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There's a big extractor fan on top of my apartment building. It seems to stop working after every thunderstorm and/or power fluctuation, which is somewhat annoying. I talked to the maintenance guy and he said it's supposed to do that - that it shuts down to protect the frequency controller (not sure that's what it's called in English, though). Each time this happens, the switch needs to be turned off for a few minutes and then back on, to reset the device. It will then work until the next power fluctuation. The maintenance guy said that in another building he handles, the fan is automatically reset during the night, to ensure it's always running in the morning (I assume by turning it off for a few minutes every night?). Is this normal? It is somewhat annoying to lose ventilation every time a thunderstorm happens (it's been a stormy summer...). The fan uses something called a "PowerFlex 4 adjustable frequency AC drive". It appears programmable and seems to support auto-restarting after a high/low voltage fault. However, the maintenance guy said this is not a good thing as the frequence controller will fry itself like this. Still, he's only repeating hearsay, so maybe someone here can shed some light on this topic?
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Aug 4, 2009 11:47
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I have a laminate/wood countertop that's about 28 feet long by 18 inches wide. It also has a front face that extends about 8 inches lower. It's built-in on top of a short wall, not on top of cabinets, so pre-fab counters can't be used. My current idea is to lightly sand the existing counter-top and front face, then apply the new laminate direct on top of it using adhesives/dowel rods as described in various google searches. Based on those same searches, it seems like people are conflicted as to whether this can "work" or not. I'm lucky because the "curved" edge of the front counter is in fact three flat faces, so I don't need to bend any laminate with a heat gun. Also, the new laminate/Formica will be black, so I figure any seams would blend in fairly well or I could just go over them with a Sharpie. The bad news is (1) I've never laid laminate before, (2) I've never operated a power saw before, and (3) it's in a commercial location, so it needs to look pretty darned good at the end of the day, and at 28 feet long, any sloppy lines will probably get magnified as I work across the long edges. Is this something I should try? Has anyone done this? Is it possible to have the end result look okay? Suggestions/tips? Thank you for any advice given.
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Aug 5, 2009 13:37
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Laminate is pretty forgiving. The glue is more tacky than sticky, so if you screw up laying a piece, you can always pick it up and reseat it. Only use the hand roller to press it down once you're absolutely sure the placement is correct. You would only need the power saw for the laminate-to-laminate joints as this needs to be a very straight cut. For laminate-to-edge joints, just make a rough cut that overlaps the edge, then come back with a router with an edge bit once dry and shave it down to the edge. To trim edges not at right angles, you'll either need a router with an adjustable angle and a straight bit, or they make angled bits for the more common angles that you can use with a fixed router. I would start with the piece in the middle since that piece is the most demanding cut in terms of accuracy. There are techniques to help with cutting butt joints, Google is your friend. I would also do the front face first as you'll probably want the top to overlap the sides at the edges and not the other way around. You might want to pick up a set of spring clamps to help you out too. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 17:34 on Aug 5, 2009 |
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Aug 5, 2009 17:30
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It looks like there's a hairline crack at the bottom of my basement wall. During heavy rain we end up with a small puddle due to this, so I'd like to patch it. Someone had tried to patch it in the distant past, but whatever they used is flaking off of the wall now. Any recommendations on a product that will last?
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Aug 5, 2009 18:15
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laymil posted:It looks like there's a hairline crack at the bottom of my basement wall. During heavy rain we end up with a small puddle due to this, so I'd like to patch it. Someone had tried to patch it in the distant past, but whatever they used is flaking off of the wall now. Any recommendations on a product that will last? Get a container of hydraulic cement (may also be known as instant water-stop or hydraulic water-stop). It expands as it dries, filling in the crack and stopping the leak. First, you have to do a little prep-work. Get a small cold chisel and clean out the crack, expanding it slightly in a dovetail fashion (smaller outside, angling larger inside the wall). Clean out the crack, vacuuming out as much dust and debris as you can. Set up a drop cloth under the wall to catch any cement that may fall out. Once all the prep-work is done, mix the cement according to the instructions on the package. Now spread it in the crack evenly, pushing it as far inside the wall as you can get it. Work fast though, because you'll only get 10-15 minutes of working time before it starts to set.
