Avionics shop blues

[Cruiser]

ChrisV,

Consider that you started with the benefit of someone else's 15 hours of work. Work that they did NOT have ahead of them. 

Intermittent problems are very difficult. You found it preparing for the work by pulling the avionics out of the panel. (not troubleshooting)

Glad you got the problem fixed. 

[chriscalandro]

I don’t get it. If you can follow a simple pin out, avionics is not hard...

[ArtVandelay]

I guess it depends on how well labeled the rats nest of gray wires is?

[MikeOH]

4 hours ago, Cruiser said:

ChrisV,

Consider that you started with the benefit of someone else's 15 hours of work. Work that they did NOT have ahead of them. 

Intermittent problems are very difficult. You found it preparing for the work by pulling the avionics out of the panel. (not troubleshooting)

Glad you got the problem fixed. 

Sorry. I just can't accept that 'reasoning.'. The man paid HUGE money for a shop that COMPLETELY failed in solving the EXACT problem he paid them for.  Then failed to stand behind their 'work.'  And now he did EXACTLY what THEY should have done!  I was an electronics tech (not avionics) for several years and looking for bad connections and chafed wires IS part and parcel to good TROUBLESHOOTING.  You would be amazed how much you can fix just by LOOKING carefully.  Too many techs rush to get out the tools, or swap parts/CCAs.

[Cruiser]

All the more reason you should know your avionics shop and their reputation. 

This shop was trying to correct some else's work, they did not have the benefit of involvement in the original installation.  

[MikeOH]

8 hours ago, Cruiser said:

All the more reason you should know your avionics shop and their reputation. 

This shop was trying to correct some else's work, they did not have the benefit of involvement in the original installation.  

And, just like any other service provider, figuring out their competency BEFORE engaging their service is NOT so easy.

Ah well, if shops could only be so fortunate to have the luxury to troubleshoot only problems THEY created!  Frankly, unless the original shop created the problem on purpose, I'm not sure how they have any a priori advantage in troubleshooting.  If they weren't comfortable in their competence to fix problems originating outside their door, they should tell customers that UP FRONT!

That shop shotgunned the problem and took $1900 for NOTHING that resembled a solution.

Edited July 29, 2020 by MikeOH