https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Gwrede 2026-04-10T15:12:50Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1780:_Appliance_Repair&diff=133185 2017-01-03T02:04:31Z

<p>Gwrede: Added applianc repair shop experience.</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1780<br /> | date = January 2, 2017<br /> | title = Appliance Repair<br /> | image = appliance_repair.png<br /> | titletext = [holding up a three-phase motor] As you can see here, the problem is that the humidifier I took this from is broken.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> This explanation is incomplete: The title-text needs an explanation.<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> Cueball is apparently running an appliance repair service. Although, he isn't doing much in the repairs aspect, as he is diagnosing problems with the appliances that he himself caused. Megan and White Hat (supposedly) call him over to have him fix a humidifier that isn't working. As most repairmen/handymen do, he takes apart the machine to find the root of the problem. However, it appears that Cueball does not know how to fix the machine, as he states the reason it isn't working is because he took it apart.<br /> <br /> What Cueball is doing would be akin to a (really shady) doctor conducting an autopsy when you had the flu and saying the main problem with you right now is that you are dead. And your heart is not pumping because it came from a dead person.<br /> <br /> Maybe the fact that Cueball is holding a three-phase motor (as shown in the title text) is part of the problem, because three-phase motors won't work on residential power. Residential humidifiers use [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-phase_electric_power single-phase voltage] (unless the humidifier in the comic is part of an industrial process, which is not very likely by looking at its size), while three-phase equipment uses [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power three-phase voltage].{{Citation needed}}<br /> <br /> It is possible that Randall has tried to have an appliance repaired and he has found out that they do not have a clue about the job. (It certainly is my experience with VCR:s, Micro Waves, etc. The shops are quick to charge you $100 but the job is worse than the nice lady next door would have done!!) When you return the item to the shop, the explanations to your complaints are usually (inadvertently) quite absurd. [[User:Gwrede|Gwrede]] ([[User talk:Gwrede|talk]]) 02:04, 3 January 2017 (UTC) <br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> [Megan and White Hat are standing in front of Cueball with a broken machine behind him. The machine is revealed to be a humidifier that was destroyed by Cueball.]<br /> <br /> Cueball [facing Megan and White Hat, standing in the middle of a mess and holding a screwdriver]: After disassembling and inspecting the humidifier, I've determined that the main problem with it is that someone took it apart.<br /> <br /> Title Text: [holding up a three-phase motor] As you can see here, the problem is that the humidifier I took this from is broken.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div>

Gwrede