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[#] Thu Feb 25 2021 12:21:11 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

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Building your dream home is a wonderful thing to be able to do, but financially it's a terrible value. I bought my current home in 2014, a sub-2000sqft raised ranch on a full acre, at a price which was probably $50K less than it was worth. The owners couldn't sell it because no one wanted to deal with the $4K/year flood insurance. We snatched it up right at the time the LOMA came through and the flood insurance requirement went away.

And I *love* working on this house. It isn't even a "fixer upper" -- it's in good shape. So everything I do is really an improvement. Whatever my dream house looks like, it's being built out of this one.

[#] Thu Mar 11 2021 11:33:23 EST from Nurb432

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Smart people clean their gutters before it rains.

 

Dumb asses do it IN the rain.  And sometimes they miss the bottom step on the ladder coming down and hurt their knee.. 



[#] Thu Mar 11 2021 17:43:34 EST from Nurb432

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Went to the local big box hardware store to get a power tool battery.

It was locked to the display rack like something special.   Asked the guy in the tool area " hang on". He had to go get a manager. Who then had to go get a key that was locked up behind the customer service desk back up front. That key, then unlocked a box at the tool area, that contained the display unlock device.. Rube Goldberg would be proud. 

The battery had an anti-theft tag embedded, and i still had to be escorted to the front...   and the package was about impossible to split open once i got home anyway..

It was only 115$. And yet they have 50 dollar drill bits and saw blades next to the batteries, just laying around...

 

 

And if that is not bad enough, at the local Rural King. they actually have alarms go off when you enter or exit the tool area..  



[#] Thu Mar 11 2021 19:01:06 EST from zooer

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Thu Mar 11 2021 05:43:34 PM EST from Nurb432

It was only 115$. And yet they have 50 dollar drill bits and saw blades next to the batteries, just laying around...

 

It all comes down to what are people more likely to steal, what are the high theft items. 



[#] Fri Mar 12 2021 09:25:07 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

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Yeah ... cost-to-size ratio ... it's the same reason department stores have jewelry in cases instead of on the racks.

I've had my set (Dewalt 20V) for less than a year so I haven't had to replace any of the batteries yet, but damn they sure do get their pound of flesh for that don't they. I'm sure I will be one of those nerds buying 18650's and rebuilding the packs.

(I always have to double check that number. As a true nerd, I always think "16550" first.)

[#] Fri Mar 12 2021 09:57:44 EST from Nurb432

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In this case it was just an upgrade.  Wanted one 6amp battery.

I have a couple of fenders to swap on the jeep here soon and didnt want to run out of juice 1/2 thru. 

Fri Mar 12 2021 09:25:07 EST from IGnatius T Foobar
Yeah ... cost-to-size ratio ... it's the same reason department stores have jewelry in cases instead of on the racks.

I've had my set (Dewalt 20V) for less than a year so I haven't had to replace any of the batteries yet, but damn they sure do get their pound of flesh for that don't they. I'm sure I will be one of those nerds buying 18650's and rebuilding the packs.

(I always have to double check that number. As a true nerd, I always think "16550" first.)

 



[#] Sun Mar 21 2021 16:01:32 EDT from zooer

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TIL that you can use a leaf blower to remove winter road gravel from your lawn.



[#] Fri Mar 26 2021 17:53:29 EDT from Nurb432

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This should be fun.  Swapping out my hot water tank for a tank-less tomorrow. 

 

 



[#] Sat Mar 27 2021 19:04:34 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar

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Pics or it didn't happen! :) Doing it yourself?

[#] Sun Mar 28 2021 12:05:54 EDT from Nurb432

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I do most things myself, i dont trust others.

They are actually quite easy to install as you just hang it on the wall. The hard part is dealing with your old pipes.   Mine are pretty hacked up ( before i moved in ). Whenever i get around to redoing the bathroom i'm ripping all the copper out of the walls and it all becomes pex.

 

And it only got 1/2 done lowes didnt have one of the pieces i needed for the plumbing.  So it gets finished tomorrow ( today is upgrade day at work of the app i support.. busy with that )

 

Putin some supports, screw it to the supports. add hose. done. This is smaller unit, fine for here. Those are 2x4 for size reference.  All that piping you see, goes away as its for the tank heater + long gone water softener. 

