Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Tom on August 03, 2016, 02:54:53 PM
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Within the last 2 weeks, I've had to do some repairs to a dryer and water heater. Since it's been a while. I looked up vids on youtube. There are a number of vids for appliance repair of all types. Not hard to do. The hassle is moving the appliances around. Easier than electrical work on a MG. :grin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlyStHM9Nr0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xUKBtLkaeo
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Within the last 2 weeks, I've had to do some repairs to a dryer and water heater. Since it's been a while. I looked up vids on youtube. There are a number of vids for appliance repair of all types. Not hard to do. The hassle is moving the appliances around. Easier than electrical work on a MG. :grin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlyStHM9Nr0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xUKBtLkaeo
It's amazing how many of them there are. For yard and lawn equipment too.
I had to install a new rack slider system on my Kitchenaid dishwasher. Looked up the video, they had the exact model and the exact process I needed, and it was step by step. I'd have done it and undone it three times without the video.
Between places like "jackssmallengines" and on-line applicance videos, I've saved a ton of money on $50-a-trip appliance repair ....
Lannis
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The incentive to do it myself was because of the over-charging that the appliance repair guys do. $80 to show at your door. Prepaid. Then the time to diagnose the problem per/hour. Repair time plus mark-up on parts. The real money is charging for a repair/warranty contract paid monthly. Residue income. :tongue: Thought about doing this for extra income.
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Put a new element in our Dualit toaster the other day from the stash I inherited from my Uncle after he passed 10 years ago.
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Repair, recycle and save money. :thumb: Lower junk to the landfill.
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You guys will be calling yourselves Kiwis soon! :grin:
A bit of #8 wire and a bit of flax, hang, you can fix 'most anything. :thumb:
I am finding the lathe very useful. Just turned a new sliding door roller out of a bit of acetyl engineering plastic. "I am sorry sir but that door hardware is obsolete now and we don't carry spares. We have an independent contractor who can come around and fix it". Read in to THAT what you will.
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Fixed the agitator in the clothes washer not long ago. A quick video search showed the process, parts from Amazon 4 bucks. 15 minutes and done.
Now if I could just fix the agitator outside of the washer........
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Many years ago I had a knock on the door quite late at night. My dentist mate was standing there and explained that he had a patient in the chair and his suction had gone on the blink, and had patients lined up. (It was his late night surgery night) I found a piece of hose originally from a washing machine, some duct tape, and with his vacuum cleaner we replaced the blown suction unit. Worked ok too! :shocked: :rolleyes:
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Well that just sucks Muzz :shocked:
Dusty
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Well that just sucks Muzz :shocked:
Dusty
Wot can I say. :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
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Wot can I say. :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
If you sound like Steven Adams we will need a translator :laugh:
Dusty
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Washing machines and dryers are the easiest appliances to repair IMO. As long as they aren't front loaders or have computer control boards and are all mechanical, the hardest part is just removing the cover so you can get to the parts.
Unfortunately for me, the wife wanted front loaders so now we have these fancy schmancy machines that I dread when they go bad as I've been told those boards are so expensive that it's just cheaper to buy new. I hope that's not the case but am afraid it will be.
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Washing machines and dryers are the easiest appliances to repair IMO. As long as they aren't front loaders or have computer control boards and are all mechanical, the hardest part is just removing the cover so you can get to the parts.
Unfortunately for me, the wife wanted front loaders so now we have these fancy schmancy machines that I dread when they go bad as I've been told those boards are so expensive that it's just cheaper to buy new. I hope that's not the case but am afraid it will be.
It's the case for our KitchenAid dishwasher. I've never been so disappointed with a supposedly top-of-the-line piece of kit. The dishrack rollers failed, the door gasket failed, the "garbage disposal" which supposedly chops up the waste into chunks failed, and NOW the main control panel, which is also what you use to pull the door open, is slowly coming off, all in 5 years of two people living here. And our friendly dealer (he IS friendly, really) tells us that a new control panel costs more than a new dishwasher. GE or Whirlpool for me next time ....
Lannis
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repairclinic.com has an incredible number of troubleshooting videos. Prices are higher than amazon but I usually pay for the knowledge.
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I fixed my own whirlpool dishwasher about a month ago and saved over $300.00 took me 20-30 minutes. I've fixed MUCH more complicated things than that. Like multi head embroidery machines and power wheelchairs and motor bikes. The wife said "you get better lookin' all the time!"
