Your recent repair? - 2021 to ?

[N02L84ER]

Let me ask an obvious/stupid question, because it's happened to us in the past...might this outlet be controlled by a wall switch...and maybe someone turned it off? We have a few of those in our house and I've put a strip of masking tape over some so nobody accidentally flips them off.

This was my first thought too. Earlier this week one of our cats apparently flipped the switch off that controlled our waterbed heater. We thought the heater had failed and started researching replacement waterbed equipment, but we found the switch problem within an hour of starting our search for an interim solution.

 

[freedomatlast]

DW's Kuerig B70 wouldn't work. The momentary rocker switch on the back no longer rocked and was stuck in one position no matter how hard we pressed on it.

Took it apart, popped out the switch and found replacements on ebay. Problem is they all come from China and wouldn't be delivered until well after the new year.

Decided to press in on all sides of the switch housing gently with a pliers and simultaneously attempt to activate the switch to see if I could get it to rock one time. I did, and while it was in the previously stuck position, sprayed a liberal amount of CRC Industrial 3-36 into the switch and it freed it up nicely. CRC Industrial 3-36 is not electrically conductive, so I pushed the switch back in, reinstalled the bottom panel and now it works like new again.

Saved me from ordering and waiting for a switch and then de-soldering wires off the old switch then soldering the wires onto a new switch.

 

[euro]

DW's Kuerig B70 wouldn't work. The momentary rocker switch on the back no longer rocked and was stuck in one position no matter how hard we pressed on it.

Took it apart, popped out the switch and found replacements on ebay. Problem is they all come from China and wouldn't be delivered until well after the new year.

Decided to press in on all sides of the switch housing gently with a pliers and simultaneously attempt to activate the switch to see if I could get it to rock one time. I did, and while it was in the previously stuck position, sprayed a liberal amount of CRC Industrial 3-36 into the switch and it freed it up nicely. CRC Industrial 3-36 is not electrically conductive, so I pushed the switch back in, reinstalled the bottom panel and now it works like new again.

Saved me from ordering and waiting for a switch and then de-soldering wires off the old switch then soldering the wires onto a new switch.

Bravo!

 

[mountainsoft]

After 37 years the light bulb in our Toshiba ERX-1700 microwave oven finally burned out. Naturally, the bulb and socket are a one piece unit, so I couldn't just screw in a generic bulb. Unfortunately, our microwave is so old I can't even find a parts list anywhere, let alone any replacement parts.

So after doing some research I found a WB36X10002 bulb for old GE microwaves that looked like it would work. I had to drill a couple of new screw holes for the new flange, and bend down the connector terminals, but otherwise it seems to work fine. It seems slightly dimmer than the old bulb, even though it was sold as a 40W bulb compared to the original 25W. In any case, it lights up the cavity of the microwave so we're up and running again.

Now, how many more years will our 37 year old microwave keep working?

 

[MC Rider]

There were microwaves ovens 37 years ago?
Umm, hopefully another 37 years for your Flintstones microwave.

 

[JoeWras]

There were microwaves ovens 37 years ago?
Umm, hopefully another 37 years for your Flintstones microwave.

Ha ha. My old mwave just started fading away in power. The Klystron tube degraded or something.

37 years is incredible.

 

[ncbill]

Ha ha. My old mwave just started fading away in power. The Klystron tube degraded or something.

37 years is incredible.

Yeah, I could have replaced the cavity magnetron in our ~20-year-old, all-in-one range/microwave with a generic one from eBay for ~$50.

But instead ended up with separate range & over-the-range microwave for ~$2,000, not including adding a new 20A dedicated circuit, per code, for the microwave.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Yep, I got my first microwave in 1980, it cost about $600 at the time and I loved it. I worked for a company that sold them and we'd hear from customers 35 years later looking for a new magnetron or glass turntable.

 

[Sunset]

Yep, I got my first microwave in 1980, it cost about $600 at the time and I loved it. I worked for a company that sold them and we'd hear from customers 35 years later looking for a new magnetron or glass turntable.

