Specific failure symptoms include: 1) Frost build-up on back wall in freezer section of Fridge. 2) Fridge ice maker not making ice. 3) Food not remaining at the desired temperature in both the Fridge and freezer sections.
When the Fridge starts to build up frost in the freezer section, you can assume that something is preventing the Fridge from going into the defrost cycle. You will have to check the components of the defrost circuit. Move the Fridge out from the wall and unplug the Fridge power cord. Check the components in the order listed below. Read the rest of this entry »
Don’t stick your finger in a electrical socket or use an electrical shaver while in the bath. You thought you knew all the electrical safety precautions didn’t you (well maybe the above mentioned two) but here are a couple electrical safety precautions that you may not have thought of, until you yourself ran out of the house with a fancy hairstyle. Read the rest of this entry »
Specific failure symptoms include either: 1) Refrigerator temperature too warm to make ice. 2) No water getting to icemaker mold. 3) Icemaker not ejecting the frozen ice.
For a compact icemaker to operate properly, the refrigerator freezer compartment must be maintained at 10 degrees F or lower. The design of the icemaker is such that the icemaker will not eject the ice until it is frozen hard. Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever used an electrical lawn-mower, or seen someone use it? Enough said. Cords on appliances also fray and sometimes a loose connection is the simple result of wear and tear. So somewhere along the line you may have to repair the wiring of an appliance or replace a plug that is no longer working. Read the rest of this entry »
Specific failure symptoms include: 1) When the dishwasher is turned ON, nothing happens. 2) When the dishwasher is turned ON a “buzzing” sound is heard.
To find the cause of this problem, first check to be sure the electricity is turned ON at the circuit breaker panel. Next, check to see that the dishwasher timer knob is pushed in or pulled out to the ON position when selecting a cycle. Read the rest of this entry »
Most, if not all, people know that mains electricity in the home is lethal. This means that if you come into contact with a live terminal, live wire or metalwork, which because of a fault is charged with electricity, you will receive an electric shock which could be fatal.
Electricity at the mains voltage of 240 V is present at every ceiling rose, lampholder, switch, socket outlet and other outlets. It is also present at every electrical appliance connected to the mains when plugged into a socket outlet and the switched socket is ‘ON’. Read the rest of this entry »
Most people have a healthy respect for electricity and understand that it can be dangerous — even lethal — if misused. Electricity at all voltages should be respected. Anyone who does not follow the basic rules of electricity is not only a danger to himself but to everyone around him. Electrical accidents are avoidable: most are due to plain carelessness and failing to follow the basic rules.
There are about sixteen million homes in Britain supplied with electricity and each one contains an average of about 25 electrical appliances. Given the sheer number of items, it is perhaps surprising that there are fewer than 80 fatalities from electrical accidents a year. Although this represents only a small percentage of the entire population and represents only one per cent of the 8,000 deaths each year that result from accidents in the home, the figure is still far too high. Read the rest of this entry »
The earth path of an appliance can be checked easily using a simple test meter. Remember, path of low resistance is required from all items within a appliance that are linked into the earth path via the yellow and green cable.
The earth path of an appliance from its exposed metal parts to the earth pin of the plug should be a maximum of 1 ohm (BS3456).
Checking the earth path of a socket requires an earth loop test meter which needs to be operated correctly. This is an expensive item and, moreover, problems may be encountered with distribution boards fitted with an RCD. It is, therefore, advisable to have these tests done by a qualified electrical contractor. Read the rest of this entry »
Problems with electrical appliances may not always result from a failure of the equipment itself. They can be caused by the failure of electrical supply to the appliance via the socket. A three-pin socket must have a live supply, a neutral return and a sound earth path. When a plug from an appliance is inserted, firm contact must be made at all three points. If the live or neutral pins of the plug or connection point within the socket fail to make adequate contact or are free to move, localized heating will occur within the socket. Typical signs of this problem are listed below.
There are various reasons for such problems. They may be caused by one or a combination of any of those listed here. Read the rest of this entry »