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. »

emrr wrote:Someone hit my old car 2 years ago, their insurance wanted to pay me $200 and total the car. This points out what a sham insurance is, at the low end. I'm sure it works great for those who keep a new car, and pay the high insurance.
I've had mixed experience with car insurance. When I totaled my still almost brand new 93' mustang cobra into a guard rail with about 20k miles on it, the insurance company cut me a check for 90% or so what I paid for it new. That cobra model, was a limited edition and they could not find a single one for sale, to get a market price for it used. :oops:

But yes, I kept collision insurance on my current ride for years longer than it was practical before I figured it out.
Dishwasher is probably 20 years old, and I can't see the time to try troubleshooting. Appears to be a dead pump, and I'll bet the right part isn't out there anymore.
Very old story... when I was a young puke (teenager I repaired the family dishwasher, after the repairman told my mother it was a lost cause and she needed to buy a new one. It had a burned switch contact on a motor driven switch the operated a water valve solenoid. I noticed that the switch contact was a SPDT and the other throw was like new. I was able to remove the switch contact and flip it upside down and reinstall so the good side was making the electrical contact and it started working again. The repair guy was dissapointed when he came back to sell mom a new washer. :lol:
The roof is 2 story on the front, 3 on the back, and steep pitch. I don't even have a ladder that will reach a lot of it. When the time comes, I'm thinking about tin. I've done both tin and shingle replacements on other family members houses with low pitch and height.
Roofs should all be solar cells and perhaps hot water collectors. White in summer and black in winter... some day.
I'd like to say I had the time to take all of these on, but some it'll be more expedient to throw it in someone else's lap, and pay the bill.

Should be up to 74 on Wed, so hope to fire up the AC then. All new caps and new fan motor.
I figured out in the '70s that I could pay people to fix stuff, and that was often better use of my time/money. Time and money is not perfectly interchangeable but sometimes comes close enough. Often if I am doing something I really dislike, I am not effective doing it.

JR
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emrr
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Re: Entropy

Post by emrr »

JR. wrote:
Dishwasher is probably 20 years old, and I can't see the time to try troubleshooting. Appears to be a dead pump, and I'll bet the right part isn't out there anymore.
Very old story... when I was a young puke (teenager I repaired the family dishwasher, after the repairman told my mother it was a lost cause and she needed to buy a new one. It had a burned switch contact on a motor driven switch the operated a water valve solenoid. I noticed that the switch contact was a SPDT and the other throw was like new. I was able to remove the switch contact and flip it upside down and reinstall so the good side was making the electrical contact and it started working again. The repair guy was dissapointed when he came back to sell mom a new washer. :lol:

I figured out in the '70s that I could pay people to fix stuff, and that was often better use of my time/money. Time and money is not perfectly interchangeable but sometimes comes close enough. Often if I am doing something I really dislike, I am not effective doing it.
I should really have a look at the dishwasher.....and agree totally with your last statement. Already too many things I like working on to bother much with those I don't.
Best,

Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
emrr
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Re: Entropy

Post by emrr »

The AC appears fixed. Had to crank the heat up for awhile so I could tell. $250 for a fan motor and all the caps; hope it sticks.
Best,

Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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Doesn't it feel good, keeping the plates spinning on their sticks until the next one falls.

JR
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

Ethanol is pretty hard on rubber too. The internal fuel pickup may have leaks. I had one entropy after a re-build in less than a year. Now I almost always drain my gas when I get a break from sawing.

You remind me that I have work to do in the backyard...
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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I have started using a fuel additive called STAR TRON... it is not cheap and I am generally dismissive of such snake oil, but my small engine mechanic swears vehemently that the stuff works. I'll know better after a few years but, yes ethanol sucks... and the pukes in washington want to increase it to 15% in our fuel supply.

At 15% the gas stations need to buy new $100k pumps because the old pumps can't survive 15% ethanol...so much for our cars and small equipment motors.

Yes, best i can determine the ethanol not only messes with metal due to water hygroscopy, but messes with plastic and nonmetallic parts. The needle valve in my lawnmower carb that leaked, was composite, not metal.

JR
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

I've been using a stabilizer as well for the chainsaw, mowers and generator. My small-engine guy swears by it too.

One more tip to avoid entropy of garage door springs: The door guy swears that you need to oil the springs every month or so to keep one or more of the turns from developing friction, rusting together and snapping when opened or closed. He sells a lot of springs to people that don't oil them.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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Time for a new adventure...

A few days ago the water meter reader knocks on my door frantically and says, you've got a leak...the meter is spinning like crazy. I didn't react right away, but looking around my often wet yard, it was wetter than usual...

Yesterday I started searching for the leak.. after digging multiple holes trying to locate the leak, it finally revealed itself by a several square foot mound of grass that pumped up about 6" higher than the rest of my yard.

I was hoping to find a relatively easy to patch PVC pipe, but instead a rusty steel water line with a void at what looks like a junction about 20' from my meter.

Looks like I will make some plumber happy since I should probably have one replace the entire feed line, Good news is it's probably less than 100' long, bad news not my idea of DIY fun, so it'll cost me $$... At least I can call the plumber and tell him exactly what the problem is.

JR

PS: About 6 months ago I bought a water valve wrench to turn off my water at the meter to make some simple plumbing repairs, I didn't have a whole house cut off valve. Good thing that I had that water valve wrench handy now. I bought mine at Lowes, IMO every homeowner should have one.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

Well my water main is fixed after some adventure and exchange of miniature presidential portraits.

One adventure of the electrical nature, is I got a pretty strong 120v 60hz shock when I tried to get my basement sump pump to suck out the hole. I first thought the sump pump was seized up from not using it for several years, but it turns out the extension cord my neighbor loaned me was miswired with black to to the ground lug, and green to hot... I wonder who was trying to kill him?

Coincidentally the hasp on my screen door handle broke, so that stopped working too...

arghhh

JR
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emrr
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Re: Entropy

Post by emrr »

Sounds like a real party over there. I had a recording project start today, and my studio really hated the artist, and me. Almost had to scratch the session and rebook a different day. All little stupid things, piling up on one another. At least no one got stressed.
Best,

Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
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