Stuff doesn't last anymore......

[Gramps]

We built our shop/garage in 1990. A neighbor down the road donated a used Renzor 30,000 BTU heater with no guarantee if it would last very long. Today, our first COLD day this winter, I walk out to the shop and notice the heater isn't working....34 years on a used unit and it finally died. It sorta died last year but a little tap tap tap with a hammer on the gas valve revived it. This time the hammer didn't help. I guess the shop will be cold till the new heater gets here and installed ...... 34 degrees here this morning

 

[CLdrinker]

Shit we are on our 3rd refrigerator in 10yrs. Shit pisses me off.

 

[kurtis500]

Thats a good life for the heater...

In 2003 I put my neighbors Goodman 5 ton AC off his house and on to my shop with the crane in between the houses, just swung it over and never touched the ground. It's been running ever since AND in the middle of Phoenix. I really hate to know what the 1990's 5 ton roof mount has cost me all these years in excess AC bills.

And after owning brand new washers and dryers in different locations in the last 5 years I will only buy a Speed Queen. So sick of the crappy stuff with 90% useless features.

 

[Orange Juice]

It not that it doesn’t last, it’s more of I can’t get parts or tech support.

 

[lbhsbz]

We built our shop/garage in 1990. A neighbor down the road donated a used Renzor 30,000 BTU heater with no guarantee if it would last very long. Today, our first COLD day this winter, I walk out to the shop and notice the heater isn't working....34 years on a used unit and it finally died. It sorta died last year but a little tap tap tap with a hammer on the gas valve revived it. This time the hammer didn't help. I guess the shop will be cold till the new heater gets here and installed ...... 34 degrees here this morning

So take gas valve apart, clean it, lube the stuff that moves, and put it back together. It’ll probably last another 30 years

Nobody can fix anything anymore lol

 

[lbhsbz]

It not that it doesn’t last, it’s more of I can’t get parts or tech support.

95% of shit does not use proprietary parts.

 

[28Eliminator]

My Bradford White water heater in my house is 38 years old… still works fine, but I know the day is coming .

I count my blessings every time I take a shower!!

 

[Sharky]

Ya wanna know what really sucks about an old Renzor (have one in my garage)

The pressure switch was a common failure part. Could get them all day long for $20.

Now, the new switches you can get require a new circuit board to work with the new style pressure switch. Add another $800


I kinda miss the old days of a plain old thermocouple.

 

[Orange Juice]

95% of shit does not use proprietary parts.

if it was manufactured in the USA, your probably right, but you still can’t find the part, unless you look at used/refurbished/NOS, if it’s over a few year old.

I make a great living installing used parts in old systems, to keep these multimillion dollar machines running.

 

[Orange Juice]

My Bradford White water heater in my house is 38 years old… still works fine, but I know the day is coming .

I count my blessings every time I take a shower!!

I have a GE water heater, 22 years old

 

[F.U.IRS]

We're still using 29 year old Whirlpool washer and dryer set, both going strong

 

[SoCalDave]

Ya wanna know what really sucks about an old Renzor (have one in my garage)

The pressure switch was a common failure part. Could get them all day long for $20.

Now, the new switches you can get require a new circuit board to work with the new style pressure switch. Add another $800


I kinda miss the old days of a plain old thermocouple.

Kinda like going to your local autoparts supply house in the 70's/80's and getting a rebuild starter or alternator exchange for $19.99 otd.

 

[Luvnlife]

If they build it to last they lose return customers

 

[2Driver]

Have a Fedders AC on the garage.

When we moved in our current home the AC guy said you should replace this old Fedders unit while you are replacing the main home AC as it wont last another summer. FF 30 years and it still makes ice cube air

 

[Flying_Lavey]

So take gas valve apart, clean it, lube the stuff that moves, and put it back together. It’ll probably last another 30 years

Nobody can fix anything anymore lol

Ya wanna know what really sucks about an old Renzor (have one in my garage)

The pressure switch was a common failure part. Could get them all day long for $20.

Now, the new switches you can get require a new circuit board to work with the new style pressure switch. Add another $800


I kinda miss the old days of a plain old thermocouple.

if it was manufactured in the USA, your probably right, but you still can’t find the part, unless you look at used/refurbished/NOS, if it’s over a few year old.

I make a great living installing used parts in old systems, to keep these multimillion dollar machines running.

Wow!!! You guys are SUPER negative and out if touch. That Reznor uses a gas valve that is readily available for about $50. The pressure and limit switches are still the general use standard switches you can also get anywhere. Nothing is unique, proprietary, or obsolete on those units.

Bet I could fix it for less than $100.

 

[lbhsbz]

Wow!!! You guys are SUPER negative and out if touch. That Reznor uses a gas valve that is readily available for about $50. The pressure and limit switches are still the general use standard switches you can also get anywhere. Nothing is unique, proprietary, or obsolete on those units.

Bet I could fix it for less than $100.

Why am I out of touch?

 

[4Waters]

We're still using 29 year old Whirlpool washer and dryer set,

You should delete those last 3 words, just sayin

 

[MPHSystems]

We finally retired our 30 year old washer and dryer. I doubt the replacements won’t last that long.

 

[Kachina26]

I have a GE water heater, 22 years old

My Kenmore was 38 years old and still working when I replaced it in preparation to sell the house.

 

[Orange Juice]

Wow!!! You guys are SUPER negative and out if touch. That Reznor uses a gas valve that is readily available for about $50. The pressure and limit switches are still the general use standard switches you can also get anywhere. Nothing is unique, proprietary, or obsolete on those units.

Bet I could fix it for less than $100.

Great, jump in your truck, and come over and try and fix it. If you’re successful, I’ll give you $100.
I remember replacing the washing machine pump in a 7 year old washing machine at my house. I think the part was $42. By the time I got the part out, I then realized the hoses that connect to the pump were stretched out, old, and would never seal like the original seal. The repair lasted 6 loads of clothes, and started to leak. 3-4 hours wasted looking for a parts online, and then installing it when it arrived. In the end, a bandage fix on something that was designed to have a 2-10 years life span based of how well the unit was originally assembled.

It’s the reason some products seem to last for ever, while the machine next to it can’t seem to run a day before it fails.

 

[Xring01]

Shit we are on our 3rd refrigerator in 10yrs. Shit pisses me off.

They are expensive…
Hot Water heaters,,, another, wtf, how can it cost much.

 

[Kyle Kerby]

Wow, that heater really outdid itself lasting 34 years! I had a similar experience with an old furnace that needed a little love now and then. I remember when mine finally gave up the ghost; I had to brave some pretty chilly nights while waiting for a new one to be installed. It’s tough dealing with the cold, especially in those early winter mornings.

 

[bilz]

I got 25 on a Kenmore (I believe) water heater. Hope it keeps going.
Never should have got rid of my old Kenmore washer and dryer.

 

[whiteworks]

Planned obsolescence, most things are designed to fail these days as some pencil pusher bean counter has figured that if you design things to fail you get sell another thing designed to fail again sooner.

Should be criminal IMO

Replacing both stove and fridge in one of my houses that’s less than 10 years old, stuff shows as new and is trash, compressor in fridge is smoked and circuit board on stove is shit, repair man said cost more to fix than replace. I’m tempered to pull the 60 year old shop fridge into the house, bit it would cost $100 a month to plug in LOL

 

[lbhsbz]

Planned obsolescence, most things are designed to fail these days as some pencil pusher bean counter has figured that if you design things to fail you get sell another thing designed to fail again sooner.

Should be criminal IMO

Replacing both stove and fridge in one of my houses that’s less than 10 years old, stuff shows as new and is trash, compressor in fridge is smoked and circuit board on stove is shit, repair man said cost more to fix than replace. I’m tempered to pull the 60 year old shop fridge into the house, bit it would cost $100 a month to plug in LOL

What you save in energy you get to spend replacing the appliance. Seems like a wash. I’d prefer the inefficient shit that last forever just so I don’t have move it again every 5 years….or cut the bottom off the cabinet above the fridge because nobody makes that size anymore.

 

[stephenkatsea]

We bought a GE refrigerator when we purchased our first home in 1980. We hauled that yellow fridge around for years, typically put it on the garage. I know, old, inefficient and $$$. When we moved to LHC in 2013 we donated it to Camarillo High. We’re told it ended up in their athletic field house and it’s still working.

 

[zhandfull]

They are expensive…
Hot Water heaters,,, another, wtf, how can it cost much.

My 1996 water heater just started leaking. Well past its eight year tank warranty.

I did shop the big box stores online. Seems a 50 gallon water heater of nearly same type is about $300 less in Havasu than California. My concern with bringing one to California is warranty work if needed.

 

[NicPaus]

My 1996 water heater just started leaking. Well past its eight year tank warranty.

I did shop the big box stores online. Seems a 50 gallon water heater of nearly same type is about $300 less in Havasu than California. My concern with bringing one to California is warranty work if needed.

Yeah they probably wouldn't be allowed to ship you the replacement parts to CA. Especially the burner assembly which is the part that fails the most.

My water heater has a slow leak. It's outside so I have not swapped it. I have a Bradford white on hand if needed.

I would recommend buying from a supply house. HD you get Rheem so your waiting days on parts if warranty is used and they close 3pm ca time. They are specd for HD.

AO is Lowe's and they are specd for lowes. There is a 30 minute video of a plumber comparing it to a supply house AO. He dismantle them both and weighs every part. The supply house one weighs 12 lbs more.

Bradford white you can buy through Hirsch. But if walk in customer the counter guy sets the price options. If you go that route I can pm you my number to get the best price. They have a 6 year warranty and you can buy another 2 Years of warranty.

 

[Hermosa]

Shit we are on our 3rd refrigerator in 10yrs. Shit pisses me off.

I was just at our RV dealer here in SLC, in the back of the service department, they have 25 stainless refrigerators sitting there, all removed from RVs where they just up and died. They are bad enough just sitting in your house, but put them in a moving trailer, they are junk. He said the year total is close to 60 replaced this year. That's crazy!

 

[lbhsbz]

if it was manufactured in the USA, your probably right, but you still can’t find the part, unless you look at used/refurbished/NOS, if it’s over a few year old.

I make a great living installing used parts in old systems, to keep these multimillion dollar machines running.

All it takes is effort.

Coast Appliance Parts (who has a local branch 5 minutes from my house) can get most everything they don’t have on hand. Ferguson also stocks parts. Online, parts are everywhere. If you need a component rather than an assembly, McMaster probably has it or just google the part number and you’ll find it (I always have).

People have no google-fu these days.

Now, getting the damn thing apart is another thing…mystery clips everywhere.