Random Unthreadworthy Questions

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Originally Posted by old goat

So what you're saying is--if you can't run over Timmy with the car in Park and you can't flood the engine, there is no reason for your foot to be on the brake (or the gas). It would be a good idea if you couldn't shift out of park unless your foot is on the brake though. I can't remember if that is the case but I'll have to check next time I drive.


A small purse.

Why do phone numbers need punctuation? Why do so many sites require dashes or occasionally parentheses? What's wrong with spaces (like Europe) or just run all the numbers together. I'm sure there's a highly technical reason. Enlighten me.

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I am fine with () and dashes, or even spaces- 987 555 1234 but the numbers all running together is hard to dial if you can't remember all 10 numbers (and have to dial area code for all numbers like we have now- no more 7 digit dialing). I have one form that does not put any spaces, dashes or even the brackets around the area code and my misdialing of the numbers when calling is much higher as I look back and forth to the phone and the printed number... Just a lazy programmer that did that...

My problem is that while I can type letters without looking at the keyboard when it comes to punctuation I have to look and my keyboard is nearly unreadable, whether lit or not. And on a phone it means toggling. I'm good with just spaces.

When I shut my freezer, why is it way harder to open if I try to get inside a few seconds later?


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Originally Posted by jm2e

When I shut my freezer, why is it way harder to open if I try to get inside a few seconds later?


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You can fit inside your freezer???

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Originally Posted by jm2e

When I shut my freezer, why is it way harder to open if I try to get inside a few seconds later?


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PV = nrT

Anyone here running an indoor air purifier? Salty can get a little nasty in the winter, and last year I developed a light cough when the inversion was real bad. Hoping to get something that can clean that up.
Should I get one for the main room and a small one for the bedroom? Its a small 1 bed apartment but idk if one unit would circulate enough air?

We have one in our bedroom. It helps with my allergies.

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Originally Posted by jm[emoji638

e;[emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji637][emoji6[emoji640][emoji637]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]][emoji6[emoji640][emoji637]][emoji637][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]When I shut my freezer, why is it way harder to open if I try to get inside a few seconds later?


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I always figured it’s because I just replaced some dense cold air with some warm air that gets rapidly cooled, creating negative pressure inside the freezer, and that the seal is just good enough that it will equalize in a few minutes but not a few seconds.

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Originally Posted by Yukonrider

Anyone here running an indoor air purifier? Salty can get a little nasty in the winter, and last year I developed a light cough when the inversion was real bad. Hoping to get something that can clean that up.
Should I get one for the main room and a small one for the bedroom? Its a small 1 bed apartment but idk if one unit would circulate enough air?

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Everyone in the PNW has these for forest fire smoke now. They have ratings for how much square footage they cover, as long as it's big enough for your whole apartment, maybe start with one. Put it in the main room and use a fan in your bedroom to circulate air. If that doesn't cut it, then add a bedroom unit. Lots of info online about Mcguyver air filters made from furnace filters and box fans. Those work too but a little clunky.

One other thing: if you can access your HVAC filters, put the highest-rated filters you can get in there when air quality is bad. That will help too.

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Originally Posted by dan_pdx

Everyone in the PNW has these for forest fire smoke now. They have ratings for how much square footage they cover, as long as it's big enough for your whole apartment, maybe start with one. Put it in the main room and use a fan in your bedroom to circulate air. If that doesn't cut it, then add a bedroom unit. Lots of info online about Mcguyver air filters made from furnace filters and box fans. Those work too but a little clunky.

One other thing: if you can access your HVAC filters, put the highest-rated filters you can get in there when air quality is bad. That will help too.

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But make sure your furnace can handle a MERV 13 filter. Run the fan continuously. And change monthly. The last time we had bad smoke a MERV 11 seemed adequate, at least as far as my five senses could tell.

We have one of those levoit air purifiers. My wife says it makes a difference for her allergies. I just like the white noise.

We also have our HVAC set to run some percentage of the time and run highest quality filters we can.

We don’t typically have too much of a problem with air quality around here unless smoke from your forest fires makes it this far east, but for allergens and stuff it seems to all help.

At what point do you carry liability only on a kid’s car? My 18yo has had a couple accidents and now comprehensive and collision coverage on her (at most) $8k vehicle is $1k every 6mo with a $1k deductible.

She’s currently on her mom’s policy, at a similar cost and the same deductible. She just had somebody back into her in a parking lot; unfortunately she was in it at the time, so no fault rules apply (MI). Gave her car a nice little crease that she’s not going to get fixed. Well, then why carry full coverage? And $2k per year for an $8k car seems just silly. Break even on depreciation and savings to carry crash and burn only feels like it’s about 18 months away.

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Originally Posted by Mustonen

At what point do you carry liability only on a kid’s car? My 18yo has had a couple accidents and now comprehensive and collision coverage on her (at most) $8k vehicle is $1k every 6mo with a $1k deductible.

