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Old 02-23-2016, 09:59 AM   #1321
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Replaced the control module in our 18+ year old built in double oven. The problem was the oven was 200 deg colder than the temperature it was set at. After eliminating the temperature sensor as a cause (by replacing it), the local appliance repair shop quoted $450 to fix the control unit. I said no thanks.

After looking into the cost of a new oven and the probable cascade effect of changing the color of one appliance, I reconsidered. Thank goodness for the internet. Although replacement parts aren't available, I did find 4 companies that offered to rebuild my control board. I pulled it out, shipped it to Circuit Board Medics. A week later, it came back, I popped it back in and the oven is now working fine again. Circuit Board Medics warrant the board for a year. Total cost, including shipping both directions & tax was about $180.

This was one of the easiest repairs I've done around the house. Two screws to pull down the panel that holds the control board, and only 4 screws to remove the board itself. It took me almost as long to label all the wires as it did to take everything apart. I've attached a picture of the board just before I labelled the wires.
Great pic! Congratulations on the fix. I wonder if they would repair my thermostat in my 1986 GE oven. I accidentally shorted it out a long time ago when testing the oven bake element. No longer available, of course, except a few on ebay. Oh well, I'm getting by OK just using the top burners, and probably saving on the electric bill by not using the oven!
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Replacing Flourescent Tubes w/LED
Old 02-23-2016, 10:54 AM   #1322
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Replacing Flourescent Tubes w/LED

I've been watching these threads with great interest. We have two applications in our home. One is a pantry closet and the other is an unheated garage. I happened on these yesterday at Home Depot which look more attractive to me than the Hyperikon bulbs from Amazon:

Philips 4 ft. T8 17-Watt Cool White Linear LED Light Bulb-456590 - The Home Depot

The issue in the garage is that the flourescent tubes are dim in cold weather. The issue in the pantry is that <someone> did not use a quick start ballast when the original failed and the light stays on when not needed (need to look into auto an auto-on/off device).

As for disposal of the flourescent tubes, my local HD says "we don't take those anymore" but I took them to another location with no problem. I believe they are supposed to accept them for disposal by law.
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Old 02-23-2016, 11:08 AM   #1323
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I've been watching these threads with great interest. We have two applications in our home. One is a pantry closet and the other is an unheated garage. I happened on these yesterday at Home Depot which look more attractive to me than the Hyperikon bulbs from Amazon:

Philips 4 ft. T8 17-Watt Cool White Linear LED Light Bulb-456590 - The Home Depot

The issue in the garage is that the flourescent tubes are dim in cold weather. The issue in the pantry is that <someone> did not use a quick start ballast when the original failed and the light stays on when not needed (need to look into auto an auto-on/off device).

As for disposal of the flourescent tubes, my local HD says "we don't take those anymore" but I took them to another location with no problem. I believe they are supposed to accept them for disposal by law.
Careful, it looks like those require a specific type of ballast.

IMO, you are better off with the kind where you can disconnect and bypass the ballast. You never need to worry about the ballast again, and it saves a bit of electricity.

-ERD50
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Old 02-23-2016, 11:23 AM   #1324
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Careful, it looks like those require a specific type of ballast.

IMO, you are better off with the kind where you can disconnect and bypass the ballast. You never need to worry about the ballast again, and it saves a bit of electricity.

-ERD50
Yeah. These definitely will not work in the pantry. I'm not sure what's in the garage. They do start quickly and they are low temp fixtures (e.g. rated to maybe 40'F) but the garage gets down near freezing sometimes and the bulbs are dim when the temp is below ~45'F.
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Old 02-24-2016, 09:40 AM   #1325
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I thought I needed a replacement board for my HVAC back in October. Bought one from eBay. Used but working. Turns out I didn't need it so have a spare now .. 40 bucks.

I almost Never buy brand new parts for old cars or appliances - rebuilt or remanufactured or junkyard-used typically work just as well for 1/3 the cost .... or less
I find that the OEM parts for cars from the junkyard are cheaper and are much higher in quality than the offshore junk they sell at the chain auto parts stores.
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Old 02-29-2016, 12:42 PM   #1326
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OK... just had the back quarter panel window in our car replaced...


Some idiot broke it out sometime between Thur afternoon and Friday afternoon.... was shocked when got quotes of $500 and above... finally found a local firm that did it for $285....
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Your recent repair?
Old 02-29-2016, 02:08 PM   #1327
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Your recent repair?

$285? That's still a chunk of change.


Did u try a junk yard for a new window?

I replaced a back side windows on my sons car that was damaged by who knows what ... Was 45 bucks for the part and it took about 15 minutes to replace. Hardest part was getting the bazillion little bits of glass vacuumed up.
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Old 03-01-2016, 11:07 AM   #1328
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Originally Posted by jazz4cash View Post
I've been watching these threads with great interest. We have two applications in our home. One is a pantry closet and the other is an unheated garage. I happened on these yesterday at Home Depot which look more attractive to me than the Hyperikon bulbs from Amazon:

Philips 4 ft. T8 17-Watt Cool White Linear LED Light Bulb-456590 - The Home Depot

The issue in the garage is that the flourescent tubes are dim in cold weather. The issue in the pantry is that <someone> did not use a quick start ballast when the original failed and the light stays on when not needed (need to look into auto an auto-on/off device).