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Aug 6, 2009 01:22
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The last people who lived in our house were huge, huge gardeners. They planted a variety of perennials and it's gotten to the point where they are 6 feet tall, sentient, and cannibalizing their own. Ideally we'd like to get in there and absolutely destroy the roots. This fall we're going to put evergreen/hedge/shrub plants in the front, and then next summer we want to pour a rather large patio in the back (back yard is almost a half acre). What is the quickest, easiest way to destroy the roots? Doesn't have to be clean. These plants, unfortunately, have pretty extensive root systems, which we discovered after digging into one of the flower fortresses. So far we've been hacking the big stalks down with this nifty little guy, and we bought some concentrated vegetation killer for the areas we know we don't want any plant life.
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Aug 6, 2009 17:37
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EssOEss posted:There's a big extractor fan on top of my apartment building. It seems to stop working after every thunderstorm and/or power fluctuation, which is somewhat annoying. I talked to the maintenance guy and he said it's supposed to do that - that it shuts down to protect the frequency controller (not sure that's what it's called in English, though). The Variable Frequency Drive should shut down on voltage fluctuations, and the reason the maintenance man doesn't want it to auto reset is that once 1 fluctuation happens, and it resets right away it is vulnerable to the next power surge. If you can get at it, is there a reason that you can't just reset it yourself? Vfd's are expensive, so you dont' want to mess with the settings yourself and then have to pay for it when it explodes.
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Aug 6, 2009 17:50
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Ahz posted:I have a window screen that is mounted externally with a pressure fit to the window frame. When the wind gets strong enough, the screen will blow off the window to the ground 3 stories below. This has happened maybe 4 times in 3 years so it's not like the frame is very loose, but I'd like a way to keep the screen in there for good. I was thinking clips but I can't get to the window from the outside and I cannot really attach anything internally that wouldn't get in the way of the sliding window. Incredibly ghetto, but you could get some 3M pulltab velcro strips. My loft is in an old factory and the windows open out, so we needed a removable screening solution, and these work pretty well. They'd work even better if the screen wasn't awkwardly large: 2.5 x 6 feet. And really, not that ghetto. You can only see the strips when the screen is removed.
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Aug 6, 2009 18:20
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finally got around to taking apart the 21 gallon central pneumatic air compressor here is a similar model http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/93000-93999/93271.pdf The only difference is that my air compressor works off standard voltage/standard plugs - there are two capacitors, not just one. I drained the oil and disassembled it almost completely. The electric motor and fan were caked in paint, but the windings looked fine. I could turn the motor manually and was able to hear the piston move before taking it apart. I came back in from the garage for information on the electronics and found the service manual. Looks like it's been badly abused. Guess we'll see how the windings and caps test with my multimeter, but I'm not optimistic. However, the tank itself is like 100 pounds could I salvage this by installing a new motor/compressor on top? Retrofitting a new electric motor on doesn't look fun or easy. Plus grainger didn't appear to have anything for less than $130, a brand new compressor is $200. My first impression was that the motor is a cheap Chinese piece of poo poo. The motor was mounted around the drive shaft, which I couldn't unbolt. So I'd have to get a similar motor or be careful to fabricate exact parts. Bogatyr posted:Electric motors are usually pretty cheap to replace, try Grainger. Though the motor dying may only be a symptom. I would check to see if the compressor turns smoothly(remove the belt from the motor and just turn the compressor), if at all. Sapper posted:Take it apart, and pull the belt off. It could be that the compressor bellows are frozen, not the motor. You may have to tear it apart and lube it. If the motor burnt out, you'd probably be able to smell it.
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Aug 7, 2009 05:11
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trigger posted:What is the quickest, easiest way to destroy the roots?
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Aug 7, 2009 12:58
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politicorific posted:Yeah, it might be hosed...all depends on if those windings test out okay. The caps should be an easy replacement, at least. Could the field brushes be the problem? If they get worn out, you can probably get replacements, or order a box of dirt cheap carbon electrodes from American Science and Surplus, and cut new ones with a hacksaw (I fabbed up new brushes for my 1963 Craftsman drill using those cheap electrodes).
