Since every one has them and some of us has to fix them.
I had two fridges go down .
I called on the first one to an appliance store that had a repairman.
He came out two days after the initial call and told me the compressor was bad on the phone the next morning . Its time for a new one .
He told the female tennant that there somthing bad going on with the compressor .
So I came to pick it up and load it and its made some ice over night and the ice is froze. Shes got some milk in the fridge and its fairy cold . Not cold enough.
I notice a leak in the floor , so I load it in the trailer .
I call an old repair man that has retired . I asked if the box was cold , how could the compressor be out ? He said it isnt . I ask him to look at it and he refers me to a guy in the country. I call that guy and he says bring it out . I said well Ive got three as a matter of fact so Im going to a mex rental and will be picking up another one . There will be two and Ill bring you another later . I dont bring it till I see his bill on the two. I also want to know if he can fix the first one .
He calls today and says they are both ready . So TJ and I make the trip to the country to his place . He writes a bill ; Two fridges >50.00 Parts > 26.00. 76.00 total.
I ask what was wrong with the first one and he says really nothing . It had a clogged drain line that I cleaned and set the setting back in the middle in the freezer which was robbing the fridge. That one was 25.00.
The next one had the part of a defrost timer . and the 25.00 labor .
Ive got a bill sitting on my desk today from the appliance store for 75.00 sevice call.
Tim
Replies
Another 3 good reasons for DIY. <G>
And to buy more tools if needed <GG>
Old wise one , what I wouldnt give to have a friend close like you .
Tim
Takes time. A few other thoughts on DIY.
Edison said 99% perspiration, ....... and whoever also said "try and try again", etc.
When we were married ('65), my mother told my wife to not let me take anything apart as I tried to fix everything and anything and most of it never worked again.
'course Mom related her experiences for ages 3 to 15 or so, those were the 'learning years'
Did have a few words as an adult over the first computer controlled sequential fuel injected cars that didn't run right though till found the 'knack for those after a few hundred hours of perseverence.
Used to fix TVs in the 50's and early 60's for side cash, now, if it ain't a quick bad switch or broken plastic gizzie now I just buy a newer model, same for computers. Did 'fix' a hard drive once just to do it (big old 10" ceramic disk), but in relative pay hours that was a multithousand$$ fix!
Gotta treat DIY as recreation or a lot of it isn't any fun. Doing mufflers or shoveling out your own septic tank are a couple of those jobs that get done just to be able to say there is no job to dirty.
Well DW really explains it the best in short term words.
I used to tell her I worked on her disposal and she would say , dammit .
I would tell her I would look at her car and she would flatly say NO.
Id tell her on the cell phone I was tearing into somthing and shed say , shid.
I used to take forever at plumbing and spent a lot of trips to the hardware stores on one job. Now I make one trip and I find the job rather ho hum. I now think its easy and I musta been a clutz.
I tear into anything Ive got now and it doesnt always work when I get done but Ive had some success and learned a lot by stubling over my mistakes.
Some one said do somthing for pleasue long enough till someone is willing to pay you to do theirs.So with rentals I practice for my self alot . Its paid off in some areas . Im getting where a dish washer cant kick my butt . They are so contankerous devils.
By the time I try to learn everyting I want to it will be past time to die . As older guys die I think thats the real shame . I see all their knowledge go , POOF.
Tim
if it ain't made outta wood I'm stumped ...
but I did repair our gas clothes dryer from advice over the net.
asked at an appliance site ... samuri.something ... got a coupla conflicting answers then settles on the most popular one.
actually ... most popular two.
I had already taken the thing apart and rigged it so it'd run with the front cover off and I could see all the inner workings work (or not work) ...
someone suggested an ignitor ... which I've replaced in my gas furnace ...
and a gas coil. Which I still have no idea exactly what it does ...
But I can find on and turn a screw.
so .. I bought one of each ... didn't have my stubby screw driver so the ignitor hasn't ben changed ... but I did put the new gas coils and the thing heats up and dries batter than we can remember.
Each part was around $35 ... so for a total of $70 I fixed a front load dryer ... probably around $500 or so to replace on the cheap.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
ahh Grasshoppers you only need to visit the samuri appliance repair guru at fixit.com.He runs a great up to date site and he is really funny to boot.Check it out and get familar with the site before you really need his wisdom.I promise you will find a detailed DIY repair solution for to any appliance repair
that be a good place to start for me .
I think Jeff said thats where he went .
Tim
http://www.applianceguru.com/
Joe H
thanks
Did you use them as well?
I cant figgure why not many are talking here.
Tim
Edited 7/18/2006 2:33 pm by Mooney
Tim, I'm fairly competent with appliances but these new circuit board type controls have made a lot of them difficult.
That and the price of a control panel make them into throw aways.
Joe H
You could talk more about it . <G>
Control boards on what ?
