Friday, February 28, 2014

Yet another wall mount tv with metal studs question

Yet another wall mount TV with metal studs question

Hi folks, After doing quite a bit of reading online, I have, of course, come to many different opinions about this subject. I have a Sharp 42 LCD TV that weighs 48lbs without the stand, and a Sanus VMSA (Silver) wall mount that extends up to 9.5 away from the wall, tilts, rotates, swivels, etc. The mount accomodates televisions between 30-50 and up to 150lbs in weight. The mount is approximately 28lbs in weight. We have metal studs here in our apartment building and 5/8 drywall. So working with a total of 76lbs of weight, I went to Toggler.com and used their tool that they have, and put in the following criteria: Application Type: Wall Mount Wall Type: 5/8 Drywall Weight: 701 to 800 lbs ( going with 10 times the weight for safety? ) Distance: 7 to 12 in Number of anchors: 8 Toggler says that the 3/16, 3/8, 1/4, and 1/2 will all work for this application. Fastenal only had 10 packs of the 1/4 available, so I have them on order. My idea is thus: The wall-mount bracket is about 12 tall with room for 4 anchors. I get a piece of 3/8 plywood cut to be 16 or 18 wide and make it tall enough so that I can put one extra anchor in to the stud below the wall plate, and two anchors above it, so 5 on each side, 10 total. I am going with the extra one above the wall mount instead of below because as I read this is where the most force and different kinds of force are being applied. The plywood would be mounted on the outside of the wall, as aesthetics are virtually irrelevant to us, we just want the tv up off the ground so our child doesnt pull it over on herself or try to climb the stand that is there. The result should be something like this (apologies for the mspaint): Some people have suggested cutting the drywall and inserting like.. a wood crossbeam or something (pardon my verbage, this is my first foray in to DIY anything save for computer and car stereo stuff) and then anchor to that. Others have explicity said the only way to do this is to take the wall apart and reinforce the steel studs with wooden ones that run the entire height of the steel one. That seems a bit excessive for 76lbs and a lot of advice seems to be from when plasma tvs weighed 120lbs themselves before the mount. So aside from 'is this ok?' my other question is, I noticed when drilling in to the wall to see how thick it was and so on, that the steel stud seems to be spaced away from it, not entire flush with the drywall. Is that normal? I thought it would have to be flush because of the drywall being anchored to the studs? Edit: The wall in question is the wall that partitions our living room from the second bedroom. There is nothing going to be mounted on it on the other side. unfortunately you have found the Achilles heel of steel studs, that being their not having much holding strength. I would go with at least 1/2 in ply and large enough size to have fasteners equal to the weight needed, no closer together than 4 in spacing on the fasteners. the togglers you are looking at are not rated for steel studs, don't plan on just drywall holding this load. you need to find a fastner rated for steel studs. life begins when the kids leave home and the dog dies Hello, Thank you for the quick reply. I think I understand what you are saying, however it confuses me because if you take a look at: http://www.toggler.com/pdf/toggle.pdf You will find: The SNAPTOGGLE anchor is a heavy-duty hollow-wall anchor for use in walls, ceilings, or floors of materials such as gypsum board, drywall with a steel stud In addition to that, still on the first page, within the UTLIMATE TENSILE PULL-OUT VALUES section, the BB Anchor (1/4-20 which is what I ordered) has two listings for 1/2 and 5/8 drywall with 25 gauge studs. Furthering my confusion, the 1/4-20 BB series anchors are listed here: Parts Express:TOGGLER BB 1/4-20 Heavy-Duty Wall Anchors w/Bolts 10 Pcs. as being good for up to 265lbs to anchor HDTV 'without studs' -- of course I plan on using the studs.. Hi there, I am coming across the exact situation you faced earlier in mounting a tv with metal studs. There is a 1 inch space between the 5/8 drywall and the metal stud. I wonder how this extended allocation of weight will affect the load capacity of the anchors. What did you finally decide on doing with your situation? Those snaptogglers seem strong enough on drywall alone, so I'm seriously thinking of just using them (well lots of them). How can there be a space between the drywall and the studs?The studs are there in part to hold the drywall.Drywall is not self supporting. At some point the drywall is attached to something maybe a stud you didn't look at.A stud that's there with nothing attached to it serves no real purpose unless it was placed there to hold some part of the plumbing etc. Suggest you get a stud finder and track down how this wall is built. the could have used hat channel which is an additional member run horizontally. It is used for sound isolation. There is also a Z channel as well. If that is the case, you could have problems since there is nothing directly behind the rock where the studs are except that channel. Not sure how far apart it was spaced though. One thing everybody needs to realize though is the stress on such an install is mostly shear and not tensile. That means the weight is pulling down and not away from the wall. That is a bad thing in the case of the channel added wall though because you are depending on the rock to support the bolts rather than the tension between the front of the wall system and the back of it (the stud). They can become loose as the rock is rubbed away from movement from any vibration. You cannot make that type of installation tight because you will break the rock. In such a situation, I would open the wall and install a board across the studs to fill the gap between the stud and the wall thick enough to set directly behind the rock. Then, I would use the togglers. It really won;t take as many as you think due to the type of stress involved. If this is an apartment, I would STRONGLY suggest landlord approval before any installation.

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Which liner for crawlspace?

My house is a front to back split. You walk in to the living room and the kitchen is to the right. Below it is a crawlspace. You can enter the crawlspace by walking down 6 steps to the den and there is an entrance in the wall. The crawlspace is about 12 ft x 32 ft x 3.5 ft high. The floor of the crawlspace is mostly an uneven very porous concrete. There are 3 vents to the outside. I want to close the vents up and put down a liner. Can I use a liner like this? eBay Store ? Triumph Global: Search results for. They are 20 mil pond liners so I should be able to crawl on them when I need to go in there and shut off the sprinkler for the winter. If these liners are not acceptable, can someone give me a link to liners that are. Thanks in advance. They will work. Just very costly. Any 6mil poly will work. Originally Posted by airman.1994 They will work. Just very costly. Any 6mil poly will work. Any links to someone who sells the 6 mil poly? Also, I do have to go in the crawlspace a few times a years to get to some valves so I need to make sure I can crawl on the liner w/o ripping it. Will the 6 mil poly stand up to that? You can get 6mil at any home store. Yes 6mil is fine for light traffic. You could always double it where you need to work. We use and recommend 20mil liners because we've seen and removed many a shredded 6mil and we are all for doing the job once and for good. The one in the pic looks fine however it doesn't seem to be UV coated so keep it away from sunlight as you work (keep and cut it in the garage for example). Sun is known to change the composition of the poly and make it a bit crumbly. Use mechanical fasteners rather than adhesives to attach it to the wall and mastic tape to close and seal the seams. However be extra careful and consult a pro if you have combustion appliances in that crawl space. You do not want to depressurize the space and there is the carbon monoxide concern. There are no appliances in there. The only thing in there is the sprinkler system valve that needs to be shut off every winter. What kind of mechanical fasteners do I use? How far apart do I place them? How high up the wall do I go? I assume the humidity does not come out from between the fasteners(which I thought it would). Where do I get the fasteners? What exactly are they called? Thanks We have never had a problem with 6 mil! 20 mil can triple the price! an easy way to install it is to pinch the VB between the wall and a furring strip. Go up the wall as high as the dirt on the out side. Always leave at least an inch under seal plate. I used a 6mil liner in both my crawl spaces wih dirt floors and it's worked out just fine. My insulation kept falling down due to the humidity. I re-insulated and put down the liners last year and no problems. I used heavy rocks all over to keep the liner down. I also do not have any vents. I would be careful putting any type of wood in there. OK, Home Depot has a roll of 6mil clear plastic that is 20x100. Will this do? Husky 6 Mil, 20 Ft. x 100 Ft. Clear Polyethylene Sheeting Roll - CFHK0620C at The Home Depot I can double it up so it is 20 x 50. The walls on the crawlspace are about 3.5 ft tall and are concrete. What is the best way to attach the liner to the concrete? I assume tape won't hold and neither will any corking or glue. There are no furring strips on the concrete. Thanks so much. Yes, that should do it. As for the concrete block I don't think you have to be too concerned in covering it all up with plastic. As long as you have some overlap and the dirt floor is completely covered and plastic weighted down you should be fine. 2-3 inches overlap is ok - get some long rocks or bricks and just lay them against the wall. Worked for me...

