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JediTalentAgent posted:Would there be any long-term concerns if I intentionally set my whole-house water pressure LOWER than normal? Depends, how many stories is your house?
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Jul 27, 2009 22:13
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kid sinister posted:Depends, how many stories is your house? One story; mobile home. The furthest water outlet is a kitchen sink about 20ft from the shut-off valve.
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Jul 28, 2009 07:51
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My house that I bought came with all the appliances (so of course, they're broken) I've managed to fix everything except the fridge. The freezer's coils keep freezing over, as if they aren't defrosting. Naturally, when they freeze over, the airflow stops and the fridge starts warming up. I've checked the seals and they look fine. I thawed the freezer out about a month ago and had to do so again yesterday. Googling suggest the defrost timer, heat exchanges and about 14 other parts related to the defrosting mechanisms. Is there any way that I can narrow down what I need? I know you can usually use an ohmeter to check electronic parts, and I own a multimeter, but I have no idea how. Help me goons, I can't afford a new fridge.
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Jul 28, 2009 16:01
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Heres my homemade 'spear gun' that I had asked some questions about here. Work's awesome on land, but so far haven't had a chance to test it out underwater. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5_vjtlBHdA
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Jul 28, 2009 19:49
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If theres wires right next to the bath/shower that are running up and down the wall can I sue my landlord? (UK)
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Jul 29, 2009 03:05
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spe posted:If theres wires right next to the bath/shower that are running up and down the wall can I sue my landlord? (UK) Doubtful. If there were unprotected junction boxes or fixtures (like that idiot who had a standard wall switch in his shower) then maybe. Wires themselves aren't even dangerous, as long as the sheathing is intact, but they should be stapled down every ~3ft to keep idiots from tugging on them and damaging the connections at the other end. Why would you want to sue your landlord, anyway? Looking to cash in and make an easy buck? I assume the wires were there when you rented the place initially.
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Jul 29, 2009 15:38
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I'm having issues with my electric stove in an apartment(USA) I just moved into. The stove heats up, but not nearly to the appropriate temperature(Oven maxes out at about 225F when set to 550F) Earlier today, I discovered that both the stove and laundry washer/electric dryer combo(also in the kitchen) run on the same 220V 60amp circuit. Unplugging the washer/dryer had no appreciable effect on the stove. Would this shared line explain my stove's underwhelming performance?
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Jul 29, 2009 16:15
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Zyste posted:I'm having issues with my electric stove in an apartment(USA) I just moved into. I'd say the heating elements are shot. It sounds unlikely that there is a problem with power or any outside force, just that the stove is in need of repair, but I'm no expert.
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Jul 29, 2009 16:25
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Dragyn posted:I'd say the heating elements are shot. It sounds unlikely that there is a problem with power or any outside force, just that the stove is in need of repair, but I'm no expert. I agree with this. If the washer/dryer is unplugged and the problem with the stove still occurs, then the problem is most likely the stove itself. Fixing a stove isn't out the of ballpark for a DIYer to handle, Google is your friend.
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Jul 29, 2009 16:37
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Dragyn posted:I'd say the heating elements are shot. It sounds unlikely that there is a problem with power or any outside force, just that the stove is in need of repair, but I'm no expert. I originally thought it might be just the stove itself(probably the heating element), but the oven and the stove-top burners all seem to operate at reduced outputs. It just seems like the whole unit isn't getting the full load from the outlet.
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Jul 29, 2009 17:06
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spe posted:If theres wires right next to the bath/shower that are running up and down the wall can I sue my landlord? (UK) How have you been injured/harmed that justifies suing someone? This isn't the USA, if something's wrong, ask, then tell him/her to put it right. Then threaten to report them, then report them. Unless you get shocked due to lovely non-standard wiring, you have no good reason to sue.
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Jul 29, 2009 17:35
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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. Would silicone sealant be a decent idea or something else? I was thinking a few daps of the stuff around the frame would be enough to keep it in place but also allow it to be replaced if I just want to cut the seal down the road.
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Jul 29, 2009 19:20
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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. Are you sure that the screen itself didn't have swivel-sliding tabs in the lower sides at one time, that have since fallen out? I've seen the tabs built into the screen, and ones built into the frame itself that pivoted. Possibly these are missing, and if so, you can get a replacement cheap at Lowes, or even maybe install new swivel ones in the windowframe yourself.
