[look 171]

Originally Posted by zakthor

Yeah it wasn't my viking downdraft switch but I looked at the part. Its connected to a ribbon cable that goes to the motor assembly way back under the counter. I suspect there's a pair of relays in there that tell the switch when to stop motoring. To me a $650 replacement switch for a downdraft vent just means you hate your customers.

I had to buy a high amperage timer switch. Found myself looking at Intermatic mechanical timer switches. Things are made out of sheet metal, have a bunch of gears and magic inside, they are cheap and are durable as HELL. Should see the big fat hard solder joints in there. That is a company that figured out a good design a long time ago and perfected it. In contrast these appliances are just such awful garbage. I'm guessing the problem is driven by marketing, the new features and the flash pull the customers. You can't win in mass appliance sales without the new slickness. Only old kooks try and fix stuff.

Another story (involving new miele induction range.) Friend swapped from gas range to miele because of good reviews. She waited about 9 months for range but unfortunately it arrived 2 weeks before electrician could install the new circuit. Selling company delivered unit to her entryway saying they'd come back to install once circuit was ready.

Circuit ready, another 2 weeks, installer shows and... whenever oven heats up the breaker pops. He of course says breaker is bad, electrician messed up. But the induction surfaces work great... She wants to return machine but no "She accepted delivery" so no returns, but miele will come fix it... weeks later...

I'm royally pissed. Give her a list of 4 circuit tests that the repair guy needs to show if he tries to leave without the machine fixed (and blaming the circuit.) Guy arrives late, ends up missing his next appointment. He's there 4 hours and can't get it to behave. He tries to leave and friend calls me. I ball him out on speaker phone - but he doesn't have the tools he'd need to diagnose anything. Some chump with a truck and no clue about electricity. What a bunch of crap. Tell my friend to insist he leaves with the broken device. She's been without a stove for more than a month.

So funny, the last thing he tries, takes all the fans out of the back of the oven, sees nothing wrong, puts them back in and gives up. He leaves with unit buttoned back up. Says he's going to need to come back but at least stovetops are ok to use.

And... whatever was the last thing he did... the oven works now. Some grounding problem in an oven motor? An actual short? Some mystery disease? Anyway. Major city (seattle) new miele induction range, miele repair guy... seriously disappointed.

Last nail in the coffin... it cooks like crap. Whoever thinks induction cooking is good has never used a good gas stove. All that trouble and it just sucks. Friend is stunned that her beautiful copper pans won't work (don't get me started on the decision in the first place.) I wouldn't be surprised if it breaks soon.

The same client had Miele in his last place because of my suggestion. Those factory installers are a fooking joke. We can do the job much cleaner then they can with one of our hands tied behind our backs. The ended up not installing the large hood they purchased due to some BS with the tile backing. We popped it up there in a couple hours. Factory trained my azz. bunch of idiots and they charge lots of money.