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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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

I don't know how easy diesels are to start when cold... do you ever notice all the diesel trucks left idling in cold weather?

I'm sure there are strategies for starting small diesels and they should use a simpler fuel delivery system, including no ethanol. :lol:

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Gold
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Re: Entropy

Post by Gold »

Everything I read about diesel touts the ability to start cold as a feature. I notice that all the tech power for remote film and TV is diesel. Those generators are very quiet. You have to get right up on a 20KW to hear it. Since they are diesel trucks, using the same fuel is probably the first reason they use them.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

Diesels are good...

cold starting is not intrinsic and they probably tout it because it is a known weakness.

I suspect a professional diesel generator will be reliable.

Good luck, water and heat are good.

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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

Arghhh

I don't what it is about me and water leaks but found a new water puddle on my kitchen floor... Of course my first ASSumption was that my dishwasher leak wasn't really fixed, but noooo this time the leak was coming from under my sink. About 6 months ago I replaced the sink water sprayer and hose... The connection is only active when the sink water faucet is open and it wasn't leaking until just now. :oops: :oops: :oops:

I have been getting weaker with my increasing age, but this was just crazy... in less than 2 weeks, two different kitchen water connections leaking because they weren't tight enough. I was able to crank down both them significantly tighter.

I suspect the extremely cold weather snap contributed to these connections loosening up.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :lol:

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Re: Entropy

Post by Gold »

For a non plumber tightening a pipe isn't as easy as it sounds...I'm constantly amazed at how much skill event simplest things take to do right.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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Gold wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 5:19 pm For a non plumber tightening a pipe isn't as easy as it sounds...I'm constantly amazed at how much skill event simplest things take to do right.
It isn't rocket science, but the devil is in the details. Over the decades I have broken stuff by tightening it too tight, so have some bias to tighten just enough... but I think the thermal cycling due to cold weather loosened up some joints that weren't tight enough, by definition. If they leak, and they stop if you tighten them, they weren't tight enough. :oops:

Talking about tight, I still haven't been able to break loose the sacrificial anode in my water heater to check it... I even bought an impact wrench and still not broken loose. I need to get another human to hold the heater to keep it from moving since the breaker bar on the anode just turns the whole heater, with plumbing still attached, so not good.

I will pay a real plumber after I break something... I actually talked to my local plumber about replacing my front hose faucet that has the handle completely rotted off. If I try to unscrew the faucet I feel the whole pipe twisting, so I will pay a professional to replace it. If he breaks the pipe he can fix it. :lol:

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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

I have a mental picture of a lot of thread lock/seal on that anode.

Did you find anode "sacrifice" when you drained the heater? I've never changed one but we have relatively soft water in DFW.

I usually find the drip tube split as a cause of failure. We changed water heaters during the remodel in 2010. I've made a mental note to change it in 2020 regardless of whether it needs it or not.

Oh and beware of Chinese black iron pipe for natural gas.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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mediatechnology wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:07 am I have a mental picture of a lot of thread lock/seal on that anode.
From my research it is a very common problem.

The function of the sacrificial anode is to give up metal first protecting other metal parts exposed to the corrosive environment. My speculation that I have no proof of, is that the anode threaded top (looks like steel) perhaps reacts chemically with the steel water tank. Mine was all of 6 months on place and even an impact wrench didn't phase it.

Reportedly the manufacturers provide a massive enough sacrificial anode to survive the warranty period. I have yet to find anybody else who even tried to check/replace anode.

I suspect it would be cheap to make a plastic or nylon thread insert for the anode, but the anode must be electrically bonded to the steel tank so bare metal threads are cheap and easy.
Did you find anode "sacrifice" when you drained the heater? I've never changed one but we have relatively soft water in DFW.
yes the decayed anode is a source of sediment in the bottom of the water tank, my old water heater was definitely rusty, and eventually make electrical contact with the heating element, causing me to feel electric shocks from my hot water.
I usually find the drip tube split as a cause of failure. We changed water heaters during the remodel in 2010. I've made a mental note to change it in 2020 regardless of whether it needs it or not.
mine was clearly more than 10 years old... almost 30 years that I knew about. I suspect the anode was long gone. :oops: I guess the manufacturers have little motivation to make preservation of the heaters easier, as that would only reduce replacement sales. :roll:
Oh and beware of Chinese black iron pipe for natural gas.
OK... no black iron pipe... but no NG around my casa.

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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

The entropy level around casa Johnny definitely increased this weekend. 8-)

I finally replaced my squirrely wall oven that had a definite temperature regulation problem. Now for the first time in my memory all my kitchen appliances are the same color (black), since my childhood when the only color they came in was white. :lol:
====

My replacement rain gauge finally arrived to replace the old one that cracked during the first snow storm this year when freezing water did it's damage.

------
My foam outdoor faucet covers arrived and are installed.... (the day after the cold snap broke. :roll: )

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My pipe heater wrap (3' - 20W) arrived late, overnight temps aren't below freezing now. I need to pick up a short extension cord for it. Apparently they saved cost by using a short line cord.

JR

PS: I like technology advancement and 50 years or more have made improvements to wall oven technology. Besides having a temperature control that actually controls the temperature, I notice that the heat is better balanced between top and bottom racks inside the oven. Another difference is how long the oven holds temp after turned off... The old oven would cool off quickly and stop cooking, the new one keeps cooking the food left inside, so I have to stop doing that. I thought it was weird that electric wall ovens had efficiency ratings, but I guess insulation could make a difference in heat input required to hold temps. The cheaper ovens were not as heavy. A lot of weight is in the front door.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

First rain since my new rain gauge has been in place... Even new stuff gets better over even modest time passing. I can now easily read the rain accumulation from over 20' away.

======

Got the water pipe heater wrap installed, just in time for warm weather, so set for next 30 years. :lol:

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New oven works night and day better. I didn't realize how challenged my old oven was. :roll:

JR
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