How to Fix Stuff

[hittman]

The only fluke I ever had a problem with is the 1577 insulation tester, and only in the megger function I would have to play with the dial to get it to stop telling me the battery was low when it wasn't, worked fine otherwise. I just never got around to sending it in to get looked at. Now I am going to have some fun with a leaky service port on the impala A/C, should be fun.

I don’t remember the model number on my fluke megohm meter. It’s big like my scope meter. I made the mistake of leaving it unused for a long time and the batteries corroded and had to have it repaired.

 

[Bronze]

I ordered 2 of them, gm used a check ball kind of thing on the high side and it looks like the o-ring where the port screws into the line. That was the only leak I could see but I got a set of seals just in case I find anything else. I'll wait for a cool morning,

You can buy dye to put in your AC system then use a blacklight with those funky yellow glasses to see where it’s leaking. Very effective method.

 

[borno]

You can buy dye to put in your AC system then use a blacklight with those funky yellow glasses to see where it’s leaking. Very effective method.

Yeah, that's how I found it, at least I hope it's it and not them.

 

[Bronze]

Yeah, that's how I found it, at least I hope it's it and not them.

Only problem with the dye method (any method for that matter) is if your evaporator is leaking. Can’t see them behind the dash unless you get a boroscope.

 

[zoiDman]

Just a Heads-Up for anyone who has their A/C Unit in a basement. Be sure to periodically Check and Clean your Condensate Pump.

Here is vid showing the basic steps involved...



And here is one that goes into More Details...



With as Hot as it has been this summer and with the Summer Not Even Over, and with a New Condensate Pump costing less than 60 Bucks on Amazon, I decided to just replace mine and keep the Old One as a Working Pull.

 

[Bronze]

Just a Heads-Up for anyone who has their A/C Unit in a basement. Be sure to periodically Check and Clean your Condensate Pump.

Here is vid showing the basic steps involved...



And here is one that goes into More Details...



With as Hot as it has been this summer and with the Summer Not Even Over, and with a New Condensate Pump costing less than 60 Bucks on Amazon, I decided to just replace mine and keep the Old One as a Working Pull.

Good idea. You think like me.

 

[zoiDman]

Yeah... I was thinking How Old is that Pump? Because I can't remember replacing it. It must be original to the original install. So I dug up the Work Order for when that system was installed.

I was kinda shocked. That pump was 16 Years.

Can't ask much more from something like that. Given how much Life Loving Cold Air it has helped to make.

 

[Bronze]

Yeah... I was thinking How Old is that Pump. Because I can't remember replacing it. It must be original to the original install. so I dug up the Work for when that system was installed.

I was kinda shocked. That pump was 16 Years.

Can't ask much more from something like that. Given how much Life Loving Cold Air it has helped to make.

I’m messing with the alternator on my truck. Discovered one of the field service studs has mangled threads. Chased them best I could and got new hex nuts. It works but is precarious. I’m ordering another terminal block for $20 just to have on hand in case I need it. Kinda the same concept as your pump.

 

[zoiDman]

BTW - Here is something that has practically been on my Bucket List. Getting my Radial Drill Press assembled.

It's a Shop Fox W1670. I can't remember exactly when I bought it? Around 2005 ~ 2007 given the User Manual Revision.

It's a Trippy Drill Press. With the amount of Tilt and Swivel it can do you can reach places that a Regular Drill Press would need Angled Vise(s) or a Fixture.

The Mobile Base I made came out Nice also.

Mobile Base on Amazon

I put a Tennis Ball in the Drill Press Column and then Filled the Lower Conical section with Concrete before I mounted everything to the Mobile Base. It gives it some Extra Weight and a Better/Lower Center of Gravity.

Turned out Very Nice.

 

[Bronze]

BTW - Here is something that has practically been on my Bucket List. Getting my Radial Drill Press assembled.

View attachment 999470View attachment 999471

It's a Shop Fox W1670. I can't remember exactly when I bought it? Around 2005 ~ 2007 given the User Manual Revision.

It's a Trippy Drill Press. With the amount of Tilt and Swivel it can do you can reach places that a Regular Drill Press would need Angled Vise(s) or a Fixture.

The Mobile Base I made came out Nice also.

Mobile Base on Amazon

I put a Tennis Ball in the Drill Press Column and then Filled the Lower Conical section with Concrete before I mounted everything to the Mobile Base. It gives it some Extra Weight and a Better/Lower Center of Gravity.

Turned out Very Nice.

It took you 18 years to finally put it together?

 

[zoiDman]

It took you 18 years to finally put it together?

Yeah... Not Exactly what you would call a Quick Install. But you Can't Rush into Things like this.

LOL.

But in My Defense, I did have another Drill Press. A POS Bench Top unit. The Radial was going to be its Upgrade. I just never seemed to get going on building the Mobile Base.

Because in that Top JPG it looks like I have this Nice Work area to have a Drill Press. But actually, a Car Lives in that space. So without the Mobile Base, No can do.