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Jul 29, 2009 21:06
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In the "bedroom" we're using as an office, we've masochistically placed the cats' litterbox in the closet, which is currently carpeted (as is the rest of the room). We have a bunch of leftover linoleum from either the kitchen or bathroom that I was planning on replacing the closet's portion of carpeting with. Here's my actual question: I'm assuming I'll have to pull out tack strips from the inside of the closet, and I've looked at various transition strips that should do what I want, but I'm not sure if I need to stretch the carpet's new border with some magical device, or if the transition strip handles that? I've been searching for a picture of what I'm talking about, but for some reason I cannot seem to find one, and I can't remember the actual name of the transition/threshold strip thing: it's a strip of metal that's intended to have carpet/pad on one side (there are hooks [tacks] built into the metal here) and linoleom on the other side. Before I go hacking holes in the floor, I figured I'd solicit advice from someone who may have actually done something similar. Part of my problem, I realize, is that I lack the vocabulary to properly describe what I'm talking about (at least, that's how it feels). I'd appreciate any ideas or pointers!
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Jul 29, 2009 21:10
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I have some projects where I need to stick metal to metal. A soldering iron doesn't work because everything need to be hot enough for that to happen. Is there something between a soldering iron and a welding torch I can use for small projects?
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Jul 30, 2009 01:45
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FamousThomas posted:I have some projects where I need to stick metal to metal. A soldering iron doesn't work because everything need to be hot enough for that to happen. Is there something between a soldering iron and a welding torch I can use for small projects? Brazing or silver soldering, usually with propane, MAPP, or air-acetylene. Also, almost everyone will recommend JB Weld for most metal-to-metal sticking duties.
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Jul 30, 2009 03:50
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My I have 3 left over mini fridges from dorm living, so we decided to use one of them as our beer/liquor fridge. This was working just fine until we had a party, and the fridge mysteriously stopped working. We would bring in another fridge, but the one we were using matches and the others don't. I suspect that the fridge just blew a fuse or something simple, has anyone ever changed the fuse on one of these? Is it worth the effort to try and fix it or should we just trash it/give it away?
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Jul 30, 2009 05:55
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Brazing or silver soldering, usually with propane, MAPP, or air-acetylene. I'll take the bait! JB Weld totally saved my laptop. The part the connects the LCD frameout to the hinge busted. Took it all apart, squirted in some JB weld, clamped it up, works like a champ still. It takes a LOT of pressure/movement and is holding up great.
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Jul 30, 2009 05:55
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Not Memorable posted:I'll take the bait! JB Weld totally saved my laptop. The part the connects the LCD frameout to the hinge busted. Took it all apart, squirted in some JB weld, clamped it up, works like a champ still. It takes a LOT of pressure/movement and is holding up great. HP DV9000 or zv5000 series? I did that too, then after that failed, I got a hinge off of ebay and made it fit.
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Jul 30, 2009 06:43
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Laminator posted:My I have 3 left over mini fridges from dorm living, so we decided to use one of them as our beer/liquor fridge. This was working just fine until we had a party, and the fridge mysteriously stopped working. We would bring in another fridge, but the one we were using matches and the others don't. I suspect that the fridge just blew a fuse or something simple, has anyone ever changed the fuse on one of these? Is it worth the effort to try and fix it or should we just trash it/give it away? Fridges are pretty simple devices and don't really need a fuse. Mini fridges are fairly cost-equal to fix, where it would cost as much to fix as to buy a new one. Still, there are some easy things to check. Plug it in and see if the compressor is running and the coils on the back get hot.
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Jul 30, 2009 15:56
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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. I agree with Sapper; it seems odd that they would make a unit that would just sit there. How do you install the screen? Silicone adhesive would work. Personally I would try superglue over RTV though; it's thinner and wouldn't be so obvious. Plus it works really well with tight spaces. Just be sure to clean all the surfaces regardless of what adhesive you use.
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Jul 30, 2009 16:25
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Brazing or silver soldering, usually with propane, MAPP, or air-acetylene. Thanks, if this JB Weld is as good as everyone claims it will probably be the best option. (I live in an apartment and welding is probably frowned upon) Thanks!
