Entropy

[JR.]

Replaced the handle so now back in full "safe to use" service.

While I had it apart I repaired another feature that stopped working some time ago... The spark kill when choked full up stopped working around a year ago. I found a loose wire that when snapped back in place, kills the spark with choke lever position.

Now better than before it broke and like new.

JR

[JR.]

I started to write this up for the too cheap to fix thread...
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Not sure whether this should be in entropy thread, but lately my mouse left button has become balky, intermittent. For a while I have been suspicious of operating system conflicts, but a different mouse works perfectly.

Man I am cheaper than I thought.... the going price these days for a mouse is $7-$8 from all the obvious suspects. I was thinking more like $3

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OK found the exact tact switch (I think) for $0.40 from digikey.

I expect shipping cost will exceed parts cost...

I was tempted to swap left and right button switches, but nah....

[edit- I remember thinking I was getting old when I ran my first BIC ball point pen out of ink.. Now I wore out a mouse button... /edit]

JR

[JR.]

I am working on a new experiment to make a beer bottle washer that is both robust and doesn't spray water when you first open the water faucet (it uses water pressure to close the spray valve.)

The nice valve seems to only last about one year (the spring that closes it fatigues). The old crude washer works forever (decades already) but sprays water.

I just purchased a 3/4" check valve... My plan is to connect this between sprayer and faucet. If this maintains water pressure even when faucet it turned off, it shouldn't spray water when turned on again.

Relatively cheap check valve, but then I had to add adapters to convert between NPT and GH threads. Note this is a real check valve, not the cheap garden hose vacuum break check valves that just let the hose water drain out, but not back into the water system.

This is probably more expensive than it is worth... I could just replace with new every year or so...

JR

[JR.]

replacement tact switches arrived this morning and mouse is already fixed....

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I finally heard back from the beer bottle washer company with the puny springs... he asked for my address, so we'll see if they ever fixed that design.

JR

[JR.]

I just re-strung my branch cutter with a stronger cord... The previous replacement cord was too small (puny).

JR

[AnalogJoe]

replacement tact switches arrived this morning and mouse is already fixed....

How much did you end up paying including shipping?

[JR.]

I bought some other items at same time (like batteries to make more drum tuners, @4 ea.) so not fair comparison.

IIRC the tact switches were around $0.40 ea... I bought 5 so I have spares for next time.

Shipped first class mail USPS so only a few $...

JR

PS; Mouse works fine

[JR.]

I am working on a new experiment to make a beer bottle washer that is both robust and doesn't spray water when you first open the water faucet (it uses water pressure to close the spray valve.)

The nice valve seems to only last about one year (the spring that closes it fatigues). The old crude washer works forever (decades already) but sprays water.

I just purchased a 3/4" check valve... My plan is to connect this between sprayer and faucet. If this maintains water pressure even when faucet it turned off, it shouldn't spray water when turned on again.

Relatively cheap check valve, but then I had to add adapters to convert between NPT and GH threads. Note this is a real check valve, not the cheap garden hose vacuum break check valves that just let the hose water drain out, but not back into the water system.

This is probably more expensive than it is worth... I could just replace with new every year or so...

JR

OK not very fast but finally got all the parts in...

The old technology bottle washer is robust, but has the bad habit of spraying water across the room when water is first turned on. For years I left a coffee cup sitting on top of it to catch that initial spray. The new improved bottle washer doesn't spray, but has a spring that lasts less than one year of my typical use.

I already have a relationship with their customer service and they just sent me another replacement for the next time it breaks.

My inner inventor decided to see if a back flow preventer could keep the old school bottle washer charged and prevent the undesirable initial spray. The 3/4" back flow preventer uses NPT threads, but sink and bottle washer use garden hose threads so I had to source adapter fittings for top and bottom. While a good plan on paper (ignoring parts cost), reality disagreed. The old school bottle washer when off is not sealed but has a slight drip... this drip is just enough to release the back pressure and defeat preventing the turn on spritz... So a failure, but I am a little smarter now, about what doesn't work.

JR

[JR.]

Interesting fail and repair... today is my once a week shopping day and one of the elastic bands on my only n95 mask frayed and pulled out of the staple attachment.

Easy repair to re-crimp the elastic.

JR

[JR.]

I don't want to jinx this but the connection between lamp filament (electrodes) and socket base for my 6W UV lamp has been intermittent for months. I have been able to get the lamp to start when balking by wiggling it. After a few months of doing this I decided to take it apart and dig deeper... The wire tails coming from the lamp glass tube are not soldered or crimped, just slid into the hollow metal lamp base pins (I couldn't even get the leads to take solder). One of the wires was bent and not fully resting inside the hollow pin. I guess the plan is to bend enough of a kink into the stiff wires to make contact with the sides of the hollow metal base pins.

It is working again (for now). This lamp has a lot of hours on it so not crazy to replace it. I may even have a spare laying around.

JR

PS: I use this lamp maybe once a week to sanitize my beer brewing vessels.