cable munufacturing fault
 

Madam has a pair of Philips headphones, with which she listens to the telly
when I'm snoring. She complained that the right side was intermittently
dead, so I had a look. At first I thought it was the little in-line volume
control, but it wasn't as it turned out. Moving the (very long) cable
slightly caused the fault to come and go. I ran the cable along the floor in
a straight line and put books on it at intervals to prevent movement being
transmitted along it. I wiggled each section until I found one where the
fault occurred. Bit by bit I narrowed it down until I became certain that
the fault was inside a section of cable only about 100mm long. This bit of
cable looked and felt completely innocuous. Nevertheless I stripped the
outer sheath off carefully. Inside were three very thin multistranded wires,
each insulated with plastic. After only 40mm I found a 25mm section of one
wire with no insulation. The bare length included a joint, made by twisting
the two wires tightly together. This joint looked as if it should conduct
without difficulty, but in fact moving it made the audio come and go. So is
this what happens in wire factories? The roll of red comes to end half way
though a run so someone starts a new one and just twists the end together?
Blimey!

Bill

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...
Madam has a pair of Philips headphones, with which she listens to the
telly
when I'm snoring. She complained that the right side was
intermittently
dead, so I had a look. At first I thought it was the little in-line
volume
control, but it wasn't as it turned out. Moving the (very long) cable
slightly caused the fault to come and go. I ran the cable along the
floor in
a straight line and put books on it at intervals to prevent movement
being
transmitted along it. I wiggled each section until I found one where
the
fault occurred. Bit by bit I narrowed it down until I became certain
that
the fault was inside a section of cable only about 100mm long. This
bit of
cable looked and felt completely innocuous. Nevertheless I stripped
the
outer sheath off carefully. Inside were three very thin multistranded
wires,
each insulated with plastic. After only 40mm I found a 25mm section of
one
wire with no insulation. The bare length included a joint, made by
twisting
the two wires tightly together. This joint looked as if it should
conduct
without difficulty, but in fact moving it made the audio come and go.
So is
this what happens in wire factories? The roll of red comes to end half
way
though a run so someone starts a new one and just twists the end
together?
Blimey!

Bill


The fact that it is made by Philips says it all.
AW

AW Barton wrote:
"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...
Madam has a pair of Philips headphones,

................

Blimey!

Bill


The fact that it is made by Philips says it all.
AW

Obviously, a regrettable manufacturing fault!

However, all headphones are made this way. I've often had trouble with
wires breaking off at the jack. Unforutnately, if you try to solder on
a new jack, it's almost impossible, thanks to those multistrand cables.

Philips are one of the few consumer electronics groups left in Europe,
and in fact have done quite well, after recovering from an earlier
disaster.

(see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1281167.stm ).

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 13:01:25 +0100, "AW Barton" wrote:

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...
Madam has a pair of Philips headphones, with which she listens to the
telly
when I'm snoring. She complained that the right side was
intermittently
dead, so I had a look. At first I thought it was the little in-line
volume
control, but it wasn't as it turned out. Moving the (very long) cable
slightly caused the fault to come and go. I ran the cable along the
floor in
a straight line and put books on it at intervals to prevent movement
being
transmitted along it. I wiggled each section until I found one where
the
fault occurred. Bit by bit I narrowed it down until I became certain
that
the fault was inside a section of cable only about 100mm long. This
bit of
cable looked and felt completely innocuous. Nevertheless I stripped
the
outer sheath off carefully. Inside were three very thin multistranded
wires,
each insulated with plastic. After only 40mm I found a 25mm section of
one
wire with no insulation. The bare length included a joint, made by
twisting
the two wires tightly together. This joint looked as if it should
conduct
without difficulty, but in fact moving it made the audio come and go.
So is
this what happens in wire factories? The roll of red comes to end half
way
though a run so someone starts a new one and just twists the end
together?
Blimey!