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Jul 30, 2009 19:39
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Also, almost everyone will recommend JB Weld for most metal-to-metal sticking duties. Is JB Weld conductive? The rear defroster (wire thing in/on glass) in my Expedition came unattached and I have been meaning to solder it back on. It would be much easier to just glue it - but will it conduct electricity?
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Jul 30, 2009 19:47
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nope, nonconductive, sorry. You need conductive epoxy. I'm pretty sure I've seen a tiny tube next to the register at autozone.
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Jul 30, 2009 19:52
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Vaporware posted:nope, nonconductive, sorry. You need conductive epoxy. I'm pretty sure I've seen a tiny tube next to the register at autozone. Figures - Google search reveals "Loctite - Rear Window Defogger Tab Adhesive". Apparently I'm not the only one...
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Jul 30, 2009 20:05
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I am very interested in starting a project. I'm thinking of painting an XBOX 360 controller in the design of George Harrison's Rocky Stratocaster. Before I spend the money, I'm wondering if anyone has had experience doing this type of stuff (mainly, preparing a plastic like the controller for painting). I just wanted to know if it is best to use a primer and if any particular ones are better, and if there are any paints/dayglo paints that are best for this type of material. This is my first time doing anything like this.
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Jul 31, 2009 23:39
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Absolut Mike posted:I am very interested in starting a project. I'm thinking of painting an XBOX 360 controller in the design of George Harrison's Rocky Stratocaster. First thing's first, the shell will be easiest to paint if you take out its innards. I don't have a 360, but look at the screws on the backside. Does it use regular Phillips screws, or does Microsoft use some security screw type?
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Aug 1, 2009 01:59
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kid sinister posted:First thing's first, the shell will be easiest to paint if you take out its innards. I don't have a 360, but look at the screws on the backside. Does it use regular Phillips screws, or does Microsoft use some security screw type? Google says it's a T8 secure (A t8 sized torx with a hole in the middle) As for coloring... there are plastic dyes. Would those be good?
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Aug 1, 2009 04:12
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kid sinister posted:First thing's first, the shell will be easiest to paint if you take out its innards. I don't have a 360, but look at the screws on the backside. Does it use regular Phillips screws, or does Microsoft use some security screw type? You know, I feel like a huge idiot for not being clear in my first post. I plan on doing this with a Rockband Stratocaster controller, not a regular 360 controller. When I had the idea on how to execute, I figured it would just be easier to do coats of the different layers of colors to create the unique look of the guitar, followed by a paint pen for the pickguard.
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Aug 1, 2009 04:20
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looks like I burned out my father's 26 gallon central pneumatic air compressor today while using an hvlp sprayer. The thing was really hot when I unplugged it. Any chance at trying to refurbish/fix it? I think the motor is toast/coated in dirt/paint and grim. Seems like a waste to get rid of the whole thing if I can just replace the motor. When I plug it in and turn it on nothing happens. Before I take it apart in an attempt to clean and lubricate it, any tips?
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Aug 1, 2009 23:13
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politicorific posted:looks like I burned out my father's 26 gallon central pneumatic air compressor today while using an hvlp sprayer. The thing was really hot when I unplugged it. 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.
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Aug 3, 2009 12:13
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politicorific posted:looks like I burned out my father's 26 gallon central pneumatic air compressor today while using an hvlp sprayer. The thing was really hot when I unplugged it. 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. A little Marvel Mystery Oil in the right places and you should be good to go.
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Aug 3, 2009 16:32
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My dog chewed up the cord of my girl friends hair straightener about half way along it. Is it safe to just cut it in half, strip the wire of the plastic insulation and then twist the wires together and then tape them seperately and them tape all the seperate cables together to make it water tight? If not how should I go about doing it? I don't want to sink $100 into fixing some stupid loving hair straightener.
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Aug 3, 2009 17:55
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Big Willy Style posted:My dog chewed up the cord of my girl friends hair straightener about half way along it. No, not for anything intended for use in the bathroom. Does it have a GFCI plug on the end? Electrical tape is a lovely insulator for cords by itself. All the movement in the cord quickly makes the adhesive come undone. Heat shrink tubing provides a tighter seal than tape anyways.
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Aug 3, 2009 20:06
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kid sinister posted:No, not for anything intended for use in the bathroom. Does it have a GFCI plug on the end? No it doesn't have a GFCI plug (I had to gis to see what they were). Never heard of them before (In australia so might be called something else) So if I use heat shrink tubing then it should be ok?
