Maytag A207 starting problem?

[arbilab]

... different stories ...

Did you say FUSE? Well there's your problem. That house was wired for appliances that use roughly 1/3 the amps houses are now wired for.

Microwaves and color TVs hadn't been invented yet. EVERYthing about that wiring-- except for radios, lamps and fans-- is marginal. Keep your fire extinguishers and smoke alarm batteries up to date!

Tune up the washer, and don't run anything else at the same time. Ideally, consult an electrician about bringing the high-load areas of the house like laundry and kitchen up to code. You CANNOT do this yourself without invalidating your homeowner's insurance.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

The only thing wrong with fuses is that someone may replace one with a higher amp fuse. A 15 amp circuit is a 15 amp circuit, and washing machines had the same size motors back in the fuse era.

Circuit breakers can get weak and fail. If you blow a fuse, you're starting with a brand new fuse.

 

[cuffs054]

Given the choice I too think fuses are safer.

 

[fester]

Old school electrical

Check out those "upgraded" 3 prong outlets! I was changing a damaged outlet and found that only the outlet itself had been upgraded. It was hooked to old style 2 conductor wire with no ground. My house, while newish (1974), must have been wired by Thibodeaux and Boudreaux after a 12 pack. The 115V outlet behind the stove, the overhead in the living room, both in the front of the house are on the same breaker as the overhead in the master bedroom in the rear and the light for the out door closet off of the carport. Can you dig it? I can't wash clothes and run the dishwasher at the same time either. Take nothing for granted! I will look into that start capacitor for sure.

 

[alr2903]

Seriously, is a start capacitor the thing they sometimes wire into a refrigerator compressor to make it last a while longer?  Art

 

[arbilab]

I think the 'fuse' point was missed

There is nothing inherently wrong with fuses. Other than blowing one when you have no spares, and as above, the enduser installing the wrong value.

But the transition from fuses to breakers was a very significant breakpoint in how the electrical code dealt with distribution of much higher loads much more representative of today's demands upon home wiring.

BTW, operating a microwave on a socket that is not 'really' grounded is extremely hazardous.

 

[combo52]

Start Capacitors For Older Refrigerators

Yes a SC can be added to some refrigerators to make the compressor start more reliably under low voltage conditions, or cases where the sealed system does not balance out fast enough, or the compressor is a little tight etc.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

The fuse point was not missed.

As long as you keep the right fuse in the right spot, there is no need to panic, it does not mean that your house will burn down any minute.

I remember when I was a kid, the family around the block had a refrigerator with hot chassis. When you were hanging out in their kitchen, you learned rather quickly not to hold the handle on the refrigerator and the kitchen faucet at the same time. Nobody died.

Ken D.

 

[LaVidaBoem]

Thibodeaux, Boudreaux, and a 6 Pack!!

Man, I am going to come see you...

I think we could have a Ball...or Two...!

Yea, as I walk thru the house I used to own...
Wired wrong...Ree-Verse Polarity!!

You didn't want stand on the front porch in your sock-feet, fiddle with the light switch, and touch one of the faceplate screws...

You would do a little jiggle, and let a few choice verbs fly!!

As one of the other posters said,...about the 'frider-E-dater' and the spigot..."NOBODY died"....

We're Dealin'.

LaVidaBoem

 

[askolover]

"I remember when I was a kid, the family around the block had a refrigerator with hot chassis. When you were hanging out in their kitchen, you learned rather quickly not to hold the handle on the refrigerator and the kitchen faucet at the same time. Nobody died. "

We had the same problem in our house when I was a kid...but it was the Kitchenaid KDS17A that was the culprit...and it was installed by the dealer!  If one touched the dishwasher AND either the fridge or the kitchen sink/faucet one would feel quite the jolt.  My dad ended up installing a better ground for it and we haven't been shocked since and Mom is on her 3rd dishwasher and 3rd fridge.


 

Before I was a nurse I worked with electricity.  When daddy built his new music studio I wired the electrical panel for him.  I personally think fuses are safer too.  My paternal grandfather had a breaker panel that was installed in his house when it was built.  One of the breakers stuck and his AC/Furnace package unit burned up!  My dad refuses to upgrade their fuse panel to breakers...he built the house in '68.  My house was built in '56 with fuses.  At the time, EVERYTHING was electric and at some point the owners overloaded everything causing some melted wires at the panel.  The owner at some point in time worked for the gas company and he removed every major electricity consuming appliance and replaced them with gas, except for the AC.  So now, this house's largest power consumer is still the AC...and that circuit never gets warm.