Don't ever run appliances while you're not home or asleep!

[laundryshark]

Same Goes for Laundromats

Good thing I have a habit of "camping out" at the laundromat, as I have often spotted and corrected issues, such as off balance wash loads, along with malfunctioning machines. I remember one day at the downstairs laundry room *at Iowa State University, (1985-87,* I shelled in the correct coins into a Maytag machine, only to have the unit not start up. The lid was closed. I had reported the issue to the vendor, but had a notion to reach around to the back of the machine to find that it was not plugged in. No "OUT OF ORDER" signs were attached to the machine. Since I am blind, how else would I have known? Therefore, after plugging in the unit, it ran just fine without any problems. I then called the vendor again. Apparently, the machine in question was just serviced, but the service person forgot to plug it back in.--Laundry Shark

 

[laundryshark]

Sorry for the accidental backslash

--Laundry Shark

 

[funguy10]

There most certainly is a version of the Oasis/Cabrio with agitators that have a glass lid. I've seen one at our local Sears Appliance & Hardware which is not even a 5-minute drive from my house. Also, the version without agitator is, according to Consumer Reports, the #1 agitator-less Top-Loader currently on the market. But yes, I have seen mixed reviews of that version at Epinions.com. I'd also like to forewarn you that the agitator version of the machine has pretty negative reviews at www.epinions.com. DADoeS, I know the agitator version of the Oasis/Cabrio/Bravos have a fill tube and so do the Fisher & Paykel machines. This is probably used when a water level other than "Auto" is selected and probably works the same way.

 

[DADoES]

ALL versions have pressure tubes, not just the agitator models. F&P agitator machines use the pressure sensor at all times, *including* for automatic water level sensing. I imagine the wash plate models do as well.

 

[mixedup]

Agitator w/glass lid

Really? I never saw one at the store & I don't see it on the sears website. What is the model #? Every washer I looked at had both positive and negative reviews on epinions & other sites.

 

[logixx]

I rarely use the delay start feature on any of our appliances. If I start the dishwasher late in the evening, I'll just stay up until it's finished...

However, our washer has a dedicated Night function, which omits all spin cycles and adds extra rinses and water. Miele has just recently added that function to some of their washers. Bauknecht and Blomberg (and possibly some other manufacturers) offer dishwashers with a night/silent mode, which lowers the water pressure and extends the cycle time. Bauknecht's night cycle runs for 290 minutes at 39 dB.

Most Euro washers and dishwashers have some sort of Aqua Stop, Waterproof, etc. feature to automatically shut off the water supply and cause the machine to drain should anything go wrong. High-end appliances will usually sound alarm and if you're into fancy remote-controllable appliances your (dish)washer can even send a text message to your cell phone...

Here's our Siemens dishwasher's Aqua Stop hose. Nice thing about Bosch/Siemens is that they have a lifetime guarantee on their anti-leakage system: should it fail, B/S/H will pay the damage.

 

[sdlee]

saftey,convience, and sanity

I need one more thing to do before I leave the house like I need a hole in the head. I need one more thing to worry about while Im at work. Yet I agree with what should be done. Shut it all off, thats the only safe thing. Do I pratice it Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Id love to but then Id have to worry about whats causeing me to have cancer, can I use my cell phone in certain areas, should I be driveing from MC Ds window while trying to insert my straw etc,etc,etc the list is endless.
Did anyone see the Oprah show where the toaster burned down the apartment complex just coz it was left plugged in while the guys were out. Cmon, dont we have enough to be afraid of?
Ill risk it,IM notliving that way.

 

[funguy10]

There is one thing you should NEVER do with an appliance but it is while you are at home. NEVER run your Self-Cleaning Oven clean cycle within two weeks of a major holidy. Because the circuits that run the self-clean cycle are rarely used, they are very prone to failiure. Then there is the wait time for repair and/or DELIVERY OF THE NEW OVEN and not being able to cook in it. So, for those of us in the USA you know Thanksgiving is coming in about 3 more weeks. So, make sure that if the oven you will be using to cook Thankgiving dinner on(especially the turkey) needs cleaning, that you run the Self-Clean cycle before this Thursday(November 8). Doing so could mean the difference between eating Turkey on Thanksgiving or going to McDonald's.

 

[funguy10]

Well Mixedup, Saturday has almost gone. Do you have your new machines yet?

 

[mixedup]

Yes, actually. They arrived around lunchtime, the delivery guys were even early for a change. So far I am really liking them. First thing I did was figure out how to disable the washer's lid lock with a magnet so I could see what was going on in there. The wash action is quite different than a conventional top loader. The dryer seems to do a good job too.

Virginia

 

[funguy10]

If you won't post a video could you post pictures? Or at least tell me how to disable it?

 

[funguy10]

Oh, and could you also describe the "different" washing action?

 

[sudsmaster]

Oven cleaning just before a holiday...

