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Glossary of Appliance Terms
The 'L' page

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Leak test – Another term that’s pretty much self-explanatory, I guess. Microwave ovens are commonly LT’d, as are refrigerators when their refrigerant systems are opened for service. LT’ing anything that carries water is a good idea.

Lid bumper – Small piece of rubber that prevents a washer lid from contacting the cabinet top directly. Seems unimportant, but run a washer without one of these for very long, and you’ll wear a rust-hole right through the washer’s top.

Lid lock – Mechanism used on some top-load washers to latch the lid closed during spin for safety purposes.

Lid switch – Top-load washers use a switch that prevents operation with their lid open. Many will fill and agitate, but not spin, with an open lid.

Lid switch actuator – The mechanical link that operates  a top-load washer’s lid switch. Often a pin pokes through a hole in the cabinet top and pushes the actuator. Many newer washer designs hide this under the cabinet top, where it’s pushed by one of the lid’s hinges.

Liner – The interior walls of refrigerators and freezers, and the inside panels of their doors, are referred to as liners.

Lint filter – As clothes are washed and dried, fragments we call lint is loosened from their fabrics  and has to be dealt with. Previously, washers had filters that the user could remove and clean. Today, many washers no longer have a filter at all, the idea being that we’re all using dryers every load. The dryer’s removable filter is depended upon to handle this lint load, which can be substantial.

Low side –  A refrigeration system’s lower pressure ‘half’, consisting of the evaporator and suction line.

Low voltage transformer – Electronic controls operate on low voltages DC (most microprocessors run on 5VDC), and this transformer ‘steps’ the ordinary 120 volt household down to the 2 or 3 low voltages commonly used on a pc board.

Low-suds (HE) detergent – recommended for use in newer high efficiency washers, especially front-loaders, this is a more concentrated, low sudsing form of detergent. Using standard detergent in an HE washer’s a sure way to get into problems. 

LP – Liquid Petroleum, or 'bottled gas', the most commonly used form of fuel used out here in the boonies to operate gas ranges, dryers, and water heaters.

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