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I helped refloor an old, old (1700s) home near @Carl_NH with 16" boards, pegged. It looked amazing at the end, but a total pain to do as nothing was flat or square. All the best, Peter

For Federal (interstate) transport, 119 gallons per container, subject to a maximum of 500 gallons on one vehicle without HAZMAT licensing and permitting. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/30/75.1906 I know of some folks asserting that the limit is 1,000 gallons of diesel per vehicle, but I...

I think that your instincts are on the money. It is likely the seal. I think if you poke around here, you will find a few threads on what the process is like on similar tractors. Seals tend to fail from age, dirt, or bearings, so when you jack it up, I would check the bearing play to see if it...

@HawkinsHollow If you do go the pressure treated route, I would strongly suggest UC4B or higher pressure treated wood. If you cut any of the boards or put fasteners in, I would retreat with copper naphethate. https://www.culpeperwood.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Use_Category_Standards.pdf And...

White oak, hands down. It is tougher, stronger, and more decay resistant, especially if you add some water repellent, or copper naphthenate, to the deck. Since you have a small trailer, you might price out recycled semitrailer flooring. I've heard that locust is quite rot resistant, but I no...

I think that is rather the point, isn't it? Lake Tahoe is close to not overflowing, which if it happened would leave Reno without both a drinking water supply, and a source of aquifer recharge. Unlike Las Vegas, or Los Angeles, Reno doesn't have a large scale water recycling system, though they...

Thanks for the morning laugh out loud moment! The episode has happened in this household more than a few times... All the best, Peter

An electrician friend once said to me "there are two kinds of buried conduit; those that have water in them, and those that will have water in them".:LOL: In my experience, Ethernet cable is particularly sensitive cable. Good luck on the pull. All the best, Peter

I have no particular idea, but large amounts of housing were built out and sold at prices that made it hard for local residents to afford the homes, raising mortgage risks. Plus, Reno relies on melt water from the "dry" side of the Sierras, and that future water uncertainty may have factored...

Interesting report out on how the real estate impacts might be hyper local as insurance rates shift; https://firststreet.org/research-library/property-prices-in-peril More here, too; https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/opinion/home-values-insurance-climate.html Food for thought at least. All...

Yes, I also miss the original MAPP gas. Over the years, I have scored a few cans of the original gas at garage sales. I try to save it for when I really want/need the heat. Someone did point out to me that using a TIG welder was a great alternative for many things, I just had to shift my...

@ning, I understand the skepticism, and I waffled a bit before buying one, but I can attest these are a whole different ballgame. The Ft. Knox mailboxes are incredibly strong. 1/4" thick steel, welded. That's like a 12" channel with end plates. The one pictured weighs 98lbs. I do not know if you...

I have two; an ancient piezo-electric long handled igniter for lighting BBQs or stoves (free), and an old Bernzomatic picked up at a garage sale that I use frequently. All metal no battery igniter (14.5") Ever consider adding a push button piezo igniter from a BBQ? All the best, Peter

That's pretty close to how I found out about our former property. I was reading an article in a magazine and saw a photo of a lakeside that looked familiar and then saw a state "Do Not Consume" sign and started poking around. As you wrote, sad. All the best, Peter

Special occasion?

On the land is always valuable topic; https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/01/28/california-groundwater-crisis-farms-fail/ Basically as the aquifer dries up land values are plummeting to perhaps 25% of just a few years ago. A property that our family once owned has had its value plummet as an...

Reminds me of speaking with a local resource management professional who was advocating for a certain set of behaviors and processes on our place to "restore the land to its historic condition". When I asked whether she meant 1810, or 1510, or 12,000BC she did not have an answer. But between the...

I'm sure that you are right that the intent was better food, or better hunting areas, or a combination thereof. I wasn't meaning to imply that the idea was wildfire control. I've been in areas where there was no control, and the only option is "run". One gets better, if not good, at keeping a...

I would be inclined to give it time. We have had animals that that grew up not around steps, or hills, or inclines, and had a hard time until they got used to them. For some, it was as if a switch flipped. They wouldn't do it, and then suddenly they were tearing up and down. The fact that he...

Hmmm. "Ludicrous" seems strong to me. Well, I wasn't around back then, and while I'm sure that there were wildfires caused by lightning, the remnants of the indigenous people who survive to the present claim that their forebears had rituals and practices around the burning of underbrush. Might...

Originally, well 200 years ago, it was mixed bay and oak forest, with some grassland. Now it is mostly grassland as many of the oaks were cut for firewood forest the nearby cities. Grey pine forest mixed with grass land starts about three miles away, as the annual rainfall drops from twelve-ish...

