Your recent repair? 2013 - 2020

[NW-Bound]

In both cases of my variable-speed pumps, it's the electronics that failed. Note that they are two different brands. Perhaps some parts are not used according to their ratings. I think the manufacturers have not gained experience in field failures of their products. They will learn the hard way, and the weaker ones may drop out of the market in the years ahead.

[homestead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset I had the same thing happen on the pipe leading to the kitchen sink , and my sister had it happen on the pipe coming off the water meter (few feet past the meter). So I don't think standing water is the cause, possibly its a defect in the pipe manufacture ?

Using excessive flux in sweating pipes and not wiping off the excess can cause pinholes. Flux is corrosive to copper.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 What is it about these pool pumps that they don't last long? I've got a fridge and a freezer that are ~ 20 ~ 25 years old, and I've never done any maintenance on the motor/compressor. They typically run at about ~ 50% duty cycle, so that is a lot of hours of operation. It's actually pretty amazing that these these can just run and run like that, no oiling, nothing (I guess they get lubricated by the compressed fluids?). But failures in a year are so are far on the other end of the spectrum - what's up?

From what I remember from my A/C days the oil actually dissolves in the refrigerant and that keeps things very well lubricated. The sealed refrigeration system is also very dry since any water will freeze at the restriction. Prior to filling the system with refrigerant they pump out as much air as is practical, causing any water to boil off at room temperature.

That's a far different environment than a pool pump works in.

[ls99]

Garage door repair. Fortunately could do it from inside as it failed after pulling into the garage and it closed. Outside was +5F.

The center bearing support of the torsion bar came loose from the header which was padded out with two small pieces of 2x4. The outermost 2x4 split where two 2" lag bolts holding the center bearing and one end of the torsion spring were screwed in. The torsion bar was bent into a nice arc.

Taking DW's car to the hardware store in town bought a couple of 4 1/2 inch long lag bolts. Once back at the house proceeded to unwind the torsion spring, thus removing the tension and bow from the torsion bar. First drill pilot holes with long bit, then used my handy air ratchet, installed the two long lag bolts. Verified torsion bar is straight then final torqued the lag bolts. Reset the support cables on the end pulleys, wind up the torque spring, reconnect power and lock in the trolley. Test. All is well.

I am sure I saved a few hundred bucks by not calling garage door people. I am sure they also charge a premium on pleasant NOT days like today.

By the way anyone working with garage door springs is well advised to learn safe procedures, damn things can kill you.

[sengsational]

Nice fix LS! When I told people I was going to replace my tortion springs, they all said I'd end up in the hospital, or worse. Anyway, too bad the bar was not mounted "to last". Something so easy to do right the first time, but maybe the original installer didn't have the experience or didn't have enough pride in workmanship. Oooh, I hope it wasn't you that installed it in the first place!!

[ls99]

Heh, it was put in by the "professional" builder in 1998, when original owners remodeled and added three car garage. We bought the house 6 years ago. About foour years ago I had to replace a broken torsion spring in another door. And re balance all three at that time.

I learned to hate profesional builders. I found too many crap construction details. The description would go on for at least six pages.

The unfortunate part was the DW "loved" the house at first sight, and in spite of me telling her not express any positive feelings about it at viewing, she gushed anyway. Big Sigh. Grin and bear it.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem If the leak is in the copper pipe itself (not a joint), then it could be bad news. Copper can last for a long, long time if the water pH is okay, but it doesn't like acidic water (low pH). It corrodes and often the first sign is a pinhole leak. After that, things can start going downhill: more leaks, especially inside walls, etc) can cause a lot of damage, and at very least are a constant nuisance. There are methods to neutralize the acidity (which has other benefits), but homeowners often choose to install newer PEX pipe in place of copper. Not cheap, but final.

Good to know, mine was in a 90 degree elbow joint, so maybe it was just the joint that was bad ? It was the outside corner of the joint, not a solder issue.

I cannot remember where my sisters was, whether it was a joint or part of the pipe itself, next time I'm over I'll look to see , and of course look for more leaks as she won't.

I'd hate to have a leak in the wall...

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by homestead Using excessive flux in sweating pipes and not wiping off the excess can cause pinholes. Flux is corrosive to copper.

This is good news... as it gives a possibility it is a localized problem.

[Sunset]

LS99 I'm sure you saved easily $300 as I priced out new torsion springs a year or two ago and did mine after watching youtube videos.
I also priced asking a pro to do it, and decided I could save a bundle on my own.

