HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: exukev@exu.ericsson.se (Kevin Autrey)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Electrical wiring for fixtures
Date: 11 Sep 92 15:50:25 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems


  I'm in the process of rewiring a circuit in my house.  This circuit
feeds ceiling fixtures only, such as lights, fans, etc.  The books
that I've seen talk about using a switch loop to go from the fixture
to the wall switch.  This would imply that the fixtures themselves
have the circuit feed coming in and going out, with a switch loop wire
run to the wall switch.  I.e.:

           /-------------\
           |             |
   circuit |             | circuit
  >========| fixture box |=========>
   feed in |             | feed out
           |             |
           \-------------/
                 ||
          switch || loop
                 ||
                 \/
               to wall 
               switch

However, the way the circuit is currently wired (circa 1950) is that
the wall switch box has the feed wire coming in and going out, with
the two-conductor wire to the fixture providing power (hot and
neutral) to the fixture.  I.e.

           /-------------\
           |             |
   circuit |     wall    | circuit
  >========|    switch   |=========>
   feed in |     box     | feed out
           |             |
           \-------------/
                 ||
           hot ->||<- neutral
                 ||
                 \/
             to fixture
                box

Now, I realize that both of these techniques are basically equivalent.
Personally, if I had my d'ruthers (choice), I'd put the most wires and
connections in the biggest box (which in this case is the ceiling
fixture box).  However, is there any guideline set forth in the NEC
that anybody knows about that says which way is "best" or which way
is "the only way it should be done"?

Thanks for the info...

Kevin
__ ____________________________________________________________________
\/ Kevin Autrey / Wk: exukev.ericsson.se - Richardson, Texas, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Person in flux)
Subject: Re: Looking for a good dishwasher
Reply-To: kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 11:14:54 GMT

In article <1992Sep07.005632.1204@anomaly.sbs.risc.net>, 
kd1hz@anomaly.sbs.risc.net (Michael P. Deignan) writes:
>nmiller@starbase.trincoll.edu (norman miller) writes:
>
>>We're looking for a basic model dishwasher that will last
>>as close to 30 years as our last one did.  Any suggestions?
>
>Find a good wife?

I know you were joking, but I'd really prefer not to see this sort of sexist
kidding around on this newsgroup.  I feel that comments like this, coming from
either men or women, don't add to our discussions here.  Keep this kind of
stuff in e-mail.

Katie
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:11944 misc.consumers:16269
From: kaplan@sol1.lrsm.upenn.edu (Peter Kaplan -Yodh)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Credit report
Date: 7 Sep 92 19:44:56 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house
Organization: Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter, University of Pennsylvania


In article <1992Sep7.145338.29974@Princeton.EDU> roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig) writes:
[ ... ]
>Had you applied for credit with them?  Or did you have an existing account?
>If not, such inquiries should not appear on the report; pre-screens and
>the like should *not* appear as inquiries.

They do appear, and they should, after all those banks were inquiring.
This is but one of several reasons that I hate pre-screens and I dearly
wish that they wouldn't be run on me.  (I've sent requests to have
them stop to no avail :-(  )

   [ analysis of credit risk deleted ]

>
>>I got another copy of my credit report at the beginning of this year and it
>>contained 4 requests from random credit card companies that surely sent me
>>junk mail a short time later.  I was unable to decipher some entries that
>>look like "AR ##########" where # represents a letter or digit.

I've seen this too, and it seems like fraud.  I mean, is this actually
a disclosure, telling you that AR ######### inquired.  Why not reveal
that secret agent X has been spying on you?

>
>Which bureau is this?  If you can't decipher something on their report,
>they have to tell you.  Write and ask.  Include a highlighted copy.

Good idea.  I'll do that and get back to you with the results.

>>My report is clean as far as
>>account status goes, but I notice that all the accounts used for my 90 days
>>same as cash purchases (3 total) are still listed as though they were
>>available credit.  I got denied  a mere $500 overdraft protection from
>>Nations Bank because they decided that I have too much available credit.