@jyoutz summed it up beautifully above. Ideally, it could be browsed down some with deer, goats, etc., and then burned in smaller, lower intensity fires. However, controlled burns take time, the right site, labor, and the right weather conditions. The land next to us gets burned every five...

Magnetic latch?

Welcome to Fort Knox Mailbox - Your Trusted Secure Mailbox Provider All the best, Peter

Welcome to the club!

Not in my experience, and, I suspect for many fire and weather (e.g. hurricane and flood) at risk properties. I would bet strongly on insurance becoming much more expensive given recent events, even without any bets on the future being more variable than the past, especially in California and...

FWIW: @90cummins if you can knurl it, ACME 3/4-10 round internally threaded is available from the usual folks. McMaster, Roton, etc. Bronze and steel. All the best, Peter

I know. It has been one of the most affordable large cities in the US for most of that time. Plus, really nice people! 😉 All the best, Peter

While that is an "ouch", I would thankful that it was so cheap, the quote that I got here was more than the house is worth, and some or all of it would have to be underground in the roadway, so especially pricey. All the best, Peter

Vintage machinery has lots of manuals and folks who have rebuilt them. I have found it a very helpful source. All the best, Peter

Delta did make, or had made, a wide range of drill presses, and some had some unusual threads, so I would be careful. I know that I have a very similar nut, and it is not ACME threads. The 3/4" ACME size would 3/4-6. On my drill press, the nut is actually two knurled jam nuts with a rubber...

It isn't always low price markets. Unless you want a brand new, unoccupied house, homes are insured for more than they cost to build because building prices keep accelerating faster than the real estate market- and that was before the massive So. Cal. fires. All the best, Peter

Congratulations! Housing prices here are crazy as well, but I think that it might be a locally questionable investment at the moment. For perspective, even if you had put money into the S&P 500 in January 2008, the high point of the year, that investment would have tripled, or up by 4.5X...

McDonald's, "your Local Lumber Company" Even his first or middle name followed by the tagline would work.

A few thoughts; I would chat with him further to get a sense of what is making life hard for him, e.g. is it cash flow, growing pains, sufficient customers, loan payments, understanding what he doesn't yet know... I don't imagine as an 18 year old sole proprietor that he got a great rate on the...

@ArlyA 4k = four kilometers, or 4,000 miles?

@Sigarms those collars are great training collars for dogs, but around here, they would probably be grounds for CPS taking custody of the child. I think that aapping a kid isn't going to get much sympathy from a judge. I would stick to door / window locks and latches if it were me, and pray...

I see no reason not to talk up a great business, regardless of the proprietor's age. Next time you see him, if it were me, I would invite him to lunch or dinner and get a handle on what he might want or need. Over the years, I've learned that what a business proprietor thinks they want is often...

They are great when the inside end is in a heated space, which might work for some, but isn't likely to work when the inside is in an unheated garage up north. Speaking from personal experience they also aren't infallible when you get even farther north below -10F or so, as the inner end can...

I'm glad that you all survived to adulthood. I feel for your parents. Reminds me of one of my favorite comic strips, I hope that this works out well! All the best, Peter

I would add automatic frost tape on the bib piping. I think that it is human nature to forget, or be out of town, when a sudden cold snap happens. All the best, Peter

Snow is pretty good insulation in the grand scheme of things. PVC is also such that it can get stressed and have cracks without complete failure, and then on a subsequent flex, or cold snap, it fails. So, I think that if these two survivors made it through the last few cold snaps, that they...

Sorry about the (bad) breaks. I insulated all the outdoor PVC with 1.5" foam starting underground and going up, but I doubt that it would handle 14F, and even if it could, the hydrants aren't self draining freeze proof types. So when we have sustained cold forecast, I have to drain my outside...

To me this sounds as if you are trying to maximize your return on investment, like trying to sell at the top of the market. That's closer to luck in my book Could you divide the property and build homes and sell it all for a lot more money? Probably. Would you make more of a profit developing...

I'm glad that you have stayed out of the ditch numerous times. I've lost control at less than parking lot speeds. I think that all it takes is some black ice, perhaps a little slope, and an attempt to change direction or speed. I once hit black ice on a bicycle at night. I don't know how I...

@Complete Turf Care thanks for the great hoots and the opportunity for the rest of us to experience the storm vicariously! All the best, Peter

I would consider myself lucky if I got through that storm with just one broken fitting and a boil advisory. I try very hard not to be on roads that are at risk of black ice. It is mostly that all it takes is one driver with poor skills and we are all in the soup. Lost work time is better than...

Do you have a brand and model number? Just to set your expectations, even high end surge protectors will not fix much with bad power. EMI snubbers will do some. An online UPS with a decent ground will fix pretty much everything. While I agree with @hayden that it is mostly marketing, there...