I remember taking microwave cooking classes around then, made peanut brittle in it.

I couldn't afford to buy one, but I knew how to use them

 

[ncbill]

Yep, I got my first microwave in 1980, it cost about $600 at the time and I loved it. I worked for a company that sold them and we'd hear from customers 35 years later looking for a new magnetron or glass turntable.

Plenty of inexpensive, generic ones available on eBay.

IIRC, there appeared to be only a handful of different designs.

 

[mountainsoft]

There were microwaves ovens 37 years ago?
Umm, hopefully another 37 years for your Flintstones microwave.

Our microwave was a wedding present from my mom back in Nov 1986. It is a mid-size micro and has worked beautifully for 37 years with no issues at all, until the light bulb went out. And yes, our marriage is still going after 37 years too.

I used to work on microwave ovens and the Toshiba was one of the better made models at the time (thus the reason I chose one for myself). My mom got the same model for herself, though hers quit working several years ago. When she moved into assisted living I kept her old micro for parts. Unfortunately, her light bulb had already burned out too.

My wife chipped the front edge of our glass tray shortly after we were married, so I bought a replacement from the company I worked for. However, we turned the chipped edge to the back of the oven, and I still have the replacement tray in the unopened original box, just in case... Though I guess I have two extra trays now, since I've got my mom's old micro too.

Oh, and microwaves go a lot further back than that. I remember working on old Amana microwaves with dials that were built like tanks and weighed a ton. I think the first residential microwaves came out around the early 1950's?

 

[mountainsoft]

I remember taking microwave cooking classes around then, made peanut brittle in it.

I couldn't afford to buy one, but I knew how to use them

The company I worked for sold and repaired microwave ovens. They also offered cooking classes, which I sometimes listened too and sampled the final products. Back then we cooked almost everything in the microwave. Roasts, Turkey, Vegetables, Desserts, you name it...

I remember making peanut brittle too, as well as almond roca, and popcorn (in special funnel shaped poppers, not that nasty bagged stuff).

These days we mostly just reheat and defrost things, though we still microwave many vegetables (potatoes, brussels sprouts, etc.), soften butter quickly, and make the occasional dessert (apple crisp comes to mind).

 

[Music Lover]

My 85-year old uncle gave me his snowblower, unused for the last 2 years as he now hires someone to clear his driveway. It still had the old gas in it so I drained it and put in new gas but it still wouldn't start.

I removed and cleaned the carburetor and now it works perfectly. It was just a simple repair but I don't really work on engines so it felt good that I was successful.

 

[Walt34]

Oh, and microwaves go a lot further back than that. I remember working on old Amana microwaves with dials that were built like tanks and weighed a ton. I think the first residential microwaves came out around the early 1950's?

A relative was a civilian Navy employee and worked on sonobouys, occasionally being detailed on a short submarine cruise ("cruise" is probably the wrong word) for testing new things, and that was his introduction to microwave ovens. The then-new microwave ovens saved space, always at a premium on submarines. So on his then very limited pay he spent over $1,000 in the late 1950's or early 1960's on a Radarange oven. And that was my introduction to microwave ovens. Way cool, but far out of our financial reach.

 

[5Miler]

Daily driver is a 2001 Silverado but haven't had any heat in it this winter so far. I may live in the Atlanta Metro but we are still seeing overnight lows in the 20s so I'm not a big fan of the no heat situation.

Removed the hoses to heater core and did a reverse flush resulting in mega chunks of debris being removed. Hooked it all back up and the heat quickly ran me out of the cab without even taking it for a short drive to warm it up. Good to go again.

 

[njhowie]

Removed the hoses to heater core and did a reverse flush resulting in mega chunks of debris being removed. Hooked it all back up and the heat quickly ran me out of the cab without even taking it for a short drive to warm it up. Good to go again.

