   • Small components
   • Damaged Parts
5. Household Appliances
   • Home appliance repair
   • Dimmer switches
   • Smoke alarms
   • Fans/ blower
   • Space heaters
   • Air-conditioner
   • Blenders & food processors
   • Toasters
   • Sewing machines
   • Hair dryers
   • Vacuum cleaners
   • Steam irons
6. Motor and Engine Repair
   • Motors
   • Parts of a motor
   • Types of electric motors and applications
   • Common issues of motors
   • Winding failures
   • Contamination
   • Bearing
   • Electrical and mechanical issues
   • Common indicators of motor problems
   • Engines
   • Common issues of engines
   • Pistons - cracked or holed
   • Connecting rods - bent or broken
   • Big end connecting rod bearings – noisy and/or worn
   • Main bearings – worn and/or seized
   • Camshaft lobes – worn
   • Crankshafts - cracked or broken
   • Cylinder head gasket – blown
   • Routine maintenance for motors/ engines
7. Trades Equipment Repair
   • Drills
   • Electric Sanders
   • Electric Saws
   • Grinders
   • Leaf Blowers
   • Lawn Mowers
   • Nail Guns
   • Staple Guns
8. Responsible Recycling
   • Why recycle?
   • Management of Work
   • Parts that can be recycled
   • Responsible disposal and recycling

What to Repair?

This course is relevant to a wide range of equipment used by people in any situation: home, work, or play. It covers equipment powered by motors or engines, both portable and fixed. The course is relevant to not only machines, but also appliances that might not be categorised as machines, such as heaters, air conditioners and refrigerators. 

Many equipment problems can occur on lots of different types of equipment. Components can wear out. Materials which equipment is made from can deteriorate (e.g., Rust, corrode, loose strength) Moving parts can lose integrity as they rub against each other. Joined parts can become loosened (e.g., Screws or bolts loosening glues weakening). Sealings can begin to leak.

Routine maintenance of equipment can to some extent mitigate deterioration Equipment that is built well using the very best materials may have fewer issues; but often equipment may be built using materials that are not optimum, - built with a recognition that they have a limited lifespan.

Whenever you examine a piece of equipment, consider the quality (and cost) of:

• Materials it is built from.
• Its components.
• Its design quality.

Sometimes equipment or components are not worth repairing – Be realistic and pragmatic

• If a cheap motor is damaged – perhaps replace rather than repair.
• If a cheap appliance is damaged, maybe replace the whole appliance.