THE RANT THREAD!

[DanieMarie]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Just a thought but have you had both machines in the same electrical socket? If you have it might not be the machine but the socket that's the problem. Sometimes a specific socket has too high a voltage (is this how you said that the current in the socket is too strong in English, I honestly don't know. I hope you get what I mean anyway) and continuously blow things that you connect to it.

Hmmmm, I'm not sure. I used to have the machine on the other side of the room and I have a lot of other electrical devices connected to the socket (through a power bar) and none of those seem to die. I do have computer troubles, but it's a software issue and the computer is 6 years old.

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Oh my, yes. Grounding issues wreak havoc on all planes, too. From causing fires to burning out appliance to killing fixtures. Some of the worst, though, are some of the most obvious.

And my personal favorites: cutting the ground pin off a three prong plug, and incorrectly using an adapter to plug a three-prong into an outlet with only two slots. The latter, adapter issue is less stunning than the outright cutting off a protrusion but still... do people not know what the little metal loop is for, on the base of one of those adapters? It's meant to have the faceplate screw driven through it, to ground the plug. Nah, we just use it to get around the need for three-prong outlets. Who needs a ground?

Almost all plugs are grounded here There are only 2 prongs in German outlets and the grounding is built into the plugs through contact points instead of prongs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuko

My sewing machine has a Europlug and not a Schuko, but that's common with older (the machine is from the late 70s) and low-power devices. I think they're also grounded somehow, but I'm not 100% sure how they work.

[ChainLightning]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I like that setup, Danie. Them two un-safe modifications I mentioned are completely nullified by that system. That would be a huge improvement here, I'd say.

As for your original complaint, I have no suggestions, really. I mean, checking the cycles, amps and nominal voltages of both the machines' needs or requirements versus the supply is awfully technical and unlikely to be the culprit, assuming manufacturers knowledge of where the machine is sold and what system of power delivery it will be hooked up to (such as the famous 110-120 & 220-240 dilemma).

Ooh! There's a rant. Why does this stuff have to be so damned complicated?!?!

[Torey]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Working in retail is a real shocker sometimes. People bitching about the queues when every single checkout is open and wondering "why they aren't putting more people on"??? A) You've come to the only iconic Swedish not-to-be-named home furnishing store on a public holiday, during SALE and are sauntering up to checkouts at the same time as everyone else...or, better yet, a full half hour after the store has CLOSED B) you're a d***head.

[DanieMarie]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I like that setup, Danie. Them two un-safe modifications I mentioned are completely nullified by that system. That would be a huge improvement here, I'd say.

As for your original complaint, I have no suggestions, really. I mean, checking the cycles, amps and nominal voltages of both the machines' needs or requirements versus the supply is awfully technical and unlikely to be the culprit, assuming manufacturers knowledge of where the machine is sold and what system of power delivery it will be hooked up to (such as the famous 110-120 & 220-240 dilemma).

Ooh! There's a rant. Why does this stuff have to be so damned complicated?!?!

Haha I know!

It should be fine as far as voltage is concerned. I bought the machine second hand, but I have the original manual it came with, which is in German and has German company info on it. Bernina is a Swiss company and produces a lot of machines for the European market and Switzerland uses the same voltage that we do. They don't use Schuko plugs, but they do use Europlugs.

[warwulf]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Remember: there is lonely and alone. You can choose NOT be either one at any time. Only you can make yourself happy. If it's any consolation, I'm in the same boat here.

[Heka]

Working in retail is a real shocker sometimes. People bitching about the queues when every single checkout is open and wondering "why they aren't putting more people on"??? A) You've come to the only iconic Swedish not-to-be-named home furnishing store on a public holiday, during SALE and are sauntering up to checkouts at the same time as everyone else...or, better yet, a full half hour after the store has CLOSED B) you're a d***head.

Haha you're shocked that people are dickheads? Haha but man I would hate to work in retail. Good work to you for trying!

[ChainLightning]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Observation:
People that work in retail are masochists.

In fact, anyone that has to deal with the general public and their wants HAS to be a masochist, first and foremost.



I need to be a greeter at some place that sells tools, lawn equipment, and yard maintenance apparatus. "Hi! Welcome to ______! Need any help finding a chainsaw to shove up your ass, today? How about a trash compactor to stuff that squawling brat of yours in?"

[Willow]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Observation:
People that work in retail are masochists.

In fact, anyone that has to deal with the general public and their wants HAS to be a masochist, first and foremost.

I need to be a greeter at some place that sells tools, lawn equipment, and yard maintenance apparatus. "Hi! Welcome to ______! Need any help finding a chainsaw to shove up your ass, today? How about a trash compactor to stuff that squawling brat of yours in?"

Haha!

I've been in retail for years, both on the bottom rung and as a co-manager (performing store manager roles -.-). And I can't get out of it yet. >.< But I'm working on that.

Anywho, to the point. I think if I wasn't a cute little girl who always seems to be on a sugar-high at work, it would be an extremely difficult job. But because people look at me like I'm a "pixie" (the term's been used before by others), I tend to be on the receiving end of very few abusive customers. Plus there's not many times where I don't have a super tall manager too far away for backup. :P

I'm not sure I'd be able to keep that sanity in a hardware store.

