• if you need to call for warranty service call the toll-free number on the water heater
• on a previous post, commenter Tom said “If you have a problem with this water heater call 1.877.817.6750“
• if you are considering buying/installing a Whirlpool water heater I’d suggest asking the opinion of a couple of plumbers in your area. For example, would you recommend whirlpool? would you buy one for your home? do you fix a lot of whirlpool water heaters?

Other Whirlpool News

Whirlpool sells applicances under at least 8 brand names
Whirlpool got $19.3 million from the US Dept of Energy
Read CNet News: Whirlpool wants to pull plug on ‘dumb’ appliances

The Joes and Cobra are treated to a super-upgrade of technology since the last cartoons I saw as a kid. If you can, I would recommend checking out the movie, even if you aren’t a GI Joe Fan since you will also be able to follow the story line and enjoy the hi-tech super-battles that permeate the movie.

Check out the Official GI Joe: Rise of Cobra site.

GI JOE RISE OF COBRA (Youtube Video)

Click here to view the embedded video.

This funny movie is worth watching and features some amazing stars and American History. Oh, I never found any cool maps of the Smithsonian Institution National Archives, so if you did, please drop a comment below.

Official Website

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

UNRELATED: Prince of Persia Movie Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

It seems I’m in a minority group with those who thought Terminator Salvation was a great BLAST of a movie. There was very little I didn’t like about the movie, and I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about it.

The ever-important John Connor has grown up, Skynet has come to life and executed Judgment day and mankind struggles to survive. Terminator Salvation is set in the future of the first 3 Terminator movies and after we’ve lost the battle to destroy Skynet before it comes to life. As evidenced in the trailer below, everything in the future is not as had previously been known… it seems Skynet has used its travels to the past to gather intelligence.

TERMINATION SALVATION TRAILER:

Click here to view the embedded video.

George posted July 29th, 2008 at 6:07 pm

I’m glad to hear this post was helpful! We spent a lot of time and money on this Water Heater since we bought it and I was rather upset to find out they no longer sold the thermocouple any more. We got the Flame Lock Enhancement Kit and now ours is fixed, though we had to pay about $90 to have it installed.

George posted August 5th, 2008 at 10:47 pm

Kevin,

You may have to have a professional install the kit – I paid someone to install mine and its working good ever since.

I bought mine because of price and (like you) I trusted the purchase because of the name. I’ve learned when I buy low price (like I did with my Walmart ILO model IWT3206 32 inch SDTV also in this blog) that you need to trust the name, and I thought it was a darned shame that Whirlpool evidently had to be sued into taking action.

George posted August 5th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

Mike,

Good luck! I know what you mean about cold showers, I went about 5 days altogether with cold showers before my kit was delivered, professionally installed/fixed this last time. Unfortunately it wasn’t covered by ServiceCare so I paid about $100 for it – but its worth it to know I don’t have to worry about “popping” thermocouples.

Mike posted April 12th, 2009 at 9:02 pm

I purchased my flamelock water heater about 4 years ago (12 yr warrantee). Last year the thermocouple went out with the same saga as all the stories above. I finally located and installed an upgrade kit 65 miles away and installed it myself. I only wasted gas and a day of work. Now one year later, the thermocouple is dead again – I think. Is it possible there is a shutoff switch that protects the thermocoupel? I thought that was what the new kit was all about. If so, how do I reactivate the thermocouple?

TUE APR 21

So on or around July 29, 2008 I had my flame lock enhancement kit installed. Today… cold water again! I tried to light it following the instructions on the (Whirlpool FG1F4040S3NOV) Water Heater and the pilot wouldn’t stay lit. So I was late for work and all I knew was that there was no hot water and we had to call someone to look at the water heater to diagnose and fix.

My wife had called Mueller’s Plumbing Service and the guy was working on it for us when I got home after work. I left after the work was done, went to the bank, then to the Bi-Lo for some groceries and I got a call when I was parking – “Come home,” said my wife.

I got home and the pilot was off again! I tried lighting the pilot again and ended up calling Mueller’s Plumbing again and I’m waiting for them to send their guy back out. Whirlpool is NOT my favorite company right now.

I called Whirlpool while waiting for the plumber and was told it was the gas valve (the box says Flame Guard Gas Thermostat). Later the plumber came back and told me that I did need that and to order it and they’d install it. Of course now Whirlpool was closed, so I had to order it tomorrow.

WED APR 22

I called Whirlpool from work today and they are shipping the gas valve, which should arrive tomorrow.