Ok. Talk to Terry would still be my advice. He probably knows about the particular pump in your tractor and will be able to comment based on extensive experience. All the best, Peter

@Jaap good detective work! I'm glad that you have it sorted out. I have had a couple of older engines over the years and learned the hard way, like you, that cross reference numbers fall into the "trust, but verify" category. I hope that this restores your machine to operation soon, as I'm sure...

Check back in 15-20min and see if things are warmer. If it were me, I would check the wires before plugging it in as engine compartments aren't ideal locations for wiring. Good luck! All the best, Peter

That is the best weather analysis I have seen in I don't know how long! Wow! Thanks for sharing this.👍👍 All the best, Peter

@Modrob I did notice tonight that my PT does whine a bit in reverse compared to forward motion. I don't know about yours. As @m5040 wrote, it will whine if it is pushing against an immovable object. All the best, Peter

Dark, misty, cold, sounds like Northern European winter weather! I can sympathize why getting out and getting even wetter might not have been at the top of your list. Good luck! All the best, Peter

That's really pretty- nice cutting job! I haven't seen flame box elder for years. I hope that it turns into something really special for you. All the best, Peter

It is not all bad to clean things off on occasion. Not only does it make finding part numbers easier, but it reduces the chances of fire. The latter is a large concern here, especially around hay and hay dust, but understandably perhaps less of a concern in the Netherlands. Good luck! All the...

Sorry for the part mix up, though sadly, not uncommon with older machines. Now that you have the pump off, can you see any markings, for example part numbers on the pump? Around here, I would suggest taking the old pump to a marine parts shop that might have Yanmar parts and seeing if the...

I don't miss carbon zinc batteries one bit. Not one. I didn't like them then for their pathetic durability, and not now for their minimal capacity. Better than carrying a burning torch around, just. It has been a long time since I had an iron nickel battery! Long time. Thanks for the reminder...

Circulating oil waves are normal. The PTO pump runs, but dumps into the tank (no clutch) so that is a big flow. I think that no whine attempting to go forward is a good sign. I'm out of my depth trying to interpret a whine just in reverse. Talk to Terry? All the best, Peter

+1 on the value of having someone around and improving the fencing. +1 on letting the local fire department burn the house, or demolishing it. I would formalize the lease, but accept the offer. Might you do better? Possibly, even probably, but there would be no guarantee that the other person...

"Crafty" in the ingenious fabricator sense! All the best, Peter

Which would bring back the weasel words in english... I think @bmaverick's advice on the coolant with additives sounds like the way to go as the manual above references adding additives, which is a particular chemistry. All the best, Peter

I find restoring originally well made equipment a pleasure. Do you have a YouTube channel? Between the stable of equipment that you have and the projects that you reference, you'd have at least one viewer! 😉 Seriously, it sounds interesting. All the best, Peter

Thanks! That generally lines up with what I know from other sources, though I would clarify that the DexCool issue seems to have been caused by incomplete flushing, from what I read. All the best, Peter

@bmaverick not trying to stir things up, but do you have data on the corrosion protection attributes? Is this based on real world owner experiences that can often differ from theory or lab testing? I'm asking because I have a variety of older engines and follow owners forums for them where the...

❄️⛄☃️🧊🧊⛸️ Yep. "It is not nice to fool (with) Mother Nature." Stay safe! All the best, Peter

Where did you find that one? That is scary big. There is a new member from the Netherlands who has a Yanmar tracked version of that. Post in thread 'Which engine is used in the Yanmar YB20 excavator?' Which engine is used in the Yanmar YB20 excavator? All the best, Peter

Sometimes German phrasing in german makes me smile. Over here, those statements from the manual would get labeled with "them's weasel words, son." :) Choosing a modern antifreeze for an old engine is not easy or precise in my opinion. Do you have a brass / copper or an aluminum radiator? In...

Where do you want to build it?

Some models have mechanical control of the stroke. Mine doesn't. Not all brands of hydrostatic drive machines support cold movement, per their manual, although it might be possible for some, I don't know. To me the distinction is whether the system is designed with a warm, clean oil reservoir...

The filter is a little on the coarse side (30 microns), but many machines have even coarser filters. My recollection is that the logic on the filter choice and size is that unlike other machines with 30W oil and warmer oil, the filter on Power-Tracs has to deal with cold oil without collapsing...

