Mr. & Mrs. MacGyver 

in Quarantine 

in which Mr. MacGyver repairs the AC

Background: 

While stuck in a hotel for 3 weeks in the tropics with 2 small windows and no fans, we are very thankful for the 2 air conditioning units in our 2 rooms. 

Problem:

When the AC unit in the bedroom started dripping (just barely missing Tim’s computer bag), we had a problem. Fortunately, we had been supplied with a bucket, so we put that under the drip, but as Tim was in the middle of a Zoom call – the ‘plop’ of the water hitting the plastic was noisy. As a temporary solution, Mrs. MacGyver placed a piece of clothing in the bucket to muffle the noise.

We reported the drip to hotel management, but since we are in quarantine, no one can come in our room to service the AC (or our phone that doesn’t work).

Mr. MacGyver suspected a blocked drain was causing the problem, so he decided to tackle it. We moved a table so he could reach the AC unit. With his Leatherman, he opened it up. But he still needed to be higher, so we placed a stool on top of the table to get him higher. 

While he removed the covers and filters, Mrs. MacGyver took them to the shower and scrubbed them as they were covered with dust, mold and a petrified gecko. (Mrs. MacGyver made Mr. MacGyver remove the gecko.)

The next challenge was finding something to open up the drain tube. Fortunately, before our arrival, colleagues had dropped off a water filter for us which had a tube of the perfect dimension. 

Tim inserted the tube into the AC drain and blew it out which opened the drain. Then he flushed water through to make sure it was cleared out. After putting everything back together, the AC has been working great and no drips. Success. Well done, Mr. MacGyver!