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Aug 7, 2009 16:31
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ease posted:Rototiller. You are going to want to remove the topsoil anyways if you are going to putting in a patio, and a tiller is going to be the best way to get that loose and ready for removal. Thanks. They look expensive so after we whack it all down I think we'll go see if Home Depot rents them out.
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Aug 7, 2009 18:22
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Sapper posted:Yeah, it might be hosed...all depends on if those windings test out okay. The caps should be an easy replacement, at least. Could the field brushes be the problem? If they get worn out, you can probably get replacements, or order a box of dirt cheap carbon electrodes from American Science and Surplus, and cut new ones with a hacksaw (I fabbed up new brushes for my 1963 Craftsman drill using those cheap electrodes). I followed this guide: http://www.ehow.com/how_4464121_test-troubleshoot-electric-motors.html here's the manual http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/47000-47999/47065.pdf called harbor freight's tech support line, a new motor is $39.99 I disconnected the motor after testing the switch (did not find any shorts) and tested the leads. With the motor completely disassembled I couldn't get conductivity across any part of the stator or windings. I couldn't find any exposed metal piece that would conduct/test. So it looks like the majority of the insulation is intact. I'm going to reassemble the motor portion on my workbench later tonight and see if I can get it to work. *edit* just reassembled everything after testing the motor plugged into a power strip via the wires. Just waiting for some 30 weight oil to arrive and I'll be all set to go *edit 2* put the whole 30 ounces of 30 weight oil in. Plugged it in and nothing happened. I knew the fan worked, so I started taking apart the switch. I knew one of the screw in leads was out of alignment, but chalked it up to poor chinese quality. I think I found out why Harbor freight stopped selling 115v versions of that compressor. We apparently drew so much current that it heated up the wire enough that when the 115psi overpressure safety switch sprung the metal contacts so hard into the plastic that it pressed the switch permanently out of alignment. Guess I could fashion some sort of copper spacer to ensure that contact is maintained. Gotta make sure it doesn't defeat the pressure cut off switch. Moral of the story: be careful with power hungry electronics. Check the switch contacts first before pulling everything apart. At least it has new oil and has been thoroughly cleaned. Hopefully the seals are strong enough and I didn't knock anything out of alignment. politicorific fucked around with this message at 03:40 on Aug 8, 2009 |
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Aug 7, 2009 21:56
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I got a hard plastic case to transport my PC in and ordered some foam to fit. Now I am face with the prospect of cutting out a slot to place my PC in. I am trying to figure out the best way to get smooth cuts in this foam, especially once I've cut into the foam and then need to cut across. I don't want it to be jagged and look like rear end if I can help it. Any suggestions?
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Aug 8, 2009 12:39
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Ceros_X posted:I got a hard plastic case to transport my PC in and ordered some foam to fit. Now I am face with the prospect of cutting out a slot to place my PC in. I am trying to figure out the best way to get smooth cuts in this foam, especially once I've cut into the foam and then need to cut across. I don't want it to be jagged and look like rear end if I can help it. Any suggestions? You can make a homemade "hot wire knife" using electrified wire. Check it out at http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/03/weekend_project_5minute_foam_factor.html
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Aug 8, 2009 15:44
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Ceros_X posted:I got a hard plastic case to transport my PC in and ordered some foam to fit. Now I am face with the prospect of cutting out a slot to place my PC in. I am trying to figure out the best way to get smooth cuts in this foam, especially once I've cut into the foam and then need to cut across. I don't want it to be jagged and look like rear end if I can help it. Any suggestions? Is it soft foam? You can press that stuff flat with a metal ruler, then use a utility knife to cut a straight line.
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Aug 8, 2009 16:26
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What's a good goon recommended weed/grass killer that I can buy online? I have weeds and grass growing up through all of my concrete and paved walkways around the house and it eats RoundUp for breakfast.
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Aug 8, 2009 18:21
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I spilled way too much scoots fertalizer on my lawn, and it made a mini desert. Still nothing will grow there. Try just pouring a bunch in the cracks. Why do you need to order it online may I ask?