She’s currently on her mom’s policy, at a similar cost and the same deductible. She had somebody back into her in a parking lot; unfortunately she was in it at the time, so no fault rules apply (MI). Gave her car a nice little crease that she’s not going to get fixed. Well, then why carry full coverage? And $2k per year for an $8k car seems just silly. Break even on depreciation and savings to carry crash and burn only feels like it’s about 18 months away.

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Sounds like now.

My kid was driving my 87 4Runner with only liability past a Ryder lot when a Ryder employer turned a truck right into the lot from the second lane and hit him in the curb lane. Their insurance totaled the SUV, gave us 2000, and let us keep the very driveable vehicle.

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Originally Posted by Mustonen

We have one of those levoit air purifiers. My wife says it makes a difference for her allergies. I just like the white noise.

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We have had a Levoite for years, it's gotten us (or so I thought) through countless smoke and pollution days here in SLC. Last week I opened it up to see the filter was in a plastic bag to be removed upon purchase. It hasn't been doing a damn thing for us, ha. The Merv 13 filter on our furnace must have been doing a good job because my indoor air monitor rarely shows bad air indoors, but STILL, fack me!

that's pretty funny.

My wife got an irobot vacuum which is supposed to self empty into a bag in the base station. Except she never opened the sliding panel that closes off the bag. The whole contraption was completely clogged.

Why would some lights work and others not when they are all on the same fuse?

Tack room, hay loft, shedrow lights share a fuse. Everything was working last night when I shut up the barn.

This morning I turned on the tack room lights then flipped the switch for the hayloft and went upstairs. No lights. Went back down - yup flipped the switch, back up, no lights (there are 6 light fixtures in the hayloft). Checked the shed row light which are on the sane switch plate - nothing.

Look at fuse box. Nothing tripped. Flipped the fuse for tack room/hayloft/shedrow. Tried hayloft lights. Working now as are the shed row lights. WTF?

Tackroom switch is the single. Stacked switches are hayloft/shedrow.Attachment 504842

I’m guessing a failing circuit breaker. (I doubt you have actual fuses.) Note: note I am not an electrician, I am just spitballing.


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Take the cover off the switch box and check for debris. I have a circuit in my garage shop that gets sawdust in it that I have to clean out. Debris could have gotten into the switch contacts and flipping the switch may have worked the debris loose.

Did the tackroom lights stay on when you flipped the switch for the hayloft? If so ignore the rest of this paragraph. Are you positive the breaker hadn't tripped. A tripped breaker will not be in the off position--the switch position is closer to on than to off. If so flipping it on and off would have reset it.

^Was thinking the same thing in my unprofessional opinion. Also reset any gfi outlets if there happen to be any in the building, have seen one gfi trip a few outlets

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Originally Posted by Harry

I’m guessing a failing circuit breaker. (I doubt you have actual fuses.) Note: note I am not an electrician, I am just spitballing.


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Yeah.... I'm using the term fuse for breaker. I'm old.

Should note the tack room has 2 switches that control the lights whereas the hay loft/shedrow have one.

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Originally Posted by Self Jupiter

^Was thinking the same thing in my unprofessional opinion. Also reset any gfi outlets if there happen to be any in the building, have seen one gfi trip a few outlets

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Entire barn is GCFI. Probably a dozen or more outlets

Long shot here - mice in the wiring?

Outlets are all on their own breakers

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Originally Posted by Meadow Skipper

Long shot here - mice in the wiring?

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All metal conduit specifically for wet/dusty environments. Had a top notch electrician. Barn was built in '09



Attachment 504847

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Originally Posted by old goat

But make sure your furnace can handle a MERV 13 filter. Run the fan continuously. And change monthly. The last time we had bad smoke a MERV 11 seemed adequate, at least as far as my five senses could tell.

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I'd love to see more thorough testing and more brands (or standardized pressure drop ratings that the manufacturers can report)...but the 3m Filtrete brand MERV 13 supposedly actually have some of the lowest pressure drops.

https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDoc...ontentId=27687
Attachment 504843

The 3m MERV 13 even beats most of the the MERV 6 and 7 filters (including the 3m one)

So in theory...if your furnace can handle a cheap MERV 6, then it should be able to handle a Filtrete MERV 13 just fine. But NOT a Nordic Pure or Flanders 13 as those look terrible.

But I think you are right--11 is mostly good enough for wildfire smoke unless your house is super leaky. 13 works better, but your house air is being exchanged through the filter multiple times, especially if you keep the fan running. It isn't like a vacuum filter where you've only got one pass to catch everything.

3m doesn't make the filter sizes I need, so I buy the Filterbuy 11s and hope it doesn't kill my HVAC...although looking at this chart even the Filterbuy 13 might be marginally better.