THU APR 23

The part arrived today and we called Mueller’s Plumbing Service and they sent a guy out and later he was joined by another plumber dude. They ended up rigging it to work because something on the flame lock replacement kit A was defective.

The owner of Mueller’s Plumbing later came out to explain the work they did, why it was safe (which I’d already read online somewhere), and that the best thing for the long run would be to consider getting a new flame lock replacement kit A.

Calling Whirlpool again (about 9pm EST) and they said the soonest they can get a flame lock replacement kit A shipped out to me would be Monday – thankfully we already have hot water!

Click picture to enlarge

In about a half an hour……

Taco Bell Taco Dinner with Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Spanish Rice

According to the instructions on the box you will need:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 pkg. (8 oz) KRAFT Shredded Cheddar cheese – substitute Great Value Fancy shredded taco blend shredded cheese
• Chopped lettuce (8 oz. fresh express shreds lettuce for tacos, sandwiches and salads)
• Chopped tomatoes
• BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour cream (or your favorite brand, I wonder if these companies pay to get their brand names CAPITALIZED?)

Follow the directions on the box to brown the ground beef, mix with seasoning + water. While the ground beef browns heat the taco shells and put some Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Spanish Rice on the stovetop. When both are done pile it on and customize your tacos!

Follow the microwave instructions on the box (see box for complete instructions)…

Cut film to vent and microwave frozen dinner on High for 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over peppers and re-cover. Microwave on high for 8-11 minutes, then let stand/cool for 5 minutes.

Add some minute rice, spoon some of the sauce on it and its not rocket science, but it makes for a quick dinner, and in this case leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.

Time for another Quick Meal… because life happens when you are busy, you must still east and sometimes feed others. Here’s a good quick meal – grocery store Fried Chicken. Also a flexible meal because you can add ready-made sides like potato salad, or quick-cook sides like a baked potato (about 8 minutes or less in the microwave), oven-baked french fries (about 15-20 minutes – times vary).

MORE FRIED CHICKEN
Ultimate Fried Chicken
HOWTO: Jennifer Anderson’s Perfect Fried Chicken
Banquet Fried Chicken Meal

FRENCH FRIES
Ore Ida French Fries

Once you turn on this feature, Gmail uses Gears to download a local cache of your mail. As long as you’re connected to the network, that cache is synchronized with Gmail’s servers. When you lose your connection, Gmail automatically switches to offline mode, and uses the data stored on your computer’s hard drive instead of the information sent across the network. You can read messages, star and label them, and do all of the things you’re used to doing while reading your webmail online. Any messages you send while offline will be placed in your outbox and automatically sent the next time Gmail detects a connection.

- Andy Palay, Gmail engineer, Gmail Blog

Gmail says Offline Gmail will be available to users of Gmail in US or UK English over the next couple of days (as of Jan 27th).

SAUCE

First the sauce, instead of our old standby sauces like Ragu and Prego, we started getting Newman’s Own Socarooni Sauce. The only thing we add to the sauce is cooked ground beef. Between Sockarooni (my Mom introduced us to it) and ground beef you have the beginnings of a better-than-average spaghetti dinner.

SPAGHETTI NOODLES

Okay, we switched from regular spaghetti noodles to vermicelli. The balance of lighter noodles just makes the whole dinner a little better.

BREAD

Another nice touch is the bread. You could have toast with margarine (or butter) and some garlic salt; or even better try some nice garlic bread. Even better than those try some cheesy italian bread (here’s a home made recipe for italian cheese bread that looks good). When we want to really spoil ourselves we get Garlic Cheese Bread from the local Pies on Pizza restaurant. Mmmm!

Tonight’s Meal:

• 1-1 pound box Food Lion Vermicelli (any brand will do)
• 2-24 oz jars of Newman’s Own Sockarooni Sauce
• 1 to 2 pounds of ground beef
• whatever bread you want

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Brown the ground beef (stovetop in a skillet), and drain it. Put the drained ground beef in a pot with the Sockarooni, mix well and cook on low so you don’t have sauce splattering all over the place. While the sauce mix simmers put the vermicelli noodles on – just follow the directions on the box (although we usually either use no salt, and about a tbsp or two of light cooking oil).If you can multi-task without burning things, or if you have a helper get your bread ready.

When the noodles are done, after draining them we usually put them into a pan with butter and stir well so the noodles don’t stick together as much. When the sauce is done warm and remove from heat. Now you should have a pot with sauce, another with noodles, and your bread – all ready-to-serve and eat.