Lobster versus the washing machine's heating element

[Lobster]

Having spent the best part of the day, or so it seems, removing a stray bra wire from in between the drum and the outer - which apparently necessitated demolishing the entire machine - I'm stuck with the reassembly.

Had to remove the heater element to get at it; I can't get it back in again though. It's this large rubber bush around the two prongs of the element - I have to insert it into the hole, then pull it back to seal the sump from the inside, but at the same time pushing the prongs

*inwards* through the bush. Just can't do it; I've now given up for the night.

Any tips on how-to-do-it from someone who's been there, done that and got the t-shirt?

Thanks David

[Cicero]

================================ Is there a groove in the rubber bush? If so you might be able to get a piece of strong string into the groove to serve as a pulling tool rather like fitting an old-style car windscreen rubber.

Cic.

[Lobster]

No, unfortunately not: it has a slightly smaller cross-section where it goes in the hole, ie a slight shoulder bears against the inside face of the sump.

(I didn't mention that there's another component; a metal plate on the inside with a bolt which protrudes out through the body of the element, between the terminals, and a nut is applied to hold the assembly together - hard to explain but any t-shirt wearers will know what I mean!)

Thanks David _

[Bob Eager]

You didn't mention the make....

Some of the elements (e.g. on our Hotpoint) require that nut to be loose. You fit element, bush and all intto the hole. Then the nut is tightened to compress the rubber bush, spreading it out on both inside and outside of hole (mainly the inside). Try loosening the nut, fitting the bush, inserting all in hole and tightening the nut.

[Pyriform]

Having recently discovered a web page explaining how to cook salmon in a dishwasher, I naturally expected to find further seafood gastronomy ideas in this thread.

I am very disappointed.

[Lobster]

Sorry yes: Hotpoint

That's it!!!!

Might seem a bit obvious with hindsight: having had all the components come out one at a time I'd been trying to reassemble them that way - positioning the bush first, then introducing the metal plate (from the back) and finally the nut (from the front).

Machine is now back in business (the main issue was not the bra wire, but actually a broken suspension strut which required ordering up and fitting) and starting to process about 2 weeks' worth of washing.

And SWMBO is back on speaking terms with me (although disdainfully pointing out that if I had taken on my usual paid work for the time spent repairing the thing, I could have almost bought a brand new machine. Still trying to thing up a witty retort to that one...)

Many thanks Bob David

[Owain]

It might come as news to SWMBO, but baths can be used for washing clothes as well as bodies and if she'd spent less time moaning and more time with her elbows in soapsuds there wouldn't be two weeks' washing.

(Or perhaps not.)

Owain

[fred]

In article , Lobster writes

And the underwire is not a suspension strut?

1. Shut the f*ck up biatch (my favourite snappy comeback)
2. But darling, think of the environment, I have saved countless energy resources by resurrecting the faithful machine to it's former glory and saving further additions to the landfill mountain (not sure whether that would get you a bigger or smaller slap than the first).

[Aidan Karley]

Got a URL for the salmon cooking site?

[Pyriform]

Many and various. Google is your friend.

However, here's a good starting point:

like the idea of leveraging my domestic appliances to increase their utility. I've recently been looking into combining my pressure washer and air compressor into a snow-making machine. Damn the lack of cold nights!