 

[Bronze]

Yeah... Not Exactly what you would call a Quick Install. But you Can't Rush into Things like this.

LOL.

But in My Defense, I did have another Drill Press. A POS Bench Top unit. The Radial was going to be its Upgrade. I just never seemed to get going on building the Mobile Base.

Because in that Top JPG it looks like I have this Nice Work area to have a Drill Press. But actually, a Car Lives in that space. So without the Mobile Base, No can do.

I have a drill press mounted to my work bench that has to be pushing 70 years old. It will never die. Built like an aircraft carrier with thick castings. Powered with a washing machine motor that my dad picked out of the trash on annual junk picking day in the town I grew up in.

 

[zoiDman]

I have a drill press mounted to my work bench that has to be pushing 70 years old. It will never die. Built like an aircraft carrier with thick castings. Powered with a washing machine motor that my dad picked out of the trash on annual junk picking day in the town I grew up in.

Those Old Machine Tools were made in an Era where things like "Built Tough" or "Made to Last" weren't just PR Slogans.

Hang On to as much of that stuff as you can.

 

[Bronze]

Those Old Machine Tools were made in an Era where things like "Built Tough" or "Made to Last" weren't just PR Slogans.

Hang On to as much of that stuff as you can.

Yeah you can’t buy stuff like that anymore. Some of it is understandable given the pace of technology these days. Doesn’t make sense to make something that lasts 50 years when its technolgy will be obsolete in 20 years. But for slobs like us putzing around in the garage those relics are perfect.

 

[DavidOck]

Here's a " fun" one, from yesterday morning.

Left my desktop to do Windows 10 updates overnight, got up. still in progress. Hung. Splash screen only.

After many hoops, finally get into "safe" mode so I can actually deal with it. System file checker, chkdsk, all ok. No change.

Lots of time watching the splash screen, between bouts with Safe mode. Making new restore points whenever it seemed to be functional. just in case.

Ran Mickey's "Windows Update Fix", and it all came back.

So, if one is stuck in a bad update scenario, might be something to consider.

 

[zoiDman]

Here's a " fun" one, from yesterday morning.

Left my desktop to do Windows 10 updates overnight, got up. still in progress. Hung. Splash screen only.

After many hoops, finally get into "safe" mode so I can actually deal with it. System file checker, chkdsk, all ok. No change.

Lots of time watching the splash screen, between bouts with Safe mode. Making new restore points whenever it seemed to be functional. just in case.

Ran Mickey's "Windows Update Fix", and it all came back.

So, if one is stuck in a bad update scenario, might be something to consider.

I had a friend who Administered a Network for a small company. He told me once that when he Started He feared getting Viruses. Now He Fears Windows Update.

LOL

 

[hittman]

We had a series of windows updates a while back at work that kept wiping out people’s static ip addresses so they couldn’t connect to the mainframe.

 

[Bronze]

BTW, been meaning to mention this a million times and keep forgetting. Car batteries. There are really only two or three car battery makers. I’m talking about conventional car batteries, not EV batteries. Anyway, these 2 or 3 places sell batteries to everyone. They simply relabel them. I say this because you can rip yourself off buying a new car battery. You can buy them at car parts places or car repair joints and get stiffed. Batteries aint cheap anymore. OR, you can buy a battery at Wally World for significantly less. And they’re the same batteries you spend a premium for at the other places. Been lots of people who test and review batteries and the Wally World batteries stack up with the best of them. So if you want to save $20 - $100, buy a Wally World car battery.

 

[DavidOck]

I had a friend who Administered a Network for a small company. He told me once that when he Started He feared getting Viruses. Now He Fears Windows Update.

LOL

We had a series of windows updates a while back at work that kept wiping out people’s static ip addresses so they couldn’t connect to the mainframe.

Although MOST of the time they're flawless, when they're not, it's a real pain... and Win 10 / 11 don't make it easy to fix when the OS won't even start.

 

[borno]

BTW, been meaning to mention this a million times and keep forgetting. Car batteries. There are really only two or three car battery makers. I’m talking about conventional car batteries, not EV batteries. Anyway, these 2 or 3 places sell batteries to everyone. They simply relabel them. I say this because you can rip yourself off buying a new car battery. You can buy them at car parts places or car repair joints and get stiffed. Batteries aint cheap anymore. OR, you can buy a battery at Wally World for significantly less. And they’re the same batteries you spend a premium for at the other places. Been lots of people who test and review batteries and the Wally World batteries stack up with the best of them. So if you want to save $20 - $100, buy a Wally World car battery.

Tractor supply is good for batteries also, one for my truck was cheaper there but walmart was cheaper for the car. I got one for the car last year at walmart and it had a bad cell. I took it back to exchange and they charged me the core charge on the replacement. I already turned in the original battery for the core. Piss poor customer service. A guy I worked with had a sister who worked at a place making hot water heaters and said they just put different brand names and colors on them and the deluxe ones for more money because of a longer warranty were no different than the cheaper ones. Sounds right to me.