Your recent repair? 2013 - 2020

[NW-Bound]

He should know to do even better than that, meaning to replace the fan himself, but he did not know where to buy replacement parts.

My son is now an ME (I am EE), and has been working for a couple of years. He just got a double-digit raise. I guess they like his work.

 

[Texas Proud]

Ouch! $550 for a 16 year old system hurts.
It would have been nice if they had an old used one around that they could have sold you cheaper.

Yep... I would have taken a used one for half price or less... I am sure that I could have found it online cheaper, but there are some things I do not want to work on... if you make a mistake it can cost you more than money....

 

[Looking4Ward]

Maytag cabinet-installed microwave oven went out last night. From the sound and smell of it, I suspected the magnetron.

Went online to research part cost and source when I discovered it would probably be best to simply replace this eight year old unit since Lowe's has cabinet mount Frigidaire Gallery models (which would match the rest of the appliances in this kitchen) on sale for $250.

Looks like even microwaves have become disposable items; it wasn't that long ago I paid $1K for a GE Profile unit, and even it only lasted 9 years.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

We had a small combo microwave/toaster/convection oven. Don't think they even make them anymore. We loved it. Bought it for under $100 when we were in college. Couldn't get it repaired for even $200. Unless its obvious and you can do the repair yourself its not worth calling a repairman. Often its not even worth the cost of the repair parts. Worse than cars! I bet it costs 50X the original price to build an appliance from repair parts. I've learned to do most appliances but microwaves? Nope.

 

[Looking4Ward]

A quick Google search came up with an average life expectancy of 10 years for microwave ovens.

I started thinking that we've never used a microwave for more than 5 minutes a day (more like maybe 2 or 3?) but even if we did, that is only 300 hours over a ten year period.

And neither of the last two we had lasted that long. 300 hours of use before failure almost seems like an engineered fault.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

Common failure point for electronics is the electrolytic capacitors in the power supplies. Heat and use can accelerate their aging but they will dry out even with no use. Antique electronics almost always need the capacitors replaced to function properly. You can go in and replace each and every one but it is done as a hobby or for sentimental reasons rather than as an economic repair.

 

[M Paquette]

Maytag cabinet-installed microwave oven went out last night. From the sound and smell of it, I suspected the magnetron.

Went online to research part cost and source when I discovered it would probably be best to simply replace this eight year old unit since Lowe's has cabinet mount Frigidaire Gallery models (which would match the rest of the appliances in this kitchen) on sale for $250.

Looks like even microwaves have become disposable items; it wasn't that long ago I paid $1K for a GE Profile unit, and even it only lasted 9 years.

I just went through this drill recently with a 12 year old Maytag cabinet microwave. The parts cost was more than a new microwave. In my case, the blower motor (which cools the magnetron) had an open winding. Due to the construction, it would be just about impossible to rewind the motor without a very specialized machine and some molding equipment. Pretty much made to be unrepairable.

And yes, the power supply had a couple of bulging electrolytic capacitors, so that would also have to be addressed.

We scrapped it and put a new microwave in. I just wish they'd standardize the wall mounting plates. I'm going to run low on places to make new holes in a few more microwaves...

 

[imoldernu]

DW and I use different bathrooms. Hers is at the end of the water supply lines (no feedback line). For two years, she has been (mildly) complaining that the hot water took too long to reach the shower. I brushed it off, until I tried it myself. First of all, the shower, while having the same shower head as mine, was much slower, less water.

I swapped shower heads, and voila, the pressure and time to get hot water was ok. Now my shower was slow. I took the shower head off, and soaked it in CLR for an hour and tried it again. No difference. Next, I examined the inside of the shower head, and could see no blockage, but the tiny filter holes were colored black instead of the silver color of the other shower head.. Strange...

Apparently the filter holes were clogged by metal particles, that were not affected by using the CLR. While the cost of a replacement head is under $10, I resolved to try to fix the problem, It was relatively simple... I just used a needle tool to pick the metal corrosion off each hole. The process took about three minutes, and the "clean" head worked perfectly.

If we had not had the comparison head, I would have certainly bought a new replacement, as the blocked head "looked" clean.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

We unclogged a slow running drain with a tweezers, hot water, baking soda and vinegar.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

We unclogged a slow running drain with a tweezers, hot water, baking soda and vinegar.

I recently tried one of these on a clogged sink. They work really well if hair is involved. And the price is right.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I recently tried one of these on a clogged sink. They work really well if hair is involved. And the price is right.

That is good to know. I will pick one up next time we are in Home Depot to have on hand.

 

[jerome len]

We had a 4 to 5 year old GE built in microwave that needed its 1st repair......we called GE service and the replacement computer board was $750.....the microwave had only cost around $400 when new. ........GE, as we were told by the service man, has NEVER sold this part.....wonder why? So, we went to Home Depot and found another GE microwave....looked like our old one but has a simpler computer board and cost $290. So, we replaced it. GE still sells the same microwave "Profile" and you wonder how they can do it. We've had GE for years, never needed service, never bought a service contract and they even repaired a 10 year old frig a few years ago under warranty since they had been having problems with it. ......Maybe I shouldn't have been loyal to GE but we know the product, its features and it was cheap! I'm still in shock over this expense.

