Good old eyeballing…Better goals and…

Good old eyeballing…For good old results

When it comes to diagnosing blocked or eroded rinse jets, a worn wash pump impeller, or a partially blocked pump intake, you could resort to pressure gauges and other tools. But eyeballing it might be almost as good and certainly easier. But the question is, what are we looking for exactly?

Starting with that wash pattern, ideally, we want to see the upper and lower sprays meeting about 60/40. That is, the lower pattern should meet the upper one little above the halfway point between the upper and lower arms. In addition, the pattern should be constant with no surging.

Also we need to be sure the pressure is adequate even if it seems to meet where it should. That can be done with a glass or cup that you’ve soiled with butter or some other material that should be easily removed. If it doesn’t, there may be an intake restriction that’s reducing wash pressure, or even a worn wash pump impeller.

In the final rinse department the pattern should be an unbroken “curtain” that again meets above the middle point. If it has gaps with little of no spray, look for blocked jets. If the pattern meets either too high or low, look for blockages in the arm that’s too low or for badly worn or blocked jets that might be causing the problem.

Next up: Eyeballing the laundry.

 

Better goals and …feeling better

Ever notice that endorphin high that follows your successes? Likewise there’s the opposite feeling that failure – or maybe a lack of making the effort necessary to achieve a goal brings. Well, here’s a newsflash that shouldn’t come as any real surprise: If we want to feel better more often, we need to have better goals and act on them.

Sure we all have goals and maybe those are believable, achievable and measurable (BAM principle), but are they big enough? Now admittedly there’s a fine line between an achievable goal and one that’s a little over the top.

But unless our goals aren’t at least flirting a bit with that line, we need to reassess them. Regardless of how ambitious, aspirational or pragmatic a goal may be, it can only feed our sense of accomplishment when we move to action and attempt achieving it. Without that effort, it’s not much use and moreover will lead to feeling less rather than more positive.

Next up: More thought on BAM.