Our old Maytag dryer stopped drying clothes. Tumbled ok, had airflow but no heat. Disassembled front and back, and removed the heating assembly, allowing room to repair the burnt, broken wire to the heating element. Just the spade terminal and wire were damaged. Found a $10 replacement kit for the two heat sensors on Amazon, so I purchased and replaced the sensors. I have a selection of spade terminals, but not one for a #12 wire. As a workaround, I cut off the burnt portion of the wire and installed a ring terminal, then used a small bolt to attach the wire to the lug. Now all is working as designed, almost. Maybe another 10 years?  (April 2026)

                                                    Burnt wire and spade terminal.

                                                   Heat assembly in the lower right.

                                              The burnt open wire is causing no heat. 

                                                 Shortened red wire with a ring terminal and a bolt. 

      

Merry Christmas 2025

                           Merry Christmas 2025

 

We have enjoyed a different yet interesting year.

We mainly enjoyed working on our new house construction –

• March 31, we received a building permit for our new house up on Jeremy and Jacie’s farm.
• April 10^th, we broke ground at 1356 NE Flicker Hill Lane, Poulsbo.
• May 15, we passed our house footing inspection
• May 28^th, we passed the stem wall inspection.
• June 10, we had the concrete foundation walls sealed.
• June 25^th, we passed the house under floor inspection.
• August 5^th, the trusses arrived and were installed with the help of a tall crane, with a spare crane standing by.
• September 25, Milgard kindly replaced a defective from factory window, which completes all the window installation.
• October 25^th, the rain gutters were installed after the roofing was done.
• October 31^st, two garage doors were installed.
• November 11^th, an electrician wired up power for our completed septic system.
• December 1, we passed a plumbing inspection.
• December 17^th, we ordered our Kitchen and bathroom cupboards.
• Presently the heating ductwork is almost done. Also, the electrical work is in progress.

So we have been rather busy this year with house building. The building accomplishments are fun.

 

In the last part of September, Linda entered the hospital for weakness and treatment for an unusual liver abscess. She was at the hospital for 3 weeks and then was treated at home for several more weeks. She is thankfully doing so much better now. The doctors worked hard analyzing her problem and planning her treatments. We are so grateful for her progress.

 

Jim had successful eye cataract surgeries this year. Jim also turned 80.

 

Merry Christmas, one and all. We have so much to be thankful for! However, we are concerned for our country, as so many Americans try to get by without God, the Creator and Sustainer of life itself.  Our desire is that people will realize the world and universe, along with the creation of man, are totally impossible without a Creator God. The Bible clearly describes Jesus, the Son of God, being born in a lowly manger, who lived a sinless life, and who died so all who believe can have a personal relationship with Him. God’s Book teaches about how God wishes us to live, the best life, even here on the planet Earth.

 

                                              Jim & Linda

 

 

 

 

Two new lambs this year. 

computer is stopping

 My 10-year-old Windows 10 computer is stopping lately in the middle of use. The mouse just freezes. I am unable to get any response. ESC or cntr+alt+del have no effect. I can hold the power button for 10 seconds and it will shutdown. After the shutdown, the computer will power up and work for several hours. I did find plenty of dust under the processor fan and cleaned it off. I removed the fan for cleaning. The fan sits on top of the processor cooling fins. ???? Hopefully????

Dusty

Vacuumed

2024 Electrical Power Cost

Jim and Linda's electrical power cost for 2024With 6kw of solar power installed in Washington
12/13/2024   Bill due 01/06/25     $22.23 11/13/2024   Bill due 12/05/24     $7.49 10/15/2024  Bill due 11/04/24      $7.49 9/13/2024   Bill due 10/03/24        $7.49 8/14/2024   Bill due 09/04/24        $7.49 7/15/2024   Bill due 08/02/24        $7.49 6/13/2024   Bill due 07/05/24        $7.49 5/14/2024   Bill due 06/04/24       $7.49 4/12/2024   Bill due 05/02/24      $18.24 3/13/2024   Bill due 04/02/24      $93.10 2/12/2024   Bill due 03/04/24    $136.84 1/12/2024   Bill due 02/02/24      $14.82  Total charges                   $337.66 
10/30/2024   Payment Posted $1,427.40 
                                        $1,427.40                            minus        $337.66 Used to pay for solar panels $1,089.74 
Solar panels were turned on Jan 30, 2019
Our solar generates over 8MWH Where MWh = Mega Watt Hours, where mega = million
2024 pse billing and payment history.xls

