Easy do it yourself aggravation

[mylungswereaching]

Do you ever start a project and find out that the makers of the product just assume that everyone has something or other? They just kind of skip over the most difficult step of the installation process, just assuming that everyone knows how to do it.

Last winter I bought a kit designed to stop ice from forming on your roof. I read the instructions and the unit has to be plugged into a GFCI outlet and the cord you get is about 6 inches long. In big letters it says do not use extension cord.

I'm starting another project today, low voltage lighting, do it yourself. It also just assumes that every ones house just happens to have an outside GFCI plug conveniently placed within 6 inches of where you want to put the transformer.

I live in New England. All of the houses in my area are at least 50 years old and many of them are over 100 years old. None of them have GFCI plugs on the outsides of the house. Many of the houses don't have any outside plugs at all. By far the biggest part of the project is putting in the GFCI plug but not one of the sites for low voltage lighting show you how to install a plug.

It just reminds me of an old Steve Martin joke where his first instruction is "First getamilliondollars, then... ."

[inlovewithcrow]

My sympathy goes out to you. Building and repairing stuff is not high on my happy list (and seems to require surprising amounts of cursing), but the way I live, in an RV which is both house and vehicle, there are constant jobs to do. Seldom are printed instructions perfect--thank heavens for the internet and the act of wandering around knocking on other RVers' door and saying, "hey, do you know where they hide the bolts that release the thingy" or "if I want an extra DC plug, should I use a splitter or rewire or...?" or "could you look up on your smartphone how to..." or whatever today's question is. I've learned in this lifestyle the very last thing in the world I'd want is living on a sailboat and cruising the seven seas, because you take the work I have to do (or once had to do living in a normal house) and multiply it times about 20, add salt, and that's the reality of life on a sailboat. And the nearest hardware store might be three days' sail away. Forget that!

Anyway, there are such things a GFI extension cords, which you no doubt have found out. Just don't let water seep in at that first connection and blow your breakers at 6 a.m. some February, requiring you to go up onto the roof to find the leak!

Best o' luck to ya. Vent any time.

[mylungswereaching]

I know about RV's. Ever have to glue on a new piece of plumbing that gives you about 15 seconds to get the piece placed perfectly with no margin of error and glue that is permanent. All of this in a gravel campground, while not spilling any waste water. Fun times.

I kind of meant this as a place to show examples of the idiocy of instructions. I once bought a part for my car from China that included a 5 page instruction sheet. Instruction number 1 was "Tear up instructions." (The instructions were glued to the inside of the box.)