I use the 10kW version. Works great! I think two 5kW is actually probably more useful. You might check the wiring underneath the bottom panel when you get yours. My 10kW had some wires resting on some rather sharp sheet metal edges. All the best, Peter

Love the snow cat photos! You have (had) some great rigs. All the best, Peter

Duh! Thanks, I should have thought of that. Clearly not running on all cylinders. All the best, Peter

@bdhsfz6 I think a load bank would be a great addition. Houses don't make great load banks in my option because not only are they not great loads, fixing houses can be pricey if something goes wrong with your generator while "testing". There are lots of ways to make a workable load bank...

What is BIW? I have visions of pigs eating with knives and forks off of China in a heap of garbage. I bet that you could have had fun with a metal detector in that field. Thanks for the stories. All the best, Peter

That, to me is the other big downside to the interlock systems. The first one being that they aren't made for that many panels, and second that the 3rd party ones aren't allowed by code, at least around here. All the best, Peter

No worries. I think that the design, and to lesser extent operational differences make Power-Tracs quite different from skidsteers and most other hydrostatic drive equipment. Power-Trac machines are wonderfully simple, solid machines that lend themselves easily to shade tree repairs. However...

Sounds great! I'm glad it is working out for you. I can only imagine how addictive it wood be...😉 Personally, I think that sawdust makes great compost and soil amendment. While you can till it straight in, the sawdust does present a significant nitrogen demand (chicken waste helps). I prefer to...

While this may be generic advice, it does not apply to these machines. It is worth examining an oil viscosity chart for the data. There is almost no difference in cold weather viscosity between 10W40 and 5W40, and the exact same viscosity at higher temperatures. (The two columns on the right...

Thanks! I just wanted to see how far the mechanism moved to basically answer the question that @BackRoad asked later. If you look at the second photo from @Jstpssng, when the pedal goes to the ground, the linkage moves beyond top dead center, locking itself against the support and holding the...

Do you have a video of it in action? All the best, Peter

Great! Was there any sludge in the bottom when you drained the old oil? Particularly anything magnetic? I may have mentioned this, but one other item that can cause some cavitation is an air leak at the suction filter. The easiest way to check that is to run the tractor for a bit and then look...

Not a lot to be done about cavitation; slow the engine speed down, especially when cold, don't work it had while cold, and possibly change the hydraulic oil to fresh 10W40. How does the hydraulic oil look? Do you know when it was last changed, and what oil was used? If the pump is worn it may...

Generally, the breaker is sized to the generator, and thus usually much less than the panel it is supporting. (E.g. 40-60A for a 200A panel) I think of the breaker getting sized to protect the generator. @Blue Mule Like @LouNY, I think that they can be a simple and cost effective solution, but...

My experience with a large propane company is not great and they seem to know every trick in the book. I would suggest hooking up your old tank to the house temporarily and using the propane until it is empty and then switching. I'm a little surprised that your new company didn't offer to do...

A larger transfer switch will enable a larger generator to power more. A 240V transfer switch should enable both 120 and 240V circuits. A whole house transfer switch would enable the most support for keeping things backed up. (Usually 200A) Whole house generators often have options for their...

It does, and it may/is probably one reason why Power-Trac recommends 10W40/15W40 instead of the usual 30W hydraulic fluids used inconstant temperature settings like factories. Some other tractors with hydraulics actually have heaters, electrical or diesel powered, to warm the oil before the...

Depending on the control system you have, they all can go out of alignment. As @m5040 mentioned a certain amount of whining at low oil temperatures is to be expected to happen due to higher oil viscosity, but try to minimize it by letting the oil warm up. I believe that @MossRoad starts his and...

Long, long ago, and far, far away, I received an email apparently addressed to me, from an editor at Forbes writing a kill piece on why computers were never going to improve American business and productivity. With some digging around, there was a senior economist of the same name nearby, and...

Don't be. It's nothing that they haven't seen a bunch of times before. All the best, Peter

FWIW: I run the Deutz glow plugs 10-20 seconds depending on how cold it is. "Warm" being 40F, and "Cold" being 34F. Unlike IDI engines with glow plugs in the combustion chamber, I haven't noticed any benefit to running the glow plugs after the engine catches. The glow plugs definitely help, but...

Great photos and thanks for sharing them. We have a non-tracked tractor / front loader with quick change front attachments that we find incredibly useful. Our two most used attachments are probably the forks (to move hay), and the bucket (to move the manure from the horses eating the hay)...