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Weedeater poulan not pumping fuel after primer bulb replaced fl1500

WeedEater (Poulan) not pumping fuel after primer bulb replaced FL1500

Was running fine until a split occured in the primer bulb. Removed the bulb and installed a new one. Now the bulb won't fill no matter how many times pressed. Is there an o-ring under the hold-down piece? Looks like a place for one and I think maybe I lost it. That would let air escape rather than pressure the tank, eh? I don't have a parts breakdown. Thanks for any help. Dixieflash No o-ring under it. If the bulb cracked, chances are high that the fuel lines have as well, which would cause your problem. Look at the lines inside the tank too. Cheese, I removed the tubes and closely inspected and pressure tested - no cracks or leaks. All I did was change the bulb. After it sits a day or so the bulb is about half full. Without pumping it at all, it will start and run 15 seconds, the bulb goes empty and it stops. Tried pumping the bulb when it begins fading but can't keep it going. ?? When not running, pumping the bulb does not fill it with fuel as it should. ??? Check valve in the tank cap is working. ??? The small tube is on the small, upper connection and ends just inside the tank. This is the pressure tube, right? The large tube fits on the larger connection and goes to the bottom of the tank and connects to the filter. Checked the filter - it is passing gas fine. I did not change anything but the dang bulb and here is how it acts. Used to crank in about 3 pulls and run a whole tank without missing. What the heck can be wrong? DF I don't know why, but something else happened at the same time. It sounds like your inlet screen filter in the carb is clogged. It's under the cover on the opposite side of the primer. Could it be that the lines are on backwards?? It can happen. Here is a diagram that might help. Have a good one. Geo Geogrubb, the primer section is on top of the carb, not separate as in your diagram. Not at home now but I think the carb is a Webco. Anyway, only two tubes involved. I did not change the tubes, only installed a new bulb. It appears that the bulb pushes air into the sealed tank and forces fuel up to the carb until all air is expelled from the carb and tubes. At least that's the way it used to work. Now pressing the bulb does not cause fuel to flow. The cap vent is working, the filter is on the tank bottom and is clean, the tubes are intact - no leaks-, no air or fuel leaks under the bulb, and the carb internal screen is clean and no water. The tank has no cracks, only the tube holes and the tubes appear to seal those to prevent air escape. Think the next step is to rig up a gravity feed tank and see if it will run. Anyone have other suggestions? Thx. Dixieflash Actually, the primer draws fuel through the carb and pumps it back to the tank to prime the carburetor (get rid of the air in the carb). If it is not doing that, gravity feeding or not, it won't work. You need to find the blockage, fuel line routing error, or air leak. I finally took the carb apart and although the internal fine-screen filter LOOKED clear, it was coated in a transparent film of some residue. I cleaned the screen and away she went. Friend told me that alcohol can form a clear-looking syrup and play havock with carbs and filters. Guess he was right. No more E gas for me! Thanks for your help. Dixieflash

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Viking Stove ignitor problem

When we bought our house it had a Viking stove (4 burner with griddle) so I am assuming it is about 9 yrs old, We already have replaced the oven ignitor. Now when I turn on the front left burner the ignitor on the right rear clicks and occasionally the front left ignites. The same thing happens if I turn on other burners - the rear left and the rear right click when the rear left is turned on..... Is this the ignitor module, switches...? How can I tell and is it a DYI? Thanks. Jay Hello Jay and Welcome to the Gas Appliances topic. You mentioned the oven igniter has been replaced. The info that is missing here is the date of the replacement. Oven igniter's due not normally effect the stove top sparkers. So if the oven igniter was just replaced, then suddenly as a result of replacing that oven igniter, the described condition with the sparkers occurred, that's one separate condition. The other is a separate condition, since top burner sparkers and the module that controls them, does not effect nor does it turn on an ovens glow igniter (HSI). If the issue is specific to the top burners only, then any info regarding the ovens HSI is irrelevant to the top burners sparkers and or there spark module control. Kindly use the reply button and clarify. Help us help you... Additional Advice and Information Here: Read the Range-Stove-Oven-Broiler Basic Help Informational Sticky Note, in this forums topic, for more detailed information. Range-Stove-Oven-Broiler Basic Help Information, Fault Codes Mfg's Web Site Links Range/Stove/Oven/Broiler Info, Leak Detection, Fault Codes, Fuel Conversion Links Retail appliance parts dealers can also help determine what the possible problem may be also. They will need the make, model an serial numbers. Appliance parts dealers are an excellent source for original replacement parts. Dealers are listed in the phone book under appliances. Be sure the electrical power and the gas supply to the appliance is turned off, before attempting any repairs. Always check for gas leaks whenever the appliance is moved and/or a repair includes any connection of a gas part. Thanks. Sorry to confuse things. The oven ignitor was done 2 yrs ago. Hello: Jay Each brand and some models within the brand operate slightly differently. Usually and more commonly, all top burner sparkers fire when any one knob is turned on. Some models only two sparkers active by one knob. Usually, the burner across from the other, side by side or back to front. Varies by mfg and model. I am inclined to suspect the burner that you're attempting to light does not ignite positively each time. You stated ...when I turn on the front left burner the igniter on the right rear clicks and occasionally the front left ignites. If any burner does not light quickly, that is not always an indication a sparker isn't operating properly, not operating at all, etc. More likely the specific slow to light burner is restricted through the ignition ports (holes up the side of the burner head) or at the burner flame holes/slots around the burner head. The above is simply a process of clean the slots/holes as described in the STICKY note: HERE

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trouble-installing-strand-woven-bamboo

