200,000 Frigidaire and Kenmore ranges recalled that pose fire hazard: Consumer Reports on Safety

From the article:

“Made in the U.S., the ranges were sold at Sears and other national chain and independent retailers nationwide from June 2001 through August 2009 for between $1,000 and $2,500.”

200,000 Frigidaire and Kenmore ranges recalled that pose fire hazard: Consumer Reports on Safety

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The ever-versatile pancake box

We were visiting in NH over Labor Day Weekend when one of kitchen faucets failed.  Steve had his tools and a few parts with him. Hey, it works!  PVC electrical conduit is also versatile.  We use if for the drain spouts on our home.  Pictures of that coming later. 

Frigidaire recalls 35,000 washers due to fire risk: Consumer Reports on Safety

Just passing this info along from Consumer Reports:

Frigidaire recalls 35,000 washers due to fire risk: Consumer Reports on Safety

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Need to convert files? Free online service!

This is more of an administrative tip, but I have discovered a website that coverts files for free and wanted to share it with folks.    Check  out zamzar.com the next time someone emails you a file that you can’t open because it is in a format for which you don’t have the program.

I run across this from time to time when customers  email files to us with instructions or layouts.  Now I don’t have to ask them to re-send in a different format or find a fax machine to get the information to us.

To use this valuable yet free service,  save the file to your computer, go to zamzar.com, and follow the simple directions.  In moments, you will receive an email with the file in the format you specified.  When using the service for free, you can select up to 5 files at a time if you want them coverted to the same format.  Very handy.

Breton Electric helps power local Farmer’s Market

Today, Breton Electric was down at Hall Park by Veteran’s Field and Lake Quannapowit to install a temporary service to provide electricity during the summer for the new Wakefield Farmer’s Market.  See www.wakefieldfarmersmarket.com

Saving a Waterlogged Cell Phone

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NOTE:  This article caught my eye because we recently lost a cell phone due to water damage. This article was originally published by Kim Komando on her excellent website www.komando.com.  Check it out for all kinds of useful computer tips. A list of links to different areas on her site are included at the end of this artice.

Fixing a waterlogged cell phone
7/1/2009

Q. I need help quickly! I left my cell phone on the porch last night. And we had a serious storm. My phone was soaked. I’m afraid it’s gone for good. Is there any way to save my data?
—Susie in Pueblo, CO, listening on KCSJ 590 AM

A. A wet cell phone can be disastrous. I’m not going to get your hopes up. It’s been at least a few days since the storm. There is a good chance your phone is dead as a doornail. But with quick action, phones can be saved.

Now, your phone has likely shorted out. Your first impulse is to try turning it on. Don’t. You may cause additional shorts. That will only further damage your phone.

Start by removing the battery. If you have a GSM phone (AT&T and T-Mobile), also take out the SIM card. It holds much of your phone’s data. If your phone is dead, the SIM card may work in a new one. Pat both dry with a towel, and set them aside.

Now, back to the body of your phone. Try to get as much water off and out of the device as possible. Try to shake or blow the water out of cracks and crevasses. A can of compressed air works great. But your mouth will do in a pinch. Get it as dry as possible.

But a towel and air can only do so much. Many people turn to a hair dryer. That can help. But be careful. Heat can do as much damage as water. Your phone can go from waterlogged to fried. If at all possible, use a low-heat setting.

Or better yet, skip the hair dryer. Submerge the phone in dry, uncooked rice. That will absorb the moisture from the phone. Leave it in the rice for a day or two. You want to be sure all the moisture is gone.

You could also use silica packs. These pack are used everywhere to soak up moisture. Drop the phone and several packs into an airtight bag. Silica packs may be hard to find. The best place to look is in a camera store. If you don’t have any on hand, go for the rice.

Once dry, put your battery (and SIM card) back in. Hit power and hope for the best. There is no guarantee it’ll work. But I’ve known many people who revived phones.

The process is a little different if you’re dealing with dirty water. Maybe your phone was sitting in a muddy puddle. Pools, toilets and oceans are also popular places for phone soakings.

These sources are going to have other things contaminating the water. These particulates could settle on the phone’s fine circuitry. Even after the phone is dry, they will cause problems.

The solution is going to seem counterintuitive. Remove the battery and SIM card like before. Then, soak the phone again to flush out the contaminants. Do this with distilled water or alcohol.

I would suggest using alcohol. It not only displaces water, it also evaporates quickly and cleanly. In fact, denatured alcohol is often used to clean electronics. You can find it in most hardware stores. Be sure it is denatured with methanol.

You can use rubbing alcohol, if you have to. But be sure it’s 91 percent. The lower the percentage, the more water is used as filler. You don’t need any more water in the device. After flushing the phone, use rice or silica as described above.

