On leaving things inside (zaibatsu), 04/19/2019
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To  preface this  story, I'd  like to  share an  interesting
fact: According to  some study I read about  but can't cite,
doctors in the US "leave  towels, cotton balls, sponges, and
other  surgical equipment  inside patients  bodies about  39
times a week, on average." Duckduckgo it, it's a thing.

I should also  disclaim any previous knowledge  of A/C units.
I've never worked on one before a few days ago.

Recently,  I  noticed my  A/C  unit  (in the  basement)  was
dripping a little  bit of water around the  base. After some
research, I  decided that  the problem  was most  likely the
condenser radiators.  There are  two, in  a /\  a-frame type
configuration, and they are prone to getting clogged so that
the  water droplets  come out  the top  and down  the sides,
instead of  out the bottom  of the  fins and into  the drain
tray.

I took the panel off the back  of the A/C unit to expose the
condenser,  then removed  another  panel to  expose the  two
separate parts. Sure  enough, the thing was  clogged up with
junk (the previous home owner must have run the unit without
a filter... a terrible  idea.) Per some instructions online,
I cleaned it out.

Just below  the condenser are  the heating coils,  and below
those  the fan  blower. To  protect the  coils and  fan from
debris, I  had placed  a small towel  over the  coils before
starting the  cleanup. In my  excitement (this was  my first
time working  on an A/C unit,  hooray!) I left the  towel in
place and replaced the two panels.

Of  course, since  it's been  warm  out, I  only tested  the
cooling on the unit, which  seemed to be working fine. Today
the temperature  outside dropped  a bit,  and when  the wife
said she was  cold, I responded by turning on  the heater. A
subtle burning  odor filled  the air.  I went  downstairs to
check the unit  (I had completely forgotten  about the towel
by now), thinking  that maybe some debris had  gotten on the
coils. Everything seemed OK, but  when I went back upstairs,
smoke was pouring out the vents.

Don't panic;  turn off  the thermostat, disable  the blaring
smoke alarms, and have the wife  and kids open the doors and
windows. Cut the  breakers to the A/C, grab  my nearby tools
and rip the panels off (one  is rather warm to the touch) to
see what's going  on. The basement is smokey,  but there's a
door down there, the  kids open it and put a  fan in. As I'm
taking the last screws off  the second panel, I remember the
towel.

It's not that  funny, but I can't help laughing  out loud at
myself.

The  charred remnants  of the  100% cotton  towel are  still
smoldering  in  the cavity. I pick  them out with a  pair of
pliers. I'm glad it wasn't a synthetic fabric, or a sheet of
plastic. With the panel off I turn on the blower and rid the
machine of the rest of my mistake.

Of course, we  have company arriving from  another state for
the  Easter weekend.  I'll have  to explain  to them  why it
smells a  little like a campfire  in our house, in  spite of
trying to  air it out  for the last  few ours. I  think I'll
share the stats about surgeons with them first.