Specific failure symptoms include: 1) Little or no water enters the washer. 2) The washer does I not complete the washing cycle. 3) The washer drive motor does not run during cycle. To find the cause of the problem, first check to be sure both the hot and cold water faucets are turned on at the wash station.
To avoid any incorrect readings when using the volt/ohmmeter, always “zero” the ohmmeter scale of the volt/ohmmeter before making any continuity checks on components. See operating instructions that came with the volt/ohmmeter. Read the rest of this entry »
Unplug the power cord or gas supply before servicing the clothes dryer. Move clothes dryer out from the wall. Exercise care when moving the dryer from its original position because the dryer legs can easily tear holes in your floor.
Remove screws to dryer top. Lift the top of the dryer by inserting a flat-blade screwdriver between the cabinet and the top of the dryer. Remove the screws that secure door switch to dryer front panel and discard the door switch. Read the rest of this entry »
A radial power circuit is the name given to a circuit supplying a number of 13 A socket-outlets and fixed appliances using one cable which is not wired in the form of a ring but terminates at the last outlet.
The permitted number of socket-outlets (and fixed appliances) depends on the current rating of the circuit which can be either 20 A, wired in 2.5 mm2 cable, or 30 A wired in 4 mm2 cable. The number of socket-outlets and fixed appliances which can be served by a 20 A radial circuit depends also on the location of the circuit and whether the outlets are confined to one room. Read the rest of this entry »
If an appliance needs inspection, unplug it from the socket. No, don’t just turn off the switch — there may still be some current flowing.
When working on switches, sockets or, simply said, things that cannot be removed from the energy source, switch off the power at the main switch on the electrical switch board. To be on the even safer side, always wear rubber-soled shoes (only during the repair); it will reduce the shock should all your safety precautions fail (turning you into a fruitcake as opposed to a full-blown vegetable). Read the rest of this entry »
Specific failure symptoms include: 1) Dishwasher has a full tub of water at the end of the cycle. 2) Dishwasher only partially drains and leaves water in tub at end of cycle.
Remove the lower panel. Locate the pump drain hose and see if a kink in the hose is evident. If so, remove the kink and check the dishwasher for proper operation. If the dishwasher now pumps the water out, you found the problem — a kinked drain hose. If little or no water is being pumped out, the problem is in the dishwasher pump assembly. Read the rest of this entry »
Table lamps, floor standards, bedside lights and other portable lights can have dimmer control using any one of three methods. One method is a dimmer socket adaptor which plugs into the standard 13 A socket-outlet. This unit has two 2-pin sockets and is especially suitable for controlling two bedside lamps in a twin-bedded or a double-bedded room. The control knob on the adaptor dims both lamps at the same light intensity; they cannot be controlled independently.
Another method uses a line-cord dimmer which is wired into the flex of the lamp. The dimmer can be a standard wall type mounted on a plastic box and placed on the arm of the chair, table, desk, or any other chosen position. Alternatively, it can be a mini-dimmer switch resembling a torpedo table lamp switch. This type is especially suitable for the individual control of bedside lamps. Read the rest of this entry »
Although the primary purpose of a lighting fitting is to provide light, a fitting is exposed to view throughout the hours of daylight and it is, therefore, equally important that it is pleasing to look at when not alight. Before buying a fitting decide whether you would prefer a ceiling fitting or wall lights. If you decide on a ceiling fitting choose between a pendant or a close- mounted ceiling fitting.
Also, decide on the position of the fitting as this will also affect the choice. When choosing in the shop or department store try and visualise how a fitting would appear in your home. This is not easy when the shop has a forest of fittings, some alight and others unlit. Read the rest of this entry »
A basic understanding of electricity is essential, even for those who do not intend to carry out any repairs or servicing of appliances. Ignorance is no protection against your own or someone else’s errors and oversights, whether with repairs, servicing or installation.
Power is supplied to an electricity substation at a very high voltage — 400,000 volts — in three-phase form. There it is converted, via a transformer, to 230 volt single-phase for distribution to our homes. In normal circumstances, current flows from the live supply of the substation’s transformer, through the electrical appliances used in the house and back via the neutral conductor (cable) to the substation transformer’s neutral pole (a closed loop). Read the rest of this entry »