Nice explanation, and one of the possibilities that I had concerns about for @Richard ... All the best, Peter

Thanks, I was actually wondering about @Jaap's particular unit as a tracked forklift. All the best, Peter

As in Huntsville, or Tyler?;) Sorry the "way north" had me wondering...I wasn't sure how far a "way" was in your area. Everything is bigger in Texas, right? Enjoy the game. All the best, Peter

Hardwiring it does sound like a good solution. Good luck. All the best, Peter

Welcome to TBN! That sounds like an interesting machine. Can you share some photos? What do you use it for? All the best, Peter

It is pretty amusing, isn't it? The hemming and hawing about bidding is stereotypical Yorkshire, if you have ever been there you know. The James Herriot stories are spot on, even if he was Scottish. All the best, Peter

I would go see a good ophthalmologist promptly. Curtains across your vision are never a sign of health. There are a number of possibilities, but not being an MD, I would not like to send you down the wrong path. When you make the appointment, tell them about the curtains. All the best, Peter

That's great news!

At least in my experience, it has depended on the context. I usually see OL = OverLoad, but I've seen it mean open load on occasion. So, yes, both, and therefore confusing. All the best, Peter

Could put the transmitter up, but have a battery at ground level? If not, I would raise the antenna, and I would use the Yagi type that @bdhsfz6 suggested, as it will have the most increase in signal strength. Each foot of cable that you use eats into your signal, so long antenna cables can be...

I would only be guessing, but I would bet it is adding some compression to keep the top of the chimney together. Listening to him explain things on other videos, it is my perception that he has very good mechanical and practical insights gained from studying mining and steam engineering around...

He did a lot of work without being tied, and survived to die of other causes. The BBC has a video of him disassembling a chimney brick by brick, with a helper on the ground picking the bricks up one by one and tossing them in a truck. He was an avid mechanical engineer, and later bought a...

Ever heard of Fred Dibnah? It sounds like a chip off the old block,

The Anna's overwinter here. I don't know about the PNW.

You might actually have been generating hydrogen from the anode. When was the last time that you pulled your anode to check if it was clean and still had material on it? Personally, I only use powered anodes as pulling anodes is just an awkward job for a part that needs to be checked, if not...

As @m5040 mentions, with a thin wrench I can do it on mine from the top, but I have always done it by reaching up from underneath, and looking through the slot. It may take some fiddling because if you get it too tight, moving the throttle is a wrestling match. Not hard, just fiddly. I like to...

That looks amazing! (Love the shop, too!) All the best, Peter

FWIW. The Northern Tool PowerHorse line gets good reviews; https://www.northerntool.com/products/powerhorse-inverter-generator-7500-surge-watts-6500-rated-watts-74006 It is parallel capable, I.e. need to buy a second and a cable. All the best, Peter

Believe me, I know the feeling. We have club mugs available on Amazon and other fine retailers.😆

FWIW: The throttle cable handle has a friction plate with an adjustment in it on mine. (Under the dash) All the best, Peter

How are the horses doing? All the best, Peter

Sorry to hear about your Generac. Are you sure that it is dead, as opposed to needing something like a voltage regulator? Well pumps are generally hard on generators due to the starting current. (FLA) You may need a much larger generator just to handle the well, unless you have a variable...

Thanks! What does the top side consist of for your carport? I.e. are these the roof, or is there a truss and beam above them and under a roof? All the best, Peter

For a place that you can readily trench to, I would take 120V any day of the week and twice on Sunday, for all of the reasons that you enumerate. 1,000', or 2,000' away, different story. These ($90/) claim 150,000 lumens, and a 6-8 hour charge time, but you would have to install the light on...

No reason preventing GM from selling Ultium batteries as home battery backup; it is a lot more $/kWh than burying it in a car. If the system worked, I'd buy an Ultium home battery.

Wow! An MG. Great fun to drive! I remember a son of friend doing a rebuild, stripping one down to bare metal and making more than a few comments on the Brits inability to make wiring and connectors that didn't fail in humidity. It stuck with me, reinforced by subsequent friends having...

Generally, I agree. These days there are some bright ones available, but of course the panel is ginormous, and the looks are, well, different, and for areas that get significant wind, there is the risk of wind damage. Personally, I would rather have dedicated home solar and batteries and then I...

Boy that idea never came up in my discussions with service technicians in the past. I don't miss manual lights at all. One of the first cars that I learned to drive on had automatic headlight turn off when the ignition was off. It seemed like such a brilliant idea, all for a $0.47 relay, and...

That's not exactly coming up as a legible post here...

Personally, I would abandon your existing cable and run a new 12/3 cable with a GFCI breaker. Your plans include water and electricity, and I would consider that a GFCI breaker would be more than prudent. Again, personally, you are running this circuit in an area likely to be disturbed again in...

New? Thousands to high tens of thousands. A great deal depends on features such as whether the device can just trace versus determine depth or diagnose faults or advanced features like determining the distance from a single point to a fault (TDR), and how deep it can work. Used? Several hundred...