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Aug 8, 2009 20:55
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I bought a set of dishes at a garage sale today, but they are incredibly ugly. They have a duck design in the center of the dishes, and a blue ring around the edge. I kinda like the blue ring, but the duck needs to go. I think I might be able to safely remove the duck and leave the ring since some of the dishes already have the duck almost completely worn off but have the blue ring looking almost new. I think this means the duck is painted on and the rings are permanently stained into the dish? What can I try to use get rid of the duck without risking poisoning myself when I eat from my dishes? Click here for the full 824x618 image.
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Aug 8, 2009 21:45
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ease posted:Still nothing will grow there. You could just remove the overfertilized dirt to a depth of 3 inches or so, then replace with topsoil and reseed.
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Aug 8, 2009 21:46
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ease posted:I spilled way too much scoots fertalizer on my lawn, and it made a mini desert. Still nothing will grow there. Try just pouring a bunch in the cracks. Why do you need to order it online may I ask? It's just more convenient because I live in a small town and I'm about an hour away from the nearest store that sells anything more than RoundUp.
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Aug 8, 2009 23:48
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belt posted:It's just more convenient because I live in a small town and I'm about an hour away from the nearest store that sells anything more than RoundUp. Well, keep in mind that you will likely have to pay hazardous materials fees on any shipping of weed killer.
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Aug 9, 2009 00:25
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belt posted:It's just more convenient because I live in a small town and I'm about an hour away from the nearest store that sells anything more than RoundUp. Try googleing homemade weed killers and see if theres any thing you already have or can get. Vinegar seems to be pretty popular and although probably won't find it on those sites gasoline works well too. Anything you try would probably be most effective when its dry and the plants are thirsty.
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Aug 9, 2009 00:34
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belt posted:It's just more convenient because I live in a small town and I'm about an hour away from the nearest store that sells anything more than RoundUp. Have you tried the "special" RoundUp that stops weeds from re-sprouting? Regular roundup is made to be harmless to everything except the leafy parts of a plant. So you can pour it around the roots of stuff and nothing will happen, it has to get into the plant through the leaves. The "special" kind (can't remember the name, but it comes in a silver bottle) has both types of herbicide, so it kills the plants that are growing and it has something else that effectively poisons the soil for a few months. I've never used it but friends have (on sidewalks) and they said it worked. That, or I'm sure you could google something you can make. Two parts dynamite, one part gasoline, etc...
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Aug 9, 2009 05:31
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jeremiah johnson posted:gasoline works well too. I'd actually use diesel as it's a little safer to work with. True story, I used to work at a golf course and our head greenskeeper would bring out the "weed killer D" all the time.
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Aug 9, 2009 15:09
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I figured this would be the best place to ask this: If I don't have get any responses, I'll post a build thread about it and ask for help there. I'm currently working on a project where I need to power 46 LEDs at once. The voltage drop across most of the LEDs is supposed to be about 3.1v, but for 3 it needs to be about 2.3v. I know I'm going to have to use AC power, because even if I managed to get it working on a 9v, it might work for 3 minutes, if that. What I'm confused about most is: A) How do I wire these bad boys? Do I order a bunch of resistors and wire them one by one (parallel), or can I just daisy chain them together (series)? B) What AC adapter do I need to use (for whatever is best, series/parallel)? bonus pics:   
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Aug 9, 2009 16:40
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Gorilla Salsa posted:I figured this would be the best place to ask this: If I don't have get any responses, I'll post a build thread about it and ask for help there. Probably the best way would be to wire a few LEDs in series, then wire those all series together in parallel. I would put the 2.3V LEDs on their own branch just to keep things simple. Try using this: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz As for an adapter, just use a simple DC rectifier (a.k.a. a wallwart), like one used to charge a cell phone. The higher the voltage you use, the longer series you can make and by extension the fewer branches you'll need to wire and the fewer resistors, so the ideal wallwart to find would be one in a high voltage with an amperage that is just slightly above your needs. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 17:08 on Aug 9, 2009 |
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Aug 9, 2009 17:00
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kid sinister posted:Probably the best way would be to wire a few LEDs in series, then wire those all series together in parallel. I would put the 2.3V LEDs on their own branch just to keep things simple. Try using this: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz This post/thread has some good stuff innit. Might be a bit overkill but what the hey: badass LED stuff
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Aug 9, 2009 21:42
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kid sinister posted:Probably the best way would be to wire a few LEDs in series, then wire those all series together in parallel. I would put the 2.3V LEDs on their own branch just to keep things simple. Try using this: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz Thanks for the link, it's perfect! One more question, though. When I do the calculation it says LED Wiz posted:# together, the diodes dissipate 2700 mW
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Aug 10, 2009 00:31
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Gorilla Salsa posted:Thanks for the link, it's perfect! One more question, though. When I do the calculation it says That link is nice, but it assumes that all your LEDs will have the same specs... Anyway, that mA rating is the total for what amount of LEDs is pictured. What I would do plug in at that site an array with your 43 LEDs at 3.1V and get the mA needed for that, then do another one with your 2.3V LEDs on the same power supply voltage and get their mA. Add those two numbers together and that will be the minimum mA that your power supply must put out. Try to get the smallest mA rating over your needs with the proper voltage rating. Running too much amperage through LEDs can cut their lifetimes pretty short.