Trouble installing strand woven bamboo

I am trying to install Strand Woven Bamboo flooring that I purchased from Simple floors. My pieces are a shy 1/2 thick, x 3 3/4 wide x 6' long. This stuff is very hard and dense. I am trying to nail it down with a Stanley Bostich MIII floor stapler but am having trouble with the tounge cracking where the staple goes in. This stapler has mainly been used to nail down 3/4 hardwood floors. I made a shoe spacer to adjust it to fit the thinner board. I am using about 70 psi pressure (any lower and staple doesnt go in enough). I am using 1 1/2 long staples that have a 1/2 crown. The staple is hitting right at the inside corner at the top of the tongue. So far I have about 25 square feet installed but concerned because of the damage to the tongue. The directions say to use a mechanical nailer adjusted for 5/8 thick flooring but dont get specific on a recommended nail gun. Does anybody have any recommendations? Thanks, Bamboo 1st timer I'm just deciding on colors for this type of flooring as well. I am waiting on samples from simplefloors as well. I'm interested in if you were able to resolve this or if you we just able to adjust your existing nailer. I have a cheaper brad finishing nailer and am wondering if i need to by a stapler. Thanks, Brian Wifey and I just got done with 3 rooms of regular horizontal bamboo, and we had no issues whatsoever there. Moving on to the next phase of our flooring adventure, we are installing Morningstar strand woven bamboo. 3 wide, 5/8 thick, carbonized color-- simply BEEE-U-Tifoool stuff! This is VERY heavy, VERY dense!!! I knew it would be different than the other bamboo floors, but I had no idea of the amount of time it would take to experiment and test everything out!!! Started out with the same finish nailer-- Porter Cable 16g angle-- works great for surface nailing as well as angle nailing thru the tongue where the PowerNailer flooring nailer wont fit (like next to a wall). I wont bore you with ALL of the details, but the regular finish nailers (straight or angle) didnt cut it-- the nails are too large of a gauge. Tried longer, shorter, higher PSI, lower PSI, nothing worked-- nails either didnt penetrate enough, or the flooring 'cratered', cracking and splintering around the nails. Switched to a brad nailer-- cheapie Campbell Hausfield or whatever it was didnt work, so I tried a Porter Cable, 18g. Tried different lengths of brad nails, tried different PSIs, and ended up doing fairly well with 135-140psi on the compressor and fine tuning the depth on the nailer and using 1 1/4 nails. On the tongue, we are using a PowerNailer, model 50p pneumatic-- long handle, short channel, if you are wondering. Works great on the flooring, once we got the PSI adjusted. We are seeing some cracking, but it runs along the grain, so to speak, and hasnt affected the fitment of the next pieces when tapped in place on the tongue, and it seems to hold securely-- I tried to tap a piece sideways a bit, that had been nailed down, and it didnt want to budge. Also tried pulling up a 'test' piece, and it was secure. Also, just to note-- when playing around and testing with different nails and nailers, its not a good idea to wait until you have already put 60-70 nails into a sample piece, and then try to remove it from the subfloor-- its amazing how much holding power 70 nails have when working as a team!!! Personally, I wouldnt think that a stapler would work well-- the strand woven stuff is just so dense, even some of the nails I tried on this stuff would come out at weird angles, having been bent or deflected within the flooring. Staples are an even smaller gauge than the nails I experimented with. You could try shimming the stapler just a bit more, to move the insertion point just a hair higher, above the tongue-- but not too high, or you can run the risk of getting too close to the surface. Might not show up immediately either, but after a few temp/humidity changes, and after some traffic, the staple placement might come into play. Brian-- we are doing our whole house in bamboos, and I picked up a PowerNailer on Craigslist for cheeeep! I highly suggest that you use a specialized flooring nailer or stapler, since this strand woven flooring is so dense-- its very unforgiving. I did some freehand tongue-nailiing with my finish nailer, but I wouldnt even think about trying to do more than 1-2 rows like that. Also, with the flooring from Simple Floors, its 6' long. Murphy's Law states that any and all very long flooring will be marred, marked, or otherwise damaged and need to be removed on the very last nail or staple installed. On the plus side, when its all installed-- it looks GREAT!!! Ive read these forums here for a bit, learned a few things along the way, and now I am giving advice-- strange how things change!!! I've got 750 sf of the carbonized strand woven from simple floors and start in on subfloor prep and layout this weekend. I'm a total novice and my preperations thus far have schooled me on how different this product will be to install than a 'typical' HW. I talked to enough people to realize that a standard flooring nailer available from HD or a local rental shop was not going to suffice for the density of this stuff. Unfortunately, the simple floors installation guide doesn't provide good specs on suggested equipment, but I found that Teragren.com makes a very similar product and actually has tested different nailers that they recommend. The Powernail 50p, Powernail 200, or Primatech Q550 are all nailers that I've heard will work well for this product. Since I haven't found anyplace that rents one of these, I am going to purchase one and then hope to sell it on ebay or craigslist when I'm done. Good Luck! I've got the same floor as well a year ago =) and i'm up for the second phase...might be considering the Handscraped one that simplefloors has...kind of unique and pretty. Regarding installing Strandwoven with a nail down application...i was told that it was better to do a complete glue down application...so I did. Glue down was a bit more work but certainly not as frustrating as with the nail down. Once that floor was in..it was all worth it!! Very hard floor!! Good luck with your install... Glue down installations are prone to alot more failures then nail down...... Originally Posted by HotinOKC Glue down installations are prone to alot more failures then nail down...... Depends what the substrate is. Gluedown failures are related to the installer. Nail down failures are related to the installer. If either are just winging it, lord help them. I too am about to undertake the installation of 700+ sq. feet of MorningStar, carbonized stranded bamboo. (3 3/4 by 5/8 thick, (19/64)) I have ordered the Powernailer model 50P. The flooring will be nailed to a 3/4 plywood sub floor over joists. What nail (it really is an L shaped cleat) lenght works best for this product using the Powernailer unit? I intend to use a 3/4 quarter round molding around the baseboard. What is the best nailer for fastening down the edges around the perimeter? Considering the hardness of the stranded bamboo and the comments it seems doubtful my finish nailer (16 ga. Poter Cable angle) will do it. What is the best filler for the surface nail holes that will not be covered by the quater round molding? Can I expect the surface nails to go in cleanly or will there be a difficult to hide gink in the finish? Finally, I have some left over pad (the type of thin, rubbery green stuff) left over from a Pergo job and am contemplating using this between the sub floor and the bamboo. The reason is to provide an extra layer of moisture barrier. Our crawl space can be very damp in the winter. Any thoughts on this. I do value the hard resonant feel and sound when you walk on a real hardwood floor, but on the other hand the sound deadening of the mat may be a plus. Comments? Getting ready get this done. Looking for Feedback on Strand Bamboo by Morning Star.(hoping some of you with Strand Bamboo will get an email alert)... I have about 900sqft that I plan to redo in November. Currently Looking at getting the following flooring from Lumber Liquidators: Qing Dragon Strand Bamboo Prefinished Natural Morning Star Bamboo: 9/16 x 3-3/4 Qing Dragon Strand Bamboo I have a sample of the exact product and it stands up WELL to my abuse. I also have a sample of the light colored non-stranded bamboo and it is SOFT as anything and will dent.... Any and All Feedback Appreciated. -Matti Nailed down several woven bamboo planks today with absolutely no problem: no cracked tongues, no bent nails, and no problem with nails sinking to just the right depth. The bamboo floors I'm installing are 9/16 inch solid Fossilized Strand Woven Bamboo from ****, advertised as quite simply the hardest wood floors in the world and has scored over 5000+ pounds on the Janka hardness test. I'm using an 18 gage Powernail Flex with 1.5 inch nails at 105 psi pressure. Believe me, these floors are EASY to install with the right tools! I called **** before starting my installation, and they advised me that nail down is by far the best method for these floors. I asked about floating and glue down installation and ***** assured me that nail down is far superior. I am considering installing strand bamboo on my own and using what most have had good luck with (powernail 50P flex) talking to the flooring sales rep and others it seems that the 18ga. cleat is the way to go. I ran into a planning snag when calling around for pricing on the powernailer tool when I spoke to a wholesaler who only sells to contractors but was willing to lend some advice and when he asked what my sub-floor was and I told him it was OSB he said it wouldn't work. Do I need to install a 3/8 sheet of plywood over the OSB or will the Cleat into the OSB be enough? the sales powernail sales rep said he felt that the flooring cleats would eventually pull out of the OSB. If that's the case I may end up gluing the floor instead.