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Originally Posted by old goat

Did the tackroom lights stay on when you flipped the switch for the hayloft?

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Yup. Tackroom lights work fine.

All lights in tackroon/hayloft/shedrow are fully enclosed screw on glass with metal cages.

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Originally Posted by KQ

Look at fuse box. Nothing tripped. Flipped the fuse for tack room/hayloft/shedrow. Tried hayloft lights. Working now as are the shed row lights. WTF?

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It's possible that breaker was tripped. The plastic switch that you can move isn't directly attached to the contacts. Instead, there's a notched lever inside so that tripping can happen independent from the switch (otherwise, some idiot could jam the switch to the on position to stop "nuisance" tripping).

Once the breaker has tripped and the internal part of the switch isn't in the notch, the outer part moves (at least partly) toward the off position to show you it's tripped, but dust, age, etc. means that it might not (some brands more that others)

Switches can go bad.

Open up boxes and test wires directly.

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Originally Posted by KQ

All metal conduit specifically for wet/dusty environments. Had a top notch electrician. Barn was built in '09

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Ah, nice.

Too funny muted. I bought the shit for the DIY home air filtration system at HD last year but never ended up using it

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Originally Posted by KQ

Entire barn is GCFI. Probably a dozen or more outlets

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Are any of the outlets controlled by those light switches? Even if they aren't definitely check all the GFCIs. (Outlets on a switched circuit can still be hot all the time if they're wired wrong, so there could be outlets on the switched circuits that you don't realize or on those circuits.)

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Originally Posted by KQ

Why would some lights work and others not when they are all on the same fuse?

Tack room, hay loft, shedrow lights share a fuse. Everything was working last night when I shut up the barn.

This morning I turned on the tack room lights then flipped the switch for the hayloft and went upstairs. No lights. Went back down - yup flipped the switch, back up, no lights (there are 6 light fixtures in the hayloft). Checked the shed row light which are on the sane switch plate - nothing.

Look at fuse box. Nothing tripped. Flipped the fuse for tack room/hayloft/shedrow. Tried hayloft lights. Working now as are the shed row lights. WTF?

Tackroom switch is the single. Stacked switches are hayloft/shedrow.Attachment 504842

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Take the cover off, get a multimeter and check the switches wiring in the on position and see if they have voltage would be one step. Any electrical issues other than bad switch could also go back to breaker and working your way further toward the lights.

If you do find any debris inside the switch boxes tape up the holes. Worth checking the outlets for debris as well, considering the location.
Re GFCI--a tripped GFCI wouldn't reset itself. I'm back to dirt in the switch theory.

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Originally Posted by Ted Striker

It's possible that breaker was tripped. The plastic switch that you can move isn't directly attached to the contacts. Instead, there's a notched lever inside so that tripping can happen independent from the switch (otherwise, some idiot could jam the switch to the on position to stop "nuisance" tripping).

Once the breaker has tripped and the internal part of the switch isn't in the notch, the outer part moves (at least partly) toward the off position to show you it's tripped, but dust, age, etc. means that it might not (some brands more that others)

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Adding to this and addressing KQ's first question: are these on a "double" breaker so you flip one handle made up of two breaker switches connected into one piece? If so, it sounds like one of those underlying breakers feeds the tack room and the other the loft and shed row. In that case one breaker can flip alone without forcing the handle to move (much, as Ted described).

Isolated event or something wrong on that circuit?

KQ - to be clear, do you have multiple gfci outlets around the barn? Yes? Then have you checked every outlet to see if any have been tripped?

If ya have a tripped one in the middle then those after it in that line won't work, but the ones before it will.

Also, you can get a plug tester that's cheap, tells you of a wiring/grounding issue and doesn't require taking offa a dozen plates. If you have metal boxes and conduit, ain't nothing getting in there and stuffing debris.

Thanks for all the replies. I did some troubleshooting based on your advice but still nothing. Breaker is a single not a dbl. Outlets have their own breakers. Gonna get an electrician out - don't want to mess with it and risk a fire. Breaker is off for now.

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Originally Posted by KQ

Thanks for all the replies. I did some troubleshooting based on your advice but still nothing. Breaker is a single not a dbl. Outlets have their own breakers. Gonna get an electrician out - don't want to mess with it and risk a fire. Breaker is off for now.

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Maybe this goes without saying, but have you confirmed that the tack room lights don't work with the breaker flipped?

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Originally Posted by jono

Maybe this goes without saying, but have you confirmed that the tack room lights don't work with the breaker flipped?

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Good point--I used to have two electeric water heaters, on 2 separate breakers, in two separate subpanels, on two separate floors (the subpanels were on two separate floors, the water heaters were right next to each other. ) Only found out because I turned the heaters off at the breaker--or thought I did--well before the plumber came to remove them, and he wondered why one was still hot. Glad the other one had enough time to cool off or I could be paying damages to the plumber's family.