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Aug 10, 2009 06:07
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I am wondering about my speakers. I have one RCA unknown model 3 way 100W floor standing speaker, and one Technics SB-LX5 3 way, 140W floor standing speaker. They used to sound good, and I am still happy with their sound at low volumes, but at high volumes the tweeters sound like frying bacon. I am thinking about ordering new tweeters from parts-express.com. I am curious, just how important is it to find identical tweeters? The only markings on the back of the RCA tweeter are "Tweeter 8ohm SD-83 Malaysia" and the Technics has similarly useless markings which I failed to write down or google before re-installing. What is the proper way to measure the speakers? For example, on the RCA the mounting hole measured roughly 1 3/4" across, the Technics mounting hole measured 2 1/2" across. I know that is not the size of the speaker, but I am nor sure how to properly measure the speaker itself. *edit I am 90% based off appearance the RCA speaker is a model STS-1230, I can not be certain because I did not see any model markings on my speaker. Not Wolverine fucked around with this message at 18:51 on Aug 10, 2009 |
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Aug 10, 2009 18:35
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Does anyone know if PVC cement for piping will repair a vinyl air mattress? My sister has a small bottle of Sevylor Air Seal, but it smells exactly the same as PVC cement which is obviously way cheaper and I already have some. I'm assuming it should work because they are both solvent cements for essentially the same material, right? Thoughts?
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Aug 11, 2009 01:21
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sbyers77 posted:Does anyone know if PVC cement for piping will repair a vinyl air mattress? Try it?
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Aug 11, 2009 01:34
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yes it'll work, but you'll need a patch to put over the hole.
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Aug 11, 2009 02:47
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Dur - yeah, I have a patch. More of a quick "just making sure I'm not crazy" type of question. Thanks, guys.
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Aug 11, 2009 03:37
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When our washing machine comes off the spin cycle, you'd think the whole house was coming down. It doesn't vibrate during the spin cycle, only as it starts to slow down. Ideas?
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Aug 11, 2009 20:44
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Doesn't PVC glue kinda weld PVC pipe together? I'd test a little on a piece of the patch first and make sure it doesn't melt it too much.
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Aug 11, 2009 21:13
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Richard Noggin posted:When our washing machine comes off the spin cycle, you'd think the whole house was coming down. It doesn't vibrate during the spin cycle, only as it starts to slow down. Ideas? Top or front loader? If it's front, pop the top off & check the suspension springs are intact & located properly. Then level the machine properly, 'cause chances are you never did it right  (Virtually no-one levels their machine properly, I didn't & I was a white goods engineer & know what issues it can cause, but sometimes it's impossible)
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Aug 11, 2009 22:07
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Do they make any kind of attachments for arc welders that could turn it into a plasma cutter?
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Aug 11, 2009 23:18
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Cakefool posted:Top or front loader? If it's front, pop the top off & check the suspension springs are intact & located properly. Then level the machine properly, 'cause chances are you never did it right It's a top loader.
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Aug 12, 2009 01:13
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