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timing-belt-for-2000-camry

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Hi Does anyone know the right time to change the timing belt for a 2000 camry. Dealer says it is 60k, the book from toyota recommends at 90K. I asked for a quote and the price varies from $200 - 500 Is this something done outside the dealership TIA The right time is the day before it breaks and leaves you stranded. My dealer tends to recommend services which exceed Toyota's suggested intervals. While the dealer's recommendations may not harm the car - frequent transmission fluid changes, cabin air filters etc, they would put a severe strain on my wallet if I followed them. The dealer wants to make as much after sale money as possible. I believe that Toyota is conservative with their recommendations, and I follow them. I will probably have the timing belt replaced between 80 and 90 K. If you have a trusted independent mechanic / garage, they can change the belt, and probably at a better price. I believe that Toyota is conservative with their recommendations, and I follow them That’s not true, you have to understand the methodology behind the carmakers maintenance schedules. They arrive at the intervals based on maintenance cost of the vehicle. This something that is presented to prospective buyers so they evaluate cost of ownership. Longer intervals mean lower ownership cost compared to other vehicles. Long ago they used an ad campaign called Cheap to Keep.They only warranty the drive train for 60,000 miles after that it yours, their responsibility ends after that. They recommend 7500 mile oil changes, anybody in right mind wouldn’t wait that long for an oil change. 5000 miles is still to long. Generally accepted interval is 3000 miles. This interpretation in the owner’s manual defining normal and severe conditions got them in hot water. They instituted a special service campaign about “Oil Gelling” and oil change intervals. They are paying all the costs with de-slugging engines for certain years (yours is involved). It was determined that most vehicles fall under the severe schedule. There is a supplement (revised) for you maintenance schedule and it does list timing belt at 60k for severe conditions. First of all i am trying to avoid the dealership bcos of the cost. I was doing all my services at the dealership ,expecting to get better work for the money I pay. I refered my friend to this dealer I used to go and they did mistake when they changed the timing belt.put in a opposite direction or something like that. They fixed it and was telling that they are doing a favour and not charging him for that. First of all I dont know why the cost is so different b/n delaerships. and I dontknow anyone else who can do this work other than dealer Got another question , should I be doing the waterpump along with this. I was advised by one person to do this at the sametime bcos its more or less the same labour involved but one dealer told me that it is in 2 different location(belt and pump),so there is a lot of labour and quoted me $900 for both. I don't understand some of your abbreviations. Second maybe you need to find another dealer. We charge $200 parts and labor for a belt on a 4cyl, if water pump added costs about $430 total It cost more at the dealer because of training, certifications, nationwide warranty etc. Nobody has more experience on that make, latest updates, factory OEM parts. do u mind telling me where you work, $430 total sounds reasonable for me Don't get Toyman started on dealer service vs independent garage. Any competent garage can do it, but I defer to Toyman. If you're in NY I hear he even makes house calls. Do the water pump; the amount of extra labor to do it while the mechanic is in the vicinity is negligible, so basically the additional cost should be almost all parts. Somebody is on some serious drugs if they are trying to get $900 for a timing belt water pump job at least on a four cylinder. I've never done one of the 6's before, but I can't imagine the difference would be that significant if you have the V6. I got a 4 cylinder. One of the dealership around my neighbourhood told me that the labour is not exactly same to change timing belt and water pump. They told me that it is located in 2 different locations for this car , so equal amount of labour is required for both. They gave me a price of 795+tax ,so around 865. We charge an additional 1 hr for the pump. That takes into account removing the pump, thermostat and draining the coolant. We charge almost half what you were quoted, might be worth the 30 mile ride? Would be for me; I'd drive pretty far to save $400 on a repair.

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Taco 007f3 circulator will not run

Taco 007-F3 Circulator will not run

I have a 2 year old Honeywell R8182D Aquastat that seems to be functioning fine. Low is set to 160 and high is set to 180. Current temp is 180 and psi is at 20. My house is very cold = 46 degrees right now. SMall house 1000 sq ft and only one zone with base board heating that wont kick on. THe aquastat seems to be emmitting a buzzing noise that goes away when I turn power off. If I turn power back on the buzz comes back. The buzz is also directly related to the thermostat. If I dial the temp on the thermostat for the house down to 45 degrees, the buzz goes away. Lastly, if I crank the max temp up to 200 the boiler turns on. Seems like a bad circulator? Are those expensive to have fixed? Originally Posted by Meatball Seems like a bad circulator? Are those expensive to have fixed? With a voltmeter, see if you're getting 120V to the terminals of the circulator. If you are getting 120V, and the pump isn't running, then there is a problem with the pump. Replace it. If you are not getting 120V to the pump, then there is a problem with the controls, possibly the aquastat. If you have a multimeter, and know use it, you can troubleshoot to find the problem. Cost? A replacement pump should be around $100, plus labor, I think. You can Google to find out. Does your system have a flo-control valve? If so, you can crank open the valve and get some gravity flow until the problem is solved. Pictures would help. Doug Meatball, check first that you don't just have airlock in the circulator. I have Taco circulators on my system, and a while back I was getting no heat, the circulator had 120 volts so I figured it was locked up. I bought a new one locally for about $100 including gaskets. Changing it wasn't hard, there are valves on either side so the only water spilled was from the circulator and about a foot of pipe. The flanges are flat but the old gaskets were totally glued in place and it took a while to pry them loose and clean up the flanges. Then the new circulator did not circulate either! I then noticed that there is a hose **** just above the circulator so I opened that and air came out, then water. Immediately the heating water began to flow! I had had some work done on the system a few weeks before and evidently the air that got in then had collected in that circulator. So I am now out $100 but have a spare circulator and some experience. Good luck PS: The buzzing noise is probably the relay in the aquastat, this is common and OK. Rap on the side of the aquastat with a screwdriver handle and it will probably stop buzzing. I see you are in VT also, maybe you are close enough to get my old Taco. I would have to verify that it really is OK. The 180-160 settings are a little close, could cause short cycling. Try lowering the lo limit setting to 140*, and then see if your domestic hw is ok with that setting. Also, check for bleed valves on your convectors or radiators, on the baseboard convectors, they're on the elbows at one end of the baseboard. Some open with a square key, some with a straight screwdriver, some with a small adjustable wrench. You may have to purge the system. Tom Beer 4U2

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Squirrel camped out in gable vent

I have put up a screen on the attic side of my gable vent to keep out wildlife. I have a squirrel that has made a nest in the gable vent slats, on the outside of the screen. So technically, the squirrel is not in my attic, but is only seperated by a screen he could probably chew thru if tempted. I hear this guy scratching around and building his nest every morning. I always go check on him, he has never tried to come thru the screen. I've tried 'squirrel chasers', which are just expensive mothballs, he doesn't seem to mind them. I could try putting a screen on the outside-side of the gable vent, but it's very high, my ladder won't reach, and I'm not a fan of heights. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Hi bigdog, you answered your own question in my opinion. A screen on the outside of the vent would keep this little critter out, not to mention other squirrells/chipmunks in the future. I'm not a big fan of heights either man, but this is your best option. Even if you did get this squirrell out this time, Im sure down the road you'd have the same problem sooner or later. You may be able to rent a higher ladder at a tool rental store and have a buddy or someone come over to give you a hand - for a few beers of course. Just be sure to get the work done first. Good luck man, I know those squirrells can be a pain. Good thing for you at least you got the vent screened up on the inside or that squirrell would be ripping your attic apart by now. Jay Screen should be heavy mesh wire to prevent entry of squirrels and other rodents. Cut back any overhanging tree limbs 10 feet or more from structure. Squirrels frequently enter homes through gable vents. Make landscape less attractive to pests. Eliminate pet food dishes and bird feeders. If you insist on feeding birds, move feeders to the perimeter of the property. Garbage cans should be kept covered. Outdoor barbeques should be kept cleaned. Repellants will work only temporarily. Pests get use to them and ignore them. Once a squirrel has chewed its way into an attic or crawl space, the only practical recourse is trapping. Entrances should be sealed. Keep shrubs and trees trimmed back from structure. Seal all possible entries. Remove firewood that may be stacked against the building. Fill cracks in foundation walls. Squirrels are curious and even a tiny hole will attract them to chew through to see what's on the other side. I have been told that those high frequency sound repellers work well on squirrels, but I have never tried one. They may have them at a lumber store or a garden center. W.A. McCormick The EPA Consumer Reports state that there is no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of the sonic pest devices to repel household pests. Save your money. If you have no one to help you exclude squirrels from your structure, call an exterminator to check to make sure the gable vents are properly screened and to help with removal of squirrel nests and exterior exclusionary measures. Squirrels know that gable vents can be easy entry into a structure. Squirrels can jump 6 feet or more. So, cut back all overhanging branches on trees at least 10 feet back from structure.

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Should i use caulking or grout and what kind

Should I use caulking or grout and what kind?

