Monthly Archives: January 2010

Smart Grid: Green Dream or Just Another Big Brother Control Grid?

 

Smart Grid Diagram-450x247.jpg

 

What is Smart Grid?

Smart Grid is a planned enhancement to the existing power distribution grid that will, in theory, have the capability of meeting growing electricity demand by more efficient distribution without having to build new power plants. One of the ways this lofty goal will be accomplished is by using two-way technology. Where the current power grid is one-way– power flows out from the power plant, through the grid, to the end user with no feedback or communication with the power plant– the Smart Grid will be two-way, meaning it will send back information to the power plant (and government regulators) on how the electricity is being used, in what types of machines, by whom, and for how long. It’s this “two-way” bidness that makes Big Brother smile and should make you cringe.

Who Likes It?

  • Government
  • Utilities
  • Environmental Groups

Government

Government, especially the Ameedican gubmint, has a long history of using technology to spy on its citizens, especially in recent years (e.g., Patriot Act, Project ECHELON, Total Information Awareness initiative, etc.).

Government likes Smart Grid because it gives them what governments always want: control; specifically, more control over the sheeple. Smart Grid gives them this through its two-way technology, which allows them to monitor not only how much electricity you’re using but how you’re using it and for what types of appliances.

For example, they can look at your total power usage and, say, 60% of it is accounted for from Smart Grid-enabled appliances. That leaves 40% of your usage unaccounted for. So, gubmint, which embodies the unfortunate combination of Rambo and the Keystone Cops, automatically assumes you must be doing something illegal, like running an indoor pot garden using high-energy grow lights. Next thing you know, DEA is raiding your house at 2am, shoots your dog and ransacks your home only to find that all you have is a tanning bed.

This power monitoring is effectively a form of surveillance over you for gubmint bureaucrats. You think gubmint will use this information wisely? Well, you must absolutely love the way they handled New Orleans in the wake of hurricane Katrina, the bankster bailouts, the Patriot Act (which was only supposed to be used for terrorists) being used against pot smokers, standing in long lines at airports while waiting to be fondled and groped by TSA thugs, and having 3-D, full-detailed pornographic electronic images taken of your wife and daughter.

When will the sheeple finally wake up and realize this is just another scam, another power-grab by a perverted gang of criminals calling themselves “your government” to exert more control over your life and keep you enslaved like a good little serf? To the criminal cabal in Washington, Smart Grid is yet another way to exert neo-feudalism, keep you on the plantation, invade your privacy and ration your electricity use. Think I’m exaggerating? It’s stated right inside DOE’s happy talk Smart Grid propaganda brochure on pages 17 and 18. You can download the entire puff-piece here.

Utility Companies

If you haven’t figured it out already, we blew right past socialism and have arrived at full-on fascism in Amerika today. A quick refresher for the Illiterati: “Socialism” is where all the losses and the gains are socialized; everyone, including big corporations, are all floundering in the same sewer together. “Fascism,” on the other hand, is where the losses are socialized but the profits or gains are privatized. The most recent and brazen example of this was the banker bailout– they gambled with huge amounts of money and, as long as it worked out in their favor, they kept all the profits; but when they lost big bucks, we the tax-paying suckers, had to bail them out. So, in a fascist system, when the special corporate interests make money, they keep it and the sheeple get nothing; when they “lose” money, the sheeple pay for it and they don’t really lose at all. It’s a game of “heads they win; tails we lose.”

The utility companies claim that Smart Grid will let them have more “granular” control over power production and have more awareness of power failures. Currently, when power goes out in an area, the only way the power company knows about it is when someone phones it in. The two-way nature of Smart Grid enables them to know automatically when part of their grid goes down. But this comes at a huge price for us. And, besides, is it really such a burden to call in a power outage? Our power goes out regularly and we just call in the outage to the power company’s toll-free automated power outage line and they dispatch a crew to fix it. What’s the big deal?

The real reason power companies like Smart Grid is because it will enable them to create artificial scarcity scenarios and thus increase rates. It doesn’t take much grey matter to foresee a situation where the power company is low on power during a peak demand period and they have a choice: supply power to Joe Sixpack at (relatively) low rates or to a commercial or industrial customer who pays sometimes two or three times the residential rate. Hmm, decisions, decisions.

