Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Today I hate Technology






My house was built in 1904 and is in remarkably good condition for something of that vintage. However 2 major jobs had to be done when we moved in 17 years ago. All of the plaster had to come down and get replaced with drywall and the entire house needed to be rewired to meet modern electrical code.

So for the first 7 years there was a dumpster bin in the driveway ever summer as I worked through the house room by room. I won't even begin to try counting how many tons of plaster I dragged out of the house, never mind the coal soot I blew out of my nose. (By the way, if you ever doubted the ability of coal dust to get everywhere, pull down the plaster in a house that was heated with coal).

As I went along every room was rewired to modern code and inspected by the authorities, so I know where every wire is in the house. Including the smoke detectors that are hardwired in and ganged together, again code requirements. So I am confident in saying that I know what devices are where in my house.

Sunday morning one of the smoke detectors started chirping. An indication that it's malfunctioning, odd since I'd replaced them all 2 years ago,(nothing lasts forever). So off I go and purchase 2 new units to replace the suspect pair, the 3rd unit in the basement was working fine. I install the new units and the chirping continues from the main floor unit. I swap that unit with the new unit upstairs, The main floor location continues to chirp. Very curious.
I spend an hour on the phone with customer support trying to figure out what is going on. We try a few things, to no avail. Over night I had another idea. This morning I opened up all 3 boxes , double checked every connection. I powered down the circuit and the unit continues to chirp. "How?", I ask, there's no power?  Back on the phone to customer support, another very nice lady suggests I take all 3 units outside and then listen to the house.

Remember, as far as I am aware there are no other detectors in the house. I have not installed anything.

I hear a chirp from the location of the smoke detector box. Which is right beside the main hall closet. I go into the closet and there stuffed in the back of a shelf is a CO detector that my wife put there without telling me.

SIGH.


I really hate technology sometimes.

Back to the models.

2 comments:

A R Pollard said...

You gotta to a laugh at that. Really, it's a funny story that will bear re-telling many times.

Trevor said...

Bwah-hah-hah!
:-)