There is another solution: have more than one oven. I got two - no, three - electric ovens, all usable, all self-cleaning. One oven is slated to become a shop oven for baking powder coat finishes, but that still leaves two...

However, my main turkey oven is a stainless covered BBQ grill with motor driven rotisserie and ceramic rotisserie burner. This sits on a covered patio, where the smoke etc is easily vented outdoors so the home itself stays relatively cooking odor-free. The only limitation is that the turkey needs to be about 15 lbs or less, due to size limitations of the covered BBQ.

Besides, if the self-cleaning circuit fails, there's always Easy-off, right?

 

[chachp]

I used to use the delay functions on my washer and dishwashe

until my partner lost a high school friend in a dryer related fire. I don't know the exact details but I think she put the dryer on when she went to bed (how anyone could leave clothes sitting in the dryer over night is beyond me) and it caught on fire. Both she and a new born died in the fire.

My washer has that "tell me what time you want it done" feature and I used to use it all the time. I loved walking in the door to the Final Spin so I could throw them in the dryer and be done with it. With loads that can take 1 1/2 to 2 hours I didn't like waiting for them to finish. I don't do that anymore. However, I do run them and go to bed. Same difference now that I think about it and read through these posts.

I don't shut off the water supply to the washer or dishwasher when not in use except if we are travelling for more than a few days. Usually one of us is in and out through out the day.

 

[mrsalvo]

Excellent thread.
Our kitchen nearly caught on fire about 5 years ago because the thermostat in the GE dishwasher went out and the element just kept getting hotter. Runined everything in that load of dishes, had a dinner party in 1 hour when it happened.
I cannot stress it enough, NEVER start an appliance and run off and leave it. I don't even go to bed anymore with them running.
5 weeks after the dishwasher malfunctioned GE put out a recall on that series. HMMM wonder why.

 

[samsungfl]

I'm becoming a firm believer of not running appliances whilst your not at home, as my Zanussi managed to spring a huge leak which ran straight into the motor! and as we know Electricity and Water arent friends hehe!
Imagine what could of happened if I wasnt there to turn it off and unplug it!! quite worrying !

Richard

 

[seamusuk]

My night time horror story..

Hey Guys

I always used to put the DW on delay overnight(Economy 7 cheap electricity etc) - one night I got up to go to the loo and could hear water running somewhere..

To cut a long story short I went into the kitchen to find I was paddling!!!!!.

Whilst the actual DW was fine some little s@it of a mouse had chewed the inlet hose ( being a Bosch hose thats pretty hard plastic it took some doing!).

I now put it on when I get up at 6 and stop it before the dry cycle so its done before I leave.

Seamus

 

[rolls_rapide]

Horror Stories

My family has had a few:

1. Mother's first tumble drier, a reconditioned Bendix was drying a load in the kitchen. Mum was in lounge, entertaining grandparents; I was hoovering the hallway. A large cloud of acrid smoke billowed out of kitchen. Drier motor had stopped, but was still heating the clothes. Took months to get rid of the smell in the kitchen...

2. ...So Mum bought a new Hoover 'Logic' drier, which promptly fused when switched on. It turned out to be the cover for the thermostat spade-connectors had never been assembled properly, hence the short circuit. My brother still has this machine.

3. Mum's Hoover 'New Wave' washer was active at 7am one morning. Suddenly, two loud bangs issued from it, and the ring circuit fused. Turned out to be a small nick in the door seal; water had been forced through during spin-burst phase; water-detergent bridged the heater terminals= BANG! Heater blew, plug fuse blew, circuit breaker flipped. This machine was subject to a recall, to fit a shield to prevent this.

4. I had the top model of AEG washer in 1998. I tended to run it on the overnight cheaper electricity most of the time. In 2001, I happened to rise one morning whilst it was on its final spin, and was aware of a hot metallic smell. There were also little grains of what looked like charred metal on the floor (base plate had pre-moulded holes, I think). Bearings had given out.

 

[bobbyd32l]

AquaStop doesnt work!

AquaStop only stops the dishwasher is water is detected in the sealed base. If the door gasket leaks (like my Bosch did) it continues to run... And when you are outside cleaning your car and come in and the entire kitchen is under water and you have hardwood... its a bad feeling. Granted, Bosch paid for the damages, but it continued to run Aquastop only stops leaks in the base, and those rarely happen!

 

[brisnat81]

Aqua Stop

Also protects against a busted hose

On the Miele version anyway, you have a double solenoid that screws directly onto the tap. If Grit blocks 1 solenoid open the other should still stop the water flow.

Likewise if the inlet hose bursts, the water should run into the sump of the dishwasher and trigger the float, or in a total failure, the machine should time out and stop filling after after a preset time.

The Bosch must have an unusual setup, because if the water level got that high in the Miele, that the water was running out around the door seal, there would be way to much water in there in the first place. The Miele detects an abnormal overfill (IE a bowl tipping over) and will cancel the wash in case it is a leak. The Bosch system mustnt be as advanced.