Monthly Archives: April 2009

Appliantology Newsletter, April 2009

Appliantology Newsletter, April 2009:  The Oracle of Appliance enlightenmentJust when it looked like my rehab was going so well, I had a relapse and produced the most important newsletter in history! Thank you for not asking which history this newsletter is important to but, if you must know, it’s the history of Applianchia, a remote, mountainous region in Lower Slabovia famous for producing the appliance repair nephilim of yore. Those nephilim can be greedy, too, so hurry and get your FREE copy of the latest newsletter before they snarf it all up!

And if, in the future, you’d like your very own personal copy of Appliantology sent to your email in a discreet brown wrapper so the appliance nephilim don’t git it first, kommen zie hither, bitte.

Summary of Appliance Repair Tweets for the Week Ending 2009-04-26

Get these Appliance Repair Tweets real-time as they happen– follow me on Twitter.

Get these Appliance Repair Tweets real-time as they happen– follow me on Twitter.

The Tool Box: Tool Talk for Tool Heads

Started a new forum at the Samurai Appliance Repair Forums for TOOLS. It’s called The Tool Box. This is such an obvious forum to include; I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier! Must be all that cold mountain air freezing my brain.

Anyway, this forum is all about tool talk for tool heads and cool tools for fixit fools. Found a cool tool you want to share? Or made a tool for a specific repair? Well, come tell us about it. Also, specialty tools for appliance repair and tool recommendations from Master Appliantologists. Come rumble in The Tool Box.

Maytag / Jenn-Air Refrigerator Not Cooling Properly in the Refrigerator Section

This Pearl of Appliantological Wisdom℠ applies to the Maytag and Jenn-Air side-by-side and wide-by-side refrigerators manufactured in 2001. (How do you know what year your refrigerator was manufactured? Consult The Oracle!) The problem here is that the freezer gets goodncold (that’s a technical term used by us professionals, defined as 0°F or colder) but the all-holy beer compartment (that’s the one that ain’t the freezer, kapeesh?) won’t get below 40°F, or so– certainly not cold enough for any self-respecting lager drinker. We gotta step through the paces on this one so grab ‘hold of your favorite katana and let’s romp.

Refrigerator / Freezer ThermometerFirst order of bidness is to get some hard numbers on the temperatures in both the freezer and beer compartments. If you don’t already, you should have two thermometers specially made for refrigerators living inside your fridge, one in the freezer section and another in the beer section.

“But, Samurai, I know my freezer is cold because the ice cubes haven’t melted. So why do I need to spend money on thermometers?”

Good Frost Pattern on Evaporator CoilAhh, Grasshoppah, do you have a calibrated palm that can tell the difference between 0°F and 17°F? No? Well, there ya go. A good freezer will easily keep 0°F and indicates that all is well with the sealed system and condenser fan. OTOH, if your freezer has trouble getting much below 20°F or even 10°F, then, Houston, we have a situation– see this page for further guidance. In a freezer at 0°F, the frost pattern on the evaporator (the coils inside the freezer– hidden behind a panel– that make all the cold air for the entire refrigerator) will look something like what’s shown here. Notice how there’s a thin, fine layer of frost evenly distributed over most of the coil as opposed to too much or none at all.

Still here? OK, that means everything I’ve talked about so far checks out on your fridge and you are now ready to learn the advanced repair kata for this problem. All is revealed in this parchment from the Appliantology scriptures.

Now go kick some refrigerator butt!

To learn more about your refrigerator, or to order parts, click here.

Summary of Appliance Repair Tweets for the Week Ending 2009-04-19

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Hot Appliance Repair Tips on Twitter

twitter-logo-125x57.jpgI’ve started using Twitter to post quick appliance repair tips. These are things that don’t quite merit a full-blown blog post here at the site but are still Fun Facts to Know and Tell (FFTKAT). Seems like the ideal use for microblogging. It’s stuff like pointing out a particularly illuminating post at the Samurai Appliance Repair Forum, links to appliance service manuals, appliance recall alerts, and maybe a little personal stuff, too. Take a look at my Twitter page and you’ll see what I mean.