This seems very common.  You can write the credit bureau and tell them
that the account was closed in good standing.  Unless the stores 
challenge your claim, the credit bureau will change the status line.


--Peter (kaplan@sol1.lrsm.upenn.edu)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie)
Subject: Re: Where to get Uncommon Screws (for an Alarm System)
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 15:44:59 GMT

In article <1992Sep11.224510.9897@sco.com> garyh@sco.COM (< Gary H >) writes:
>
>Does anyone know where I can get screws with "weird" heads? 

>            ###
>           #   #
>          #  o  #
>          #     #
>          #  o  #
>           #   #
>            ###

These are commonly used in plumbing fixtures for public restrooms. I
suggest you try a plumbing supply house that caters to the commercial
business trade.

Real address - patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | There are very few personal problems which
George Patterson -  | cannot be solved by a suitable application
                    | of high explosive.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: andy@col.hp.com (Andrew Blasciak)
Subject: willow's
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 19:27:20 GMT
Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division


 I have some Willow bushes on my property.    
I have tried cutting them down but they keep comming back.
Commercially available herbicides have little effect.
Is there any solution other than renting a backhoe and digging
them out (backhoe is really not an option) ??

                          andy
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: garyh@sco.COM (< Gary H >)
Subject: Dryer: Gas or electric
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1992 01:52:58 GMT


I am in the process of buying a dryer.... and I'm wondering, should I buy
a gas or electric one? What are pro-s and con-s of a gas dryer? Are they
alot cheaper to operate?

Thanks!
Gary
-- 
|^^^^^^|            _Yo_Man_____________________________
|      |          /            garyh@sco.com             \
|  _  _|        /             uunet!sco!garyh              \
| (o)(o)      /             425  Encinal Street              \
@      _)   /          Santa Cruz, California  95061          |
 | ,___|   /   W: [408] 457-0195 x7765 / Fax: [408] 429-1887 /
 |   /     \_______________________________________________/
/____\            The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), Inc.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: psv2b@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Peter S. Vines)
Subject: whole house fan safety
Keywords: fan, safety
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 18:07:25 GMT

Whole house fans with thermostats should be avoided because
if there is a fire and the fan turns on due to the excessive heat,
the fan will feed the fire with extra air.


--
- Peter Vines : vines@virginia.edu : (804) 924-4644 : University of Virginia
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: rao@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Dr. Kuditipudi V. Rao)
Subject: Installing towel rods in fiberglass tubs
Organization: NAS, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 19:06:53 GMT
Distribution: usa


Hi! Does anybody have any suggestions about what kind of 
towel rods I can install on my fiberglass tub enclosure.

Seems like either I drill holes or use adhesive.

If I use adhesive, what kind of adhesive do I need to use??

Any ideas, tips would be appreciated.
--
K. V. Rao
P. O. Box 420, S.C. T-14A
Allison Gas Turbine Division
Indianapolis, IN 46206-0420
From: vln@icpsr.umich.edu (Victoria Neff)
Subject: Re: Looking for a good dishwasher
Organization: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 17:01:05 GMT

In article <1992Sep8.111454.22392@ultb.isc.rit.edu> kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes:
>In article <1992Sep07.005632.1204@anomaly.sbs.risc.net>, 
>kd1hz@anomaly.sbs.risc.net (Michael P. Deignan) writes:
>>nmiller@starbase.trincoll.edu (norman miller) writes:
>>
>>>We're looking for a basic model dishwasher that will last
>>>as close to 30 years as our last one did.  Any suggestions?
>>
>>Find a good wife?
>
>I know you were joking, but I'd really prefer not to see this sort of sexist
>kidding around on this newsgroup.  I feel that comments like this, coming from
>either men or women, don't add to our discussions here.  Keep this kind of
>stuff in e-mail.
>
>Katie

What she said!

