Yesterday's Service Calls - All Simple Fixes

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smwilliamson

The Stove Guy
Hearth Supporter
Cranston, RI - Harman P43 - Excessive flame at start up - Solution: Always clean out your burnpot before start up

Warwick, RI - Harman P68 - No Power - Solution: Plug it in

Leominster, MA - Lennox Whitfield P30 - Cycling on thermostat - Solution: don't mount a thermostat on an outside wall and keep the CPH to the highest possible setting..reinstallted to inside wall and turned CPH to 1

Millbury, MA - Quad AE - Bad TC Burnpot Error - Solution: unplug TC from board, listen for convection fan to turn on plug back in and listen for fan to stop. Remove thermostat face to reset computer....reconnect and turn it on.
 
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Simple stuff like this happens all the time. I fix boats and PWCs as a side job/hobby, and it never fails in the Spring when people are doing their initial start up for the new season. I'll get ten calls "This thing just cranks and cranks or this thing doesn't do anything". At least 8 out of ten are solved by me asking if they have their safety lanyard plugged in.
 
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Do you have any remorse for taking their hard earn cash? :)
 
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Do you have any remorse for taking their hard earn cash? :)

it is not likely that those who cannot plug in their stoves are doing "hard work" IMO.
 
Do you have any remorse for taking their hard earn cash? :)
Long time customer...I do not accept payment for plug-ins unless they act like idiots...in fact of all of these the only one I charged for was the thermostat issue and at that it was only 50 bucks
 
20 years as service tech, cleaning crews unplug units - do not reconnect, Stactic electricity- scrambling the computer controls, Electronic weight devices located under hvac outputs or connected to same circuit as Florescent lights. 220volt single phase lines using the conduit as neutral line ( was a common practice) with slip fit connections that use a single screw to lock sections together- oxidation = loss of or intermittant neutral line, those were fun. We all have run into this one - intermittent power connection due to broken line inside sheathing of power cord not externally visible, normal vibration of unit causes intermittent loss of power and on the newer units that would trigger any number of codes none of which were specifically related to the cause of problem only a possible symptom. Oxidized wire wrap terminals- cold connection and on and on.
 
20 years as service tech, cleaning crews unplug units - do not reconnect, Stactic electricity- scrambling the computer controls, Electronic weight devices located under hvac outputs or connected to same circuit as Florescent lights. 220volt single phase lines using the conduit as neutral line ( was a common practice) with slip fit connections that use a single screw to lock sections together- oxidation = loss of or intermittant neutral line, those were fun. We all have run into this one - intermittent power connection due to broken line inside sheathing of power cord not externally visible, normal vibration of unit causes intermittent loss of power and on the newer units that would trigger any number of codes none of which were specifically related to the cause of problem only a possible symptom. Oxidized wire wrap terminals- cold connection and on and on.
"when was the last time you had a licensed master electrician check all of the power in yer house?" a question rarely asked so therefore we wait until there is a problem
 
I have had a bunch of calls like that already this season. Yesterday went to a house with a Edge 60 problem was stove not feeding, FIx for the problem put pellets in the hopper :( we dont charge when it is a simple quick fix
 
I did break/fix computer work for a while. 50% of all problems were because it wasn't plugged in or a laptop battery was dead. It's always best when the customer would start yelling. "WTF, i called here to get help and the first thing you do is tell me to plug it in... what kind of idiot do you tihnk i am!??!?!?! ohh..... wait, there it is. Sorry. It's turning on now. thanks."

lol
 
Cranston, RI - Harman P43 - Excessive flame at start up - Solution: Always clean out your burnpot before start up

Warwick, RI - Harman P68 - No Power - Solution: Plug it in

Leominster, MA - Lennox Whitfield P30 - Cycling on thermostat - Solution: don't mount a thermostat on an outside wall and keep the CPH to the highest possible setting..reinstallted to inside wall and turned CPH to 1

Millbury, MA - Quad AE - Bad TC Burnpot Error - Solution: unplug TC from board, listen for convection fan to turn on plug back in and listen for fan to stop. Remove thermostat face to reset computer....reconnect and turn it on.

And to think I thought you service tecs had it easy.;)
Now I don't want your job!!
 
Long time customer...I do not accept payment for plug-ins unless they act like idiots...in fact of all of these the only one I charged for was the thermostat issue and at that it was only 50 bucks
Wow, I commend you on GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! I wish there were a few of you working at car dealerships!
Used to repair TV's on the side and saw JUST A FEW unplugged TV's!!!!!!
 
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