Here's a guy who doesn't get enough credit for ruining America. I just thought I would give my California brothers and sisters a little reminder.
12/30/10
Credit Where Credit Is Due
Here's a guy who doesn't get enough credit for ruining America. I just thought I would give my California brothers and sisters a little reminder.
12/26/10
The Story Of The Mangled Dishwasher: Updated
Do you see the little white rectangular thing, the right side of which is obscured by the sharp edge of the sheared whatever within the red circle? Good. And you clearly see the wires, still attached to the hanging, broken whatever (referred to previously), wires which are hot. Indeed, if you notice, there are 3 little lights on telling me that my dishes will air dry, on a normal cycle, with high heat. On the right side of the bent whatever (okay, it's a faceplate) you can see the dial, the controller, command central. It's in great shape, still seated properly and rotating as if what precariously gapes to its left never happened.
The Frustrated Son (TFS) and I have had Thanksgiving here at home, just the 2 of us, twice. Both times we brined the turkey and did everything perfectly. At some point at the first Thanksgiving--3 years ago--I had to get something from the oven, forgot an oven-mit, and burned my hand. Otterpops work great in that situation (as an ice pack). This year, nothing and nobody was burned.
However, there did come a point in this most recent Thanksgiving when there was something in the dishwasher we needed. Normally this would pose no problem. But, as I have indicated previously, I have had some major appliance problems (get it?), so why should the dishwasher be any different?
I reached to open the door of the dishwasher, which opens with a bar that works by putting your hand on it like a car door, from underneath, but you sort of push up instead of pulling out. For a while I could tell that the mechanism was getting worn, or loose, because you really had to jam it up there to get the thing open for the last year or so. So I jammed that sucker up there, and it snapped. You could hear it, and I felt it. The door was locked shut.
TFS is not fond of my methods in certain situations, and in a general sense. Rightly so. I looked, briefly, for a way to get the faceplate off so I could get to the mechanism inside and fix it, or at least open the door. After 2 or 3 seconds of studying it I began to manhandle it. I was able to do the damage you see above quickly and easily, without the need for tools other than my powerful hands. I opened the door by pushing down on the little white thing in the red circle, and after our delicious dinner we put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and ran it. Awesome.
It wasn't until a couple of weeks later that I realized the wires were hot, and 3 of them had become disconnected. I realized it when I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through my wet hand and up and down through my body (when TFS was very little, he called electricity, "trick city" the cute little f*cker). I have since taped the wires up, poorly, with blue masking tape.
How much are dishwashers?
Update: They cost about $350 (well, they also cost $1500), but then you have to spend another $125 for installation. I thought of installing it myself, but then realized it would cost me a lot more that $125 when I screw the whole thing up.
The new one is white, quiet, has nylon racks to prevent rusting, and best of all has no center spout taking up prime lower-rack real estate. It also has no hot wires sticking out of it, nor does it leak. I think I forgot to mention that the old one up there in the picture also leaked.
I have purchased all the appliances from a small, local business. They are nice, knowledgeable, prompt, fair and always easier and more personal than the big box stores. I like supporting my little town, too.
I hope I don't see them for a long time.