You may want to flush the whole system...the debris came from somewhere...possibly your radiator or something else breaking down that may need to be replaced?

 

[REWahoo]

Replaced the Moen cartridge in our main shower. What a royal PITA. The handle was so corroded internally (welded on with calcium deposits from our hard well water) that I had to resort to using a sawzall to remove it. What should have been a 45 minute job took me over two hours.

I think I've mentioned on several previous occasions how much I detest plumbing work...

 

[ls99]

.........

I think I've mentioned on several previous occasions how much I detest plumbing work...

That is one job never to be replaced by AI.

 

[stephenson]

Neighbor out of town for medical care for a couple of months. My job was to drive cars. My better half made soup and I delivered prior to their arrival late that day.

Entering house odd musky smell ... yeah, refrigerator compressor had stopped working. Got OK from neighbor to take a look. All else was working so pulled power for a few minutes. Restarted but still no compressor (or condenser fan). Powered off and pulled covers off main control board. Powered back on and wiggled each connector. When wiggling power connector on the board that I think goes to the compressor and fan (lower right but since somehow the photo is rotating on loading, it is the connector with the larger wired, one bright blue), got twitches from the fan motor - lower right. Powered off, disconnected connectors, pulled board and examined back side - nothing obvious. Flexed board back and forth - sometimes this will move pins into better contact with bad solder connections. All back together and works.

Neighbor likely to get a new refrig, but we will try to reflow the solder on the pin connectors and use as backup garage frig. Will also carefully examine the connector itself.

Update!
- Re all had previously troubleshot to a bad power relay for the compressor and condenser fan ... got working by tearing top off the relay to be able to sand points that were burned - $2 relay arrived via Chinese ebay seller with 5.50 for shipping, total about $7.50. De soldered the old one, soldered in the new - works fine, now.
- icemaker also had a issue

Here's full thread for all the issues and fixes - I got lots of good advice!

appliance blog.com
https://www.applianceblog.com/mainf...-inlet-valve-and-ice-maker.99377/#post-512070

And, another, more electronics oriented site - https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/whirlpool-main-control-board-repair.165638/

 

[boog]

Replaced our garage door torsion springs yesterday. Used high cycle springs (4 times standard) so may not have to do this job again. Got a workout winding up those things - feel like I lifted weights at the gym. Probably saved a couple hundred $ on labor too.

 

[JoeWras]

Replaced our garage door torsion springs yesterday. Used high cycle springs (4 times standard) so may not have to do this job again. Got a workout winding up those things - feel like I lifted weights at the gym. Probably saved a couple hundred $ on labor too.

And you survived! I thought everyone who tried this dies? /sarc

 

[Teacher Terry]

My 2 year old Maytag dishwasher that cost 900 quit working. The repair guy charged 120 to diagnose that the motor was ruined. It cost 400 to replace it. It was a tough decision as to repair or replace. Next time I am buying a cheap dishwasher as there’s no quality anymore.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Replaced our garage door torsion springs yesterday. Used high cycle springs (4 times standard) so may not have to do this job again. Got a workout winding up those things - feel like I lifted weights at the gym. Probably saved a couple hundred $ on labor too.

And you survived! I thought everyone who tried this dies? /sarc

I was going to say something along these lines. I would never attempt to replace a garage door spring. I guess I'm a scaredy cat.

 

[boog]

I was going to say something along these lines. I would never attempt to replace a garage door spring. I guess I'm a scaredy cat.

I highly recommend this instructional video. Without proper safety instructions it would be foolish to just “wing it” with no experience. This was my second time doing this, but the winding was harder than I remembered. Might be because I’m older and weaker now.

 

[Sunset]

^^^^^^^ That was a good video, when I did mine, I watched a bunch of videos and some of them were wrong and dangerous.

I didn't paint my springs nor tap to stretch them out. I did make sure to keep out of the path of the rods should something slip. I did both at the same time, even though only 1 broke, as it's not the type of repair I want to repeat too often.