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Consider some high quality Fisher & Paykel appliances from MuzzLand
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GE or Whirlpool for me next time ....
Lannis
SKIP THE GE!
Bought the somewhat premium Profile Series.
Microwaves that blow magnetrons and door switches.
Refrigerators that fail ice makers and condenser fans.
Dish Washers that fail silicone couplings and leak all over the floor every three years, plus door seal failure, racks rusting out, touch pads quitting. Stoves that had 2 burners and 3 controls fail in the first two years. There were other failures along the line but I don't remember the details.
After all the warranty work I'm sure they lost profitability. After the 4 year warranty I became technician of choice.
YES to videos on how to access a lot of this stuff and online service and diagnostic information. It all sure helped
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It's the case for our KitchenAid dishwasher. I've never been so disappointed with a supposedly top-of-the-line piece of kit. The dishrack rollers failed, the door gasket failed, the "garbage disposal" which supposedly chops up the waste into chunks failed, and NOW the main control panel, which is also what you use to pull the door open, is slowly coming off, all in 5 years of two people living here. And our friendly dealer (he IS friendly, really) tells us that a new control panel costs more than a new dishwasher. GE or Whirlpool for me next time ....
Lannis
Lannis,
Skip the GE and get a Bosch dishwasher. Made right here in Fayetteville. I've never been happier with an appliance. Can't even hear it running.
Hunter
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Appliance repairs are easy for this redneck. Today I had to fix my solar clothes dryer. Tightened up the wire. (Most wont understand this} Lannis will.
My garbage grinder is, well, a compost bucket. Put the eggshells and other vegetable scraps in a old plastic coffee can and bury it.
Ice maker is filling the ice cube trays.
Dishwasher is adding soap to the water, wash dishes and rinse, put in dish rack. The next morning everything is dry.
Tex
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I've found that searspartsdirect.co m has parts for most any appliance with some helpful wrenching support...have fixed both my Kenmore washer and dryer with easily obtainable parts...
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I get most of my parts in town. A couple of repair shops are really nice about selling just the parts.
Had a furnace blower motor fail (the small one for the burners). Took it into the shop and they not only got me the part but they took the assembly, took off the old motor and installed the new one, complete with gasket and fan at no charge.
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When we had a store here, I buy the parts and get advice too. Not enough business to stay open.
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Appliance repairs are easy for this redneck. Today I had to fix my solar clothes dryer. Tightened up the wire. (Most wont understand this} Lannis will.
My garbage grinder is, well, a compost bucket. Put the eggshells and other vegetable scraps in a old plastic coffee can and bury it.
Ice maker is filling the ice cube trays.
Dishwasher is adding soap to the water, wash dishes and rinse, put in dish rack. The next morning everything is dry.
Tex
(Cue Darth Vader voice) "It is too late for me, son" when it comes to the dishwasher. It's just WAY too easy compared to a dishmop, dishpan, and drying rack.
But we're already there on the solar-powered clothes dryer. We cut our electric bill almost $40 a month when we went to the clothesline instead of the dryer. And I never did run a water line to the refrigerator for an "ice maker". When I'm sleeping at someone's house that has an icemaker, I jump halfway out of the bed every time it fills the bin; I couldn't stand the racket here ...
And compost is the best kind of soil conditioner.
Lannis
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Lannis,
Skip the GE and get a Bosch dishwasher. Made right here in Fayetteville. I've never been happier with an appliance. Can't even hear it running.
Hunter
I despise my Bosch, it is quiet and cleans very well, but has German idiosyncrasies that will in the end piss you off.
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A good friend of mine who knows me very well once contemplated getting me something that was broken for my birthday as he knew I'd enjoy fixing it - wasn't sure whether to be pleased or annoyed at the time :wink:
Still that's probably why I (all of us?) ride a Guzzi rather than Honda ....... if I can just fix this low throttle surge ..............
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Our 65 years old Swedish countertop mixer is holding up fine, thank you.
But I know some replacement parts are plastic instead of wood as in the original.
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No more Kithen Aid. GE or Whirlpool....Kitche n Aid is made by Whirlpool and GE isn't made by GE. IIRC it is now owned by Electrolux, a Swedish company that also owns Frigidaire.
Waiting for the plumber to arrive to install a new water heater.
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I think there are only two mfg of appliances in the world. They just slap different covers on the guts and put on the label the distributor wants on them.