I think that is a gorgeous coat rack! What a great idea, and nicely done. All the best, Peter

Think of it as a partially clogged pipe. If you only ask for a tiny amount of water, you would never notice, but filling a bucket might take forever, and if you measured the pressure at the end of the pipe with no flow, you would measure full pressure. The wire is probably partially cut through...

Fun!

And having underground cables are why I spent money on a wire locator that could find both the cables and corroded / bad sections. I don't use it often, but when I do, it saves so much time and effort. Definitely a great auction score. All the best, Peter

Sounds like an excuse to load 'em up and have party cutting 'em up!

For when the storm hits, and you have time on your hands; All the best, Peter

Sorry, but that is a great way to blow an ammeter. Series only. The fact that you did that and neither the ammeter blew nor your breaker blew suggests to me that you have a wiring issue, with a bad connection, or an almost broken wire somewhere. After you check all of your connections, I would...

You could try using your favorite search engine to do the searching and winnowing. Then there aren't limits, and you can set whatever combination of search terms you want, though filtering on price can be hard. I use "-rent" or"-rental" or "-/hr" to get rid of the folks who aren't actually...

There was (is?) at least one driving school around here that was teaching its students that at an equal 4-way stop, they should defer the right of way to the older driver. After a former student asked a question about that to us, I understood why it seemed as if so many older drivers around here...

Hmmm. I've certainly experienced the subsurface pipe filling with ice enough to block it. Usually the roof gets enough solar to start a melt, and the ground is still frozen. Under the right weather conditions, the ice slowly builds up. @Tpondel if this is a concern, I would bury the pipes with...

@sodamo synchronizing gensets prior to transferring the loads has been done lots of ways. The "old fashioned way" is three light bulbs, and a transfer switch or relay. However, that's just for transfer of power. There are fairly readily available surplus synchronization switches, and that...

Any photos of the space? Are you thinking a standalone roof? Attached to the home? Here is a nearby example ; 25' high, roof slopes matching the house to cover a patio and outdoor BBQ area. The roof is 2x6 tongue and groove plus insulation; Note the wrap around screen and wind protection...

Whines from hydraulic pumps or motors is not generally a good thing. I'd be checking for air leaks, bubbles, and then pulling the filter and cutting it open to check for any metal pieces. All the best, Peter

No, they aren't. There are lots of ways to cut corners, not meet specifications, and / or use inferior designs, especially around lithium cells, pack design, chargers, and charge controllers. There is fraud at the cell capacity, cell design, and cell manufacturing levels, not to mention charge...

@LittleBill21 I get your general point, and time will tell. I certainly have units able to turn down more than 50%, but I have no experience with his particular model. However, practically speaking, I can't recall if I have ever had an RF overload issue on a point to point system. The last time...

Yes, they throttle the gain back. Those are 5.8GHz units that do have some issues with heavy rain ("rain fade"). As this is Texas we are talking about, I suspect @EddieWalker's units will need the gain occasionally. @EddieWalker I would still try to limit your mom's connections to just...

Clay can be a hassle for sure. Have you considered mounting the panels on a roof or perhaps an "A-frame" with cross bracing that would be more tolerant of the swelling and contracting of the clay? With your local winds, I suspect that you are going to need a substantial mount, no matter how you...

That sounds like quite the setup! (Photos?) Yes, it is done, often for the sort of thing that you want to do. Not a direct issue for the larger breaker, but it is generally prudent to put in place circuit breakers/fusing for motors at their rated draw to protect the motors. One thing to bear in...

I think potato choice is a personal one. There are so many options. Did you have some that you were considering? In my experience potatoes don't need much fertilizer, but if your soil is poor, and you know that the soil is deficient in something, then of course supplement that. Otherwise, I...

I agree. Hence the earlier suggestion to get a better router and lock down her access...

We have used composted straw, and I think that both the yield and the ease of harvesting are big improvements on traditional methods.

Like @DarkBlack I'd bet it came through the junction box. As it is an induction motor, it is only going to possibly going to arc/spark when the windings fail, but I do think @MAX-24-Dean makes a great point about why it is worth cleaning the housing out and improving the sealing. I've seen the...

Amazon can be pricey for some of the point to point hardware, E.g https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/nanobeam-5ac Here a couple of setup videos; All the best, Peter

Mesh is a device that amplifies the WiFi signals and rebroadcasts the signals, so it extends the WiFi coverage area. Like a point and shoot camera, they are very easy to set up, and the units can be moved around (they generally just plug into an outlet) to optimize the WiFi experience in your...

A standard band clamp type filter wrench will get it on and off easily. Personally, I would check to see how tight the filter is first. If it is loose, I would tighten it up. If not, I would try tightening the filter first by a 1/4 turn or so, and see. As @woodlandfarms points out some diesel...

