Ever since I bought Miranda, and even after changing the circuit board, my water heater has often been a pain to start. This usually happens in damp weather, although it did it in any weather before the new circuit board.

This afternoon, I decided that after almost four years of working this water heater that I might as well admit that I know how it works because the same trick gets it going every time. I need to stop worrying about this appliance!

First, I have to get it to light. I flick the switch on once and I get a boom, then nothing. Turn off the switch, then back on. The heater will kick on for a few months, then shut down again, with the on switch glowing red.

The trick is to just let it sit like that, with the switch on and red, for five to ten minutes. Then, I turn it off and back on. I sometimes have to repeat this sequence a few times, but the water heater eventually kicks on and stays on. It took two tries today, which is actually pretty good considering how long the rig has been sitting.