Go to a parts center and see what models a part fits. The list is long. Good for us 'fixers' since it means a small warehouse can hold all the parts you need.
We got a Samsung dishwasher cause we needed an all stainless one for our bad water. Ended up with matching refrig and stove. Not had any problem with them in the 5 yrs we've had it but we only use it about once a month.
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I own a coin operated laundry. Repairs to washer (3 different brands and styles), dryers (2 different brands), vending machines, (8 different types), water heater, furnace/a.c., customers vehicles, bicycles and pets. Then throw in some Dear Abby conversations and domestic disputes.
Commercial machines are the same as residential for the most part other than the vending control. When looking for repair parts, look for commercial suppliers. Control boards can be repaired/exchanged for $75. I keep extra perishable parts on hand for fast change outs. I have an advantage over single unit owner because I can swap parts between units to trouble shoot.
When replacing a wash machine, a front loader is the best investment. Buy a unit with the least amount of features. You will only need cold water, light, medium and heavy load. Hot water wash only stays hot for 1 minute or less. A front loader uses 12-13 gallons a complete cycle and a top loader uses 55 gallons. A front loader will spin the clothes dryer, taking less time and energy to dry. Gas dryers are more efficient. You get more btu's from gas than electric.
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We have a Miele washer and dryer so getting a repair man is 3 or 4 day wait so when the washing machine had a problem, I called up the guy and told him what was happening and what I did and my suspicion that it was the pump. He said that he could replace the pump but it would be at least 4 days before he could get there and that it was an easy job, so he said go on line and look at the video and just order the pump and do it myself. I laughed, thanked him and a couple of days later the new pump is installed and it's working like a champ.
Last week the dryer moisture sensor wasn't working and it has brushes which run on the dryer barrel. Parts list says it is $100 part but the brushes look good. Hmmm....found some chap on YouTube from Australia who made some suggestions and it's working again without the new part.
A couple of years back I needed a part for the dishwasher, found the part online for $20 bucks and thought, I'll buy it locally. Went to the parts supplier, gave the guy the number he comes back and says it will be $38 bucks. I grumbled, purchased the part and I will never bother with the local parts supplier again, mostly because they went out of business. Evidently others came to the same conclusion.
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Best appliance repair part story. Needed a new ignitor for the broiler on my Viking range. Kind hearted fellow at the parts desk said you want the Viking part or the Honeywell. I said whats the difference, he said the Viking logo on the box and $100! Cross shopping parts numbers pays especially on designer branded appliances.
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Let's see , a repairman buys a $40K truck , spends $10K on tools and replacement parts to carry on that $40K truck , then pays for gasoline , insurance , his own vacations, retirement , etc , then some new tech comes along that requires education , then shows up at your house where there is a good chance the wife ain't happy ...
Dusty
This is a Guzzi forum, we don't think this way. We want it cheap, quality, and now.
Service techs are very valuable. Experience in very valuable. No one knows everything. Tips and tricks come with experience. Sharing Our experience is priceless.
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I used to call the repair guy when my appliances had problems. Then my Bosch front load washer stopped spinning. Guy came out and said that I needed a new motor. Said the unit was built so that the brushes couldn't be replaced, you had to replace the whole motor. $600.
I spent two hours on line, and after a quick visit to appliancepartspros. com, I had two sets of brushes enroute to the house. Took about two hours to figure it all out, but two hours of my time and $40 for the brushes. Brushes had to be replaced two more times, then about 18 months ago, the computer board on the display died. Replace display ($500) on a 10 year old machine or buy a new one for $800. I opted for a new Bosch front loader.
Nice thing is, the motor from the old machine works in the new machine. yay!!!
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I used to call the repair guy when my appliances had problems. Then my Bosch front load washer stopped spinning. Guy came out and said that I needed a new motor. Said the unit was built so that the brushes couldn't be replaced, you had to replace the whole motor. $600.
Well, quite. How else is the service guy going to make the payments on a $40,000 truck?
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Hey Dee! Good to hear you. Yeah if you can work on your bike. You can certainly work on your appliances. :1: Was good to spend some time with you and Pete. :boozing:
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Commercial machines are the same as residential for the most part other than the vending control. When looking for repair parts, look for commercial suppliers. Control boards can be repaired/exchanged for $75. I keep extra perishable parts on hand for fast change outs. I have an advantage over single unit owner because I can swap parts between units to trouble shoot.
