It's Smart to Fix Your Thing and Not Throw It Away!

I've got a number of the SmartThings Multi-Purpose Sensors. They usually work great. Recently, it was time to change all their batteries, so I went around the house and did that, and restarted everything to make sure they all had a fresh connection. Most came back online, but a couple were finicky.

After checking all of the usual software issues, I went to open the sensors back up to check the batteries, and I found that the piece of metal that connects to the positive terminal of the battery basically just snapped. It's just a bent piece of (flimsy) metal ribbon. But the intense friction of the design makes it likely that this piece will break.

The first time I had to fix a sensor, I easily soldered the piece back on and had a working sensor in no time. It's really important to have a good soldering device, preferably with temp control. I was pleased that I saved the device, because at $20 or so each, that adds up.

Pictured here is the second device I had to fix. This one was more challenging. My first try was not very successful, so I had to improvise a bit more. I couldn't salvage the metal ribbon, so I just used a copper wire, which worked just as well once it was bent into place. I also learned it was time to change my soldering tip. This all works much better with a tip that is less than three years old!