Hi guys, My guest bathroom counter is starting to show some cracks, as is the bath tub. The last owner had some nice masonry work done and it is very high quality. I'm wondering if I should use fine colored grout to fill the cracks or use clear silicon caulking to seal it up? Any recommendations to either and which product to use? I want to do it right the first time. I can't tell if it was caulking that they used last time around but it is colored and fairly hard to the touch. Thanks for your expertise and advice -Cali-Girl Welcome to the forums. I'd go caulk in those areas. If you go to a tile store you should be able to get some caulking the same color as the grout. Grout won't last for very long in those joints. They need to be caulked. Since you have a white tub, you can use white silicone caulk at the tile/tub joint. On the back and side walls where 2 walls meet you should use a color matched caulk (same color as the grout). They make color matched caulk in non-sanded and sanded. Determine if you have sanded or non-sanded grout and then select the caulk to match the texture of the grout. As to the countertop, after removing the existing caulk you will have to evaluate the joint and determine if clear silicone caulk will work. If there is residue in the joint that you cannot remove, you may need to use a color matched caulk there as well. You'll want to keep this bead of caulk as thin as possible, for looks. Make sure remove all the grout and caulk in all the joints and clean them well prior to re caulking. What Johnny said, but I would use it in all joints. Color matched caulk, probably sanded. The grit helps hold it together. Unsanded is best in joints under 1/8, sanded in larger. Yours are on the line. Bill, it shouldnt make a difference if you use sanded or unsanded caulk. The 1/8 rule is for grout, not caulk. The purpose of sanded and non sanded caulk is to simply match the texture of the grout itself. Adding sand to caulk will not help the caulk hold anything together. The color matched caulks I use are from TEC. Both the sanded and non sanded caulks can be used in joints up to 1/2. Thanks Gentlemen. I took your advice and bought a tube of colored caulk to match the tile. Tonight starts the tedious process of removing the caulk...oh boy. I think this is a big project for me hah The store said that sanded caulk will crack more easily and to use regular texture to make it last longer What the others have said. Plus, make sure all your joints are DRY. Even if it means setting up a fan in the tub/vanity area overnight. Any moisture behind your new caulking will cause failure and/or mold to grow. I got colored caulk and white for around the tub. I used blue tape to make nice clean edges. It certainly wasn't simple, but here are the results. I am happy with it. I learned the key is remove the blue tape right away. Like within 5 mins. I waited a little to long on one edge and the caulk starts to dry and leaves a rougher edge near the tape. Nice job and thanks for posting the 'after' pics for us. Also, that 'remove the tape right away' trick you learned applies if you use it when painting as well. You're right Mitch, one of my guys started a cut in around some cabinets on Friday and was supposed to finish on Saturday. Something came up (always does) so he didn't get back until Monday. I gave him Frog tape to use to ensure he didn't get any on the wood cabinets. Well, as you would expect, it was cut and peel with fingernails time

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Hi, everybody, newbie here. I purchased a used Sanborn Magna-Force compressor off craigslist have a few questions. Model M109C400-20, belt-driven, oil lubed 2 cyl. single-stage aluminum(I think) pump. Very good cond. No owners manual. #1. What is the best oil to use - single wt. non-det. or synthetic? #2. How much oil does it hold? #3. There appears to be oil coming from the head block mating surface. Should there even be any oil there? The compressor pumps up quick seems to run well. #4. The tube from the head to the unloader valve is cracked leaking(one of the kids threw a toy on top of it bent the tube. Straightened it now it leaks) Can this be replaced with copper tubing compression fittings, or do I need to find the specific replacement? 1. 30 weight non-detergent motor oil available at most auto centers 2. Usually to the bottom of the filler opening or by dip stick or sight glass. 3. Should not leak there. Either tighten the bolts or replace the gasket just be careful not to strip the threads because I believe it is an aluminum pump. 4. Yes replace it with copper. Be careful not to kink it when you bend the tubing. Thanks, GregH. I'll get it done this weekend. Scott Hesson Cambridge, OH USA Greg, is there a difference between the 30 ND and specific compressor oil that is sold? I was told that compressor oil was formulated for maximum use, low drag, etc. Be safe, G G, I do not know if oil sold specifically as compressor oil will have the same additives as non-detergent. I do know that it was not long ago that compressor mfrs would recommend either their oil OR 30 weight non-detergent oil as a replacement. From my experience I know that compressor oil is very important but having serviced many, I also know that very few people actually change oil. I can't count the number of times I repaired a unit and had a hard time getting the oil out because it was darn thick......and, these repairs had nothing to do with worn bearings. If you are paying more for branded compressor oil my belief is it would have more to do with feeling good about it rather than compressor life. Frequency of oil change would do more to extend life.

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I need to find a way to have a shower curtain rod that retracts when not in use. I have a ceiling lift track going into the shower, so a shower curtain can't be there all the time so that the lift can get me in and out of the shower. Any ideas? Welcome to the forums! Is this a regular shower, oversized or a tub with shower? Would help to know some dimensions. Hi-thanks for the quick reply! I have a shower stall with a 40-inch opening, zero threshold, Corian walls. OK, would it be possible to place a tension shower rod on either side of the track body, making two separate curtains that you can draw together and, using magnets, keep closed while you are in the shower? The curtain would have to be extra long since it would be attached nearly at the ceiling. Not sure how the track body is configured. If you care to post a picture of the track mechanism on a site such as photobucket.com and give us the url we can see what you have and maybe give better answers. the tension rod thing is a neat idea, but I don't think it would work. I think the vibration from the lift sliding along with me hanging from it would shake it loose (I can't walk). I put two pix on photobucket - Pictures by chrishoec - Photobucket I am not sure what your budget is for this but a frameless glass shower door might work. I looked and the only one I could find that is wide enough is fairly costly. Click image: Image courtesy of homedepot.com I can think of a simple way if you don't mind repairing a section of wall next to the shower. You would insert a piece of galvanized pipe whose inside diameter is slightly greater then the outside diameter of a chrome shower rod. The shower rod would slide out of the wall and into a shower rod holder on the other side. A chrome escutcheon could be used where it slides into the wall. The pipe in the wall and shower rod should be at least a foot longer then the width. Actually you might want to put a stop in the pipe so the rod won't go all the way in. With a right angle drill this could be done with 2 maybe 3 8X4 holes in the existing wall. Welcome to the forum! Could you mount 1/2 a door hinge (plated) on a 2' long (to catch two studs) 1x4, painted. The other leaf on a 8x8 piece of plywood (3/4) with a 1-1/4 dowel mounted, that spans the opening just below the track. Dowel holds the shower curtain rings up to the ply, then a few screws for the last few rings. Weight the curtain across the bottom. A steel washer on the end of the dowel 1/4 away from the magnet mounted to the wall on the other side when closed. It would swing out against the wall until use then pull a cord and button from inside to close, and another to open it, run through eyelets on the ceiling. If too heavy, a short diagonal brace could be screwed to dowel/ply for extra support at an angle under it. Be safe, Gary Thanks for all the ideas. I'm still not sure what we're going to do, but it's good to have fresh approaches to think about! This might be too late, but I manage a construction company that specializes in barrier free living, and have installed numerous ceiling lift systems, we like the following option as our customers say it is easiest to use and for us it's the easiest to install. We use a retractable clothes line from our local RV dealer, use two receiver mounts one on the other side of the shower surround opposite wall from the line housing, used when taking a shower, the other mount on the inside wall of the shower (opposite corner from the retractable line housing, used when shower is not in use) it holds up with repeated use and doubles as a clothes line. We use metal closed shower curtain clips (the ones with out those silly roller balls) to attach the curtain. We also have mounted them lower for when care takers are the one doing the showering duty. Hope this helps, Cheers

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Thursday, February 27, 2014

Replacing hot water baseboard heating pic

Replacing Hot Water baseboard heating ( pic!)