 

[38Chevy454]

+1

If the motor hums but does not turn, you can try to spin the blade. If that starts it running, then the capacitor connecting to the secondary winding is out and needs to be replaced. Note that you can "spin-start" an induction motor in either direction.

Also a 2-cycle engine can start and run backward. Hard to do that since most have kick or pull starter that go only one direction. Also timing is off (becomes few degrees ATDC instead of BTDC), but they will run since intake and exhaust port timing is controlled by piston.

 

[38Chevy454]

I fixed the Singer sewing machine, it had stripped the gears that run the hook wheel. The wheel turns which allows the needle to catch the bobbin thread. Found new gears for $12 shipped on ebay and took opportunity to lube the machine while I was in the repair process for some added benefit. Only real trick was to get the timing right on the wheel vs the needle position.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

The repair I did-- Rented a power snake and reamed out the sewer line...

The repair I didn't do and will pay to have done-- Lay a new line to the main to go around the trees that keep getting into the old clay pipe sewer line! I'm just not up to it anymore even if I rent a backhoe. Risk is too high I'd hit the main with the backhoe and I've lost the backbone for digging with a shovel.

 

[ERD50]

The repair I did-- Rented a power snake and reamed out the sewer line...

The repair I didn't do and will pay to have done-- Lay a new line to the main to go around the trees that keep getting into the old clay pipe sewer line! I'm just not up to it anymore even if I rent a backhoe. Risk is too high I'd hit the main with the backhoe and I've lost the backbone for digging with a shovel.

I've seen (This Old House?) where they run an epoxy soaked liner down the old pipe, inflate a balloon tube through it and let it harden, and that effectively gives you new pipes, w/o the digging.

Might be worth looking into.

-ERD50

 

[ls99]

Our 6 year old Hot tub, outdoors, used year around had a slow leak. Noticed about a month ago. Used the cheap method to figure the likely location of leak, let it go down until the leak stops. The leak stopped just below the lower edge of the skimmer.

Yesterday lowered water level a few more inches. Removed decorative trim, removed screws holding the edges of the skimmer intake. Upon removing lowest three screws, noticed water seeping out of screw holes.

Cleaned the edges, ran a bead of gutter seal all the way around. Could not lift out skimmer box sine it is foamed in place at the factory. Pushed gutter seal in each hole, then coated each screw with gutter seal and reinserted. After ten minutes or so applied some rubberized spray seal all the way around.

Aobut an hour ago refilled tub and re-started. Hoping it is a good fix, will know in a few days.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Keep us updated. We are having a similar problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Ronstar]

My workshop garage door came down on a piece of wood stuck in the track. Not good - screwed up the spring and jammed the door 6" lower on one side. Took it apart and adjusted the spring and all is well

 

[Sunset]

I patched the DW's car where it had a rust spot on the driver's side rear quarter panel (between the rear tire and the bumper).
I used an angle grinder I bought at HF for $10, with a twisted wire wheel on it. Wearing a face shield and mask and safety glasses, I was amazed at how fast it stripped off everything down to the metal, and then I easily ground out the rust.
I treated it with navy jelly to fix the remaining rust.
I put a fiberglass patch inside the trunk where you could see the hole, and then bondo on the outside to fill in. Then the red bondo, sanding a bunch, and then many light coats of paint and 4-5 light coats of clear coat.
Its not a professional job, but DW is happy the rust is gone on her 17 yr old car.
Now I'm trying to find reasons to use that angle grinder, as I am amazed with it !

 

[Keim]

Working on my radio. Replacing old capacitors.

Radio looks like this:

 

[travelover]

Came home yesterday to find garage door 90% closed and crooked. Uh oh.

Turned out that the cable end has rusted and worn through at the bottom of the door, where it sees salt in the winter. I clamped on a new end, pushed the garage door button and .........nothing.

The motor had evidently run until it popped the thermal overload button. Pushed the overload reset button and the opener just ran and ran. As it turns out, it ate the belt before it kicked off.

$14 later, I had a new belt and was back in business. Taking the tension off the cables is not for the feint of heart.

 

[AllDone]

I was sitting in the living room yesterday when I heard the sound of rapidly running water. Initially I was happy because I'm not sure that the water softener is regenerating automatically. Then I decided that the noise sounded a little louder than the water softener in the garage. By the time I walked to the guest bathroom, the water was into the hallway and pouring into the bedrooms and roughly 1/2" deep in the bathroom. Happily, the shut off valve to the toilet was in good working condition and I own a lot of towels, but no carpet. A new supply hose did the trick. I'm going to shuffle off to the hardware store again today to buy new hoses for the elderly washing machine. I'm glad that I was home.

 

[golfnut]

New roof and 2 skylights. $9700.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

Taking the tension off the cables is not for the feint of heart.

I assume you did this the safe way - unhitch the door and muscle it up to the full open position, then support with clamps/vice-grips before re-attaching the cable. If you had to de-tension, then re-tension with the rods, yes that is a scary job.