I’m in Seattle today, but out at Sunset the repair guy is supposed to be fixing my generator transfer switch. And that’s a good thing, because I’m thoroughly sick of having to figure out which electrical devices I can run at the same time and for how long, like in the first season of Green Acres. Oh, it’s not that bad; 110-volt appliances don’t seem to create any problems, and even the 220-volt ones are OK run one at a time except the water heater (which draws about 9.6 kw all by itself). But since I have lots of thick, curly hair (as you may have noticed), that is problem enough. For the past two weeks, the only way I can wash my hair without tripping the main breaker is to run the water for just long enough to get my hair wet (which takes about 5 minutes), then turn it off while I lather it up, then run it again for long enough to rinse, then turn it off again to condition, before finally rinsing it out. And for someone who likes hot showers as much as I do, that’s really annoying. I took a good, leisurely one when I got to my apartment yesterday, but the shower there is of the stall variety so I can’t condition my hair there with the water running, either. So I’m really looking forward to having a healthy home electrical system again, so I can take as many damned showers I want for as long as I bloody well please.
Diary #595
November 23, 2021 by Maggie McNeill
Maggie, it is SO funny that you used the first season of Green Acres analogy, as we have used it also. We (Paul & I) are the ones you got your hot tub from, so you know we live in a small, small community (Mossyrock). We bought a house that was built in the 1940’s and revamped in 1961. The main breaker box that was on the house when we bought it was about the size of a normal bible… with 10 breakers! And it was situated outside under the rain gutter! Not a good combo, especially as it was way up high and one had to use a ladder every time it tripped.
But that was just the beginning. Everything in the first several episodes happened to us, from the repair people knowing each other right down to going to a City Hall meeting and ending up on the front page of the paper as those new rabble rousers that moved to town (we spoke up about large lights being put into the park)! Then we happened to turn on Green Acres to watch with the grandkids… and laughed and laughed!!
I feel your pain!
Irvina
The electrical system was pretty bad when we bought the place, but we’ve done a lot of work to bring it up to snuff. And I’m happy to say the generator transfer switch is now fixed!