When replacing a wash machine, a front loader is the best investment. Buy a unit with the least amount of features. .... Gas dryers are more efficient. You get more btu's from gas than electric.
We don't have gas laid on here at the house, and bottled propane or LPG in a tank is no bargain compared to electric, so we're stuck with electric appliances.
It's really hard to find "minimally featured" appliances these days. We'd love to find a washing machine that just has "Large Medium Small" load switch, and 1 cycle and a start button, but that's getting difficult to get that AND any capacity at all.
We recycle all our water, so the amount of water usage doesn't mean much here. We have a deep drilled well for a supply, and a septic tank for discharge, which are about 100 yards apart. Six months after we USE the water, it's back in the water table for pumping back out - it doesn't even go off our our land ....
Lannis
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I reuse the washer grey water for the yard. Electricity is more costly here than anywhere else in the U.S. or so we're told. Must be in a state hooked to a grid. Clothes are on the line. I disconnected the electric dryer and sold it a long time ago. The clothes that are hung up usually will dry with 45 minutes. The exceptions are heavy stuff like jeans.
Out here the parts guy that I use to buy stuff from, told me that the newer appliances with the touch button control boards will get corrosion on the tabs and not make contact. More of a problem in the humid salt air that is prevalent in most of Hawaii. Look for the older style appliances with a mechanical switching.
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Out here the parts guy that I use to buy stuff from, told me that the newer appliances with the touch button control boards will get corrosion on the tabs and not make contact. More of a problem in the humid salt air that is prevalent in most of Hawaii. Look for the older style appliances with a mechanical switching.
Substitute "Motorcycles" for "Appliances" and it's still true ....
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Until the motors go. I'll try to keep the older stuff going. I think on the older washer, I change out the mechanical timer switch out a couple of times till they weren't available. Final time I look, you had to buy the whole switch mechanism. Cost went from $78 to $180. I took a rebate coupon for $150 and bought a new washer from Costco. Mechanical dial. Haven't checked for parts costs but the main reason for the failure was the cousin that use to live with us. She would turn the main dial like a Vegas slot machine. :tongue: No longer a problem since she moved out.
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We don't have gas laid on here at the house, and bottled propane or LPG in a tank is no bargain compared to electric, so we're stuck with electric appliances.
It's really hard to find "minimally featured" appliances these days. We'd love to find a washing machine that just has "Large Medium Small" load switch, and 1 cycle and a start button, but that's getting difficult to get that AND any capacity at all.
We recycle all our water, so the amount of water usage doesn't mean much here. We have a deep drilled well for a supply, and a septic tank for discharge, which are about 100 yards apart. Six months after we USE the water, it's back in the water table for pumping back out - it doesn't even go off our our land ....
Lannis
So the old story is true?
"We moved the outhouse and the well dried up" :sad:
Terry
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So the old story is true?
"We moved the outhouse and the well dried up" :sad:
Terry
We really do count heavily on that six months, on bacterial action, and on water filtering through 300 feet of clay and limestone. But we test the well regularly, and the water's lovely. Sixty gallons per minute it supplies, we've got a lot of water under this place.
Lannis
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Okay....the two appliances that prompted this thread were in rental units. One was a non-working clothers dryer and water heater in the other. The other unit no problems. Repairs were done this last Saturday. Took about 1.5 hours and some luck with guessing.
Clothes dryer after doing some preliminary checks turn out to be a broken wire to the heater coil. I happen to stick my hand into the heater coil and felt the broken wire. Up to that point with using a multi-meter, I couldn't find any problems with the other components. thermostats, fuse etc. Reused the clamp and re-clamped the heater coil wire to the contact..
Water heater. Seems after checking the 2 heater elements. No problem. Thermostats not sure. Took a gamble. Disconnected the timer and hook-up the heater direct to the incoming wires. Heated up. So culprit seems to be the timer. Told the renter to turn off the heater at the breaker box when not using. Otherwise their electric bill would shoot up.
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Fix the water heater. The tenant shouldn't have to turn off the breaker.
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Water heater. Seems after checking the 2 heater elements. No problem. Thermostats not sure. Took a gamble. Disconnected the timer and hook-up the heater direct to the incoming wires. Heated up. So culprit seems to be the timer. Told the renter to turn off the heater at the breaker box when not using. Otherwise their electric bill would shoot up.