Washer’s center agitator stopped agitating

Our 2004 Kirkland clothes washer’s center agitator stopped agitating water like it should. I researched the web and found this is an easily fixed problem. From Amazon I ordered an “Upgraded 285811 Medium Cam Agitator Repair Kit” which will come the next day. ($9)

Unfortunately, the 7/16 bolt securing the agitator assembly is corroded to the point it could not be removed with a simple socket wrench. The bolt is recessed 6 inches which complicates the bolt’s removal if the socket slips on the corroded bolt head. I used a long drill bit and drilled a hole in the bolt head and used an easy-out to eventually remove the bolt. I also ordered a new bolt off Amazon for $8. (Part number 358237)

I received parts a day after I ordered them. The assembly pictures are poor but I was able to figure the assembly out. Now the upper portion of the agitator bushes the water in just one direction, as designed. 

Corroded bolt in center

Cleaned up agitator, broken parts on right.

New parts coming in repair kit. 

Easy-out with corroced bolt. (Replaced)

Copper Water line leak

 49 years after installing the copper water lines our house a very slight leak appeared in the basement. After searching I found the water line had a very minimal leak in the middle of a 2x8 floor joist leaving a six-inch wet spot on the ceiling of the basement. The leak was close to the hot water tank and was in the hot water line.

The location was naturally in a hard location to repair and it turned out to be difficult to get all the water out of the line making the last solder joint impossible to get water tight. After much heat even with a heat shield and scorching the 2x8 I still could not get a water tight joint.

I then tried a SharkBite ¾ to ¾ Slip Repair Coupling for the repair. Home Depot refers to their version from Tectite. Using this coupler and working in an awkward position, with my strength, I was unable to slide the coupler onto the 3/4 in pipe. I called JJ who obviously using extreme force was able to install the coupler which completed the repair.

I worked on this project for two days trying to get it right. Now the water line is water tight.

I drained the hot water tank some several times to try and get all the water out of the lines. While near the 49-year-old hot water tank I took the time to check the current of the elements and found the top element was drawing 8 AC amps while the bottom element is drawing 18 AC amps. (1,500 watts and 4,500 watts.) I replace the upper and lower thermostats in 2013.

SharkBite

Removed pipes

The minuscule leak is the green spot in middle of picture which was located in middle of 2x8 floor joist.

solar panels stopped producing power

Just at 4-years of service our solar panel inverter died. I received an email from the installing company that our solar panels stopped producing power on Dec 20, 2023. He said they could send someone out January 2, 2024 to replace the inverter under warranty replacement.

Today Ari came and spent 2 hours replacing the approximately $5,000 inverter and the remainder of the day trying to get the remote monitoring to work for us so we can see how much power we are producing. The solar panels and inverter are on the garage so it takes a somewhat powerful RF monitoring system. The new system that came with the new inverter did not seem to work, nor did the old one which worked with the bad inverter. He eventually got a system that uses the power lines to send the frequency containing the monitor information from the inverter to our computer. He did say it was a little intermittent however. The power company reads a meter which records the total power we create so we still get credit even if this monitoring system fails.

Ari says we can just check inverters the green light is on to ensure we are creating power. The failed inverter had a window and one could check how it was working at the inverter. It was a little clumsy for the owner to use however.

Our system has been flawless for 4 years so this failure came as a surprise. Maybe I should have suspected an issue as it is normal for us to pay only $7.50 a month for power for 5 of the summer months but the bill was only $7.50 in October and October was not that sunny. The system was working so well I had stopped monitoring after our last big trip. The company really was nice to work with and as far as I know we will owe them nothing. I am surprised our inverter failed. Maybe they are making them too fancy. Robust first, fancy second, I say.

