Star Trek Roddenberry Model IX Tricorder "Dead door" fix?

[TomVDJ]

I have one of the Roddenberry Tricorders where the two leds in the door are not working anymore. They still light up when you open the door a little bit, but when you open it completely, they go out again.

Somebody had the same issue and more important: were you able to fix it / have it fixed? I read on the internet that quite a few of these have the same isssue... :-(

 

[MangyDog]

Can you do me a favour and post a picture of the hinges on the tricorder?

If it's using the old brass hinge it might be that the metal contact of the hinge pin might have worn and not make good contact. Or grease or dirt got in there.

But if they're using some other hinge, that I don't know so much much about...

 

[TomVDJ]

Not really brass, as far as I can see. I also don't see a contact pin or something like that: These are the hinges:

 

[MangyDog]

OK, yeah it looks like they're running a wire between the hinge links on the inner hinges. Like I've done on my build but at a different point.

I don't know how skilled you are electronically speaking. But my guess, the wire has freyed internally. And looses contact when opened. I dont know if these hinges are designed to come apart of it the door is sealed like the original prop.

Looks sealed. But the only fix I can think of would be cracking it open and replacing the wire.

That might mean fixing refilling the seems and repainting the door...

Unless anyone knows better how this is constructed?

 

[TomVDJ]

The door is in metal. I have no idea if it can be opened. I peeled away the decals on the door, but underneath it's just black painted metal. No opening as seen in some other models. So no clue how to open it up. Maybe someone else here has more info about this?

 

[ulinepro]

Happened to mine too; apparently it's a common problem with this.

 

[TomVDJ]

Happened to mine too; apparently it's a common problem with this.

Yeah, I came across quite a lot of people mentioning this problem. Kinda s*cks, because it's a nice replica... You didn't try to fix it or got it fixed somewhere?

 

[ulinepro]

I was given advice to open up the lower panel, but I honestly didn't want to tear it apart without an easy means of repair once inside (I'm no electronics expert). With Rodd.com out of business, I just ended up deciding to live with it.

 

[TomVDJ]

This thing really is strange. I took pictures today to have it sold here on the forum, and now the lights light up again. Anyway, I'm going to sell it without any guarantee about the door leds...

 

[Zombie Killer]

I had to fix mine but cant really remember what i did. Its been along time. Old man memory. IIRC the hinges pull straight out of the body with some wiggling.