Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?

[GreyGhost]

I actually checked if I didn't get 2 last time.

The first question I was asked " do we need a new dishwasher?". Not sure if there was a good morning in there.

This dishwasher has been nothing but crap in my opinion.
Hated it from day 2. And that's not even from the fact that it has had the same part fail 3 times.
For a long time it wouldn't dissolve the detergent tabs, or the dishes smelled like the washing chemicals.
It also doesn't have a heating element to dry the dishes..
It dries the dishes by rinsing them with boiling water so they heat up and dry themselves from the temperature.


When the time comes, it's replacemebt will not be a Bosch.

That's not what I wanted to hear. Current frigidaire is dying. Every frigidaire dishwasher made for more than the last decade passes all power through the door switch which is undersized. The switch and wiring burns up. They don't change the design as it generates recurring revenue. I have cleaned up the contacts a few times but the thermal damage is significant and I refuse to give them money for a garbage part.

I was going to go with Bosch as that seemed to be near the top of the pile. It is annoying that you have to go up to 800 series to get a dryer better than cross your fingers and hope. As per @Scuba Steve I was looking at 300 series. 500 series has a slight drying advantage as it pops the door open to let the steam out. I'm considering 500 but won't pay for an 800 (unless I can find one for a crazy price).

 

[oioioi]

For reference, ours is a 500 series. (I think)

 

[GreyGhost]

For reference, ours is a 500 series. (I think)View attachment 67977

That's a 500 and still a current model. Bollocks.

 

[oioioi]

I'm sure the water inlet valve that I need to replace is used in many models.
I would get 2 spare if you are getting a Bosch dishwasher.

My Amazon purchase history tells me I bought the last one in June 2022.
Seems to be on par with a 2-3 year life span of these parts based on my failure rate.

 

[Mikedezo44]

Question- Is there any way to test a conventional water heater without hooking it up completely? Or things I can inspect to give me a reasonable idea if it's worth messing with? I picked one up from a customer a few years ago that looks relatively new. He claimed it worked, only took it out due to space reasons when he went with an on demand system. Would like to get it out of my garage but don't really want to drag it downstairs, go through all the hook up process if it's a dud.

 

[GreyGhost]

Question- Is there any way to test a conventional water heater without hooking it up completely? Or things I can inspect to give me a reasonable idea if it's worth messing with? I picked one up from a customer a few years ago that looks relatively new. He claimed it worked, only took it out due to space reasons when he went with an on demand system. Would like to get it out of my garage but don't really want to drag it downstairs, go through all the hook up process if it's a dud.

I am assuming electric? You could test resistance of both heater coils. Thermostat tests could be done too but they are more complicated. Do you have 240v in garage? Obviously you don't want it on more than a few seconds while empty.

Now, not really tests but if it was me I would pull anode and inspect. Also weigh tank and compare to factory data. If anode is in good shape and tank isn't really heavy due to accumulation of minerals I would proceed with tests.

 

[Jampy00]

Question- Is there any way to test a conventional water heater without hooking it up completely? Or things I can inspect to give me a reasonable idea if it's worth messing with? I picked one up from a customer a few years ago that looks relatively new. He claimed it worked, only took it out due to space reasons when he went with an on demand system. Would like to get it out of my garage but don't really want to drag it downstairs, go through all the hook up process if it's a dud.

Fill it with water and wire up a plug (if electric) and plug it in an outlet to see if it heats up the water, use the drain to check for temp.
If it is gas, not sure what to do that is safe.

 

[Jampy00]

I am assuming electric? You could test resistance of both heater coils. Thermostat tests could be done too but they are more complicated. Do you have 240v in garage? Obviously you don't want it on more than a few seconds while empty.

Now, not really tests but if it was me I would pull anode and inspect. Also weigh tank and compare to factory data. If anode is in good shape and tank isn't really heavy due to accumulation of minerals I would proceed with tests.

Always thought they were 110v all my electric water heaters have a normal 110v plug on them...

 

[GreyGhost]

Always thought they were 110v all my electric water heaters have a normal 110v plug on them...

What? I have never seen a 120v electric resistance water heater. Power vent gas are all 120v. Most heat pump hw are 240 but there are a few that are 120.

Conceivably you could have a 240v plug (two horizontal pins) but I thought most water heaters drew more than 12A.

 

[backmarkerducati]

I have ran into a 120v electric HW tank... or more specifically 120v elements. During a rewire many, many moons ago the tank had a 240v label/nameplate. Wired it 240v as per the nameplate and the breaker kept randomly tripping, not right away but sometimes after an hour or even a day or two. Turns out some moof milker had replaced the elements with 120v ones.