[calmloki]

Driver's window quit on the BMW wagon - glass was all loosey goosey but the motor ran. An independent quoted 1.1 hours and $350 total cost and refused to use customer supplied parts. Found a new regulator online for $28 - delivered! Fought the door apart (lotsa wires in there...) and found the window out of it's regulator clamp, so set it back in place and was re-clamping it while thinking about the hard rubber and the waste of buying the regulator and Kerpow! Shattered that glass into thousands of tiny harmless pieces!

I expect better of me. Found a replacement window at a local wrecking yard, installed it, and found the regulator cables had hidden broken strands and were binding, so replaced the regulator. All is good, total cost $71 and my labor. Now I know how that door comes apart.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calmloki Now I know how that door comes apart.

That's all well and good, but do you know how it goes back together? That's always been the tricky part for me...

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calmloki .......... was re-clamping it while thinking about the hard rubber and the waste of buying the regulator and Kerpow! Shattered that glass into thousands of tiny harmless pieces! ...............

I admire you for posting your screw up. I thought this stuff only happened to me.

[travelover]

Not really a repair so much as a modification. Last year the furnace shut down a few times when the temperature dropped below -10 F. The problem was that the hot, moist discharge was being sucked into the intake and creating a frost blockage.

I added a 3 foot high riser pipe to the discharge, so the steamy discharge is well above the intake even on a windy day. Last night it was -21F and no problems.

If you live somewhere warm and this issue is unimaginable - I don't want to hear about it.

[calmloki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Not really a repair so much as a modification. Last year the furnace shut down a few times when the temperature dropped below -10 F. The problem was that the hot, moist discharge was being sucked into the intake and creating a frost blockage. I added a 3 foot high riser pipe to the discharge, so the steamy discharge is well above the intake even on a windy day. Last night it was -21F and no problems. If you live somewhere warm and this issue is unimaginable - I don't want to hear about it.

That is imaginable. When I drove to the junkyard the other day it was without a window. in my t-shirt. Didn't run the AC though.

[Chuckanut]

I am fixing a rusty dishwasher rack before it rusts through and become useless. Somebody here mentioned a goop that paints on the rusted spots. I hope it works.

[M Paquette]

Warrantee repair of a built-in "GE Appliances" microwave oven. My efforts were confined to scheduling the free repair and drinking coffee while the young fellow tried not to get bit by the magnetron power supply. :-)

The controller board wasn't cycling the magnetron power relay. He declared it 'fixed' when the relay started cycling after he'd reset the board (literally; as in remove and re-insert).

I'm not putting the spare microwave (from my radio room/office) away just yet.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

[meierlde]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound In both cases of my variable-speed pumps, it's the electronics that failed. Note that they are two different brands. Perhaps some parts are not used according to their ratings. I think the manufacturers have not gained experience in field failures of their products. They will learn the hard way, and the weaker ones may drop out of the market in the years ahead.

Interestingly I had a variable speed air handler blower stop working, (It also handles a delay in startup for a heatpump). The service person said that the mfg is having a lot of problems with blower motors ( He said they replaced about 1 a week). If you look at the circuit diagram, much of the smarts is now embedded in the blower motor instead of on a circuit board.)

Note that the unit was just 3.5 years old so under warranty.

[naggz]

Got home from vacation to find our jetted tub not working.

I got worried, as there is no access panel to the motor, so it would require tile work to fix, but then I checked the tub's GFCI in the basement, and it wouldn't reset (and it had a slight burnt smell).

I hate doing electrical work - too scared usually, but for $25 for a new GFCI receptacle & another $25 for a non-contact voltage tester (which I've wanted for a while anyway, just needed an excuse to buy it), I figured it's worth a try before calling an electrician. It's working nicely now - no electrician (or tile layer) needed.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calmloki That is imaginable. When I drove to the junkyard the other day it was without a window. in my t-shirt. Didn't run the AC though.

Oh yeah,
Well the other day I bought ice cream, put it in the trunk of the car and 5 hours later remembered it was in the trunk.
Brought it in the house to soften up for desert

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by naggz Got home from vacation to find our jetted tub not working. I got worried, as there is no access panel to the motor, so it would require tile work to fix, but then I checked the tub's GFCI in the basement, and it wouldn't reset (and it had a slight burnt smell). I hate doing electrical work - too scared usually, but for $25 for a new GFCI receptacle & another $25 for a non-contact voltage tester (which I've wanted for a while anyway, just needed an excuse to buy it), I figured it's worth a try before calling an electrician. It's working nicely now - no electrician (or tile layer) needed.

I would recommend that you check your local building codes, in most places you do need to have an access panel for a jetted tub with a motor. It's not only a good idea for maintenance issues but could become an issue if you were to sell your house. It's also usually spelled out as a requirement from the tub manufacturer for warranty issues. I have two access panels to my jetted tub from the adjacent wall in the walk-in closet.