Twitter posts are called “tweets.” (I know, it took me a while to get used to the metrosexual lingo of the web, too. It’s a brave new world!) You can keep up with my tweets as I post ’em by following my Twitter page. And it’s free.

Precaución: ¡Está Caliente!

Mailbag: How to Remove the Front Panel and Drawer in a Fisher-Paykel DD603 Dishwasher

Andy wrote:

How do I remove the front panel of a Fisher Paykel DD603SS dish drawer? I’m trying to resolve an F1 error code problem.
Thanks

Ahh, Grasshoppah, this is one of those repair katas that’s so easy it’s sublime. The only tool you need is a pair of needle nose pliers. All is revealed in this sacred parchment from the Appliantology scriptures.

Drain Hose in a Fisher-Paykel Dishdrawer - click for larger viewF1 error codes are caused by leaks. On the DD603’s, the most common source of leaks is the drain hose– it gets little splits in it and sprays water inside the dishdrawer compartment during drain. These splits in the drain hose are usually caused by one of the white nylon drain hose support rods breaking. The drain hose itself is just a cheesy plastic corrugated tube that gets easily damaged if it gets bent too much, which is what those nylon support rods are supposed to prevent. Click the thumbnail to see the larger version of the annotated photo wherein all is revealed.

Kanpai!


Samurai’s Daily Twitter Pearls for 2009-04-09

  • GE recalls 28,000 ranges due to fire and burn hazards: http://applianceguru.com/forum9/19853.html #
  • Need a appliance service manual? Post your request in the Service Manual Request forum. Hook ya right up: http://73p98.th8.us #
  • The motor in your Maytag MDB dishwasher runs but won’t fill with water? Check that wiring harness at the door pivot! http://www.np7f2.th8.us #
  • Easy tip for extending the life of the elements in your electric hot water heater: http://www.yb43y.th8.us #
  • Looking north on the Southern Saints ridge. Still winter in the White Mountains! [?] #

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Samurai’s Daily Twitter Pearls for 2009-04-08

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Samurai on Facebook

facebook-125x46.jpgSo, as a result of a chronic deficiency of vitamin C in my diet, I broke down and joined the Facebook craze. After binging on bean juice all night, I created this Facebook page.

If you become a fan, here are some of the cool features you’ll find:

  • Keep up with the Samurai’s every move!
  • Get the latest posts at Fixitnow.com right there on Facebook.
  • Show off your impeccable taste in websites to all your Facebook friends by becoming a fan of the Samurai on Facebook page– it’s hip, it’s happenin’, it’s the new black!

Special Offer: For a limited time only[1], I’ve waived the entrance fee to become a fan of our Facebook page– an $800 value! But you can become a fan today absolutely FREE! Folks, that is not a typo– I’m giving away the store. I’m nuts, I tell ya’, I’m freakin’ outta control. Sometimes, when I’m really feeling crazy, I’ll drive without buckling my seatbelt. No chit, Mon! I’m a mad man, I tell ya, a mad man!

Become a fan today and get a special blessing from the Samurai. All your other friends are doing it. And best of all, it’s FREE!

[1] Offer expires April 6, 2042. Time flies when you’re having fun with the Samurai so hurry and join today!

Appliantology Newsletter, March 2009

appliantology-03-2009-thmb.pngIt’s baaaack! Just when you thought it was safe to go out on the web, another screaming issue of our newsletter is prowling around the Internet again. This issue is so jam-packed with appliantological news that I had to put it in a trash compactor just to make it all fit. So give the kids a break from gubmint mind-damage school, drag Grandpa outta the fart sack, bring the hound dawg in from the back 80, throw some fresh scratch down for the chickens, and put another log on the fire– y’all gather ’round the fireplace now for some quality family time with the latest issue of Appliantology: The Oracle of Appliance Enlightenment®. Click here to get your free copy. Hurry and get it today before it’s all used up!

And if, in the future, you’d like your very own personal copy of Appliantology sent to your email in a discreet brown wrapper, kommen zie hither, bitte.