I'd be ducking...

No hood in SW Washington waters? Wow! You must be a tough egg! All the best, Peter

While you can do a certain amount of sharing over a power line, it is rather low speed. I'm afraid it has gone out of style as devices have gotten more greedy for bandwidth. The concern is more that anyone with a half decent antenna can pickup a WiFi from over a mile away, more if you are...

I wouldn't run a second fiber. I would try either a WiFi extender pointed at your mom's house, or an actual point to point wireless set. E.g. Ubiquiti nanobeam. However, as both expose your home network to the open air and whatever your mom does on Facebook, I would highly recommend that you...

Only that a hose is somehow loose, or has a bit of dirt on the hose barb, or that the barb is loose in the filter housing. The Deutz hose clamps are amazing. I have never had one leak, so I wonder if the clamp perhaps wasn't tightened fully. There is a series of little ratchets. I guess it is...

Ooops! My bad. I missed that you were heating with coal. Yes, the deposits on the stove higher up are acidic, and definitely corrosive. There isn't much to be done about that, I am afraid. Weekly fires all summer? Not so great for making pottery glazes from the clinkers, either. ;) All the...

Depends on where you park your truck. At today's tire prices, it is an easy, and pretty anonymous theft. Friends have lost them stopped at a diner in transit. All the best, Peter

Actually, the moisture plus ash gets you something closer to lye, pH 12ish. That plus the other salts in the ash is quite corrosive, even if it isn't acidic. Random trivia: Different trees concentrates different ratios of elements, leaving different chemical composition of the ash. At one time...

No different in my book than the many who drive the same route without adequate fuel in ICEs. We have deaths on that route every summer. Just because it looks like a nice interstate freeway doesn't mean anything about safety. Up north, we have folks freezing to death in snow storms, and in...

Yes, a Merry Christmas to all!

That caught my eye more than the rear seat actually. I'm personally not thrilled about a lead acid battery between my calves under vibration... The other thing that jumps out at me is the ergonomics, or lack thereof. That's a pretty long reach for the levers. Still the attire is classic '70s...

They make other sizes and shapes, but my guess is that your stove has secondary/tertiary combustion, so that's not going to solve it for you then. The only other blocking solution that I know of is actually capping the flue every spring and uncapping it in the fall. It works ok if you have...

:) The fluestopper is made from hardy Yorkshire herdwick wool felt. https://chimneysheep.co.uk/collections/chimney-sheep All the best, Peter

Flue stopper.

I'm not sure what to say. They are quite common around here. We have more than a few tandem quad breakers, with several different uses. Some are for dual 240V circuits (tandem), some are on multiwire branch circuits (aka shared neutral) that under current code are required to throw both hots...

Congratulations and good luck for a speedy recovery to your regular life! All the best, Peter

Thanks for the update, good luck, and all the best for the Holidays. Peter

I think that it is great advice for anyone planning for backup power should do a calculation on how long their fuel will last, and also have a plan for keeping fuel fresh (other than propane). Many manufacturers provide fuel consumption data (charts) for their gen sets, but as a general rule...

I have used larger and add-on mufflers on a couple of generators, and the difference has been quite small. On one of them, the exhaust noises did get reduced, only to be able to hear how loud the engine itself was. The "silent" type of generators have internal soundproofing, convoluted air flow...

Sorry about the wind. If you have just a few small items to run, I would consider 12V power directly, e.g. You might look if there is a 12V adapter for your CPAP, and use a directly connected battery. Much more electrically efficient, and you can have a more than one battery. Of course there is...

Many of the farmers that I know have moved to incorporated business entities that enable fractional ownership changes to transition to the next generation (plus other advantages). Of course, families are all different, and not everyone is reasonable, so the best laid plans can and do go...

First, I think that the manual for this generator is one of the best that I have seen, and has a number of important tips for starting it, break in time (6-8hrs, no more than 50% load, then change the oil, and recommending synthetic oil thereafter)...

Many auto parts stores stock the sort of reducers and adapters that you want, though around here the stock of one inch +/- can be thin. Generally though, from a generator, you want a larger pipe than the engine exhaust. I would get some larger ID flex pipe, and do any adapting on the add-on...

One other tip on moving fridges is let them sit for a couple of days after moving. It helps the oil and any debris drain down, and be less likely to plug the expansion valve on start up. (Ask me how I know...) All the best, Peter

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power There are two fairly common kinds of three phase power in the US; "WYE", and "Delta", the latter coming in several variants. Wye is 208/120V, meaning phase to phase is 208V, while phase to neutral is 120V. Delta is 240V phase to phase and...

