Cable Repair

lamicrom

Hi there,

I hope I am posting this in the correct section, apologies if I have not.

I'm hoping someone with a bit (a lot!) more tech savy might be able to advise me here. I work with a digital medical/cosmetic machine which I use to treat scars. It is, in all intent and purposes, a tattoo machine in how it functions, although the design is such that it looks more 'gentle'! It has a hand piece in which the needle is inserted and this connects to the digital machine with a cord. So the issue is with the cord connection and the fact that is seems well on its way to breaking! The cord, to me, seems very similar to that of a set of headphones. The connections look similar! The other day when using the machine I noticed that when turned in a certain direction, the power to the hand-piece stopped intermittently during a procedure. This is exactly what it is like when your headphones connection gives trouble and the sound breaks! So I am guessing that there is a loose wire in the connection that requires soldering ( I am hoping this is all it is). When the power to the hand-piece seems to cut out and I move/twist the cord a little at the connection point, the power starts again!


So, I am wondering if anybody could recommend to me where I should be looking to get this repaired. I have very little work at the moment and am completely broke so some place/somebody whose rates aren't extortionate would be great, if that is indeed possible. I found a company who repair medical machines but their prices far exceed my budget and possibly my problem does not require such a high-level/extensive repair job! Anyway lads, any help would be greatly received. I am in the Dublin city area and am a bit stuck, do not know who to go to and when I google the problem, I find results for electricians repairing household appliances etc... Would a regular electrician be able to fix this for me or should I be looking further afield?


I am posting a few pics of the cord and connection and with the hand-piece attached in some. The silver part of the connection is all one piece and cannot be removed.

Again, I really need help with this and appreciate any advice. Thanks

bonzodog2

A picture of both ends of the cable might help. Also your location, some helpful boardsie might sort you out locally. Does the original supplier offer replacement cables?

lamicrom

Thanks for your reply The other end of the cable is exactly the same! I am based in Dublin 13 but will travel if someone can help me out! Yeah, the suppliers offer replacements but of the whole cord and hand-piece only (not just the cable) and they charge £950 + VAT plus shipping plus conversion to sterling! :eek: Seems ridiculous to have to buy a new piece when all that seems wrong is a little tiny wee wire!

bonzodog2

I meant a pic of an end view of the connector looking back along the cable, to help identify the connector, from you pics it doesn't look like a 3.5mm headphone jack. Maybe one of those phone repair shops could help you out.

Or a pic of the connector end of the device at the end.

CreepingDeath

Would you not search the likes of eBay for the make and model of the machine, to see if there's any spares for sale?

lamicrom

Thanks for the help so far

I'm posting pics of both ends of the cable and the problem is with the 'female' end! I had another look at headphones connections and yeah, they are different! Although kind of similar too but just goes to show what I know about this kind of stuff!

Had a look on ebay, no such luck I'm afraid but thanks for the suggestion!

I'm heading into town today so will bring it with me and try the phone shops, fingers crossed.

Thanks again lads for the suggestions. All appreciated.

Chet T16

Are you saying it's different from a headphone cable? I looks just like an extender cable.

It looks like the cable can be opened so repair shouldn't be a problem, i could have a look at it but i'm down in wicklow. If you're stuck you can post it to me or i'm in UCD weekdays

PrzemoF

OP, if you can't get it fixed measure it and post the dimensions. (diameter, length, distance between rings)

anonyl

that connection looks like it can be opened!!it looks similiar to a laptop connection!!right where the cable goes into the connection theres a hard rigid piece of plastic surrounding the connection!!check that isnt broken and you cant see any cabling through it!!i have fixed many laptop chargers and this was the problem!just open up the connection see what way it is connected!wether soldered or what ever other way!!take pics if you need then chop the cable back past the damaged part and rejoin if your able too!this problem happens all of the time to anything that is always used eg laptop chargers,headphones,electrical tools!the part that connects to a device is always moving,twisted,being pulled so its fairly common!!

lamicrom

Chet T16 wrote: »

Are you saying it's different from a headphone cable? I looks just like an extender cable.