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Why is it so hard for some agencies to check their voicemails and call back confirming they received my information? Why is my narcissistic parent so craaazy?? And today at work is going to suck if I'm left alone with a particular individual. Wish me happy thoughts, I'm going in! (to work- lulz)

[MaskedOne]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I don't run into abusive customers much these days because I don't handle register duty where most of them go batsh**. That and my standing response if they get too annoyed is to use my walky and pawn them off on management. Granted I thought my co-workers might lynch me the last time I did that because the customers were annoyed due a failure of register personnel to fulfill a basic part of their job and management chewed them out over the headsets once the manager in question finished talking to the customer and walked off the floor.

[MoonRaven]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Hmmmm, I'm not sure. I used to have the machine on the other side of the room and I have a lot of other electrical devices connected to the socket (through a power bar) and none of those seem to die. I do have computer troubles, but it's a software issue and the computer is 6 years old.

Then it's probably not that.
I found out this could happen a few years back when I had a lamp that kept blowing its bulb every other month or so. I happened to mention it to an electrician that came to fix something else and she told me about it. But if you've had them in different sockets and you have other things in the same one besides and no trouble with them, then it's unlikely to be that. Just back luck then I suppose.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

It could be the voltage in a given plug. Some devices handle voltage changes real easy, other devices fry if it varies by even a little. When I lived in Spain occasionally off base we got some spikes that would fry somethings and do nothing to others. The same occurred when I was in Scotland as well but those where never quite as bad. If I recall correctly most of Europe is 50 / 110 but you still find things that are set to a US standard of 60 / 120 which can also cause issues.

[Rae'ya]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I hate new bus drivers... not only did she not have her number up until she closed her doors at Reynella Interchange (the start of her route) causing us all to jump up in a panic, she then took a wrong turn and had to detour to turn arpund and THEN failed to stop at the Hub Interchange where she HAS to stop.I realise neither of us dinged the bell lady... but we don't have to ding for an Interchange... you HAVE TO STOP THERE. So she drops us at the corner, obviously not having noticed that there was someone sitting at the stop she failed to stop at.

I actually don't mind wrong turns... we all get lost and these guys aren't given GPS. But you really should be familiar with the protocols before you get behind the wheel.

[ChainLightning]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I hate new bus drivers... not only did she not have her number up until she closed her doors at Reynella Interchange (the start of her route) causing us all to jump up in a panic, she then took a wrong turn and had to detour to turn arpund and THEN failed to stop at the Hub Interchange where she HAS to stop.I realise neither of us dinged the bell lady... but we don't have to ding for an Interchange... you HAVE TO STOP THERE. So she drops us at the corner, obviously not having noticed that there was someone sitting at the stop she failed to stop at.

I actually don't mind wrong turns... we all get lost and these guys aren't given GPS. But you really should be familiar with the protocols before you get behind the wheel.

What the hell? Stage fright? Forgot to pack a brain, for the day's route?









I totally forgot what I was going to say, in here, now. Hehe

[Heka]

I need to be a greeter at some place that sells tools, lawn equipment, and yard maintenance apparatus. "Hi! Welcome to ______! Need any help finding a chainsaw to shove up your ass, today? How about a trash compactor to stuff that squawling brat of yours in?"

I can imagine Medusa saying this. With her most beautiful smile

[DanieMarie]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Then it's probably not that.
I found out this could happen a few years back when I had a lamp that kept blowing its bulb every other month or so. I happened to mention it to an electrician that came to fix something else and she told me about it. But if you've had them in different sockets and you have other things in the same one besides and no trouble with them, then it's unlikely to be that. Just back luck then I suppose.

Yeah it's definitely something that can happen and I appreciate the tip! My old apartment was like that...all my electronics died because the wiring was old and questionable (the East Germans definitely did not wire apartments to handle the electronics and appliances we use today!). I had to have everything valuable plugged into a surge protector. My new apartment (well, not so "new"...I've lived here for 5 1/2 years!) was brand new when I moved in, so I'd assume the wiring would be ok. I'd hope so, anyway!

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It could be the voltage in a given plug. Some devices handle voltage changes real easy, other devices fry if it varies by even a little. When I lived in Spain occasionally off base we got some spikes that would fry somethings and do nothing to others. The same occurred when I was in Scotland as well but those where never quite as bad. If I recall correctly most of Europe is 50 / 110 but you still find things that are set to a US standard of 60 / 120 which can also cause issues.

Hmmm I don't see too many electronics set to US standards. Maybe it's because Germany is such a massive market for electronics, but you rarely even find anything here that wasn't made specifically for Germany (like, you don't even find that much that came from other European countries on the used electronics market, though maybe that also has something to do with the fact that I tend to look for things in German on German eBay!)

No plugs in German households are set to any other standard other than German. I'm -pretty- sure the EU has also set standards throughout the EU for safety reasons, but these have long been present in Germany. Everything is set to the same voltage and outlet standards. The only real issues we get are questionable wiring in old buildings. I think some high end hotels -might- have some US voltage outlets for their guests, but those are specifically marked and they're also pretty rare