Entropy

Relax in southern comfort on the east bank of the Mississippi. You're just around the corner from Beale Street and Sun Records. Watch the ducks, throw back a few and tell us what's on your mind.
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

Does Mcmaster Carr carry the odd hardware you were looking for..? not cheap but they carry a decent selection.
Wow they have a nice selection like Grainger but at about 1/2 the price.
I didn't go looking for the bolt but I did check their supply of AC run caps and the pricing was lots better than Grainger.
As readers of this thread know AC run caps in my HVAC make a frequent guest appearance here in entropy.

I bookmarked McMaster-Carr. https://www.mcmaster.com

Another fun place is WidgetCo: http://www.widgetco.com
WidgetCo stocked some very large corks that I needed to refurbish my Dad's ancient Thermos Bottle.

Fortunately we still have a few local True Value and Ace Hardware stores around.
Elliot's Hardware is a classic: http://www.elliottshardware.com/
Bush 43 went there to pickup some stuff at Elliots for the new house after he retired and they offered him a job as a greeter.
He didn't take them up on it instead opting to stay at home and paint cats.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

Today's budget repair, was another zero parts cost fix while I almost punted because the product was too cheap to fix. :lol:

It is one of those tiny 1/10th gram scales that are probably popular in the drug trade. I use it for measuring a concentrated artificial sweetener (sucralose). I cut it 1 gram to 100 grams of water, so need the 1/10th gram resolution (1 quart of water is about 800 grams so a +/- 1 gram scale is too crude).

The scales are cheap. I think this was free with an order of beer supplies several years ago, and still working on the original batteries. I also use it for measuring hops for my beer making, and both the mode switch and on/off switch stopped working. The on/off is no big deal because it turns itself off eventually but I use the mode switch to toggle between ounces for measuring hops and grams for mixing sweetener. I guess i could figure how many grams make an ounce. :lol:

The problem was some cheap tact switches that apparently got corrupted. I was apprehensive about spraying the board with solvent because that might screw with the LCD connector that is simple pressure contact. A little more labor intensive but I unsoldered all three switches and soaked them in rubbing alcohol... blew them out with lung pressure, re-assembled, and presto back to full functionality. 8-)

JR

PS: I will probably buy a replacement JIC
[edit- found some cheap enough AAA at the local dollar store.. 4 for $2 still not very cheap but best I've seen lately for low qty. now I have two working 1/10 Gram scales.
[edit2- even with new batteries that measure 1.6V the display indicates lo... so bye bye... [/edit]
Last edited by JR. on Sat Aug 26, 2017 11:21 am, edited 2 times in total.
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

Last Wednesday at 3:15 AM I discovered the air conditioning had failed.
My almost-annual motor run capacitor replacement took about 45 minutes so by 4 AM it was running again.
This time a lizard had shorted out all the terminals and both capacitors sections were open.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

You must be getting good at fixing that.... :lol:

Never a good time of day for equipment failures.

JR
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

Fortunately the compressor is under a light.

I'm finally going to install that better polypropylene 60K hr unit and hope the lizard doesn't visit it.
I need a 2" capacitor clamp though.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

and a lizard screen.... what scares lizards?

Bigger lizards? :roll:

JR
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

We do have a family of owls living here. I think the lizard may have been hiding.

The box is sealed except for the thermostat wiring entry. I suppose I should seal it.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

In a classic I jinxed it by mentioning it, my newly repaired small scale now indicates LO battery.

New batteries (AAA) will probably cost about the same as a new scale. :lol:

JR
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

Leaks are bad Feng Shui.
My house was bleeding to death.
This week I had the 63 year-old master bath shower faucet valves rebuilt.
That was the one system we didn't remodel.

I remembered from the time I was 17 or 18 using the shower and noticing a peculiar "non-monotonic" property of the hot water valve.
As the hot valve was opened slightly the water got cooler before it got hotter.

Recently the valves had started leaking inside the wall and it was time to get them repaired pronto.
My contractor pulled the stems and seats to replace them.

One stem had been leaking past the outer threads so it was dripping when off.
As I was looking at one stem I noticed that the flat, washer end, was slightly bent.
As it was adjusted it wobbled a few degrees.
That explains its decades-old "non-monotonic" behavior and why it devoured washers.

Looks like those stems and seats had been in there for 63 years and it also explains my Dad's huge stash of replacement washers.
It's nice turning the valves off and actually have the water stop.

The plumbing repairs were Wednesday...

Today, Friday, I was blessed with the gas clothes dryer igniter failure.
I had a replacement in stock and had it going in a few minutes.

Since July 7th Ive had to deal with the following:

1) Broken mower wheel bolt
2) Air conditioner capacitor failure from a lizard
3) Shower faucet stems leaking
4) Dryer igniter failure.
5) Several downed (previously standing dead) trees in the woods blocking trails.

Before the summer is up I have a sprinkler head to replace.
As we work we have to deal with lots of very aggressive mosquitoes.

Bought a new air conditioner condenser blower motor just-in-case.
Other than the one lizard episode there's got to be a reason why it eats run capacitors.
The only thing left is the condenser fan motor.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

mediatechnology wrote: Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:33 pm Leaks are bad Feng Shui.
My house was bleeding to death.
This week I had the 63 year-old master bath shower faucet valves rebuilt.
That was the one system we didn't remodel.

I remembered from the time I was 17 or 18 using the shower and noticing a peculiar "non-monotonic" property of the hot water valve.
As the hot valve was opened slightly the water got cooler before it got hotter.

Recently the valves had started leaking inside the wall and it was time to get them repaired pronto.
My contractor pulled the stems and seats to replace them.
Even small interior water leaks over time can lead to black mold, really bad news.
One stem had been leaking past the outer threads so it was dripping when off.
As I was looking at one stem I noticed that the flat, washer end, was slightly bent.
As it was adjusted it wobbled a few degrees.
That explains its decades-old "non-monotonic" behavior and why it devoured washers.
I had to make my own washer when my old water heater flush valve wouldn't close and I couldn't find a standard washer that fit the cheapo valve... When I replaced that water heater recently after the heating element started shocking me, I had the plumber put a good quality valve on the new one, instead of the cheap POS they ship with.
Looks like those stems and seats had been in there for 63 years and it also explains my Dad's huge stash of replacement washers.
It's nice turning the valves off and actually have the water stop.

The plumbing repairs were Wednesday...

Today, Friday, I was blessed with the gas clothes dryer igniter failure.
I had a replacement in stock and had it going in a few minutes.
ever wonder how the less handy populations manage?
Since July 7th Ive had to deal with the following:

1) Broken mower wheel bolt
2) Air conditioner capacitor failure from a lizard
3) Shower faucet stems leaking
4) Dryer igniter failure.
5) Several downed (previously standing dead) trees in the woods blocking trails.


Before the summer is up I have a sprinkler head to replace.
As we work we have to deal with lots of very aggressive mosquitoes.

Bought a new air conditioner condenser blower motor just-in-case.
Other than the one lizard episode there's got to be a reason why it eats run capacitors.
The only thing left is the condenser fan motor.
Last weekend I climbed up on my roof to patch a leak.... (again). The roofing asphalt I used a few years ago had separated and was leaking again. Roof only leaks when wind was blowing in the right (wrong) direction. This time I used a more robust patch, 6" wide thick tape, with more roofing asphalt around it. In hindsight climbing up on my roof, mid-day, mid-august, in mid-MS was not smart... must have been 150'+ by the time I finished :o . Almost had burn blisters on both hands and my butt.

Good luck keeping all the plates spinning.

JR
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