Taking Matters Into My Own Hands
Today was the day that I set aside for ladder maintenance. The step ladder is heavy and I don't like dragging it around. So I was getting it out once to change burned out light bulbs, replace stolen light bulbs, clean the bathroom fans and light covers, clean the ceiling fans, and dust the plant shelf. (Does anyone keep plants on these when they are 10 feet off the ground?)
The girls have been after me to change the light bulbs in their closet because they like to use it as a night light. But, their room is usually a disaster
and I need to lug that heavy step ladder all the way upstairs. I finally make it to their room and clean the glass and replace the bulbs. I flick the switch. Nothing. Damn.
This is not a new problem. Several months ago, it didn't work either. Andy tried changing the switch. That didn't work. Then we called the builder to send the electrician back. We were pushing the limits of our warranty, but these things happen when it takes 2 months to get around to changing the bulbs before realizing that there is a bigger problem. In the mean time, Ellen told me that one of her receptacles didn't work. I reported this to the electrician who explained that the current usually wraps around the room, running from one outlet to the next. So the problem wasn't really the light, but one of the receptacles within the circuit. He popped the cover off, pretended to tighten already solid connections and voila, there was light. So, when the closet light didn't work today, I tested the outlet that had the problem the last time and sure enough it was dead. The one next to it, on the far side of the closet, worked. Same problem. Well, Andy failed, the electrician failed, I'll do it myself.
1. Turn power off.
2. Remove cover and receptacle and check connectivity.
3. Restore power.
The girls have been after me to change the light bulbs in their closet because they like to use it as a night light. But, their room is usually a disaster
and I need to lug that heavy step ladder all the way upstairs. I finally make it to their room and clean the glass and replace the bulbs. I flick the switch. Nothing. Damn.
This is not a new problem. Several months ago, it didn't work either. Andy tried changing the switch. That didn't work. Then we called the builder to send the electrician back. We were pushing the limits of our warranty, but these things happen when it takes 2 months to get around to changing the bulbs before realizing that there is a bigger problem. In the mean time, Ellen told me that one of her receptacles didn't work. I reported this to the electrician who explained that the current usually wraps around the room, running from one outlet to the next. So the problem wasn't really the light, but one of the receptacles within the circuit. He popped the cover off, pretended to tighten already solid connections and voila, there was light. So, when the closet light didn't work today, I tested the outlet that had the problem the last time and sure enough it was dead. The one next to it, on the far side of the closet, worked. Same problem. Well, Andy failed, the electrician failed, I'll do it myself.
1. Turn power off.
2. Remove cover and receptacle and check connectivity.
3. Restore power.
4. Go to Lowe's for a new receptacle. Luckily we don't have the other store.
5. Turn off power.
6. Replace faulty receptacle.
7. Restore power.
8. Ponder how to determine what is wrong with a wire that is inside the wall.
9. Light bulb moment! Turn off power.
10. Switch out the last receptacle that is working because maybe electricity is going in but not moving on.
11. Restore power.
Then I skipped the treadmill because I had already used the basement-to-bedroom StairMaster.
posted by metamom at Wednesday, March 14, 2007
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