Monday, July 17, 2017

AC or not AC

Electronic guts of my AC
On Mondays, Jilda leaves for work before I get home in the afternoon. When I arrived around 5 p.m. the house seemed warm. Our collie Caillou wears a coat thicker than a mink. He doesn't summer well.  He met me at the door panting. 
Placing my laptop and backpack on the bench by the door, I stepped into the hall to have a look at the thermometer. Had Jilda left the setting too high, I was going to fire off a
chiding text. She mindful of our critters, and rarely makes a mistake, but I checked.  The thermostat was set to 74 where we keep it during the day, but the temperature said 77.  Hmmmmmmmm?
I could feel the fan blowing away, but the house was too warm. When I stepped to the deck, my heart sank. The outside unit would normally be whirling away doing its magic. It wasn't. 

I went out and tried to jumpstart the fan by turning it with my screwdriver, but no go. Last summer, ants got into the unit which prevented the compactor from working properly. There were no ants. 

I noticed an electronic box next to the unit. It contained fuses as big around as my thumb. My thinking was that something might have caused one of these fuses to blow. 

I pulled one out and headed to the hardware store. In the mean time, I called my nephew who knows every craftsman worth knowing within 30 miles of where we live. The temps will be close to 100 tomorrow and I knew every AC tech in Alabama had packed schedules, but I sent my nephew a text. Less than 5 minutes later, my cell phone chirped. It was a local AC guy. He said he was slammed but he could come tomorrow and check our unit. When I told him I was on my way to get some replacement fuses, he said it was doubtful this could be the problem but was a good thing to check.

Once I arrived home, an evening thundershower was over the house. Sheets of rain poured off the metal roof. Unfortunately, the AC and the fuse box were in the drip line. 

In a moment, the new fuses were installed, and I was shaking rain off my head and hands. Stepping into the hall, I turned the unit back on and said a prayer to the AC gods. 

Nothing happened for over a minute. But then the unit kicked on. When I stepped to the back deck, the outside unit was purring like a Nordic kitten.  If there has ever been a happier human on this earth, I'd like to shake his/her hand.













10 comments:

  1. Wonderful, wonderful news. I would still get the unit checked out though - so the fuses don't blow again.

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  2. Im glad you got it fixed, however, I think a night with windows open listening to the rain would have been wonderful. 74 is our number too.
    Lisa

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  3. It is great when you figure out an easy fix, even when it is a lucky guess.

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  4. I wouldn't know how to change those fuses but I'm glad it worked out for and you guys can keep cool.

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  5. OH YES, and don't it feel good to be RIGHT! ;-)

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  6. You were lucky and got the easy fix. Rarely does it happen but when it does, surely does make one feel blessed. With the heat headed your way, you definitely need it there.

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  7. It's good when the cheap fix is the one that works.

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  8. Oh yes that's the kind of fixes I like, even standing in the drip line it would still be worth it.

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  9. I like Dean, my AC repair guy, except for the fact that when he comes to my door it means the AC is broken and I'm desperate. I see him about once a year. I'm glad your AC started to work. It's way too hot to be without it. I'd be cold at 74, though, and the electric bill would be way too high. Mine is set on 78.

    Love,
    Janie

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  10. You're a fix it guy when it comes to your equipments. I'm glad you got your AC back in this heat. I don't do heat well either.
    I have all my thermostats turned off in the house. I'd rather be cold and put a sweater on than being too hot.

    HUgs, Julia

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