Can't remember how we figured it out... embarrassingly it might have even been the ESA guy when we noted to him the breaker kept tripping... but it was well over 20 years ago.

 

[GreyGhost]

I have ran into a 120v electric HW tank... or more specifically 120v elements. During a rewire many, many moons ago the tank had a 240v label/nameplate. Wired it 240v as per the nameplate and the breaker kept randomly tripping, not right away but sometimes after an hour or even a day or two. Turns out some moof milker had replaced the elements with 120v ones.

Can't remember how we figured it out... embarrassingly it might have even been the ESA guy when we noted to him the breaker kept tripping... but it was well over 20 years ago.

I retract my earlier statement about never seeing a 120V resistance hw tank. I have one. It is something like 5 gallons and 1500W. A glorified tea kettle. There is no way it would be sufficient for primary dwelling hot water. Recovery rate of about 14 gph so with a 2gpm showerhead you may get a <10 minute shower every hour or so.

 

[backmarkerducati]

I retract my earlier statement about never seeing a 120V resistance hw tank. I have one. It is something like 5 gallons and 1500W. A glorified tea kettle. There is no way it would be sufficient for primary dwelling hot water.

Wire it up 240v and it will make hot water pretty fast, until the breaker trips.

 

[Relax]

That's not what I wanted to hear. Current frigidaire is dying. Every frigidaire dishwasher made for more than the last decade passes all power through the door switch which is undersized. The switch and wiring burns up. They don't change the design as it generates recurring revenue. I have cleaned up the contacts a few times but the thermal damage is significant and I refuse to give them money for a garbage part.

I was going to go with Bosch as that seemed to be near the top of the pile. It is annoying that you have to go up to 800 series to get a dryer better than cross your fingers and hope. As per @Scuba Steve I was looking at 300 series. 500 series has a slight drying advantage as it pops the door open to let the steam out. I'm considering 500 but won't pay for an 800 (unless I can find one for a crazy price).

FWIW, my Evolution 800-series has been trouble-free since I bought it in 2009. I don't think it has all the features of a current 800-series, so maybe less to go wrong, or a case of "they don't make them like they used to".

 

[Mad Mike]

Any brands which stand out more then others?
Since I have a Mac I might be able to find some that are HomeKit usable (Apple's home automation thing). Then I can use it anyplace.

It's web based. home.google.com. For web-only users, you to create your routines on your phone or tablet then you can control them using a browser, mobile or GoogleHome device.

Or if you have some basic logic capability, IFTTT.com

Or on the Google Home App for your iPhone/iPad (get it at the app store)

 

[sburns]

It's web based. home.google.com. For web-only users, you to create your routines on your phone or tablet then you can control them using a browser, mobile or GoogleHome device.

Or if you have some basic logic capability, IFTTT.com

Or on the Google Home App for your iPhone/iPad (get it at the app store)

Thanks @Mad Mike. To be honest Google stuff would be lower on my list. There is only so much data scraping someone can take. I know this impossible these days, but if I can make a choice, why not. Even though their stuff does work fairly well.

 

[GreyGhost]

Thanks @Mad Mike. To be honest Google stuff would be lower on my list. There is only so much data scraping someone can take. I know this impossible these days, but if I can make a choice, why not. Even though their stuff does work fairly well.

Since I have an android phone, I assume Google probably knows everything about me anyway.

EDIT:
I have plugs from Prime and Globe and dimmers from Treatlife. I forgot that I had brought some of them into Google Home for central control. I treat most of them as set and forget.

 

[Jampy00]

Since I have an android phone, I assume Google probably knows everything about me anyway.

They watch you while you're on the toilet....

 

[sburns]

They watch you while you're on the toilet....

Don't kid yourself I am sure it's a data point. Captive audience with some time.

 

[Jampy00]

Don't kid yourself I am sure it's a data point. Captive audience with some time.

Google knows when you poop...

 

[Jampy00]

What? I have never seen a 120v electric resistance water heater. Power vent gas are all 120v. Most heat pump hw are 240 but there are a few that are 120.

Conceivably you could have a 240v plug (two horizontal pins) but I thought most water heaters drew more than 12A.

Interesting, I never knew this, my last one was a power vent gas so 120v plug for sure, int he new place they are electric, I'll look at the breaker to confirm, Thanks for setting me straight..