Expensive learning experience - opinions?

[Spoof]

Seems like I have one of these at least once a year.

So it starts off that I wired a new outlet in my old pumphouse to drive my fence charger. I tested the wire and it was 240v. I didn't find any information on stepping down 240v, so assumed the outlet did this - wired it in and tested, 123v. I think to myself, ok, that was it.

It gets left with nothing plugged in until tonight. I'm borrowing my friend's electric lawn mower because I can't afford my own. (I've got close to an acre to mow, you can imagine it's taken me all day to do this, it hasn't been mowed in three weeks). I get to the pumphouse side, plug it in and it catches on fire.

I'm crapping a couple of kittens at this point. So I call good ol' dad, who has a good laugh and informs me that I should not have connected the second wire, and should cap it because it is an old 3-wire 220v and should have a fourth wire... yea. Oops. So instead of one neutral and one 120, I hooked up two 120's....

So now I owe my friends a lawnmower. This one is over two years old, should I buy them a new one or would it be remotely ok to ask them to help with 25% of a new one or something...?

Right now they're both out of town too. ~sigh. And I'm petsitting their horde of pets, half at my house, half at theirs (at the moment can't afford to make the 20 mile morning and evening round trips, so split the ones that need feed schedules).

Thoughts?

 

[threewingedfury]

Personally - I'd buy them a new one, or try to find a used one on Craigslist or something. I've broken things I've borrowed many times and I've never asked the people to pay anything on a replacement. It's my fault, I should deal with the consequences.

 

[addictedtochins]

I wouldn't ask them for anything. I would ask them if they want cash, or a used electric or gas mower. Don't throw out that old mower without getting it looked at, maybe it can be fixed up enough to mow your yard. At least you didn't start a field fire and burn down 3 houses.

 

[alli713]

yeah.. if I borrowed an expensive piece of equipment to a friend and they killed it, I would not be more pleased when they asked if I would help pay for a new one.
I mean, I could understand finding them a used one since theirs was not new, but I don't think right up front I would ask for money from them. Just see what they think about you getting them a used one.

 

[Spoof]

Ok. That's what I figured.

I've got two problems - you never, ever find used mowers in this state (been looking since I moved in Jan) and they don't make this brand, model or deck size any more.

So I can't replace it with the exact same mower, and whatever I buy will have to be shipped in - none of the stores carry corded lawn mowers any more.

 

[threewingedfury]

eBay? You may be able to find one used on there with the same specs.

 

[Rickman]

I think I'd ask them what they seem is fair - they might not have liked that one and been considering replaceing it, as those corded ones are no longer made for a reason - they're dangerous! Besides catching fire from being miswired, [?] a few folks were hurt when cutting the cord and stepping on the live end!
They usually have a pretty narrow cut, and to me, that means more passes than a larger one - another reason to replace! Besides the cord being a PIA!
The battery-powered ones have come a long way, recently, if they have to have electric!

 

[eroomlorac]

I would say to them, "I killed your lawn mower. How would you like me to make this right? Would you like me to try to find a replacement, would you like me to pay you a set amount of money and you find a replacement to your liking?" They will tell you what they think is fair. They probably would want to pick their own mower out so I think paying them the value of the old mower would be fair.

 

[ABBY W.]

Yes, I would ask the friend what they want you to do. Let them pick out a mower that they feel is reasonably comparable to theirs.

 

[Spoof]

I got ahold of my girlfriend, she had a good laugh. They've known me for over a decade now and like I said, strange things like this happen to me frequently on a small scale, annually on a large scale. She says she expected it to be her truck (!ack!) but happy her pets are still alive and not to catch any of them on fire please.

We're going to wait until Russ gets back from Somalia next week to spring the news on him. He loves to shop for new manly toys, so will most likely be happy about this turn of events.