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg)
Subject: Re: Home security tips from a burglar
Organization: Hatch Usenet and E-mail.  Playa del Rey, CA
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 19:44:10 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.160231.3536@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie) writes:
>Question for you electrical wiring gurus. I'd like to wire up a pair of
>floodlights to a three-way switch in such a manner that in one position
>the lights are driven by a motion detector and in the other position
>they are on. I would also put a single pole switch upstream to let me cut
>the thing off by cutting the power to the 3-way.

I was going to do the exact same thing (except with a 3 position switch)
but the electrician I was asking told me its not needed.  Just use a
standard single pole switch and flipping it from on to off to on
quickly will turn on the light reguardless of the motion detector.
Off, and on some time later would enable the automatic detector again.
NB: This is what the electrician told me.  I haven't installed it yet.
-- 
                
Rich Greenberg - N6LRT - 310-649-0238 - richg@hatch.socal.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie)
Subject: Re: Circuit Breaker Sub-panel Placement
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 92 22:47:13 GMT

In article <92252.40798.Mr_b@lmsc.lockheed.com> Mr_b writes:

>When I was little I lived in a neighborhood with exterior fuse boxes and they
>always seemed to be unobtrusive and practical enough.

They're practical enough - until a fuse blows at 2 am during a spin-off
from hurricane Griselda. Then you're out in the rain messing with
electricity on wet dirt. Not me, brother!

As for circuit breakers; they don't take kindly to high moisture levels.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | Americans are crazy. They drive on parkways
                    | and park in driveways.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: ed@hpcvxel.cv.hp.com (Ed Lee)
Subject: Wholesale lighting sources?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 17:18:45 GMT

Greetings,

  My wife and I are in the process of building a house, buying
furniture, appliances...  I've used the information from this group
on buying discounted furniture from North Carolina with good
apparent success (none delivered yet).
  One area where I'm a little surprised at the high prices is
lights.  These rascals are expensive!!!  Does anyone know a way
to purchase lights without going through the local "discount"
lighting store?  I've seen lighting catalogs that carry their own
lines, but what I'd really like is a way to buy lines such as
Kicheler at a discount.

  Thanks for the info :-)

Ed Lee
ed@cv.hp.com
(503) 750-4106
From: rajiv@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Rajiv Arora)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Security Alarms
Date: 14 Sep 92 19:01:01 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1921@intermec.UUCP> andyt@intermec.com (Andy Tiura x1807) writes:
>Check with your local phone company and alarm company about a service called
>"Scan Alert".  I know it's available in much of California and in the Seattle
>area.  Additional equipment installed at your home is required.  But the
>service essentially multiplexes a supervised alarm signaling circuit onto your
>existing phone line.  Scan Alert equipped systems can detect the difference
>between a cut line and premise alarms and don't require the phone company to 
>provide hard copper loops from your home to the alarm monitoring point.  Of
>course, you pay a lot more for the increased security/reliability.

I am in the process of having an alarm system installed. A quick call to
Southwestern Bell in Austin yielded zip--the salesthing had never heard of Scan
Alert. The security co. confirmed that the only way to get cut-line monitoring
was with a leased line.

They do install a "cut-line monitor" which sets off the alarm if the phone line
is cut. Not the same as registering the cut-line condition at the monitoring
office, though. 8-(

-- 
******************************************************************************
* Rajiv Arora			Email: rajiv@bongo.cc.utexas.edu	     *
*				Phone: (512) 795-9015			     *
******************************************************************************
From: glen@tegra.COM (Glen Osterhout)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: translucent/transparent sound insulation ?
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:07:20 GMT
Reply-To: glen@tegra.UUCP (Glen Osterhout)
Organization: Tegra-Varityper, Inc. Billerica, MA

In article <1992Sep11.144301.8967@athena.mit.edu> chasman@athena.mit.edu (David Chasman) writes:
>Hi.
>I'm looking for a good material to sound-proof windows.I dont' want to
>replace the windows - I guess I don't know what I'm looking for exactly.
>All suggestions appreciated.