27-year-old Jenn-air refrigerator door repair

 I suppose the door on our 27-year-old refrigerator could fairly have a little trouble closing easily. On inspection I could see the door had dropped a little when compared to the freezer door. Also, some rust on the lower hinge pin appeared as I swung the door back and forth while inspecting. So, with Nate's help we took the 15 minutes to empty all the contents stored in the door and removed the door. We greased the hinge pin and placed a large washer on the hinge pin which raised the door 1/8 of an inch. Now the door swings perfectly easy and shuts like new. This refrigerator looks as good as new and the door now shuts as good as new.

Sonicare toothbrush had little charge and it bled down without using.

Replacing the battery from Amazon - 

Disassembly was difficult. To remove the base plate next time, I would squeeze the white handle in a vise slightly with the switch toward the jaws of the vice. Maybe 1/16 inch and then using small screwdriver pry base plate from handle. Start prying with a small screwdriver then use medium screwdriver to work the base plate slightly off. (The charging wires need to remain attached to the base plate.) Then push the end that attaches to the brush until the inner board slips out the back. 

My Sonicare had no screw holding the base plate secure but some Sonicare's have a screw securing the center of the base plate. I was then able to remove the rubber support pieces and unsolder the battery. I was able to get all back together and the sonic is working. The base plate no longer locks in place so some electrical tape secures the base plate quite securely. I will use it until the battery gets low and recharge to see if the recharge portion is still working. 

2006 Honda Odyssey minivan air conditioner failed.

 2006 Honda Odyssey minivan air conditioner failed. 

I checked the Freon pressure which was 92 psi, which is good. I noticed the AC compressor pump’s clutch was not engaging. Checked 3 related fuses all ok. In the fuse / relay box on the passenger side of the engine compartment by the firewall I swapped R1 Radiator Fan Relay with R4 the air compressor clutch relay and the air conditioner started working. I ordered two new relays from Amazon that took 3 days to get and replace the bad relay. ($10 for two relays.) 

I cut off the case of the bad relay and it appears to have worn out contacts. 

Unfortunately, I purchased a can of Freon with a hose attached along with an attached pressure gauge which, I suspect, is what Washington state requires. However, the Freon was not low so the Freon was not used.  

Great help watching YouTube videos. I took the picture below from a helpful video. 

Relay R4 with top cut off.

Contacts in the center of the relay are rough and dirty. 

Cub Cadet lawnmower sounds like a steam engine.

Our 18-year-old Cub Cadet lawnmower sounded like a steam engine. I replaced the driver side head gasket this Winter as the compression was low on that side. Now I was able to actually feel the pressure escaping from the passenger head gasket. It is actually a rather big job to remove the intake manifold screws to the head unless one takes the motor completely off. And taking the motor off would also be a bigger job. 

I completed the job enough to cut all the grass today. Now I need to put the tools away and look for a few missing screws, mainly for securing the hood. It sure sounds and runs better. I kicked a can of screws by mistake, losing the order of reassembly. Lots of different sized screws in separate cans but still a difficult assembly.

Also replaced the broken throttle cable. 

Special tool to get intake screws out and in. 

gasket leak at bottom. 

Replace the damaged section of laminate flooring in kitchen.

 Several years ago, a large bowl or something fell off the top of the fridge and damaged the laminate floor. Today I thought it was time to replace that section of flooring. We needed to make a little tool using wire probably from an old coat hanger. The wire tool enabled us to tilt the first panel that was under the kick plate of the kitchen cupboards enough to unsnap and remove the panel. After that it was rather easy getting enough panels removed and to simply replace the damaged panel. Reassembly went quickly. 

Damage

Using wire tool to lift the first section to unsnap and remove.

Cleaning floor.

Beginning reassembly. 

All done except moving the fridge back in place. 

Al's lawn mower would not start

 

Worked on Al's lawnmower that would not start after Winter (Feb 9, 2023). Using starter fluid or gas poured into the carb it would run for 3 seconds. Took carb apart and cleaned, no help. Found a good video on-line which showed how to take the carb further apart.