Bill


The fact that it is made by Philips says it all.
AW

Or made by someone else with the Phlips name on it?

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...
Madam has a pair of Philips headphones, with which she listens to the
telly when I'm snoring. She complained that the right side was
intermittently dead, so I had a look. At first I thought it was the little
in-line volume control, but it wasn't as it turned out. Moving the (very
long) cable slightly caused the fault to come and go. I ran the cable
along the floor in a straight line and put books on it at intervals to
prevent movement being transmitted along it. I wiggled each section until
I found one where the fault occurred. Bit by bit I narrowed it down until
I became certain that the fault was inside a section of cable only about
100mm long. This bit of cable looked and felt completely innocuous.
Nevertheless I stripped the outer sheath off carefully. Inside were three
very thin multistranded wires, each insulated with plastic. After only
40mm I found a 25mm section of one wire with no insulation. The bare
length included a joint, made by twisting the two wires tightly together.
This joint looked as if it should conduct without difficulty, but in fact
moving it made the audio come and go. So is


I think you have a good case for getting a replacement on the grounds that
its not fit for its intended use. Such joints are probably only there as a
termporary job during manufacturing the wire, and should have been cut out
and thrown away.

Take a photo of the joint for a record, and in the first instance complain
to the shop where you got it. And if they won't replace it send a letter to
Philips.


rusty

Scott wrote:

Or made by someone else with the Phlips name on it?

munufactured, says it all!

Alex

Rusty wrote:
"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...

Madam has a pair of Philips headphones, with which she listens to the
telly when I'm snoring. She complained that the right side was
intermittently dead, so I had a look. At first I thought it was the little
in-line volume control, but it wasn't as it turned out. Moving the (very
long) cable slightly caused the fault to come and go. I ran the cable
along the floor in a straight line and put books on it at intervals to
prevent movement being transmitted along it. I wiggled each section until
I found one where the fault occurred. Bit by bit I narrowed it down until
I became certain that the fault was inside a section of cable only about
100mm long. This bit of cable looked and felt completely innocuous.
Nevertheless I stripped the outer sheath off carefully. Inside were three
very thin multistranded wires, each insulated with plastic. After only
40mm I found a 25mm section of one wire with no insulation. The bare
length included a joint, made by twisting the two wires tightly together.
This joint looked as if it should conduct without difficulty, but in fact
moving it made the audio come and go. So is



I think you have a good case for getting a replacement on the grounds that
its not fit for its intended use. Such joints are probably only there as a
termporary job during manufacturing the wire, and should have been cut out
and thrown away.

Take a photo of the joint for a record, and in the first instance complain
to the shop where you got it. And if they won't replace it send a letter to
Philips.


rusty


If they were earbud types, I'd just stock up at the local 'cheapie' shop
- I am a complete insomniac and often listen in bed with one earbud in
place - I don't like using two because I sometimes fall asleep listening
to the radio and don't fancy having the wire around my neck!

Anyway, I tend to break a set about every 6 months - mainly by sleeping
on them, but since they are 79p a set at the local shop this is no real
problem.

Alex Bird wrote:
Scott wrote:

Or made by someone else with the Phlips name on it?

munufactured, says it all!

Alex

Leave me alone. I was tired!

Bill

"spiney" wrote in message
ups.com...

However, all headphones are made this way. I've often had trouble with
wires breaking off at the jack. Unforutnately, if you try to solder on
a new jack, it's almost impossible, thanks to those multistrand cables.

That's why I've stuck with Sennheiser over the years. The fact that (most
of) their headphone cables are easily replaceable, has saved me a fortune
over the years.

L

In article [email protected] ews,
Louis Barfe's IbMePdErRoIoAmL wrote:
That's why I've stuck with Sennheiser over the years. The fact that (most
of) their headphone cables are easily replaceable, has saved me a fortune
over the years.

The sockets in the individual earpieces can give trouble, though.

--
*Great groups from little icons grow *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.