 

Sat Mar 27 2021 19:04:34 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar
Pics or it didn't happen! :) Doing it yourself?

 



[#] Sun Mar 28 2021 15:52:20 EDT from zooer

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Are you putting a filter before the tank?

Is that a gas or electric heating system?

 



[#] Tue Mar 30 2021 14:57:30 EDT from Nurb432

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The tank is being removed. I'm over tanks.

 

Its gas. Both before and after. "after "got delayed, too busy to mess with it until Sunday. no real hurry, the tank works, im just over it.

Sun Mar 28 2021 15:52:20 EDT from zooer

Are you putting a filter before the tank?

Is that a gas or electric heating system?

 



 



[#] Sun Apr 04 2021 13:59:44 EDT from Nurb432

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Well i *was* going to finish today.. damned hardware store is closed for the holiday. 



[#] Sat Apr 24 2021 09:24:36 EDT from Nurb432

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Shoot, forgot to give an update.

It actually went rather well.  A bit of futzing with the controls to get it right and a bit of confusion at first.  That and one of the old pipes was still full of water, unexpectedly. so i got soaked when i cut it off and had to get the shop vac and floor fan out real fast.

 

Lessons learned:

  • Don't use flexible PEX from a spool for straight runs.  Only use it when you really need it to bend. If you try to get it straight, it will still go back to its natural curve and put stress on the connectors. Going to go back over it with straight and clean it up when i install valves and ports for flush ( next lesson ). I have always used copper before, PEX is new to me. But, PEX is a lot easier to deal with.  Cut ( which is easy as pie with the right tool.  I bought a cheap PEX toolkit instead of trying it the hard way ), shove in a connector, crimp. Done. And of course its far more forgiving than copper if you dont get things aligned perfectly, or if it needs to move a little later. Cool stuff really. 
  • Apparently you have to back flush these things at least once a year, if not 2x, so plan ahead and add cut offs and ports up front.  Not as forgiving as a tank is with hard water. Originally i was going to add a 3 way valve and just back flush from the water line, but im reading you really need to use something like vinegar. So its just 2 cut offs and 2 T's with a port. 
  • The display will NOT turn on until it actually fires up to heat the water.  I really thought it was dead as i expected at least an "im alive light" or something. After a bit, "lets turn on the water in the house and see what it does".. Nothing..  messed with the pressure sensor some, poof it came on.
  • So after the above, it seems the water pressure control is NOT for what pressure you want, its for what pressure it turns on at, tho i could hear changes in water flow.  I had it cranked all the way up, thinking i want "full power" but it never flowed enough to kick on. Backed it down to a little under 1/2.   1/2 worked for the shower, but kitchen sink wasn't quite enough for it to turn on at 1/2.  YMMV on the setting needed.  I dont think turning it all the way down is a good idea, any leak or not getting a faucet all the way closed would turn it on, heating up water that isn't really moving.  Cant be good and i bet it would overheat and thermal shutdown, if not mess it up too.
  • Winter mode is not to account for freeze prevention, it just doubles the BTU.  Use it. 
  • Watch the distance from your gas line to the unit, i think the longest legal flexible gas line is 5" so you may have to extend your incoming line with more black pipe first, if its too far up in the air. I was close, i estimated distance when i mounted it, almost missed it. Really should use a tape  measure :)    
This one runs off batteries, which is nice for if you lose power and want hot water. My tank didnt need any electricity, so didnt want to lose that 'feature". I thought it had a port for a DC power supply too, but no i was wrong.  Doing a lot of googling, i read 6 months + on 2 D cells, but we will see, i may be adding a port of my own.
 
( Tho they are pretty simple in reality, find a manual you can read..  The one i got was not readable, thus the guessing on winter/summer mode and the display/turn on.  )
 
Does take a minute or two to get water, it was faster before. Not bad at all, but its not "instant hot water" as you hear in advertisements (  i have a small house, i imagine a larger house it would be about the same , but not faster )

Now i can run the sink for 20 minutes doing dishes, and take 2 showers in a row..  its like magic.      May even save  a little on gas, since its not heating a tank 24/7 "just in case you need it".  but its a much high BTU in order tor get it hot as it passes by the fire, so it may average out.