Timer? Water heater? Direct to incoming wires?
If you connected a heating element directly to power with no thermostat, people can die in that kind of explosion.
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Tom , W/O sounding too strident , fix the water heater .
Please and thank you .
Dusty
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This is a Guzzi forum, we don't think this way. We want it cheap, quality, and now.
Service techs are very valuable. Experience in very valuable. No one knows everything. Tips and tricks come with experience. Sharing Our experience is priceless.
Found one more example of the impending death of "traditional" brick-and-mortar appliance stores.
The lint screen on our dryer broke (they last about a year, they're thin nylon screens). Went to the appliance store for another - $32, they said, and they don't keep them in stock.
Went on-line to a big appliance parts place, and they are $8 each, free shipping if you buy 3. Bought 4 of them so that they'll probably last as long as the dryer.
Anyone asking $32 retail for what is essentially a wear part that probably wholesales for $5 absolutely deserves to go out of business, and I'm not going to cry about it. $8 on-line, $12 in the store, I'd sit still for. $8 on-line, $32 in the store is a sucker's game with a big middle finger UP to me, the customer.
Lannis
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I used to call the repair guy when my appliances had problems. Then my Bosch front load washer stopped spinning. Guy came out and said that I needed a new motor. Said the unit was built so that the brushes couldn't be replaced, you had to replace the whole motor. $600.
I spent two hours on line, and after a quick visit to appliancepartspros. com, I had two sets of brushes enroute to the house. Took about two hours to figure it all out, but two hours of my time and $40 for the brushes. Brushes had to be replaced two more times, then about 18 months ago, the computer board on the display died. Replace display ($500) on a 10 year old machine or buy a new one for $800. I opted for a new Bosch front loader.
Nice thing is, the motor from the old machine works in the new machine. yay!!!
I used to be an appliance repairman in part of my earlier life. About 20+ years ago Whirpool came out with a top loading washer that is really a simple design and easy to work on. I bought 1 and we still have it with absolutely no mechanical/electrical issues yet. :cool: We have a decades old Sears/WP dryer that we don't even use/need here in Arizona year round. Since I used to work on all brands appliances + heating/cooling units, I can fix just about anything we have. :boozing:
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Seems I need to add more info. The water heater was hooked up to a timer. The timer looks to be the culprit. I took that out of the system and re-hooked the water heater the way it was before I put a timer on it. The instruction to the tenant to turn the breaker off is so that the heater is not on all the time. The last electric bill for 3 is $224.67 family of 3. If I have to replace the breaker in the Load Center I don't mind. Had to rewire a new load center in about 5 years ago. A breaker is minor. I'll put a timer in when I have the time. Thanks for the concern though. :thumb:
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It's the case for our KitchenAid dishwasher. I've never been so disappointed with a supposedly top-of-the-line piece of kit. The dishrack rollers failed, the door gasket failed, the "garbage disposal" which supposedly chops up the waste into chunks failed, and NOW the main control panel, which is also what you use to pull the door open, is slowly coming off, all in 5 years of two people living here. And our friendly dealer (he IS friendly, really) tells us that a new control panel costs more than a new dishwasher. GE or Whirlpool for me next time ....
Lannis
Please name a manufacturer that is any different with new computer controlled machines.
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Please name a manufacturer that is any different with new computer controlled machines.
To be honest, I don't know if there ARE any. We thought that, in deciding between a KitchenAid and a Bosch, that we were looking at top-of-the-line stuff, but apparently not.
I think I'm going to take OrangeGuzzi's commercial-operation advice, and buy simple, mechanical-switch stuff (like a Speed Queen) when it's time to replace something else ....
Lannis
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Timer? Water heater? Direct to incoming wires?
If you connected a heating element directly to power with no thermostat, people can die in that kind of explosion.
"Energy saving timers" bypassed, not a thermostat.
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Yes. The timer I installed is the one I took out of the loop. Upper thermostat is still in. In other words the heater is the same as when I installed it new before I added the timer box. I thought that would have lasted longer. :cry:
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Seems I need to add more info. The water heater was hooked up to a timer. The timer looks to be the culprit. I took that out of the system and re-hooked the water heater the way it was before I put a timer on it. The instruction to the tenant to turn the breaker off is so that the heater is not on all the time. The last electric bill for 3 is $224.67 family of 3. If I have to replace the breaker in the Load Center I don't mind. Had to rewire a new load center in about 5 years ago. A breaker is minor. I'll put a timer in when I have the time. Thanks for the concern though. :thumb:
Ah, make more sense.