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Aug 3, 2009 20:13
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Big Willy Style posted:No it doesn't have a GFCI plug (I had to gis to see what they were). Never heard of them before (In australia so might be called something else) GFCI = Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. Basically, they protect the user from being electrocuted from shorts caused by water and other liquids. GFCIs come in 2 forms: plugs and sockets. US building code here says that all bathrooms, kitchens and other wet areas must have the sockets. However, it's also possible to build that protection into the plug itself. I know that hair dryers have them in the US, I didn't know about hair straighteners... Heat shrink tubing should help... to a point. If you just twist the wires together, they can always be pulled apart again, exposing the wires, simply by pulling hard enough on either end of the cable. A good fix for this is to crimp them together with a butt splice or crimp cap, a better fix would be to solder them together. Keep in mind that soldering requires a hot soldering iron. Now you're supposed to put the tubing on before soldering, so if you get the iron too close to the tubing, it could shrink before you want it to... Hey, wait a minute, can you take apart the case for the hair straightener? It might be easier and safer to replace the whole cord... I'd look in the hardware store under lamp repair, you might be able to find a cord complete with a molded plug already attached.
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Aug 3, 2009 20:32
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Water is leaking out from the bottom of my heat pump/fan in my house. I believe it is connected to the use of my air conditioner and the high humidity lately, as well as some kind of failure of a seal, valve or gasket. When my air conditioner (outside unit) runs, a slurping sound is heard coming from a white pvc pipe that runs indoors to the heat pump. Next to the pipe is a small hole (by design, it appears) which also drips water.  I had run a towel from that area to a red bucket, using the wicking action to redirect the water. What I didn't know is that 3 months of use had collected 3 inches of water (evidenced by the rust line) in the bottom of the unit, by the intake vent.  This water (3 gallons I removed) continued to slowly leak out and soak the carpeting in the adjacent room. That wall is inaccessible due to furniture placement, and I had assumed the mildewy smell was the result of living in a subdivision built on a swamp. My landlord's HVAC guy is unreachable, and he is the only one they'll deal with. My wife and I are leaving the state in 2 days to go to a wedding. The AC unit seems to otherwise run fine; there is no frost on its pipes and the air filter is fresh. My two questions: 1. When/if we get a hold of the guy, am I right in assuming this should be an easy fix? Unfortunately, we have a cat we are leaving at home (will be checked on, but this person cannot bring pets to their place), and we cannot leave the AC off. 2. If we can't get hold of him, would my ridiculous plan of using a fish-tank pump on a timer, with the output tube running to a nearby sink, be an okay solution?
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Aug 4, 2009 02:46
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I did a dumb thing today. In pushing a chair inside the house I'm moving into, I really scraped up the parquet floor. Now, this is a house I'm renting, so I don't care that much. I'm looking for the quick and dirty fix. The scrapes aren't deep, so if I could just get them the same color as the rest of the parquet, I think I'd be solid. In browsing the home depot and lowe's websites, it looks like they sell spray-on lacquer for like 6 bucks. Feasible? Again, I don't need it to look perfect. But there's a big beige gash where the chair scraped away the lacquer there before, and really I just want that to be the same color as the rest of the parquet.
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Aug 4, 2009 03:03
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The Aphasian posted:2. If we can't get hold of him, would my ridiculous plan of using a fish-tank pump on a timer, with the output tube running to a nearby sink, be an okay solution? Kaiser Bill posted:In browsing the home depot and lowe's websites, it looks like they sell spray-on lacquer for like 6 bucks. Feasible?
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Aug 4, 2009 04:29
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kid sinister posted:GFCI = Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. Basically, they protect the user from being electrocuted from shorts caused by water and other liquids. GFCIs come in 2 forms: plugs and sockets. US building code here says that all bathrooms, kitchens and other wet areas must have the sockets. However, it's also possible to build that protection into the plug itself. I know that hair dryers have them in the US, I didn't know about hair straighteners... All houses in Australia (at least I think) have a circuit breaker that cuts if there is a short. Had a leaking roof in our house and when we used a certain light switch (that the wiring for the light must have been contacting water or something) and the power would cut out every time we used it. I will look into opeing it up and putting in a whole new cord.
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Aug 4, 2009 09:39
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