New plastic carburetor - easy cleaning parts teardown Briggs & Stratton Ethanol clogs - Bing video

After following the video and cleaning the ports with small wire and carb cleaner motor started great. 

_____________________________

Husqvarna Model 221A with Briggs & Stratten Motor 675EXI 163cc. (675 series)

Spark Plug RC12YC

GE microwave oven fan on with door open?

Our GE microwave and stove vent has a problem. When one opens the door, the fan turns on. The door latch has 3 microswitches and on one YouTube video they replaced the bottom two switches to correct the problem. About 4 months ago I took the switches out and tested them when the failure occurred and they tested good. After reassembly all continued to work fine until now. In the meantime, I ordered new replacements. Today I replaced the switches and all works correctly once again. Hopefully the problem is solved; only time will tell.

We purchased the microwave in 2002. I replaced the magnetron with a free warranty repair in 2011. It is a great microwave. 

Puget Energy Electric Bill for Jim and Linda

I added our electric bills from Jan 27, 2021 up to Dec 14, 2022 and get $1,048 cost for the two years. Solar created $2,824 over two years creating a net profit of $1,775. We had 9 months over the two years where we did not pay for electricity but just the connection charge of $7.49. Bottom line our solar panel electrical generation plus rebates easily pay for our electricity usage. The net profit goes into refunding the initial cost of the panels which are supposed to break even at 8 years. Solar panels are a great deal if they get lots of sunlight and the State maintains their generous incentive program.

Fall Maintenance

 I usually go over the cars in the Fall after the Summer trips and enjoyment. I just completed the verification of the 2006 Odyssey and the 2013 Prius C. All in good shape. Changed the oil in both along with the coolants.

If I remember right, we have had both cars for about 6 years. This is my first coolant change for these cars. I remember when we had to replace coolant every year in the old days. While the cars are up on the ramps, I always inspect the undercarriage. All was good.

YouTube sure helps even though most of the videos are done by back yard mechanics. Both cars used different coolants and also different oil weights. Since the Prius is 10 years old, I researched the battery life which said 10 years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles. I found a site that had the whole refurbished battery pack for $1,900 with upgraded new batteries installed. And they would give instructions on how to install. It looks like it would not be hard. Such a deal. We still get 46 mpg and are at about 80,000 miles on the car. We really like the little car.

Next, I need to replace the head gaskets in my riding Cub Cadet lawnmower. I think it is a 2004 and it is the tougher 2000 series. A really nice mower over the years. I bought it when it was 2 years old. It is in great shape but I can hear the head gasket leak when I turn the mower off.

Then off to the motorhome which needs new coolant and the hydraulic / steering proportional valve cleaned. The motorhome overheats if it is 90 degrees outside and climbing a hill. The rig is 29 years old and the bolts on the proportional valve are rusty. So, there will be some adventure in working on this issue.

Stihl 029 Chainsaw Stopped

 My Stihl 029 chainsaw failed. Replace two fuel lines no help. Rebuilt carburetor no help. Found replacement fuel line was 3/8 inch too long and was kinking when installed. It fits so tight it was very hard to see kink. Cut off 1/4 inch and was able to install carburetor and now all runs fine. The original fuel hose is brittle and cracking causing no fuel to the carburetor.

Original

Original bent showing cracks better

New with 1/4 inch cut off end

Aluminum framed window replacement after 45 years.

 Aluminum framed window replacement. A few of the windows were also had water vapor between the panes of glass. The metal frame conducts a lot of cold for sure. Replace one sliding door which was from the basement to the outside and was only single pane glass. Replaced 20 windows in total. 

Here are a few pictures from the last two windows that were replaced. 

First step - remove glass, then drill holes in frame and wire in a turnbuckle I had laying around. Then tighten buckle to pull frame out of opening.

Securing nail removal. The top and bottom were not nailed per the original installation instructions. 

Cut loosened frame allowing easier frame removal. 

New window installed.  

Upstairs window with frame removed.