Is the water heater insulation that bad that you need a timer?
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" . . .
Quote from: Lannis on August 03, 2016, 01:41:21 PM
It's the case for our KitchenAid dishwasher. I've never been so disappointed with a supposedly top-of-the-line piece of kit. The dishrack rollers failed, the door gasket failed, the "garbage disposal" which supposedly chops up the waste into chunks failed, and NOW the main control panel, which is also what you use to pull the door open, is slowly coming off, all in 5 years of two people living here. And our friendly dealer (he IS friendly, really) tells us that a new control panel costs more than a new dishwasher. GE or Whirlpool for me next time ...."
Please name a manufacturer that is any different with new computer controlled machines.
The failures you quoted were all mechanical. None were computer-related. So why is this a problem for 'computer controlled' machines?
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OMG-
What we get charged for electricity out here is expensive. A timer on the heater dropped the bill by 1/3. Current bill for family of 3 is $224.67/mo. Looks like the timer is out so the advice to the tenant on the breaker. They pay the bill. I monitor and let them know consumption rates. 24.53 KWH at $7.49 per day.
I'll recheck this weekend and remind them that things need to shut off when not in use. Open the drapes during the day time and use natural light. Full loads of laundry. Use the clothes dryer sparingly. They don't use the dish washer because I disconnected it. :tongue:
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The failures you quoted were all mechanical. None were computer-related. So why is this a problem for 'computer controlled' machines?
Well, the Control Panel (which is all electronic) potentially ripping off of the door, since it's being used as a handle as well as a home for the electronics, could sort of be an electronic thing. I never had that happen with an old mechanical system.
And they may be having the same problem as Guzzi has demonstrated with its 8-valve machines - in the mad rush to Keep Up With The Yamasuzuhondas, Guzzi put lots of electronic widgetry like ECUs and EFI and intelligent dash panels on the bike, and at the same time forgot how to make a camshaft and cam followers. They're spending their money and time and quality control on the wrong things, in my opinion.
But no, to answer the basic question, the electronics on these machines have not failed. On my next go, however, I will try to buy a machine where the quality and engineering went into the structure and the moving parts, not the pretty blinking lights that I never use ....
Lannis
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"Energy saving timers" bypassed, not a thermostat.
Then it should still have a t-stat and a timer isn't needed.
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The timer is on the power coming into the heater before the thermostat and not needed but worth it to turn the power off when no one is around to use the hot water. When everyone is out of the household. You don't need hot water on standby for 8 hours. Waste of electricity and money.
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The timer is on the power coming into the heater before the thermostat and not needed but worth it to turn the power off when no one is around to use the hot water. When everyone is out of the household. You don't need hot water on standby for 8 hours. Waste of electricity and money.
Our hot-water-heater is on a control box managed by the electric co-operative. When overall system demand is high on the local grid, the controls turn the w/h off. When demand is down and they need a load to absorb unused power, it turns on.
You might think this would be inconvenient for us the user, but the capacity on a modern water heater is high and the insulation is good, so we never even notice it ...
Lannis
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The electric company is not that advanced out here. If they were that efficient then they would cut into their profits.
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The electric company is not that advanced out here. If they were that efficient then they would cut into their profits.
That's the advantage of a user-owned cooperative. There AREN'T any profits. The cheaper it is for the user, the happier EVERYONE is ....
Lannis
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We don't have the option. There was a proposed sale of the electric companies in Hawaii to a FL conglomerate. Fortunately, the Governor came out against it and the state PUC disapproved the sale. Only thing that came to mind when there's a sale. Someone sees a way to turn a profit after the sale. Higher rates for usage. Kauai has a coop type set-up for electricity.
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We don't have the option. There was a proposed sale of the electric companies in Hawaii to a FL conglomerate. Fortunately, the Governor came out against it and the state PUC disapproved the sale. Only thing that came to mind when there's a sale. Someone sees a way to turn a profit after the sale. Higher rates for usage. Kauai has a coop type set-up for electricity.
Where we live(golf Assoc.) our electricity is via a coop we belong to as customers. Those in the local city get their electricity from a private company just taken over by a Canadian Electric Co. Our rates are low and their rates are going up. :evil:
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I installed a tankless, on-demand hot water heater. 18Kw! Whoda thunk the same energy used for welding your bike frame could be used to heat everyday water?
