Monthly Archives: September 2010

Graham Cracker Toffee

All right, time for another of my highly requested recipes. This is great to make for a crowd, because if you have it sitting around for very long in your house you’ll eat so much that you’ll have to run a marathon to burn off the extra calories. Like the Corn Casserole, it’s very easy to make, and if anyone tries to discuss the nutritional makeup of it, plug yours ears and hum.

Graham Cracker Toffee

2 packs of plain graham crackers (approx.)
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. bag chocolate chips
1 cup. chopped pecans (roasted for a few minutes in the oven, if there is time, to bring out the flavor)

optional – mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet (mine is about 17 in. x 12 in.) with foil, tucking into the corners and allowing some to wrap around the sides. This takes the wide roll of foil – if you have only a regular roll of foil, use 2 smaller pans. You do not want this stuff to get on the pan itself – it’s like superglue. Grease foil with unsalted butter or cooking spray.

Arrange the graham crackers in the pan in a single layer, breaking them as needed to cover as much of the pan as possible.

Melt the butter, sugars, and salt in a saucepan, then bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently. As soon as it comes to a boil, carefully pour the mixture over the graham crackers, using a spatula to smooth it evenly. Make sure all of the crackers are covered. Bake for about 10 minutes – the syrup should be enthusiastically bubbling.

Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips all over the crackers, then put back in the oven for a minute or two. Remove pan, then smooth the chocolate out using the spatula. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate (and, for a “Rocky Road” variety – some mini marshmallows), then let it cool for 30 minutes. Stick the pan in the freezer for about half an hour to harden the chocolate, then lift the foil off the pan and break or cut the toffee into pieces. Enjoy!

Daily Summary of Samurai’s Tweets, 2010-09-12

  • LG Refrigerator LRSC26910 Error Codes http://post.ly/wxGS #
  • Samurai's stash of refrigerator repair docs & manuals on Scribd, by invitation only. And you're invited. http://ow.ly/2CMWu #
  • LG fridge LFC20740SW: How to Disassemble the French Doors to Tighten the Handles. Bonus: How to Replace the Door Gaskets http://ow.ly/2CN6F #

Follow me on Twitter to get all my Tweets as they happen:
http://twitter.com/FixitnowSamurai

Maytag French Door “ICE-2-0” with Bottom Mount Freezer: Ice dispenser door continually opens and closes and/or display flashes on and off

If you’re having weird, poltergeist problems with the dispenser door or display on your Maytag or Amana “ICE-2-0” refrigerator, this post is for you!

Affected Models:

Maytag Models: MFI2568AEB MFI2568AEQ MFI2568AEW MFI2568AES MFI2067AEB MFI2067AEQ MFI2067AES MFI2067AEW

Amana Models: AFI2568AEB AFI2568AEQ AFI2568AES AFI2568AEW

The Fix:

Replace the high voltage control board kit.

high voltage control board kit
(click it to git it)

The kit includes: control board, installation and programming instructions, return label and card for the old part.

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

How to Test a Microwave Oven to See if it’s Heating Properly

Suspecting your microwave oven of slacking off on the job? Here’s a quick and easy test that’ll let you check your microwave oven’s heating output without needing to buy fancy equipment; only things you’ll need are a 1 liter PYREX glass bowl and a thermometer that can measure the temperature of hot water.

IMPORTANT: Make sure the bowl you are using is PYREX glass or another brand of glass that explicitly states it is microwave safe. DO NOT use plastic (inaccurate) or metal (DUH!).

MICROWAVE PERFORMANCE TEST

1. Fill the PYREX bowl with water at room temperature. Record initial water temperature.

2. Run the microwave on high power for 2:03. Not 2:04, nor 2:02 except ye go on to 2:03. 2:05 is right out.

3. Record end water temperature.

If the microwave magnetron is working right, the minimum difference between the initial and ending temperature should be about 86℉. If it’s much less than this, then you probably have a weak magnetron. If water temperature hardly changes at all, then there’s something wrong with the high voltage section and you’ll need to troubleshoot it. Suspects include: magnetron, HV transformer, HV capacitor, HV rectifier, and door interlock switch among others.

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

Daily Summary of Samurai’s Tweets, 2010-09-11

Follow me on Twitter to get all my Tweets as they happen:
http://twitter.com/FixitnowSamurai

LG fridge LFC20740SW: How to Disassemble the French Doors to Tighten the Handles and How to Replace the Door Gaskets

Sublime Master of Appliantology john63 explains this procedure in the Samurai Appliance Repair Forums:

On the LG refrigerator model LFC20740SW—the DOOR HANDLES are removed by either grasping the HANDLE and pulling in an upward motion—about an inch.

OR

I prefer to protect the bottom of the HANDLE with a piece of cardboard or rag and lightly tap the bottom with a small hammer. Once the DOOR HANDLE moves up about an inch or so—it can removed.

Using a 1/4 ” allen/hex key—tighten the two BOLTS that the DOOR HANDLE attaches onto.

If this fails to provide a snug fit–check:

1) That the DOOR HANDLES are re-installed properly—reverse of removal–but must be fully seated on the BOLTS on the door.

2) The INSERTS on the DOOR HANDLE is somehow damaged (not likely) and should be replaced. These are the metal pieces on the opposite side of the HANDLE which slips over & onto the door BOLTS.

The french door gaskets can *tear* if they lack lubrication.

Due to the fact that french door style refrigerators do not have a *center partition* like a side-by-side refrigerator—-the french door gaskets must seal **sideways**.

All french door refrigerator door gaskets should be checked for a slippery feel at this section of the gasket. Use FOOD GRADE SILICONE or VASELINE. Just a thin coating.

To replace the DOOR GASKETS—pull off the old gasket from the door until reaching the **sideways** section.

The plastic trim needs to be pulled off at this part of the door. Try to get your fingers into the leading rdge and pull until the plastic tabs “snap” and release.

Using a flat / slot screwdriver—-the two white locking tabs will need to forced out from their mounting holes. This is the most challenging part of removing the gasket.

If you get this far—let us know. There’s more to be aware of when installing the new gasket.

Here are the part links for the door gaskets:

Left door gasket

Right door gasket

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

Catastrophic Compressor Relay Failure

Relay failure melted down the terminals on this compressor. Many times, the terminals will become brittle and break off. Reconnecting the new relay becomes an artistic challenge at this point. Sometimes, there’s no choice but to replace the compressor for big bucks. This is always true if one of the compressor connection studs breaks off.

Catastrophic Compressor Relay Failure

So what caused this? A cheesy electrical part, namely the relay, failed because, well, it’s a cheesy electrical part. An unsatisfying answer I know but, without getting into the engineering analysis of material failure, that’s the short answer. And don’t blame the engineers; feast your blood-shot squinties on the bean-counters and marketing geeks hovering over the engineers, hounding them about how the appliance needs to come in at $X in order to meet “corporate projections.”

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