As for disposal of the flourescent tubes, my local HD says "we don't take those anymore" but I took them to another location with no problem. I believe they are supposed to accept them for disposal by law.
Have you considered replacing the light fixture so you can use "ordinary" LED bulbs ?
I believe we all have these tube fluorescent lights as back then there was no other energy efficient choice, but to continue using them will in many cases perpetuate the original default old style look.
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Old 03-02-2016, 08:09 AM   #1329
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Have you considered replacing the light fixture so you can use "ordinary" LED bulbs ?
I believe we all have these tube fluorescent lights as back then there was no other energy efficient choice, but to continue using them will in many cases perpetuate the original default old style look.

No, but it's a good suggestion. I'll give it some thought.



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Old 03-02-2016, 09:11 AM   #1330
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$285? That's still a chunk of change.


Did u try a junk yard for a new window?

I replaced a back side windows on my sons car that was damaged by who knows what ... Was 45 bucks for the part and it took about 15 minutes to replace. Hardest part was getting the bazillion little bits of glass vacuumed up.

I looked online and a new window cost over $150... I saw one from a junked car for $105....

Then watching all the stuff he had to do to get that piece out.... had to take off part of the rubber trim, take off the plastic parts of the inside of the car.... and it was glued in pretty well... looked like a good number of screws etc....

He cleaned it up, but also said that we probably would be finding glass for awhile...

So I think the $100 to $150 cost to install was worth the money....
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Old 03-03-2016, 10:57 PM   #1331
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New faucet in our Puerto Vallarta MX condo - $120 USD at Costco. Fancy high neck one with sprayer at end of faucet nozzle. Cost of plumber who took 1 hour & 15 minutes - $12 USD.


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Old 03-04-2016, 07:57 AM   #1332
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Installed a new counter, reusing the old sink and taps, and installed a new tile backsplash.

First time doing either one, the tile backsplash was easier than I thought, planning is important.
Aspenite countertops have a curve in them and you have to use the screws to pull them down tight. I put washers on my screw heads to be sure they didn't pull themselves up through the counter.
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Old 03-04-2016, 02:50 PM   #1333
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I installed a new outdoor timer for the landscaping lights.
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Old 03-04-2016, 03:01 PM   #1334
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Cleaned and re-sealed the tile grout on the kitchen floor.
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Old 03-04-2016, 05:00 PM   #1335
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The garage door opener remote started getting slow, so I ordered some batteries on eBay (you can get 10 in the mail for the price of 1 at the local store, if you can even find the weird 23A at the store).

Before they arrived, the current battery didn't have enough oomph to open the garage door, so I added a little something in series. It works!
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Old 03-05-2016, 04:17 PM   #1336
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Did a little tile work. Finished a few days ago, actually, but wanted to warn about variable thickness tile. It's OK until you have to turn a corner. Then you need to chop tiles and piece it. I don't know why the builders didn't make the surround go to the ceiling... It's just sheets of faux marble. The steam played heck withe the wallpaper, so that came off, and after painting, I was on the hook to install this mosaic variable thickness tile.
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Old 03-05-2016, 04:22 PM   #1337
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I installed a new outdoor timer for the landscaping lights.

LOL, I did that about a month or two ago... pretty quick exchange...

Did you put in the old mechanical one? I had bought one a few years back when I thought ours had gone out but it started to work again when I spun it quickly for what it thought was a week...
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Old 03-05-2016, 06:20 PM   #1338
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Did a little tile work. Finished a few days ago, actually, but wanted to warn about variable thickness tile. It's OK until you have to turn a corner. Then you need to chop tiles and piece it. I don't know why the builders didn't make the surround go to the ceiling... It's just sheets of faux marble. The steam played heck withe the wallpaper, so that came off, and after painting, I was on the hook to install this mosaic variable thickness tile.
Is that going to be difficult to clean?
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Old 03-05-2016, 06:57 PM   #1339
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Replaced switch on laundry room fan with a digital timer. Can now tell it to turn on and off at pre-sent times each day.

The room needed better ventilation. This should solve.
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Old 03-05-2016, 10:37 PM   #1340
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Did a little tile work. Finished a few days ago, actually, but wanted to warn about variable thickness tile. It's OK until you have to turn a corner. Then you need to chop tiles and piece it. I don't know why the builders didn't make the surround go to the ceiling... It's just sheets of faux marble. The steam played heck withe the wallpaper, so that came off, and after painting, I was on the hook to install this mosaic variable thickness tile.
Very nice looking, but why didn't you carry it onto the ceiling ?
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