Comments

Send it to me with $45 and I will fix. I can do better. I have a metronome that looks just like that. I think I paid $20 for it. I understand that illogical sentimental value. I have a Dr. Beat now several years old; the battery cover's fallen off so that the battery just dangles and sometimes comes unattached, and the dial has broken so that you can turn it but have no idea which way the numbers will go. It's still functional, though, and was a huge investment, so I intend to keep it until it dies. The amazing thing about this old relic is that I've never replaced the battery. $45, Jim? It would be interesting to see how you would fix it, and that in itself makes it almost worth it, but not quite. I could choose from several new ones for that price. I can't be too sentimental.

Now cars, on the other hand... Tell me, is it wiser to fix the bearings on the transmission of a '94 Civic with 213,000 miles, or should we just put the faithful friend down? (Nooo!)

The fact that the battery hasn't needed replacing isn't amazing. That's easy. The amazing thing is that the water didn't affect the beeper. One possibility that shouldn't be overlooked is that an almost dead battery could be causing the symptoms you see. The design might not include low battery detection and immediate shutdown below a threshold. To test this without buying a new battery, warm the battery up in your toaster oven, which will temporarily raise its voltage. 10 years is considered the shelf life of that kind of battery. I've had bad experiences with toaster ovens. I'd be wary of putting the battery in the toaster oven. Some toxic compounds, including some metallics, are volatile. However, I like Jim's theory that the only part of the metronome that is dead is the battery. Water can kill batteries. Carley, that's a very impressive metronome for a good price. I'm going to ask for it for my birthday.