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I installed a tankless, on-demand hot water heater. 18Kw! Whoda thunk the same energy used for welding your bike frame could be used to heat everyday water?
Is that how they work........I wondered. Couldn't imagine they were for real. :laugh: OTOH, ever since I was in the US Navy I take Navy showers. :smiley:
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It btakes a lot of juice to reheat a cold tank over and over.
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I service my washing machine about once every 3 years.
it's lasted 12 years with a large family and no signs it's going to fail.
Tips:
never buy a combined washer drier
buy quality brand
buy a 1600 spin but only ever use on 1400,
do the ocasional 90 degree wash
keep the soap draw clean
service by removing all the rubber pipes and cleaning them out
alternatively buy the cheapest and throw it away/replace every 3rd year.
(or every other year)
somehow though I dont like that disposable attitude.
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It btakes a lot of juice to reheat a cold tank over and over.
We did the math - the local "instant" units would not work for us.
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Still, allowing the water to go cold and then heat it again is costly. And requiring your tenant to pull the breaker is not only unfair to them, as has been pointed out by others is unsafe.
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Still, allowing the water to go cold and then heat it again is costly. And requiring your tenant to pull the breaker is not only unfair to them, as has been pointed out by others is unsafe.
Seems maybe Tom isn't "requiring" the tenants to turn off the power , just a stop gap suggestion to keep the usage down until he can sort this out .
Dusty
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The practicality of tankless heaters depends on a lot of things -- how much water is used in a day, how many people are using it, how many at once, is the incoming cold water temp high enough to 'lift' the temp to hot-water standards, what power is available at the breaker box, etc. For me the math was in my favor -- one person using a showers's and dishes' worth of hot water a day. I go for days at a time using none. So heating it for my incidental use only seems like a $$$ saver. The problem is I'll never know. I installed it last winter, haven't been home much since, and am moving out. Maybe the next tenant will tell me.
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Seems maybe Tom isn't "requiring" the tenants to turn off the power , just a stop gap suggestion to keep the usage down until he can sort this out .
Dusty
"I'll put a timer in when I have the time." LOOKS LIKE TOMORROW!!!! Yes, a disservice to the tenant. They pay the electric bill. Leave it on while not home and heat the water. DID I MENTION THAT LAST MONTH'S ELECTRIC BILL IS $224 FOR 3 PEOPLE??? It's the smaller 20 gallon water heater for a condo unit.
THANK YOU FOR THE ADMONISHMENT ON TELLING THE TENANT TO USE THE BREAKER TO TURN OFF THE HEATER TILL I CAN PUT AN INLINE TIMER ON THE WATER HEATER. Hopefully that makes it clear. :grin: :grin: :grin:
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I thought about a tankless heater but the cost vs. what I have in a rental unit right now isn't worth the work to install. Possibility when the heater is totally dead and needs replacing.
I did have a Paloma inline propane heater on the house when I lived by myself.
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I thought about a tankless heater but the cost vs. what I have in a rental unit right now isn't worth the work to install. Possibility when the heater is totally dead and needs replacing.
I did have a Paloma inline propane heater on the house when I lived by myself.
I was going to suggest RVs have 5 gal. propane WHs and if you used it like I do (Navy showers) it would be economical. In the summertime we pay $1.99/gal. for propane, $2.49 in winter time.
I just ordered a 4.5Kw portable generator that uses, gasoline/propane for fuel for our blackouts for $325 delivered. :smiley: Our house runs propane for heat/WH as does our Toyhauler.
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At the house. I have solar panels connected to a 50 gallon (IIRC) water heater w/electric back up. Electric bill dropped about 1/3 after hooking everything up. :thumb:
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Well, quite. How else is the service guy going to make the payments on a $40,000 truck?
The appliance store we bought the set from has a whole fleet of 10 year old GMC vans. :)
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At one point, I was considering doing appliance repair for the exotic brands that are installed in the mansions around here. Service contracts etc. Good money and clean work. Still an option. A quick search with friends in the real estate management business, say that they bring people in from Honolulu for installation of high end appliances. No repair work. Commercial kitchen grade appliances. Easy work. Only problem is that you have carry them for 3 months after invoicing unless you can get their management firm to get a cc.