Smart Grid represents yet another merger of government and corporate interests. They’re in bed together and each stands to benefit in specific ways from Smart Grid which boils down to this: more control and surveillance over we the sheeple, higher electricity costs, and less electricity available when we want it, even if we’re willing to pay for it.

Environmental Groups

The “Warmistas” or Green Nazis, the tools of the global elite, are all ga-ga over Smart Grid because they’ve been conned into thinking that it’s good for the earth, man. These are the same gullible, useful idiots of the global elite who’ve bought into the whole man-made global warming scam, which was proven to be a scam (and a conspiracy) when a decade’s worth of emails and falsified data were leaked by investigators on the inside. But, hey, don’t take my word for it– read the Climategate Files for yourself.

Conclusion

Smart Grid is touted as a way to extend the capabilities of an aging and ailing power grid system, to deliver power to meet ever-growing demand without building additional power generating plants. If that right there doesn’t scream “rationing” to you, then you’re either stone deaf or dumb as a rock.

So what’s the answer to meeting increased power demand? Simple: build more frikkin’ power plants! “Oh, no!” come the shrill cries from the green weenies, “that’ll increase pollution and *gasp* global warming!”

Stop falling for that bovine excrement. Now that global warming has been proven to be a Big Lie we can take that card off the table. As for other types of pollution, such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides which cause smog and acid rain deposition, these are real concerns. But they can effectively be dealt with using modern air pollution control technologies. These are engineering problems, and solutions for them have been around since before I was a graduate student in Environmental Systems Engineering at Clemson University in the mid-1980’s. Engineers solve these kinds of problems every single day.

The biggest impediment to building new power plants is the government red-tape and strangling regulations. No one in their right mind is going to invest capital into building a power plant, whether coal-fired using clean coal technology or nuclear, if they see no possibility of earning a return on that capital. Sorry, folks, that’s the way the real world works, no matter what Karl Marx (or his surrogates in American universities) tells you.

And now, brothers and sisters, let us conclude this screed with a haiku. Fire up a spliff and chant along with me now…

 

Smart Grid’s a-comin’
DOE says it’s great for
controlling us serfs.
the bamboo knows all, grasshoppah

 

Whirlpool-Kenmore Top-Loading Washer Just Fills to Overflowing When Started– No Agitate, No Spin

Shellee wrote:

Alright, I fixed the thing and I’m not sure if this is even related to the other stuff.

So, yesterday our Washer was working fine. Today, it’s not.

I went to go wash a batch of clothes, turned the water on and it kept running, and running. It was going to overflow. It never switched over to agitate the clothes. I turned it to the spin and drained all of the water.

Yesterday while I was putting the washer back together, my 3 year old came out and pulled out the clear tube that runs from the top console (already detached from console) and pulled it completely off the machine, filled it with water and went running around whapping things with it. Could this be what the problem is?

I still don’t want to have to use the anniversary money! Let me know

Washer is a Whirlpool Model # LSR8444LQ0

Thanks again!!!

Sounds like your toddler snagged the air pressure tube out of your washer. Kids can be devious thata way! A missing, disconnected or plugged-up air pressure tube will cause ezzacly the problem you’re seeing with your washer. Here’s a picture of the air pressure tube and, in case junior managed to destroy it, you can click it to buy a new one:

 

Air pressure tube for a Whirlpool-Kenmore top-loading washing machine-- click it to git it, Hoss.

 

The air pressure tube is connected to the pressure switch at one end and the tub’s air pressure dome at the other. The photo below shows how it’s supposed to be connected and routed:

 

Whirlpool Direct Drive Washer Guts

 

The way it’s supposed to work is that the pressure in the tube increases as the water level in the tub rises. The pressure switch senses this change in pressure, cuts off voltage to the water inlet valve– thus stopping the flow of water into the washer tub– and then switches power over to the motor so the washer starts agitating. Well, this ain’t gonna happen if the air pressure tube is missing, disconnected at one end or plugged up with gookus (which sometimes happens at the end that’s connected to the tub’s air pressure dome). The pressure switch looks like this…

 

pressure switch or water level sensing switch in a Whirlpool-Kenmore top-loading washing machine-- click it to git it, Hoss.

 

… and is located in the control console; it’s item 12 in this diagram.