If youy're really serious about making a soundproof window,  here's how
they do it in recording studios:  you have two panes of thick glass,  one
1/2" and the other 3/8",  separated by an inch or two of space.  The edges
of the glass must be thoroughly sealed with caulk so that the seal is 
airtight.  The thickness of the glass adds density,  which helps damp the
sound.  Having two panes of different masses lessens the amount of energy
that is coupled via sympathetic vibration. 
-- 
/*++**************************************************************************
*   Glen Osterhout	  Tegra-Varityper, Inc.      Billerica, Massachusetts  
*			  email to:  glen@tegra.com
**--*************************************************************************/
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord)
Subject: Re: House square footage- how to measure?
Reply-To: davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord)
Organization: NCR Corporation, Rancho Bernardo
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 17:55:09 GMT

In article <1992Sep11.141020.29376@meaddata.com> davidm@meaddata.com (David Miller) writes:
 
>In San Diego, the standard measure was square footage, measured at the outside,
>subtracting only for the garage.  This measure featured prominately in the
>MLS books and was a primary measure for appraisals.

However, after looking at MANY houses in the San Diego area I can only
conclude that many real estate agents either cannot work a measuring tape
or cannot perform the calculations necessary to determine the size of the
house. There is a wide variation in the size of 1600 sf houses. Also there
is wide variation in the usable living space in 1600 sf houses, particularly
hallways, entryways, and stairways can kill off a heck of alot of space.

One other thing, listing agents tend to have a very bizzarre idea of
what constitutes "view", "RV parking", "great neighborhood", and "cute".

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: trb@cbnews.cb.att.com (tom.balent)
Subject: Re: Asea Washer?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:19:59 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.164303.12121@clpd.kodak.com> staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507)) writes:
>>>...but that I might have trouble locating
>>>people who knew how to fix them. They are also quite a bit more
>>>expensive.
>>>
>>>Anyone with an Asea washer out there?
>>
>>sorry, can't help - but concerning getting someone to fix them...
>>Is this washer made on Mars or some other alien planet, so that it
>
>Sweden. 

I knew that...what I meant was - are they that alien? Why couldn't
a regular repair person work on them? (I don't mean Joe's Fly By Night
Repair Service, but a reputable service).


Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: markt@rocky.gte.com (Mark Tsombakos)
Subject: How to clean up hard wood?
Organization: GTE/SCSD - Needham Heights, MA
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Distribution: USA
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 12:30:52 GMT

I am a new homeowner.  The house has a lot of hardwood flooring in the
living room, hallway, and bedroom.  The prior owners took the time to have the
livingroom floor refinished, but neglected the bedrooms and hallway.

I want to clean up the floor without stripping, sanding, etc. if I can.  I have
borrowed a "professional" floor polisher, but I think it'd be a good idea to
wash the floor first with something other than oil soap.

I'd appreciate any recommendations from anyone who has already done this!

Thanks,
Mark
From: ems@michael.apple.com (E. Michael Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Title Insurance for a refinance?
Date: 16 Sep 92 02:28:55 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc.

We, like 99% of the US, are refinancing our house.

The mortgage broker has sent us an estimate of closing costs.

It includes about $1k for 'title insurance'.  Is this normal?

I thought I bought title insurance when I bought the house?  I havn't
changed the title in refinancing, so why do I need more title insurance?

Sheesh ...

-- 

E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has
 genius, power and magic in it.'  -  Goethe

I am not responsible nor is anyone else.  Everything is disclaimed.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: nmiller@starbase.trincoll.edu (norman miller)
Subject: Still looking for a dishwasher
Organization: Trinity College, Hartford, CT.
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 20:38:23 GMT

As the one who asked the original question, I'm gratified that
others besides me groaned at the sophomoric joke.  But I'm
still waiting for an answer: does anyone know of a good basic
dishwasher?