Our first pump went 35 years. Just curious, are you on three phase delta? Your numbers are spot on our numbers. The check valves save energy as your pump doesn't have to refill the pipe, and help prevent a backwash that could stir up sediment in the well. They also help relieve the load on the...

Wrong thread? They don't make ultrasonic cleaners...

How much did you pay for yours?

Class 8 tandem is what he uses. All the best, Peter

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-4-Position-Compatible-Caterpillar-Agricultural/dp/B0C3VKNZ7L/ https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tisco-switch-s911

The trailer does seem a little lightweight, but if it gets the job done… All the best, Peter

@Hay Dude Yes “my” hay guy has to park in the road and use his class 8 squeeze to unload from there. It is a process, but I’m thankful for it as he is the only hay dealer in 70-80 mile radius that really knows hay. Sadly, the rest are just poor odds roulette in terms of quality. He hauls in from...

Perhaps, but it would be amusing. Just need a model #. All the best, Peter

For $25 you could get a marine switch that is actually waterproof... All the best, Peter

The local guys I know who grow and haul hay have all moved to class 7 or 8 trucks. Does that make sense in your area? Just curious. All the best, Peter

After my prior diesel developed a terminal case of metal fatigue on the block ($15k repair 20 years ago, 380k miles, two engines, three transmissions), I ran the cost/mile + engine cost/mile, comparing gas engines to diesel. At the then current diesel prices, the diesel would have needed to last...

If I understand your post correctly, these boards are for "trim" around the door, not load bearing. Is that right? Any reason to think that there might be loads in the future? Where are you located? Your image shows a beam continuing up vertically. If so, I would use a Tee nailing plate...

@Poppy7094 that is a nice looking paint job that I am sure will turn a few heads, and perhaps cause some head scratching by CAT aficionados.:ROFLMAO: Here's a pair of Poppy's videos for those looking; All the best, Peter

I think that is model dependent. On mine, you can't turn the vehicle off while moving, but you can do it while stopped, foot on brake, and not in Park. @eptm I share your concerns about steer by wire. AFAIK, the enhanced safety of steer by wire is through redundancy and the lack of a mechanical...

A small fraction of folks can see motion fluctuations at 60Hz. If you aren't one of them, don't sweat it. If you are, you can probably turn on an up scaling option on the TV that may make some things better, and some things blurrier. In general, I see reports of folks who game a lot complain...

The zinc sacrificial coating works because metals all have different affinities for their electrons, usually expressed as electronegativity relative to some standard. More usefully, tables of galvanic series exist, and to minimize corrosion, try to only fasten similar metals/alloys, or have a...

I love this style trap. It is all that I use now. We have cats, and still have the occasional mouse. I will lose a trap now and then, and I have never found the traps later, so I have no clue who the mouse scavengers are. I have had some batches that needed the tiniest amount of silicone lube...

FWIW: More chemistry... Brines used for deicing are often based on magnesium salts that are less corrosive to metals than sodium chloride (table salt). I think that brine composition is often very local, as brines are often byproducts from other manufacturing processes, and the...

I'm a chemist, and I approve this message.:ROFLMAO: Getting cars or tools or metal stock dry makes all the difference in reducing corrosion. In floor heat and a dehumidifier sounds like a wonderful solution. I used to kick off snow of the panels behind the wheels whenever I stopped just to...

For the amount of hot water usage that you describe, I would personally pull the existing 4th floor hot water heater and remove it. That just seems like an accident waiting to happen at a risk to reward ratio that seems pretty high risk. If hot water is an issue, I would add an on demand...

So, how did it turn out? All the best, Peter

FWIW: I've also used copper strips along the ridge line, especially for moss. For algae and moss lower down, I have used "Wet & Forget". It probably works on roofs as well. I have never used it on a roof. https://www.wetandforget.com/ Walmart, Costco, Ace, etc. Comes in an "extreme reach" spray...

FWIW: Mine have also had a timer, but I have mine set up on a separate programmable 24hr week long lamp timer for awake/sleep (on/off), and I use the built in timer to run it on a 50% duty cycle. All the best, Peter

To get tankless water heaters to kick on, there is a minimum flow that varies amongst the units. That said try searching for Grundfos. They are the primary manufacturer of these pumps, both residential and commercial, and related pumps...

I have the same pump installed on our water tank, with a polymer bypass sensor at a remote tap. The pump is on a timer, and runs a few times a hour. It keeps the water warm at the remote tap for things like handwashing. This version works well for tankless water heaters, and often the outlet is...

@Travis_R My condolences. That's a tough and painful disease to have to deal with. I know that there are some immune modulating therapies available; anti-TNF agents, and JAK inhibitors; https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ankylosing-spondylitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354813 I...