It looks like the cable can be opened so repair shouldn't be a problem, i could have a look at it but i'm down in wicklow. If you're stuck you can post it to me or i'm in UCD weekdays

Yeah, I think it is different buy I wouldn't trust my word on that. Basically I haven't really got a clue about these kind of things. But it just seems like it starts and stops while in use and that a wire inside might have come loose a little and needs soldering!

I have managed to open it. Just screws loose! What a breakthrough on my part, lol! I have taken pics for you. Maybe seeing inside might help!

PrzemoF wrote: »

OP, if you can't get it fixed measure it and post the dimensions. (diameter, length, distance between rings)

Will do, thanks a mil

lamicrom

anonyl wrote: »

that connection looks like it can be opened!!it looks similiar to a laptop connection!!right where the cable goes into the connection theres a hard rigid piece of plastic surrounding the connection!!check that isnt broken and you cant see any cabling through it!!i have fixed many laptop chargers and this was the problem!just open up the connection see what way it is connected!wether soldered or what ever other way!!take pics if you need then chop the cable back past the damaged part and rejoin if your able too!this problem happens all of the time to anything that is always used eg laptop chargers,headphones,electrical tools!the part that connects to a device is always moving,twisted,being pulled so its fairly common!!

Fantastic, great to know it is possible!!! I opened it there a few min ago. To be honest, not sure exactly what I am looking at, but all did seems fine with it. Nothing too astray! Just the slightest little move though in one direction and it stops, turn it in the opposite direction and it starts again. Whatever the problem is I can't see it, not have I got the tools nor expertise to fix it. But it looks fine but isn't acting fine!

It is exactly as you say though, twisting the cord during use probably just pulled something loose inside! Great to know it can be fixed though

anonyl

maybe you could put a pic up of the internals?

PogMoThoin

Looks like a standard audio extension cable - 3.5mm stereo jack male to 3.5mm stereo jack female. About a fiver on Ebay.

lamicrom

anonyl wrote: »

maybe you could put a pic up of the internals?

Posted some internal pics there two posts ago, but I can't seem to take it apart any more than that and am scared to also! All looks ok though but still not working properly!

lamicrom

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Looks like a standard audio extension cable - 3.5mm stereo jack male to 3.5mm stereo jack female. About a fiver on Ebay.

Yeah, looks the part alright!

anonyl

if it were me i would ro-do the connection!!would only take 5 mins if you could get a soldering iron!!quick and easy!!

http://www.ehow.com/how_114206_replace-headphone-plug.html

more or less the same thing!!to get the old connection off just heat up the solder with the iron and it will just come apart!!because of the equipment your using the cable could be different gauge or so many other things could be different eg fire protected sheathing,size of cable length of cable!!a lot of other things come into play!!

PrzemoF

OP, if you're not confident with soldering/checking connections you may ask in a local we-fix-your-mobile-phone shop. That should be easy job for them.

rubadubduba

What ya have is an rca socket cable female and male they can be easyily made up yourself.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-tp/109922061/rca_socket_connector_jack_plug_audio.html


Get yourself into maplans and pick UP the cable and sockets and have a go of this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46KP4tRh-DU&feature=related
same thing for tattoo machine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCEipOEa5QA


Or get yourself up to allcables on cork street and ask them to match one up for ya.

lamicrom

Thanks everybody for all the useful help and suggestions here. Sorry for my delayed response, I have been away from any online access for a few days. Got the brother of my friend to have a look at it anyway, he is able to solder things but with everything looking perfect and not being too skilled in the area he was a bit hesitant to 'have a go' at it, lol! Anyway, dropped it into a repair shop, they repair all things electrical and am getting it back this evening. They told me there was a multitude of things wrong with the cable and tried to charge me an extortionate fee but I told them I knew full well it was just in need of a little soldering (thanks to all the helpful info and suggestions here! ) and so I got them to do it for a more reasonable price, yay! Should be up 'n running again now soon and am delighted. Thanks again for all the help lads, much appreciated and saved me lots of money that I don't have. Thanks everybody