As promised! The box came, the part was ripped from its little plastic baggie packaging -- because, what other way is there to unwrap those things? -- and I had before me a thermostat thing, a fuse thing, a couple screws and a couple bendy-things that get stuck onto wires. Oh, and a teeny little wire with the bendy-things already stuck on.
(Hint: Bendy-things are connectors. I'm pretty sure.)
And yesterday, when I descended once again into the belly of the house -- that is, the basement -- I was armed with a new tool!
It's practically a requirement of every DIYer that new tool equals glorious elation. It's like giving a new fancy pen or a pretty journal to a writer. (Please don't ask how many journals I have waiting for me....)
My tool, you must understand, was something called a "crimping" tool. Number one, the word "crimp" makes me think of crinolines and primping. Therefore, it must be a tool for repositioning the wires in my hoopskirt.
Maybe not.
So, this crimping tool looks about like a pair of pliers with a few holes stuck through it. I know how to use pliers, I think to myself. This can't be that hard.
Then I look at the bendy-things. And back at the crimping tool. And spend half an hour with my friends Google and YouTube finding "how to use a crimping tool."
Turns out, most connectors don't look particularly like the bendy-things I have, and so the crimping tool isn't used the same way. Back to square one. Oh well, I'm sure I can figure this out...
Step one: Remove old thermostat and fuse. Easy peasy.
Step two: Install new thermostat and fuse. Since I'm pretty handy with a ratchet thingamabob, this was easy, too.
Step three: Snip old connector (bendy-thing that's already bent) off a wire and crimp on the new bendy-thing.
Step three and a half: Drop bendy-thing when it's almost secure.
Step three and three-quarters: Start over with crimping the bendy-thing.
Step three and four-fifths: Squeeze the bendy-thing onto the wire with all your might. Isn't that such a fun phrase? "Do it with ALL YOUR MIGHT." It's biblical, but it might have come from Lord of the Rings, too.
Step four: Reconnect a few wires onto their matching terminals. Note: Don't cross 'em. You'll be sorry. Second note: I didn't cross them, don't worry.
Step five: Plug in for a quick test run before you reinstall the back cover.
Step six: Do the hand-jive when you see the heating element finally glowing again.
You know what the sad part was? I started the repairs so late, I didn't have time to put a load of laundry in to dry fully before I had to go to work.
(Hint: Bendy-things are connectors. I'm pretty sure.)
And yesterday, when I descended once again into the belly of the house -- that is, the basement -- I was armed with a new tool!
It's practically a requirement of every DIYer that new tool equals glorious elation. It's like giving a new fancy pen or a pretty journal to a writer. (Please don't ask how many journals I have waiting for me....)
My tool, you must understand, was something called a "crimping" tool. Number one, the word "crimp" makes me think of crinolines and primping. Therefore, it must be a tool for repositioning the wires in my hoopskirt.
Maybe not.
So, this crimping tool looks about like a pair of pliers with a few holes stuck through it. I know how to use pliers, I think to myself. This can't be that hard.
Then I look at the bendy-things. And back at the crimping tool. And spend half an hour with my friends Google and YouTube finding "how to use a crimping tool."
Turns out, most connectors don't look particularly like the bendy-things I have, and so the crimping tool isn't used the same way. Back to square one. Oh well, I'm sure I can figure this out...
Step one: Remove old thermostat and fuse. Easy peasy.
Step two: Install new thermostat and fuse. Since I'm pretty handy with a ratchet thingamabob, this was easy, too.
Step three: Snip old connector (bendy-thing that's already bent) off a wire and crimp on the new bendy-thing.
Step three and a half: Drop bendy-thing when it's almost secure.
Step three and three-quarters: Start over with crimping the bendy-thing.
Step three and four-fifths: Squeeze the bendy-thing onto the wire with all your might. Isn't that such a fun phrase? "Do it with ALL YOUR MIGHT." It's biblical, but it might have come from Lord of the Rings, too.
Step four: Reconnect a few wires onto their matching terminals. Note: Don't cross 'em. You'll be sorry. Second note: I didn't cross them, don't worry.
Step five: Plug in for a quick test run before you reinstall the back cover.
Step six: Do the hand-jive when you see the heating element finally glowing again.
You know what the sad part was? I started the repairs so late, I didn't have time to put a load of laundry in to dry fully before I had to go to work.
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