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Well, that was... unexpected.
Sometime last month, the heater in Denise's bathroom failed. It's a built-in Cadet model, with a thermostat knob, but also wired to a light switch on a shared plate with the exhaust fan. Sparked when she turned it on, made a burning smell. Thought it might just need cleaning out, so I took it apart, vacuumed the elements, and put it back together. On testing, the elements heated up, but the fan didn't turn on, so I took it apart again. Didn't see any obvious shorts, arc damage or loose wires, nor did it seem possible to remove and replace the motor. I put it back and reattached the cover, said she'd have to use a portable heater until after Holiday Market.
This afternoon, I took the face plate off to photograph the model number and specs, then went off to Jerry's to get a replacement. They didn't have the exact replacement model--the original was a 1600 watt, 120 volt unit. They had a 1000 watt model, or a 1500 watt that took 240 volts. Since I wasn't willing to rewire all the way to the breaker panel, I bought the smaller unit. It was the same size as the previous one, so I didn't have to cut drywall or install the "can"--the heater equivalent of a switch box. Just unscrew the cover, swap out the heater, connect the wires, and put it all together. Simple, right?
Except this time, when I pulled out the heater, I noticed something I'd missed before: a nail sticking into the back of the can. Closer examination revealed a corresponding puncture mark in the electric motor's transformer. Sometime last summer, the crew installing our new siding put a stake through the heart of our wall heater.
I got out my Dremel with cutting disk and a pair of pliers, clipped it off flush before installing the new heater. And now Denise can dry off from her shower without freezing to death.
Sometime last month, the heater in Denise's bathroom failed. It's a built-in Cadet model, with a thermostat knob, but also wired to a light switch on a shared plate with the exhaust fan. Sparked when she turned it on, made a burning smell. Thought it might just need cleaning out, so I took it apart, vacuumed the elements, and put it back together. On testing, the elements heated up, but the fan didn't turn on, so I took it apart again. Didn't see any obvious shorts, arc damage or loose wires, nor did it seem possible to remove and replace the motor. I put it back and reattached the cover, said she'd have to use a portable heater until after Holiday Market.
This afternoon, I took the face plate off to photograph the model number and specs, then went off to Jerry's to get a replacement. They didn't have the exact replacement model--the original was a 1600 watt, 120 volt unit. They had a 1000 watt model, or a 1500 watt that took 240 volts. Since I wasn't willing to rewire all the way to the breaker panel, I bought the smaller unit. It was the same size as the previous one, so I didn't have to cut drywall or install the "can"--the heater equivalent of a switch box. Just unscrew the cover, swap out the heater, connect the wires, and put it all together. Simple, right?
Except this time, when I pulled out the heater, I noticed something I'd missed before: a nail sticking into the back of the can. Closer examination revealed a corresponding puncture mark in the electric motor's transformer. Sometime last summer, the crew installing our new siding put a stake through the heart of our wall heater.
I got out my Dremel with cutting disk and a pair of pliers, clipped it off flush before installing the new heater. And now Denise can dry off from her shower without freezing to death.