You may have a warranty on your cell phone. That’s great for almost any kind of damage. But almost no warranty covers water-damaged phones. In fact, most stores won’t repair one at any price. You simply have to buy a new phone.

Apple is the only exception I’m aware of. A water-damaged iPhone can be replaced with a refurbished model. This is considered out-of-warranty service. So, it will cost you $199.

But I know what you’re thinking. Why don’t you first try drying it out? If it doesn’t work, then take it to the store. You can just pretend it broke some other way. They’ll never be the wiser, right?

You may fancy yourself a criminal mastermind. But this isn’t going to work. Cell phones contain water stickers. They’re usually little white circles stuck somewhere in the device. When that sticker gets wet, it turns bright red. And it stays that way. As soon as a technician opens the phone, you’re busted.

Hopefully, you can get your cell phone working. I’ll be rooting for you.

Avoiding cell phone trouble can be easy:

• How to prevent cell phone spam
• Back up your cell phone for safety
• Find the right cell phone plan for kids

Every day, Team Komando produces some of the best content you’ll find anywhere on the Internet. Here is a sampling of what’s new on our site today!

• Video of the Day: This woman was determined to do something for the kids in her town. People laughed at her for 30 years, but she did it.

• Cool Site of the Day: I hate the airport. Finding a parking place is a chore. Now, my prayers have been answered. I can reserve a space!

• News of the Day: Keep up to date on all things digital with the Daily News at Komando.com. You’ll find easy, fast video news releases, too!

• Digital Minute, on your radio: News of Michael Jackson’s death slowed the Internet to a crawl. On today’s Minute, what this means to you.

• Free Download of the Day: Watching TV and movies on your PC is great. But that dang screen saver keeps popping up. Here’s a quick fix.

• Tip on the site: Attaching photos to e-mail is easy. Well, it’s not for everyone. So, today, we cover every excruciating step of the process.

Knob & Tube Wiring – Past its Prime

Over the past few years, we’ve received an increasing number of calls from owners of older homes who have questions about knob & tube wiring. While we have always had calls from people concerned about the safety of the wiring or about upgrading the electrical systems in their older homes, many of the calls are now from prospective buyers or their real estate agents.

Why all the interest these days? It is because folks are discovering that an increasing number of homeowners insurance underwriters are refusing to cover homes that have active knob & tube wiring, or will do so only at a significantly higher rate.

Obviously, the insurance industry is concerned about the safety of knob & tube wiring. But, is it really so dangerous? And, what is knob & tube wiring, anyway? Home Inspector William Kibbel III presents a good explanation on The Old House Web (www.oldhouseweb.com), from which the following is adapted, with some additions of more accurate descriptions.

Basically, knob & tube is a wiring system, popular through the mid 20^th century, that uses porcelain insulators (knobs) for running wires through unobstructed spaces and porcelain tubes to protect wires running through studs and joists. While safe if properly installed and maintained, there are two main drawbacks to knob & tube systems. 1) They don’t have an equipment grounding conductor, thus grounded (3-prong) outlets cannot be installed and 2) fuses and switches were often placed on the neutral wire. This means that removing a fuse or shutting off a switch does not turn off the voltage throughout the circuit.

There are also a number of factors due to the age of these systems, some over 80 years old, that can cause serious safety hazards.

As household power needs grew over the years, alterations and additions to original systems by well-meaning but unqualified people overloaded the original fuses. The easy solution was to install larger fuses. Unfortunately, larger fuses allow more current to flow through the system than was originally intended, leading to more heat in the conductors. This heat causes the insulation on the wire to become brittle and eventually disintegrate.

Heat directly above ceiling lights and in un-vented attics can also degrade the wire insulation. In addition, some types of insulation used on knob & tube wiring seem to be a “delicacy” for the critters that find their way into old homes. They can make short work of the insulation covering the wires.

Another concern is insulation on top of knob & tube wiring. This is a major fire hazard. One of the safety features of knob & tube is that the porcelain knobs suspend the wire in open air to dissipate heat. Loose and rolled insulation counteracts the original “open air” installation of knob & tube wiring.

The bottom line is this: If you have an older home and are not sure if the wiring is safe, have it checked by a licensed electrician, whether or not you are planning to sell or change your homeowners insurance company. Any necessary rewiring could entail a major investment, but an electrician with in-depth knowledge of old homes can determine the most cost efficient means of ensuring the safety of you and your family and maintaining the insurability of your home.

“Do it yourself” not always a good idea

“Unfortunately, from a safety standpoint, the electrical system is one of the few things in a home that can be installed completely wrong and still “work.” – Home Inspector William Kibbel III, from The Old House Web

This post is about a rather touchy subject. Please read it with the following in mind: Your life, your family’s life, and your home are priceless. And, you also save money in the long run by having a job done correctly the first time!