A bad pressure switch can also cause the problem you’re seeing and is actually fairly common (though I don’t think this is what’s going on with your washer based on your description); in which case, you’d just replace the pressure switch.

Awwite, go fix your washer and keep that kid locked up while you’re doing it!

 

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

Tech Sheet for the GE JT915SFSS Electric Oven

Richard the Merkurmaniac wrote:

I have discovered the secret plans to GE latest electric oven that even now, is plotting the next appliance revolt in my house. Said device is a JT915SFSS. It may have been sent from the future to drive me insane with its warnings of F9 and locking me out of my own oven. Here is the schematic that I found within its metallic bowels. You can use them to help you defeat future models of this recent soldier in the Electric General’s army.

Domo for your contribution to this emporium of appliantological wisdom, Richard! Other victims of this insolent range can download the tech sheet for this range here.

To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.

Maytag Neptune Gas Dryer Fires Up Briefly Then Flame Goes Out While Ignitor Continues to Cycle

shodhan wrote:

I have Maytag Neptune MDG4000BWW gas dryer. I won’t heat up. I checked the vent is clean. Also I observed the igniter comes on initaly, burner stays on for minute or two. afte that it shuts off, but igniter continues to come on & ff. but burner willnot fire gas. Any suggestion or advise, How to trouble shoot & fix it.

Thanks in advance.

 

Burner fires briefly
then goes out, glow plug cycles.
Them valve coils be tir’d!
the bamboo knows all, grasshoppah

 

gas dryer valve coils, works with all brands of gas dryers-- click it to git it, Hoss

 

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

Samsung Appliances?

Dennis wrote:

We are looking to buy a Samsung smoothtop range (convection oven) and when we went price shopping, another local retailer told us to NEVER buy a Samsung range as you can’t get parts for them if something happens. We are in Canada. Is this true or was buddy BSing us to try and get a sale in HIS store with the product lines that he carries?

Ahh, Grasshoppah, see this post for an example of the kind of lobotomized engineering that Samsung inflicts upon their refrigerators:

All Samsung Refrigerators have a Lurking Defrost Nightmare Problem: An Uncool Haiku

I have seen similar nightmares with their other appliances.

Some manufacturers compensate for their shortcomings in product design by making their technical information readily available to both servicers and customers. Sadly, Samsung is not one of them. So you get the worst of both worlds. For more info about kitchen and laundry appliance brands, see this post:

What Brand of Kitchen and Laundry Appliances Would the Samurai Buy?

Alas, it appears that the pot-bellied, curly-headed Buddha doth not grin down upon Samsung.

the pot-bellied, curly-headed Buddha is displeased with Samsung.

New Service at Fixitnow.com: Samurai Appliance Repair Man Saves Marriages, too!

Shellee wrote:

Thank you times a billion!

Our washer quit working, it’s my anniversary weekend and my husband said we could get a new washer instead of celebrating. No wife wants a new washer for their anniversary!!

So, I ripped out the washer’s guts, followed your sage-like advice and now my washer runs like new. You are awesome. I will be your fan… forever.

Many, many thanks from this woman!!!

Samurai Appliance Repair Man fixes marriages, too!

Whirlpool Cabrio and Maytag Bravo Washers: Intermittent Leak from the Front Left Corner

 

Cabrio, Bravo:
sometimes leak, front left corner.
Install new tub ring.
the bamboo knows all, grasshoppah

 

Cabrio Washer Tub Ring Modification.jpg

Part Links for New Tub Rings:

Affected Model Numbers:

(Word: The Whirlpool Cabrio®, Maytag Bravo®, and Kenmore Oasis® washers are the same machines.)

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

Whirlpool Duet Washer F02 Error Code. Problem Solved!

Michael wrote:

I read a few lines of your forum and was able to repair my Whirlpool Duet washer. F02 error root cause : color catcher fabric sheets caught in filter. They were powerfuly stinky! Total investment in repair… 25 minutes. Thank you master of appliantology.

Nice work, my fine, young apprentice! I also have a post on this very problem ratcheer on this site: behold!

And now, may the golden, pot-bellied, bald-headed, breasticled Buddha grin down upon your pate and inspire you in your future appliance repair crusades.

The golden, pot-bellied, bald-headed, breasticled Buddha who watches over all who engage broken appliances in mortal combat.

Can I hear an, “Amen?”

 

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