at least they’ll find you handy.

The last few days has been a hubbub of moving and getting things squared away. Between yesterday and today there was an epic struggle between a dryer, a washing machine, and myself.

Both appliances were free. And these experiences merely underscore my long held opinion that free things are more often than not more trouble than what they’re worth. Anyway.

I had to go to Lowes because the dryer hookup kit that I had gotten was missing a piece, and that piece was necessary to hook it up. So I went there with a faucet, because a faucet for the Washing Machine was leaking like a sieve when turned on. I wanted to just exchange the one, but the people at lowes either would give me cash or put the money on the card, instead of just letting me exchange it. Talk about a waste of time and energy. Jerks. Anyway, so I go back and try to find what I’m looking for. I find it, also picking up a universal washer waste pipe hose.

Funny story there, I had to move the washing machine so I could close and lock the door because our gardeners were here when I left. These guys are getting fired, and I didn’t know if the landlord had told them that or not, so I wasn’t about to leave any doors open and unlocked with them around. So I was moving the washer, and the old rubber hose didn’t have near as much play as I thought it did and snapped off the plastic piece coming out the back of the dryer. I was not pleased.

So that’s why I picked up the other rubber hose, hoping that it’d fit nice over the broken bits still out the back of the washer. Anyway, so I return to the house. The bolt and the washer won’t come off the pipe in the wall. NOrmally this wouldn’t be a problem because the faucet looked to be an almost exact fit. Almost doesn’t cut it when water’s involved. Sooooo….I head on over to home depot.

I get an EXACT match on the faucet this time, get the water hooked in correctly, no leaks. I test out the rubber hose. I can get it over the broken plastic bits, but it still drips water. “Well, slap me in the face and call me sally,” I said. Actually, I didn’t say that. There was much more profanity during this whole process than any sane person could probably imagine. Anyhoos, dripping water. So I took the broken end off the old rubber hose and head down to home depot again.

I manage to find some tubing that an employee was kind enough to cut down for me that fit into the broken plastic pipe, and we got a clamp for it. I also picked up some plumber’s epoxy hoping that’d help. And back home I went.

I first tried to epoxy the plastic tube inside the broken bits on the washer. That didn’t work so hot. At all, actually, even giving the epoxy time to cure. “Well, sweet sassy molassy,” I said. Again, no, not really. Anyway, I then struck upon the brilliant idea of putting the plastic hose inside the broken pieces, and then putting it inside the rubber tubing, and then clamping it as close to the washer as possible. I didn’t try this before with just the rubber hose, because that would have just snapped the plastic more. Anyway, that did the trick. No more leaks from the back of the washer.

So then I walk the washer back into it’s lil’ nook and cranny, and bring in the dryer to hook up. With the correct kit, I hooked up everything necessary and turned on the gas (yeah, this ain’t a regular electric dryer). I didn’t hear any hissing or smell any odor. So I got some soapy water and dumped it on the connectors just to be sure. No bubbles. This pleased me. So I walked the dryer back in the corner and tested it out. It works great, the only problem is that it is REALLY noisy, and there sounds like a screw or something rattling around when it rolls. I’ll fix that after the MN trip.

Soooo back to the Washer. I notice that the washer is leaving about a gallon of water inside everytime it runs. I try a variet of things, and nothing works. I check the hoses, I check the drainage. Everything works. I siphon about 10 gallons out of the tank, and try to get it working that way. No go. I try unplugging it in the middle of the drain, and then replugging it in. Nothing.

So this morning I decide to take it apart. My roommate was not pleased. I made mention of two things then: 1. The washer was free. 2. the washer wasn’t working anyway. He relented and went somewhere else to do his laundry looking a bit put out that our free washer wasn’t operational. I tried all electrical connections, tested the water level situation, everything checked out. Unplugged some more pipes, no problems.

Finally, in desperation I call my Father, he isn’t home. So my Mom checks the maytag washer manual there for any troubleshooting, but no go. So I hang up and putz around with it some more until my dad can call back. My mom then calls MJB in bemidji apparently, and they say could be a loose belt. So she calls me and lets me know, and I check the belts. Sho’ ’nuff, the pump belt is exceedingly loose. So I unscrew the pump move it over as far as I can to tighten it up, and then cross my fingers and hope it worked.

And ye, there was no water left in the tank afterwards. It was good, and now I’m cleaning clothes.