The bottom line is that, in Massachusetts, no one without an Electricians License can legally offer their services for pay. The law is not clear as to folks “volunteering” to do electrical work for a neighbor or relative, for example. And, the law does not preclude homeowners from doing electrical work in their home, although homeowners ARE subject to the permitting laws of their municipality.

Here is the major text of the law: General Laws of Massachusetts Part I. Chapter 141: Section 1A. No person, firm or corporation shall enter into, engage in, or work at the business or occupation of installing wires, conduits, apparatus, devices, fixtures, or other appliances for carrying or using electricity for light, heat, power, fire warning or security system purposes, unless such person, firm or corporation shall be licensed by the state examiners of electricians in accordance with this chapter and, with respect to security systems, unless such person, firm or corporation shall also be licensed by the commissioner of public safety in accordance with the provisions of sections fifty-seven to sixty-one, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and forty-seven.

Obviously, this law is not apt to be strictly enforced. Many people replace fixtures, outlets, and even do wiring in their homes without permits, or hire unlicensed people to do this sort of work. And, maybe it gets done right some of the time. However, according to Home Inspector Tony Galeota, as reported by Mike Walker in the August Angie’s List/Boston magazine, do-it yourself wiring is one of the most frequent problems he comes across.

And, if unlicensed work does cause a fire, there is another consideration beyond the initial tragedy: It is possible that if, after investigating the cause of a fire, your homeowners insurance company determines that is was due to improper electrical work, your claim could be rejected. As with the lack of law enforcement regarding unlicensed electrical work, this is currently a gray area, but the risk is there.

Another liability issue comes up if you hire an unlicensed person to do electrical work and improper installation causes damage to expensive equipment or part of your home’s electrical system. Only licensed electricians have insurance that will cover damage from faulty electrical work.

Here is an actual scenario. A woman let her son, who has worked in construction but is not an electrician, replace a switch and fixture. He blew up the circuit and she lost the lights in half of her home. Also, it appears that her son was “working live,” meaning that he could have gotten electrocuted. We fixed the mess, but if she had called a licensed electrician in the first place, it would have cost her less than the repairs and no one’s safety would have been in jeopardy.

The bottom line: Electricity is dangerous and no joking matter. Please stay safe and always call a licensed electrician to do any electrical work in your home or business. And, if you insist on doing your own work, please file a permit so that a professional who is up on all the electrical codes can make sure that your home is safe and in compliance with current electrical code.

Air Conditioner Safety Tips

The heat of summer can be more than just uncomfortable. For some folks, it can be quite dangerous. Staying out of the sun, wearing loose clothing, and drinking lots of water helps. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), air-conditioning is the No.1 protection against heat-related illness and death.

However, as with all things electrical, care must be taken to ensure that no safety hazards are present. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI), contact with electric current from air conditioners accounts for a significant number of electrocutions and electrical injuries each year. The .S. Fire Administration says that, while some electrical fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, many more are caused by misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords.

To avoid dangerous situations while your unit is running, please follow these guidelines:

- Be sure that both the electrical circuit and the electrical outlet can handle the load. When in doubt, have a licensed electrician inspect your home’s wiring and advise you as to whether it will safely handle air conditioning units.

- Always plug an air conditioner into a grounded (three-prong) outlet. If an appliance cord plug doesn’t fit an outlet, have a qualified electrician replace the outlet.

- If you must use an extension cord to reach a grounded outlet, make certain that you use a cord designed for air conditioners and that it is UL listed, meets OSHA specification, and can handle the power needed by your air conditioner. NOTE: Some manufacturers will not honor warranties if the unit is plugged in using an extension cord.

As with all extension cord use, always inspect before you use! Ensure that the plug’s blades and grounding pin are present and do not use extension cords that are cut or damaged. And, never run any extension cord under a carpet!

Breton Electric also recommends using ENERGY STAR rated appliances. Replacing a 10-year-old room air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model saves an average of $25 a year on your electric bill. (www.energystar.gov)

To further reduce your energy expenses during the summer, here are some tips from Underwriters Laboratories (UL):

- Have your air conditioner cleaned and inspected before summer.

- Conduct routine maintenance checks during the summer such as regularly changing or cleaning filters.

- Don’t let heat build up and then attempt to cool areas immediately by turning the controls to maximum settings. Start units early and cool areas throughout the day.

- Close blinds and curtains on the west and south sides of your home to block out the sun.

- Turn off all unnecessary lights.

- Wait until late evening to use heat-producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and clothes dryers.

- Close off unused rooms.

Welcome to the Breton Electric Blog!

Breton Electric has created this blog to better serve our customers, as well as anyone interested in electrical safety, reducing energy usage, reclcying tips, and more.

Feel free to post a comment with a question – or email steve@bretonelectric.com and we’ll do our best to find the answer!