Hey all. My heat this past winter has been horrible. Taking a look at the below pic might tell you why. Some of the newer slant fins i have in the same zone give off a ton more heat. Obviously, they need to be cleaned, but they are so horrible and old, better to replace. Question -- can I cut the pipe at the location in red, throw on a shark bite-- (do the same at the other end) and replace the entire unit -- cover and heating fins? I happened to like sharkbite fittings and they are rated to be installed in the walls and other inaccessible places. Some old school folks here might have a different opinion though. My experience with sharkbites is that you need to have a very good grip on the pipe that you want to slide the fitting onto and the fitting has to be lined up properly as well. If that pipe is loose under the subfloor you might have problems putting the fitting on it. The fittings are bulky and it looks like you will also need to cut a large hole in the tile so it would fit. Sharkbites do have their place... but personally I don't feel that this is it. As Diver has said, the two pipes to be joined must be in perfect alignment. If there is any force to the side, 'torsional force', the O-ring inside can be pushed to the side and the joint can leak. The ends of the pipes must be perfectly reamed and chamfered before inserting into the fitting. Even the smallest burr can damage the 0-ring ... and it will leak. Expansion and contraction of the copper pipes will put longitudinal stress on the fittings... which they should be able to handle... but well, I just would not have that warm fuzzy about it... Your intended location to install the SB fitting could have it drip...drip...dripping... into the floor joist area for a long time without it being noticed, and by then, wood rot and mold can have developed. If you DID opt to go the SB route anyway, I would say to use couplers on the horizontal section rather than an elbow at the end... cut the pipe about 3-4 on the horizontal away from the elbow and install new elements slightly shorter so that you have room for the fittings on the horizontal. HINT: Before cutting any pipes, PRE-CLEAN the pipe while it is still in place. Use some plumbers sandpaper and polish the pipe up real good BEFORE you cut it. This way you won't be trying to clean all that crud off there and have the pipe wriggling all around on you. Really though, there's no substitute for solder. I would just try cleaning those existing baseboards rather than replacing. You could refinish the metal surrounds. Brand new baseboards, if that dirty, would perform poorly. But to the question about cutting the pipe. I would drain and unsolder, and then re-solder the connections to the replacement baseboard. Why don't you cut it on the other side of the 90s. Basically just cut the element out, this way you won't have to put new 90s on the new element. You can get a couple shark bite couplings if you want and just replace the straight pieces and leave the 90s in place. Basically just cut it where the fins start on the element. Clean them, compressed air will make them look like new. compressed air will make them look like new. It will... but oh that cloud of dust! You'll be vacuuming and dusting for MONTHS to get rid of it! I understand that opinions on whether or not to replace them is not what you asked for, but I agree with those who suggested simply cleaning what you have. Some compressed ir will go a long way toward cleaning, and a pair of needle nose pliers will straighten the fins out. No doubt that they collect a lot of dust, so need to be cleaned periodically, but as far as inefficiency, I would start with cleaning all of the runs, but also make sure that furniture is placed far enough from the wall to allow the heat to circulate, and check the system itself, to make sure that it is bleeding air properly. I tend to think that cleaning should be the first option myself... if it can be done, ummm, cleanly... If one could devise some sort of low volume pressure washer, let's say an air compressor with a fitting that would draw some cleaning fluid, even plain water, into the air stream... and couple that with a good wet-dry shop vac... one could spray down the elements with a high pressure stream of wet air to keep the dust down, and suck it up with the vac as soon as it came out. Slide plastic sheeting up under the elements to protect the surrounding area. Even just a strong vacuum with a brush that fits between the fins would help tremendously. With that said though... I have to admit that when I purchased this home back in the last century that the baseboards were in similar condition as these apparently are... and I cut the whole mess out and replaced them all. So, I'm not one to talk...

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I've got a failed kitchen faucet, 4 hole type, single handle and a squirter. Very standard Moen faucet. I see in the instructions they provide a special tool for installing the thing. I need to take it out but am not replacing with a Moen. Is there a trick to removing that single nut or whatever it is so I can take out the old faucet easily? It's mounted to a typical dual sink stainless steel unit. I'm asking this question without having actually looked at the install since it is in a rental house. Thanks Much I'll take a guess that you are talking about the nut that goes on the threaded rod in the center of the faucet, if so and you don't have the Moen tool you will need a deep socket to get it off, best I can do, luck. Done. Basin wrench worked on the nut. Of course it took me 5 mins to get it off and 3 hours to get back on my feet :-) Gettin' much too old for this back-breaking crap. It was actually pretty easy to break loose since it was in only about 5 years. Crappy faucets these moen's, the actual spigot part rotted out, not the cartridge. Put an Am Standard in its place, life time warranty on it and it was less than 50 bucks. You poor guy. That must have been a battle, trying to get that to fit between the H C copper water lines coming down through that same hole. Next time, I'd go out and get the right sized nut driver, if the nut is say higher up the threads than say even a deep socket can go. Actually, the basin wrench worked well. From now on, Am Std faucets. Big plastic nut to hold in place, easy to put in, easy to take out. Replacing the bathroom faucet next week. The water in the house is from a well, tough on pipes and fixtures. [QUOTE=rmmagow;1648411]Done. Basin wrench worked on the nut. Of course it took me 5 mins to get it off and 3 hours to get back on my feet :-) Gettin' much too old for this back-breaking crap. It was actually pretty easy to break loose since it was in only about 5 years. Crappy faucets these moen's, the actual spigot part rotted out, not the cartridge. Put an Am Standard in its place, life time warranty on it and it was less than 50 bucks.[/QUOTE If you had the paper work for the Moen they are guaranteed for life also; the one I have in my house (20 yrs) I've never had any problems with getting parts free with a phone call.

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Question on durock underlayment installation creaking tiles

Question on durock underlayment installation - creaking tiles.

We recently had our bathroom floor tiled (Thursday). 12x12 tiles. It is creaking in many places when we walk on it, but not repeatably in most places. The contractors laid down 1/4 inch durock concrete underlayment over the existing floor. They did not lay it in thinset. (I didn't know you were supposed to until today, AFTER I read the info in your forums...) They did tape and mud the seams and screw it down to the existing floor. They used quick working thinset for the tiles, so they could grout the same day. They walked on the floor 1 1/2 hours after it was laid to grout a wall and do other work. Then they grouted the floor. We stayed off the floor and out of the room until today (Sunday). We have checked for hollow tiles, they all seem sound. We think the underlayment is what is creaking. We are concerned that there will be long term problems (cracked, popped tiles), but have no way to prove this. The contractor has not yet been paid. We feel the problem is the lack of thinset when laying the durock and that is causing the creaking. We need as much supporting info as possible for our meeting with the contractor. Any suggestions, advice or help would be appreciated. Thanks, Dan and Anne More info: We did download and print the installation instructions for durock, which does include setting the rock in thinset. We plan to show this to the contractor. There is also a very good video in the how-to section that shows the durock being set into thinset. The official durock installation guide is not disputable... Just my opinion, but if the subfloor was perfectly flat and the contractor used the correct fastener pattern, thinset under the cement board is probably not needed. However, floor squeaks under tile indicates some movement somewhere and that isn't good. Did anyone check the floor for squeaks before the tile went down? Hi Wayne, Thank you for the reply. The floor did not creak or groan before the tile was installed. We have been walking on it for 20+ years, and never noticed this sound, or anything like it before. We have now found one place that will creak on demand. It had linoleum on it before, and the durock is installed on top of that. Thanks again, Dan The purpose of the cbu is to give a flat surface to install your tile, not add support. Thus the instructions to embed it in thinset. The IF Wayne mentions covers a lot, and unless you are sure the substrate was perfectly flat, then the thinset is necessary. Dan, It is imperative to apply thinset under ALL tile backers, period. The installation was done wrong and should be re-done correctly. Next time please hire a tile setter to set tiles. No point in commenting about the other advise you received here. Jaz Hi All, Thank you for your replies - I was able to convince the installer of his error and he (and I) ripped up the newly installed floor, and reinstalled it correctly, thinsetting the durock (Hardyboard this time) to the subfloor, and then thinsetting the tile to the hardyboard. It came out great, no creaks or groans, feels solid. Thank you again - gave us the confidence to make this guy do it right. Actually, he was very nice about it and did not seem upset in doing it right. Dan and Anne No one is perfect but most good contractors will own up to their mistakes and make things right, regardless of whether they end up making money on the job. Glad you found an honest contractor. It hurts, but you gotta do things right. Got a call Monday from a client who had a marble fireplace front installed by one of my guys a couple of years ago. I did not get to inspect it like I should have during construction. Final job looked good. She said several of the 12x12 marble tiles was loose. I took a look and he had not moistened his cbu, had put his thinset way too thick (trying to correct a misalignment I guess) and used it too dry. It all had to come back down. Not a single piece of marble left any thinset on the cbu. Cost a lot in labor, but customer is pleased we are taking care of it.

