Sod's Law - when it can go wrong, it does.

Why does your central heating fail in winter? Why does your alarm go wrong just before a holiday? My dad used to call it Sod's Law. I was rather loathed to write that so checked and it is an official term both in the dictionary and Wiki. It means basically that things can go wrong, they do, and often when we don't want them to.

Just as we were about to cruise in January, the heating stopped working. One plumber said the boiler needed changing, another said the boiler had ten years left and it was even ready for the new gas mix if and when it ever came in. The latter changed a broken fan at the top and it worked again after a reset.

The cost of things we don't understand can be high, and some may exploit them. However, not all overcharging is from exploitation, some is just the modern way. Or a lack of ground roots education. Engineers are trained to change things. Arrive, charge a call-out fee, figure out which part is not working, and then replaced the part.

I mention this as most of us are looking to save a few pounds to spend on a meal when on holiday, or treat ourselves, but funds get wasted on bad repairs. Sure, if the item is repaired then that's good, it is peace of mind. But a call out to test an alarm will cost just under £100 and then the part at trade might be £40, but to the customer more. Then they will change batteries and other items if there is a chance to upsell. Whilst we have never been a fix-it channel, I do come from a generation where we were taught not to throw things away but fix them. To that end, as others kept reporting the alarm was failing and we had a week to cruise I had to think long and hard. There was a nagging in my head which said no. Don't call someone out. I thought I had a spare keypad to test but couldn't find it. Then I had one of those R-Whites moments. Yes, you got it, it was just one of those nights when you must get up ... R-Whites. (for the young it was a lemonade commercial about someone who had to wake up in the middle of the night).

I took the alarm keypad apart and looked for dirt. It was black, tarred, and filthy. There was no way that the contacts could be made. So, I filmed myself cleaning it to help others. Repair cost - a little of Jean's nail varnish remover which she still has even though she has gels (and I'm a hoarder!)

Alarm Keypad

https://youtu.be/nkmgzPZNVW4

Similarly, I did a video about the heating when it stopped last year. It is very old, but it should work. The cost of me mending it was about £10.

Central Heating Fault

https://youtu.be/xqKNjT5eRQY

So, I have a few, that may help you. But if they don't apply then they still teach a logic that seems to be missing nowadays. Maybe it is me, but being taught logic has all but gone. However, I am reliably told by my son that those who can think that way can earn bundles in writing and fixing code. Maybe logic has just moved on... but the code writers might not have been able to fix my G-Tech. I guess they would argue that they don't have to, they earn enough to replace. 

Faulty GTech

https://youtu.be/UAYF40nD_2I

I guess my point is, that's not the point. So, forgive my odd little helpful video... and by the way, it is sometimes also called Murphy's law.

My How To Playlist of films

Oh ... and if it can go wrong ... it does for me in Cape Verde

https://youtu.be/r2eYtcGmwbc