This is very important if you have a fridge with a built in deep-freeze compartment and not so if you have a frost-fee fridge. You know that feeling when you’re desperately trying to get to that last little ice cream lying in the back of the compartment and end up wrecking the ice compartment’s door because it won’t open?
When more than 10 mm of ice has accumulated it’s time to defrost. If the fridge has a defrost setting, engage it, or simply switch off the fridge. Some fridges can take up to 24 hours to defrost completely; consult the manufacturer’s instruction manual. Read the rest of this entry »
Isolate the appliance before removing covers or panels for any reason. All tests for continuity should be carried out with a battery operated test meter only.
The most likely cause of overheating will be a failure of the thermostat contact points or sealed pressure system. In such a case you will need to fit a new compatible replacement unit.
Slow initial heating-up times or uneven heat distribution within the oven is usually caused by the failure of one element. Simple testing of the element will highlight the faulty item.
Failure to heat up at all may be either the thermostat or elements. As elements are the easier of the two to check for continuity, a simple process of elimination will indicate where the fault lies. Read the rest of this entry »
Store tapes vertically to help prevent their stretching or loops forming and always put them in their cases tape face in. Do not store them near magnetic sources, such as loudspeakers or motors. As the signal is recorded on the tape in a magnetic format by the video, other sources of magnetism can distort or blank it. Do not store tapes in direct sunlight or where temperatures may be too high or too low. When hiring tapes from video clubs, check thatthe tape and cassette are in good condition. Do not touch the tape because grease from fingers will damage both tape and video head, but inspect the entry points for dust or flaking of the oxide (fine brownish powder or flakes). Read the rest of this entry »
Most households have at least one item of video and audio equipment: television, video, sound system, CD player and so on. As a rule, it is not wise for the amateur to attempt to repair such high tech equipment, as this requires expert knowledge, expensive equipment and detailed service manuals. The intricate nature of internal mechanical and electronic components and the high voltages make it inadvisable to remove panels or outer covers. It is more sensible to leave this to the skills of the trained specialist. Read the rest of this entry »
There are two main types of shavers: fully portable (powered by batteries, either dry cell or nickel cadmium rechargeable), and mains powered which usually incorporate a variable voltage option switch (110-130 volts or 210-240 volts). Correct maintenance is essential if they are to work efficiently and have a long and useful life while simple care and cleaning will greatly improve their smooth operation and reduce the likelihood of recurrent breakdowns. Read the rest of this entry »
The brush roll is supported on bearings at each end so the barrel rotates freely. Types of bearings, barrels and brushes differ from model to model as well as between manufacturers. Some manufacturers supply individual parts for the brush roll, such as brush strips, bearings and barrel; others supply only complete assemblies. The brush roll on some models may have removable brush strips, whereas others may be a solid brush roll of wood or plastic with fixed brushes. A small selection is shown here to highlight the differences. Read the rest of this entry »
For symptoms, possible causes and action relating to cylinder vacuums, see the Fault finder for upright vacuums. Unless the appliance has a power head attachment, references to the brush rolls can be ignored. Checking a long hose for blockages can be simply done by dropping a coin down one end, gradually lifting the hose and listening to the movement of the coin. If a blockage is present, the point at which the coin stops indicates the location. If the blockage is near either end of the hose, it may be necessary to remove the actual hose end if possible. In most instances, reversing the airflow through the hose frees the blockage. Read the rest of this entry »
This type of cleaner, which cleans purely by suction, is better suited to situations other than large carpeted areas: rugs, car interiors, large areas of hard flooring, walls, curtains and furniture. Carpeted stairs are also much easier to vacuum with a cylinder cleaner.
Suction-only carpet cleaning does not remove dirt and grit from the pile base in the same way that the beating and sweeping action of the upright models. However, a machine has been developed that combines the cylinder model with the powered brush roll of the upright vacuum. This type of cylinder appliance has the option of a powered cleaning head attachment that can be connected when required for large carpeted areas. This attachment has a revolving brush roll which is similar to that of the upright cleaner and the suction is supplied by the motor of the cylinder cleaner. Read the rest of this entry »