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Just had a new garage built. Contractor used pre-primed striated cedar shingles. I thought great, one less coat to do. WRONG. Used light grey Sherwin Williams Super Paint- exterior latex satin finish. Had horrible tannin bleed through. Then I covered with a coat of Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Int/Ext Primer Sealer Stain-Killer(water clean-up). Looked OK, so the next day I put a top coat of the Sherwin Williams Super Paint. A week later I had horrible tannin bleed-through again! Question: What will really work to keep the tannin from bleeding through? Should I use BIN shellac based primer over all of the siding or just spot prime with it? Or not use that at all? What about Zinsser Cover Stain High Hide Oil-base Primer Sealer/Stain Killer over the entire siding? (Either alone, or after spot priming with BIN shellac-based primer? Many thanks for any help I can get, Chuck I usually use SWP's A-100 oil base primer on raw cedar. Apply a good solid coat of primer, let dry a few days and then you should be able to top coat with latex. I don't remember ever running across pre primed cedar but the method should be the same although I'm a little hesitant to recomend oil base over 3 coats of latex. Go back to SWP and explain the situation and they should be able to help you further. Originally Posted by ChuckR600 Should I use BIN shellac based primer over all of the siding or just spot prime with it? Or not use that at all? NO ON THE BIN. It is very quick dry, and absolutly not for exterior use. It will peel and flake at the very hint of expansion and contraction. A-100 exterior OIL primer from SW would have done the trick. The problem now is that you have painted wood. Excuse my french, but tannin bleed can be a real bit**. Its been a while since I dealt with it, but ask the manager. You may even call the 800 # on the back of your paint can. Ask for a product specialist and describe problem. They may have some solutions for you. good luck Thank you very much for the advise. The official response from the Sherwin Williams Ask the expert email help site at SW was: Tannins generally are water sensitive and when a water based coating is applied will draw out the tannins. We suggest a long drying alkyd coating like our A-100 Alkyd Primer. Once the primer has dried apply your latex topcoat. I will give it a go and pray for the best. Chuck Chuck Was the SWP expert aware that you had already applied 3 coats of latex? Originally Posted by marksr Chuck Was the SWP expert aware that you had already applied 3 coats of latex? He should have been, since I merely copied and pasted my problem from this site. I also went to the local SWP store. They suggested I should give the present coats of latex more time to thouroughly cure before aplying the oil primer. Realistically, I have no other choice now since it is now getting consistently less than 40 deg. and I need greater than 50 deg. for the primer and then more time for that to dry. I will give a follow-up in the spring. Thanks everyone, Chuck Well at least your siding is protected thru the winter. We expect to still be here in the spring so any time you need help .......... don't forget we have plenty of other topics to hopefully cover any diy advice you need.

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I recently got a new pair of glasses and like I have for the last 40 yrs, I paid extra for the photo gray. Used to be the photo gray was instant dark when you stepped outside and instant clear when you went inside. Both the new pair and the one it replaced [from 2 different stores] are instant dark but when you come inside it takes in the neighborhood of a half hour for them to go back to clear. I'd be interested in hearing from any members that wear the photo gray glasses and how theirs works. Today's glass lenses are a lot lighter than yesterdays but the photo grey option seems to have paid the price My daughter fits me with all the bells and whistles since I work in construction....Crizal scratch coating, polycarbonate shatter proof lenses, Titanium frames, and like you, Transitions. Mine take about 3 minutes or so to go back clear. You are right, lenses don't weigh anything nowadays. I'll ask her if there has been a change in the way they lighten/darken over the years. Interesting. I've ordered photogray/Transitions lenses for years, on both glass and polycarbonate lenses, and they've always taken a few minutes to darken or lighten up. My current Transitions lens are probably one year old, so I don't know if they've made any changes very recently. Used to be my photo gray lenses would take 1-3 minutes to go from light to dark or dark to light. Some pairs seemed to be better than others but nothing like my last 2 pair of glasses. It wouldn't be so bad but on a bright sunny day when you go in and out of the shop/barn and they don't lighten up for a long time - it's hard to see unless you have all the lights on I have two pairs of Transitions that I bought as part of a special and like you marksr it seems like they do take a while to clear up. Not maybe a half hour maybe around five minutes or so. One place I went to they had asked me had I been in the sun recently and I said no and asked why and the clerk said I am just asking because your glasses are still dark. Since I was in the place where I was going to buy my new pair of glasses I asked why and the clerk explained to me that over time the coating will stay dark all of the time. Actually I never noticed that much because the change was gradual over time. Still it is a shame for the price you pay to know the coating will do that. I first started wearing photo gray lenses in the early 70's and was immediately impressed! I don't know how many pairs of glasses I've bought in the last 40 yrs but I was always satisfied with the way the photo gray worked ..... until these last 2 pair. That is one reason I didn't go back to the shop that made my last pair. Over the yrs I've noticed minor differences in the different pair of glasses. Some just seemed to be better than others but they were all basically the same. I don't understand the big change in how the last 2 pair respond to light. The glass lenses in the last 2 pair weigh significantly less than any of my previous glasses, not sure how the reduced weight would cause the photo gray to be less effective...... if that's even related. Chinese counterfeits? . Ray - It is possible, but not probable. China is in a far different time zone and the glasses may not have had time to acclimate after the long flight due to the time difference (LOL). Dick Marksr, I think my first pair back in the late 70's were called Rinauld Reactomatics. Man, that's been a long time Before they had plastic lens, my photo grays with the glass lens would get really dark and take a good 10 minutes to lighten. My plastic lens photo grays hardly darken at all. Don't think I will pay for that option any more. You want them to darken fast??? Do like I did once and forget to remove them under a welding helmet Black is dark right??? I have since bought diopters for the helmet. I have used them for years. Started driving school bus and found that when you are bhind a windshield they do not work. Anyone else found that to be true. I still use glass lenses so I know it's not a problem with plastic. I've always been satisfied with how the photo gray option works except for the last 2 pair. I've never noticed any issue with them not darkening enough while driving..... but I've worn glasses since 3rd grade and have never had a pair of store bought sunglasses to compare them too. My wife thinks my glasses get too dark when I'm outside but it works for me. I just have issues with them staying too dark, too long, after I come inside Photochromatic lenses won't darken appreciably while you are driving. Sunlight is refracted through your windshield and does not react with the properties of the lenses. She also gets me sunglasses to wear while driving with the same prescription. I do have to remove my glasses for a minute or two if I enter a really dark building from outside, at least until they equalize. But that's better than having to keep up with clip on sunglasses You want them to darken fast??? Do like I did once and forget to remove them under a welding helmet Black is dark right??? I have since bought diopters for the helmet. Got a chuckle out of this post as it reminded me of my dad back when we use to service tanning beds (my parents owned a few stores and wholesaled beds and equipment). Everytime I'd fire up a bed to test, my dad's glasses would go instant dark. Would take his glasses a couple minutes to tame down. I tried them once about 10 years ago and haven't done it again. I had the problem Michael mentioned when driving (which I do a lot of ). Last few years have been using glasses with the magnetic clip-on's which I absolutely love.

