Monday, February 20, 2012

Electrolux Stove

When you need a part for your stove you get:
"Thank you for contacting Electrolux Major Appliances. The appliance is too old for us to assist you."

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Cruising: fixing your boat in exotic places

It has been a day and a half! Last night, while I was cooking my dinner and charging up the fridge on the generator, I noticed what appeared to be smoke in the galley and aft cabin. Must be the generator! It was the only thing on. So I turned it off and went into the port engine room where it is housed. Smoke and steam everywhere. Filled up the radiator and tried it again...yeah, that worked...smoke everywhere. OH SH*T. Too hot to work on now so I went to bed. Next morning back in the engine room and noticed that there was no water coming out of the exhaust. Must be the salt water system so I started tracing it. Strainer...OK next link OK...Next link ... a piece of plastic in the line, must be the impeller. Took off the impeller housing (fun job) and there it was...looked OK but one flange missing. About 1/2 hour to get the impeller out. Found 5 spare impellers on the boat. Wonderful! Even looked like the same size. Wait a minute, these good impellers all have a key fitting while the generator fitting is different. Won't work!!! (add a few choice words here) Talked to Simon on Senerity...he had some spares but they also needed a key...Off to Robert's marina and next to George in the house next door. Lo and behold, after some searching, he found one that just might work. Back to the boat to try it out. It fit!!! after a wee struggle. Fired up the gen and looked over the side for water being pumped out. Nothing, I mean Nada. Went outside to feel for pressure, NADA! Back to the engine room to hear the bilge pump going madly and lots of water in the bilge. Maybe, just maybe, it was pumping but not going outside. Holy Smoke...that was it. Generator on...water pumped into bilge. So the impeller is working anyway. Traced the exhaust backwards only to find a hose had come off under the generator and behind it. Could it have been in a harder place to get to? Anyway, I tell myself that this in not rocket science and put on my knee pads and cushion the top of the generator so I can lean on it without cutting myself and about 45 minutes later, the hose is reconnected. Fire it up...why not...and away it goes. Water shooting out the exhaust outside the boat. YAHOOOOOOO. Total work hours...4. Cost...$37.00 for a new impeller (Bahama prices but what are you going to do?) So how is your day going?