First Run of the Winter

Well, it depends on what you call "winter". For me it starts in mid-November when frosts are common and I have to wrap up well to ride.

It was cool today but blue skies and sunshine meant that I had to get out for a run to Galloway.  

My garden weather station (the bird bath) indicates that it's cold

Heading into the Ayrshire countryside

I often complain about a lack of road signs in the countryside….but sometimes they're there if you look hard enough.

Head for the sun

In the woods - brighter now that the leaves have gone

Newton Stewart

Sun over the Solway Firth

A remote hill road

Heated grips were essential today

Loch Ken was tranquil today

The Water of Ken

Fixing a Cheap Travel Shaver

No "Tales from the Road" for you. As usual at this time of year it is dull & damp and I really don't want to be riding. So here's a little "fixing" post.

I have a small travel shaver, a Remington R95, that I use only occasionally. It started to become weak - the battery was obviously not charging fully. As you will see this is not intended to be a user serviceable item but I thought I'd try to revive it. 

 

The razor

Now let me say that a local store sells this shaver for £12.50 ($15) so any sensible person would just buy a new one. But this is my stand against the disposable society! 

It was a little fiddly but the shaver came apart ok. The battery is a single rechargeable AAA. It is fixed to the circuit board by tabs that could not easily be removed. I think the tabs are spot welded to the battery terminals. (my soldering iron had no effect) This meant that I had to de-solder the tabs from the circuit board. 

In bits

Battery removed

I got a new rechargeable battery and soldered some copper wire to the terminals and soldered to wires on to the circuit board.

I put it all back together….and it seems to be charging.

It works!