Does GE stand for Goofed-Up Electrical?
I hate it when I carve out an hour to get something done that is supposed to be relatively easy, and then it becomes the most difficult thing I've ever tried to do! Yesterday, I went to Home Depot to purchase the undercabinet light for my daughter's desk hutch. It will hang from underneath the center hutch lowest shelf. I wanted to install it before I screwed the permanent shelf into the side supports. Sounds easy, huh? Fat chance.
I got the $20 GE undercabinet light, brought it home, opened it, and removed the parts: one fluorescent bulb, one light housing with cord, one plastic light cover, one tiny package of screws. That's it. Easy, I thought. I read the instructions, which were short and to the point. "Screw the base onto the shelf. Take the cardboard protector off the bulb. Insert the bulb and turn securely but do not force. Plug in." Having learned from my many previous mistakes, I decided to check the bulb BEFORE I drilled holes and screwed the darn thing in. I inserted the bulb as directed. I plugged it in. A flicker--nothing more. I tried again. Repeat response. I tried another outlet. Same thing. I screwed the bulb as tight as I could again. I held it tight and plugged in the cord. This time, the light came on for 2 seconds, then went out. I FORCED the bulb, removed the plug, and plugged in again. This time, it came on again for 2 seconds, then went out. What a piece of . . . . .
And to top it all off, the cord is too short.
So I repacked the parts in the package--rather like trying to put a sewing pattern back in its jacket--a nightmare. I finally got it in and taped it shut. Then I saw the cardboard bulb protector still lying on the table. ARRRGGHHH! I opened the package again, placed the bulb in its protector, then stuffed the whole mess back in--this time, less politely. I didn't have time to return the thing today, but it's first thing on my agenda for tomorrow.
Suffice it to say I got nothing done on my project. And I'm leaving town Saturday, so I won't get a chance to work on it this weekend either. Come next weekend, it will be a full YEAR since I started this. I think I need professional help.
I got the $20 GE undercabinet light, brought it home, opened it, and removed the parts: one fluorescent bulb, one light housing with cord, one plastic light cover, one tiny package of screws. That's it. Easy, I thought. I read the instructions, which were short and to the point. "Screw the base onto the shelf. Take the cardboard protector off the bulb. Insert the bulb and turn securely but do not force. Plug in." Having learned from my many previous mistakes, I decided to check the bulb BEFORE I drilled holes and screwed the darn thing in. I inserted the bulb as directed. I plugged it in. A flicker--nothing more. I tried again. Repeat response. I tried another outlet. Same thing. I screwed the bulb as tight as I could again. I held it tight and plugged in the cord. This time, the light came on for 2 seconds, then went out. I FORCED the bulb, removed the plug, and plugged in again. This time, it came on again for 2 seconds, then went out. What a piece of . . . . .
And to top it all off, the cord is too short.
So I repacked the parts in the package--rather like trying to put a sewing pattern back in its jacket--a nightmare. I finally got it in and taped it shut. Then I saw the cardboard bulb protector still lying on the table. ARRRGGHHH! I opened the package again, placed the bulb in its protector, then stuffed the whole mess back in--this time, less politely. I didn't have time to return the thing today, but it's first thing on my agenda for tomorrow.
Suffice it to say I got nothing done on my project. And I'm leaving town Saturday, so I won't get a chance to work on it this weekend either. Come next weekend, it will be a full YEAR since I started this. I think I need professional help.
posted by Tif at 9:08 PM
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