I priced a dryer motor for 175.00 and that junked it .
Tim
Like the new dishwasher I have with the touchee buttons. Something waiting to break long before one of the old rotary style or push button style would.
Every damn thing has those touchee buttons now. And if it has that it has a printed circuit board with a chip running things. That dies & it's dead. No jumping it to make it go, it's buy a new one at whatever it costs or junk it.
Joe H
Tim, I think a drier that needs a motor is a rarity. Usually those idler bearings go, the belt tensioner & the ignitor. Motors usually last thing to go.
Joe H
76203.20 in reply to 76203.16
Tim, I think a drier that needs a motor is a rarity. Usually those idler bearings go, the belt tensioner & the ignitor. Motors usually last thing to go.
Sure , now ya tell me . I let my nephew have it and I needeed it at the cabin. Ive always been short .
Tim
"You could talk more about it . <G>Control boards on what ? "My 2 yo side-by-side refigerator started icing up. But the first thing I noticed was the warn refig side. So I started diging into it.The problem turned out to be a burnt out defrost heater.Also found out that it has a control board. Which I should have realized by the way that the water/ice dispensor works.But the micro processor does much more. The main purpose is that this is an energy star rated so they have to "play tricks" to get the energy usage down.One of the thing is that they run the defrost cycle on need, not just a simple timer that less efficent units have. And it has a fan in the freezer along with an movable van to open the a path from the freezer to the frig side. So if the fridge side needs cooling, but the freezer is already cold enough the compressor does not have to run.Also I think that the fan is variable speed.
I agree. That's why if you have an older appliance with simpler controls, you should do everything you can to keep it running. The stuff they make today is really meant to be disposable.
That yellow energy tag should be replaced with a Estimated Demise date & cost of replacement control panel.
Joe H
Ive fixed a few washers and dryers stumbling around like you . I can normally find a bad part in a stove[there aint that many parts]
A fridge I know nothing about but I learned a little . LOL. Theres not many parts there either but the bad one to say forget it is the compressor. I was told today if it cools at all its not it . If its running and not cooling . If its not running then its probably power which I found a short on one Ive got fixed in the garage but I aint taking credit for it as a mouse had a hey day. That was easy.
I rebuilt a trolling motor the other day that a year ago I would have thrown away. I figgured if it wasnt the motor it self I could fix it and I did . Felt pretty good.
I worked on a out board motor and didnt have as good a luck. I did get it running . But wasnt right so I watched the guy at the shop fix it and kept muttering stupid to my self under my breath. Next time ,... lol.
I had a problem with the appliance center lieing to me or not having a clue which ever it was and then charging me for it . I figgured tht would be the response . Ill have a talk with the owner .
I thought the country repair center was cheap! Then to get some questions answered. Really a nice guy . He had a super wife that played with TJ on a tire swing and shot some basketball with him. The guy said she still thought she was a girl.
Tim
...so for a total of $70 I fixed a front load dryer ...
Quick quiz for all: Aren't all dryers front load?
DG/Builder
no....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
nope. I rented a house once that came with a top-load dryer and a front load washer. Owners must have been feeling contrarian when they bought them.zak
"so it goes"
http://usa.fisherpaykel.com/laundry/dryers/what-is-smartload.cfm
top load.
Yup, that's the one I had in mind. That Fisher & Paykel is the oddest dryer I have ever seen. Drum is sideways and tumbles back and forth.
DG/Builder
how am I supposed to know?
that ain't made outta wood!
I meant ... the front loader that sits next to and matches the other front loader ... matching washer and dryer. Got them about 8 yrs ago ... from a scratch and dent place ... and they were still big bucks.
so ... giving a shot at fixing it was well worth the trouble.
our laundry room is in the basement ... an addition cut thru the original belgian block foundation ... that wall is about 18" thick ... solid block. So ... no real chance of widening it ... when the W/D that came with the house died ... and the wife said she really wanted an extra large capacity W/D ... we found the only one's that'd fit thru that tight opening in the thick wall was the fancy front loading set ...
so ....
We're looking to move outta here sooner or later ... now that the dryer is running 100% again ... it'll stay there and the new owners can figure all that out when it finally dies ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
76203.24 in reply to 76203.10
how am I supposed to know?
that ain't made outta wood!
Thats how Blue and I feel too !
Tim
When has any repairman said lately "it a bad switch", "all you have to do is clean it", "its just a loose connection", or "its an easy fix. 80% of the repairs I do happen to be very easy fixes.
Lots of times I don't fix it, because it gives me a good excuse to upgrade.
Finally sombody said somthin about it . LOL.
Yup, I think they was runnin a new deal on me , but it didnt fly.
Tim
Do the cheapest ones still come push button or dial?
Thats what I always buy . They cost about 185.00. If you wash your dishes first before putting them in there they work great.
Tim