(no subject)

[inahandbasket]

so I haven't read my friends page since... sunday.
oof.
I'm staying away for now.

There's a brewing store right near the apartment! I'm so psyched... now I just have to wait for it to get cool enough to brew.

Speaking of cool, we have an air conditioner. We like to use it at night so we sleep better, and meg doesn't wake up all congested from the hot humid air. We hadn't needed it all summer because our room at badgerhaus was so well ventilated, but this apartment is a little stuffy, and it'd be nice to take the edge off at night.
We stick it in the window, turn it on, and it just blows air. no cold. only makes half the sound it should. If it were a car I could say it wasn't turning over. Basically it sounds like it's not getting enough power to kick on the compressor.
I whip out my handy dandy multimeter and check the line. 116 volts baseline, that seems ok. I keep it on the line and turn on the AC again, bam. down to 90 volts on the line and all the lights in the apt. get dim.
Crap.
Really sounds like the wiring isn't up to snuff in the apartment. But the fridge is fine. It's pissing me off. we tried it on two different circuits in the apartment with the same results. just not enough juice. made sure the fridge wasn't running, same results. nadda.
I'm pissed.
I can't truly determine if it's the unit itself, or if it is indeed the wiring in the apartment. Either way, a pain in the ass. I'm considering calling the landlord tomorrow and asking him to send an electrician over. I think i'll call my dad first though. I'll try him now.

Is there an electrician in the audience?

Comments

[komos.livejournal.com]

The Modern Brewer? While it's not the happiest place on earth, it's a neat shop with a knowledgeable staff and a "spend a lot of money and get store credit" plan.

(I'm guessing I don't really want to know what the apartment market is like...)

[inahandbasket]

Yep, the modern brewer.
Passable? is there a better brew store in Boson?

[komos.livejournal.com]

I'll occasionally forego them in favor of ordering online. Generally, this will be the result of my finding better prices or simply things they don't carry.

I know of places outside of Boston, but no other within the general area.

[inahandbasket]

fair enough.
I'll get down there and scope em out in the next few days.

[jjjiii]

2 possibilities: it either got busted somehow during the move, or the circuit you're plugging into lacks the necessary amps to run the unit. It might be you're only on a 15 amp fuse or something, and you need it to be plugged into a 30 amp circuit. You can't just jump up to a larger fuse because the fuse can't exceed the rating for the wiring in the walls, so if it's a problem of not enough juice, you'll have to beg the landlord to rewire the circuit, which, might have happened before you signed the lease contract, but probably now that you're locked in, there'll be less incentive on their part to do something so major as that.

[inahandbasket]

It's pissing me off that other apartments in tbe building (there are 5 total) have window units that function just fine.
*grump grump*

Would lacking the necessary amperage drop the voltage on the line like that?
my electrical knowledge is beyond rusty.

[jjjiii]

What I've told you is the extent of my understanding. I'd recommend you talk to a qualified electrician. You could look one up in the Yellow Pages and ask their opinion, so you can go to your landlord forearmed with the information so he can't BS you.