In article ,
Woody wrote:
On Tue 28/05/2019 15:54, Java Jive wrote:
On 20/05/2019 13:22, Java Jive wrote:
As per title, the latest in an alarmingly and depressingly long list
of household item that have died or malfunctionned recently is a
Siemens WD14H421GB Washer-Dryer which was last used about a week and a
half ago and worked fine. Turned it on this morning to wash some
sheets, and it's not spinning, further during normal agitation the
drum only turns anti-clockwise, whereas it should alternate
directions, and AFAICR spinning is clockwise.

Fortunately, unlike the late fridge/freezer, whose saga has already
been told, it's still comfortably within its 2 year warranty, but
until I have time to read the instructions, etc - just now I have to
go out unexpectedly to buy a new clothes line to hang my dripping
sheets on - and/or can arrange for it to be repaired, has anybody who
has experienced similar have any suggestions?

Well, wadda y' know!

After the dripping sheets episode, I tried switching it off and leaving
it for a few minutes, etc, all to no avail - when switched back on it
still only agitated anti-clockwise and still didn't spin. So I
unplugged it awaiting repair. It's due to be fixed Thursday.

However, yesterday, I realised I was running out of clean clothes,
towels, etc, and since outside it was drier with not much rain, I
thought I'd wash the most urgently needed items and let them dry on the
line. While the first wash was going, I noticed it was agitating in
both directions, and so wondered whether it would now spin, and, sure
enough it did, and yesterday and today I've been able to catch up
completely with my washing.

The problem is, should I cancel the appointment or not?
What caused the failure?
Water somehow splashed onto the control circuitry?
A spider or insect in the works, literally a bug?*
Will it recur?
Only heaven knows!

I can't win either way. If I cancel the appointment, and then the
fault reoccurs, whether in a few days or after the warranty expires,
I'll curse that I didn't at least allow the bod to come up and see if
there's some sort of discernible fault with it; if I don't cancel, I
can already hear the sharp intake of breath when I explain that the
problem has now 'fixed itself', and see the pitying look on the man's
face as he thinks:
"Got a right old fool here!"

* Belief it or not, the word 'bug' is used in computer circles because
a fault in an early device turned out to be caused literally by a bug
that had got inside the casing.

Always remember, the first thing that Sky/VM do when you ring with a
problem is to tell you to unplug the mains for 30secs/5mins/30mins and
see if it corrects - which it always does. I have a similar problem with
printing with W10 Pro - sometimes it just won't print and even
restarting W10 does not cure it, but power cycle the whole PC inc mains
and it always fixes it!

The 'bug' was was a moth that got into some relay contacts in a machine
at Harvard in September 1945 - at least according to Wiki. However it is
alleged that the term was first used on the Bombe Enigma decoder at
Bletchley Park during WW2 when the rotors stopped turning again due to a
large moth that got wedged inside the machine.

a moth flew into a wire dimmer at school (mid-50s) and caused a blackout on
stage. (It was the "Scottish Play"). The next line was said by the
eponimous Scotsman - "Lead me to my Lord" (in a blackout). It brought the
house down.


harrogate three at ntlworld do

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle