So I have played with electrical stuff most of my life. And I know that I should unplug things when I work on them. I have been bitten a few times but I still don't unplug them. I mean really, how am I going to know if I fixed it if it's unplugged?
This happened a few months back so the experience is still very clear. I have a pair of front loader washer and dryer on pedestals. The dryer has a light above the door on the inside. It had been out for months and I hadn't changed it because it was such a PIA to change. So I thought, the bracket that holds the bulb should come out. This would make changing the bulb much easier. So I get the kitchen stool and a flashlight. Set up in front of the dryer and lay on the stool with my head & shoulders in the dryer. I see that the bracket is held on with 2 screws. Climb out, get a screwdriver and back in the dryer. Get the screws out, this is cake! I pull the bracket down and out. Sparks start flying, try to push it back in, more sparks and now I'm smelling burnt hair!! It seemed like a very long time but it finally quits sparking and I manage to get out of the dryer. A few singed hairs but nothing bad. The wife comes out to check on me, after all the commotion settled down. She looks at the dryer and asks why it is glowing above the door. Crap! The lint is on Fire! I dive back into the dryer and try to blow it out. At first the flames get bigger. Oh Crap! Blow harder and it finally goes out. After calming down I do some investigating and find what caused all the sparking. The wires that plug into the light socket had uninsulated terminals. So when I pulled the bracket down the terminals shorted out on the dryer. One of the wires had melted so I replaced it along with putting on insulated terminals. Oh, it is easier to change the bulb with the bracket out. However, my wife says it's not nearly as entertaining.
This happened a few months back so the experience is still very clear. I have a pair of front loader washer and dryer on pedestals. The dryer has a light above the door on the inside. It had been out for months and I hadn't changed it because it was such a PIA to change. So I thought, the bracket that holds the bulb should come out. This would make changing the bulb much easier. So I get the kitchen stool and a flashlight. Set up in front of the dryer and lay on the stool with my head & shoulders in the dryer. I see that the bracket is held on with 2 screws. Climb out, get a screwdriver and back in the dryer. Get the screws out, this is cake! I pull the bracket down and out. Sparks start flying, try to push it back in, more sparks and now I'm smelling burnt hair!! It seemed like a very long time but it finally quits sparking and I manage to get out of the dryer. A few singed hairs but nothing bad. The wife comes out to check on me, after all the commotion settled down. She looks at the dryer and asks why it is glowing above the door. Crap! The lint is on Fire! I dive back into the dryer and try to blow it out. At first the flames get bigger. Oh Crap! Blow harder and it finally goes out. After calming down I do some investigating and find what caused all the sparking. The wires that plug into the light socket had uninsulated terminals. So when I pulled the bracket down the terminals shorted out on the dryer. One of the wires had melted so I replaced it along with putting on insulated terminals. Oh, it is easier to change the bulb with the bracket out. However, my wife says it's not nearly as entertaining.