No more fear of tank leaks either. I have had 2 floods due to that over about 20 years ( one the tank collapse and broke open at the bottom, the other time the overflow/pressure decided to open up when i was at work, and not close again ).  Will be much easier to swap out when it does go bad in a few years due to our hard water ( ~ 10 years is average around here ). A lot less room being taken up. So far, seems like an overall win. Only issue might be is cost, the large capacity units are EXPENSIVE. It kept me from doing it for years, as i didnt need large. As with everything now the costs have come down and more options, and now they make small ones about the same cost as a smallish tank. 

 

 

Sun Apr 04 2021 13:59:44 EDT from Nurb432

Well i *was* going to finish today.. damned hardware store is closed for the holiday. 



 



[#] Sat Apr 24 2021 12:21:20 EDT from Nurb432

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LOL  make that 5 foot, not inch :) 



[#] Mon Apr 26 2021 11:59:17 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar

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That setup sounds ideal. I don't have a supply of natural gas, though, and my propane tank isn't big enough to fire a water heater. Are the electric ones any good?

[#] Mon Apr 26 2021 14:33:44 EDT from Nurb432

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I assume they would be just as good as a gas one since they are basically the same thing, but would suck a lot more electricity while on than a tank heater.  Might blow a breaker if not planned for. The BTU on this small one is easily 3x what my 40gal tank was.  I have enough gas flow to not worry about it, but i know it uses a lot more gas while burning..  

 

 

Mon Apr 26 2021 11:59:17 AM EDT from IGnatius T Foobar
That setup sounds ideal. I don't have a supply of natural gas, though, and my propane tank isn't big enough to fire a water heater. Are the electric ones any good?

 



[#] Tue Apr 27 2021 16:06:38 EDT from Nurb432

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About 30 mins ago let the dogs in.  Looked out the window and saw a lot of fuzz flying around.   No, its not fuzz, its BEEEEES  A swarm of them at the back corner of my yard like a cloud. and the buzzing ...    ACK.!

10 mins later the are gone. . just a few stragglers. Going to get some citronella and park it in the yard back there. 

Any other ideas to keep them from coming back?



[#] Wed Apr 28 2021 01:57:39 EDT from ParanoidDelusions

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They were swarming, from the description. If they didn't set up a hive back there, they won't be back, not in those numbers. 

 

Tue Apr 27 2021 16:06:38 EDT from Nurb432

About 30 mins ago let the dogs in.  Looked out the window and saw a lot of fuzz flying around.   No, its not fuzz, its BEEEEES  A swarm of them at the back corner of my yard like a cloud. and the buzzing ...    ACK.!

10 mins later the are gone. . just a few stragglers. Going to get some citronella and park it in the yard back there. 

Any other ideas to keep them from coming back?



 



[#] Wed Apr 28 2021 06:28:23 EDT from Nurb432

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I hope not.  I really hope they were just passing thru.  Super windy, so my first thought was their nest fell out of the tree and were pissed. But when they vanished just as suddenly, i am guessing they are just in search for a new home, and the queen had to rest.

I'm allergic. its about the only fear i have.  I got stung by a wasp once, should have gone to the hospital but it wasn't practical. Thought i was going to die, fever, couldn't breathe.  I d realize honey bees are a different thing, and are not aggressive by nature, but accidents happen.

Wed Apr 28 2021 01:57:39 AM EDT from ParanoidDelusions

They were swarming, from the description. If they didn't set up a hive back there, they won't be back, not in those numbers. 

 

Tue Apr 27 2021 16:06:38 EDT from Nurb432

About 30 mins ago let the dogs in.  Looked out the window and saw a lot of fuzz flying around.   No, its not fuzz, its BEEEEES  A swarm of them at the back corner of my yard like a cloud. and the buzzing ...    ACK.!

10 mins later the are gone. . just a few stragglers. Going to get some citronella and park it in the yard back there. 

Any other ideas to keep them from coming back?



 



 



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