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Old day and night furnace ignition issue

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I have an older home in Burbank, CA with a Day and Night furnace/AC system on the roof. We've been in the house many years and the system has been pretty reliable except for an intermittent ignition problem, usually when it's raining or damp out. I've had it serviced a few times, most recently the burners were cleaned and the gas valve was replaced. I have changed out the spark electrode and ignition module parts a few times over the years and that seemed to solve the issue for a season or two. Last weekend, in the middle of a few days of rainy weather (during a few dry hours) after the furnace wouldn't kick on all day, I went up on the roof and cleaned the electrode and metal that it arced to (which had rusted a little) with some steel wool. After I reassembled it and turned it back on, the spark looked fine and it lit right up. Unfortunately this morning it wouldn't come on until an hour after I'd turned it on, as I was walking out the door for work. I figure I'll go ahead and replace the ignition module and electrode again (see links) but I'm wondering what else I should look at? What would a pro do? Is this system just at the end of its life? I really don't want to spend 8-10k for a replacement, especially since we only use it for a few months of the year, but I would like to have heat when we want it - rain or shine. Take the cover off the burner compartment of the furnace. Obtain the model of the furnace off the rating plate in the burner compartment and post it here. Observe the sequence of events that occurs at the furnace when you turn up the thermostat and post that sequence of events in order and in detail. Thanks for the reply. Will do this w/e. I predict though, that because I'm watching it it will function just fine. I suppose what I need to know is 1) is the pilot lighting consistently when the thermo is turned on and 2) the time between the pilot igniting and the burners firing up (when the main gas valve opens). If the pilot fails to light sometimes, then changing out the electrode igniter modules may have an effect but if that's not the problem.... thermo-coupling needs to be changed? You need to relate ALL the things that happen in the ignition sequence. The more you leave out or the more vague you are, the less we can help. ..and I will do that asap but I can't get back up on the roof until Saturday at the earliest. In the meantime, I'm trying to understand what should happen and what might be wrong. Since I know very little about these systems, I'm hoping to learn a bit by asking questions. This morning it took a while but the heat did come on. I'm beginning to suspect that the temp sensor to the gas valve. It makes sense that when it's cold and damp it takes forever for it to finally realize the pilot is lit.... I usually turn the thermo low or even off overnight so on Saturday morning, I'll get up on the roof and open up the unit. Then, have my wife turn the thermo on while I observe the sequence of events. As predicted, it worked fine while I was watching but here's the info requested: Model #: Day and Night/Carrier 585B042100 YACR Link to pics of unit Observed at about 4pm, fairly warm afternoon (~65F) sun hitting unit: thermo in demand, switch turned to HEAT electrode starts sparking immediately but it takes about a minute for the pilot to ignite after pilot lights, spark stops immediately main gas valve opens 45 seconds later burners light blower comes on about 45 seconds later after running for a couple of minutes, switched moved from HEAT to OFF main gas valve shuts off immediately and burners go out blower stops about 30 seconds later After a few minutes I had my wife turn the switch to HEAT again. The above cycle repeated but the pilot lit much more quickly, in less than 30 seconds and the main gas valve opened in about 30 seconds. I suppose I needs to do this on a cold morning but I was surprised at how long it took the pilot to light the first time on a warm afternoon. I'm thinking that replacing the igniter components as I have done in the past will solve the issue. It looks like either the spark isn't hot enough to light on cold damp days or the gas flow to the pilot ignition is insufficient. I suppose the thermocouple could also take a long time to tell the main valve to open when it's cold so maybe replacing all three components (electronic ignition module, electrode, and thermocouple unit) would be the best bet. Opinions? You don't have a thermocouple, you have a Carrier 3-wire intermittent pilot burner assembly. On a call for heat the spark generator and the pilot gas valve are energized. The spark lights the gas and then it heats up a bi-metal (thermostatic) switch in the assembly that cuts off the spark first and then closes the circuit to the main gas valve. That you have such a long time between spark initiation and actual pilot flame tells me that you either have a leak in the pilot burner tubing OR the orifice in the pilot burner is semi-fouled and not allowing the full flow of pilot gas. Seattle Pioneer should respond with his take. He has way more experience with these than I. That unit has the 5 wire pick n hold gas control EF32CW183 and the 732 pilot assy. The pick and hold feature is part of the safety system so the gas can't possibly turn on if the pilot isn't lit. So first the pilot has to pick and then when the bi metal warms up and closes the circuit the gas control will hold and then come on. Due to the age of the unit, you have to pull the top cover off the unit and inspect the heat exchanger for cracks or holes. This is done by a pro who knows what to look for. carry on... The most common problem with a Carrier 3 wire pilot is that the pilot burner and pilot orifice are dirty and need to be cleaned. When dirty, sometimes the pilot wont light and you will see thge spark continuiong to work. More commonly the pilot lights but not the main burners. This is because a poor pilot flame wont get the bimetal temperature sensitive switch hot enough to turn on the main burners. Cleaning the pilot burner and orifice are routine maintenance that should be done once per year to avoid problems. Do that now and it's pretty likely you will be back in business. Thanks for your reply! I believe once the pilot lights, the burners fire up pretty quickly. It's been working fairly well lately. Seems the more we use it, the more reliable it gets. How should I clean the pilot burner? It appears to be pretty clean from the outside. Should I remove the pilot gas tube from the main valve and use a compressed air can to blow out the tube (from the valve end toward the burner end) ? To clean the pilot burner-- Remove the two screws that hold the pilot burner to the chassis. Gently bend the pilot tubing to bring the pilot tubing out so you can work on it. Use a wrench to loosen the brass fitting that holds the pilot tubing to the pilot burner then pull the pilot tubing from the pilot burner. The pilot orifice is at the end of the pilot tubing -- it may fall in your hand when you remove the pilot tubing. Clean the hole in the pilot tubing with a wire ferom a wire brush. Use aq wire brush and some air to clean out any debris from the pilot burner. Reassemble the pilot burner aqssembly. This is routine maintenance that should be done every year or two to avoid problems. The tube is easy to remove from he main gas valve, then I don't have to bend it to get to the pilot burner. I've done that in the past when changing out the electrode. Is that not recommended? By all means disconnect the pilot tubing at the gas valve if you prefer. I'd soap out the fitting when you reinstall it to be sure it's not leaking. Well, here I am again one year later with problems again. I did the routine cleaning as suggested and the pilot flame lights quickly and reliably but the main burners never fire up. So, either the sensor is not sending a signal to the main valve or the main valve is not responding. How can I determine which is the case? If it's the sensor, I can DIY as long as I can find the part. If it's the main valve (which was replaced only a few years ago and the previous one worked for 25+ years), I'd feel more comfortable having it done professionally. Go ahead and have a pro do it. The bi metal pilot may not be making, and that may be the reason the main valve won't open. You need to test for 24 volts at several locations to determine if the pilot safety isn't making all the way. Also, have him take the top of the unit off to inspect the heat exchanger for holes while he's there. OK, thanks for the reply. Service has been scheduled for Friday. I'll post the results. If anyone else should have other DIY test suggestions, I'm open to hearing them. I can always cancel for Friday... Unplug the pilot harness. Using a jumper, install into the yellow and green, after pilot lights remove jumper and install in the white and yellow. This will open the gas valve for burner gas. This will prove if it is the pilot or not I'd like to try that but I'm a little confused. Are you saying initially disconnect the white wire from the pilot until lit then connect the white and disconnect the green? Can you explain what each wire does? Most 3 wire pilots have molex plug. Separate the plug so the pilot is not connected. On the side you seperated the pilot from insert a jumper into the holes that feed the yellow and green wires. After the pilot lights remove jumper and insert in the holes for the yellow and white. Thermostat must be calling for heat. Green/yellow..normally closed. Yellow/white normally open if in doubt let the tech check Friday My system is old and doesn't use molex connectors but I think I understand now. What I am doing effectively simulates the correct action of the sensor. After disconnecting all 3 pilot wires, at the valve I jumper green/yellow for pilot ignition then open g/y but removing the jumper and close y/w with a jumper to activate main the valve. I could also check the circuit continuity with a meter of the pilot wires during the procedure. I should see green/yellow open and yellow/white closed after the pilot is lit, right? Do not jump at valve , I think this May be more difficult than I thought given you have no molex plug. Maybe wait for teach. I would hate to see damage caused. So, pro replaces gas valve ($$$). System works fine....but next morning doesn't light. He comes back. Pilot is not lighting reliably (it was before I called him). He adjust spark point. Once again, it works....until this morning when it won't light once again. He's due back here in 30 minutes. UPDATE: well, it's lighting again. I watched as he adjusted the ignition spark gap and tested ignition multiple times. So tomorrow, it it doesn't light again I'm thinking the spark isn't strong enough and I should change the ignition module. I said that to the tech but he didn't think it was necessary... I guess it's time to think about retiring this ~45 year old system ... Sounds like you have a parts changer? Oh well

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