Thanks.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord)
Subject: Re: Hurricane Andrew's effect on building materials
Reply-To: davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord)
Organization: NCR Corporation, Rancho Bernardo
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 16:44:43 GMT

In article <1992Sep11.165350.26644@sei.cmu.edu> rsd@sei.cmu.edu (Richard S D'Ippolito) writes:
>
>In article <1992Sep09.155252.15647@i88.isc.com>, Jonathan E. Quist writes
>about rising building material prices:
>
>I would hope that the insurance companies in Florida price the insurance
>appropriately so that more prudent folks in the rest of the country aren't
>paying their bills.  A truly free market would make the cost of living in
>hurricane (or tornado, or earthquake) alley commensurate with the local risk.
>After all, this was a predictable event, right?

I would be inclined to agree with you except that I've yet to see any
evidence that insurance companies can gauge the risk from large natural
disasters. I don't know how insurance works in Florida, but it sounds
like hurricanes may be covered by the normal insurance policy. Here in
California, earthquakes are not normally covered, a separate very
expensive policy is required which usually has a deductable of $10000
or more. This may seem reasonable to you but consider; All California
earthquakes since 1904 have not caused as much dammage as a single
major hurricane or tornado can. Of course the doomsayers keep talking about
the BIG ONE, but they've been talking about that for a heck of a long
time now. And now we're even starting to hear about coming BIG ONES
due in New England, the midwest, and the south. So where is this safe
place we should all move to? Arizona? Not enough water. Wyoming?
What about the coming ice age that's due in the next hundred years,
the whole northern US is probably right in the path of the glaciers.
And lets not forget that urban unrest can errupt just about anywhere
in the US.
From: langston@langston.cs.utk.edu (Mike Langston)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Chain saw oil
Date: 16 Sep 92 00:14:31 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Tennessee
Distribution: world
Reply-To: langston@langston.cs.utk.edu (Mike Langston)
NNTP-Posting-Host: langston.cs.utk.edu

> I just bought a gas chain saw. I know that you should mix 40:1 oil with the 
> gas. But I have lots of 50:1 oil from my outboard engine and I was 
> wondering if I could use that instead. Of course I would mix in the gas 
> using the 40:1 ratio. It's just that I have soooo much 50:1 and I'll probably 
> never use if all up with my outboard that I thought I'd use it with my saw.
> Will it work ok? 

this is a tricky question -- not all two-cycle oils are created equal 

stihl, for example, used to recommend their 40:1 formulation, but 
now markets instead a 50:1 oil

bar oil may be bar oil for the most part, but engine oil is critical,
especially with recent changes in gasoline additives -- i for one use 
only what the manufacturer recommends 

i guess it comes down to what you think of your saw :)

-- 
mike langston <langston@cs.utk.edu>
department of computer science, university of tennessee

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: garyh@sco.COM (< Gary H >)
Subject: Where to get Uncommon Screws (for an Alarm System)
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 22:45:10 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house


Does anyone know where I can get screws with "weird" heads? I want to
replace the screws on the keypad to my alarm with something that will
make it hard for someone to unscrew.  I don't want a unidirectional
screw since I want to be able to open it to change the code.

I want something like this:


               
            ###
           #   #
          #  o  #
          #     #
          #  o  #
           #   #
            ###

	Top of Screw (with two holes in it).

I know where to get the tool to unscrew/screw the screw (they are expensive!),
but I don't know where to get the screws (in the bay area or Santa Cruz).
What do you call these screws?

Thanks,
Gary
-- 
|^^^^^^|            _Yo_Man_____________________________
|      |          /            garyh@sco.com             \
|  _  _|        /             uunet!sco!garyh              \
| (o)(o)      /             425  Encinal Street              \
@      _)   /          Santa Cruz, California  95061          |
 | ,___|   /   W: [408] 457-0195 x7765 / Fax: [408] 429-1887 /
 |   /     \_______________________________________________/
/____\            The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), Inc.
From: btarbox@sw.stratus.com (Brian Tarbox)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: cost of building a deck/porch
Date: 8 Sep 92 11:52:03 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

I want to expand a tiny (2x5) porch/starway into a 10x12 enclosed
deck.  This will involve moving the back garage door to the side
of the garage.  Can anyone give me a ballpark cost estimate?  I have
no idea.  Thanks.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Garage Door Question....