HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cornutt@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov (David Cornutt)
Subject: Re: Dimmer switches that don't buzz...
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 17:49:47 GMT


On a related thread:  Does anyone know of a continuously-variable 
speed control for ceiling fans (not the 3-speed kind) that won't
make the motor hum?  Is such a thing possible?

-- 
David Cornutt, New Technology Inc., Huntsville, AL  (205) 461-4517
(cornutt@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov; some insane route applies)
"The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of my employer,
not necessarily mine, and probably not necessary."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: sffcu@cuais01.cc.columbia.edu (Stew Feuerstein)
Subject: Re: When does it make sense to reduce the
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 14:48:19 GMT

In article <C0FvyE.M9z@vcd.hp.com> johne@PROBLEM_WITH_INEWS_GATEWAY_FILE (John Eaton) writes:
>From: johne@PROBLEM_WITH_INEWS_GATEWAY_FILE (John Eaton)
>Subject: Re: When does it make sense to reduce the
>Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 15:49:26 GMT
>In article 2Ir@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu, prange@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Henry Prange) writes:
>: >I have been advised on more than one occasion to stay mortgaged to the limit
>: >I can afford. The agrument being: pay off the principle in "cheap" dollars
>: >i.e., deflated value per dollar due to inflation, later rather than to use
>: >your expensive dollars now. The principle will only become relatively cheaper
>: >with time and the deduction for the interest is a bigger benefit. 
>:------------
>That stategy worked great in the 70's and 80's. The reason it worked is because
>we had high inflation and high taxes. Guess what? The rules have changed!!!
>The goverment is no longer kicking in 50-60% of your interest cost. Your house
>is no longer inflation at 10%. Take that money out of your 3% Money Market and
>pay down that 8.5% loan. You will be better off.
>
>Some people still haven't a clue that the game has completely changed. Tax
>deductions are out. In many cases you are better off taking the standard
>deduction. Change with the times or go the way of the dinosaur.
>
>John Eaton
>!hp-vcd!johne
>
	I think the bottom line is that each individual has to figure out  
for himself what is best.  There are no rule of thumbs that will apply to 
everyone.  In my situation, I can still itemize my tax deductions.  I am 
also in the 28% bracket and pay 8.75% state tax, my friends in NYC also pay 
about 5% in city tax.  Some NY municipal bonds pay 6% tax free (risky), 
which is equivelent to about 9% taxable.  Also I am paying 8.125% for my 
mortgage.  I figure if I pay off early and ever have to take out a loan in
the next 30 years it is unlikely I will ever be able to get a loan for      
8.125% or less.  The benefits of not paying off your mortgage early are not 
as good as they were in the 80s however it may still pay for some people.

				-Stew
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Another Drywall Question
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 22:07:27 GMT

In article <leath.13.726175699@UPEI.CA> leath@UPEI.CA (Steve Leath) writes:
>
>One more thing is there a drywall that can be butted up to a chimney ?

They make fire-resistant sheet rock. It's normally used for fire walls
in apartments and businesses and is rated by the length of time it
takes for fire to destroy it. They also manufacture sheet concrete
boards (Duroc, for example). I haven't worked with these, so I don't
know how well they finish up for painting - they're normally used under
tile.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | He who is not a revolutionary at 16 has no heart.
                    | He who is a revolutionary at 60 has no head.
                    |                          Lord Chesterfield
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Dual line phone causing cross-talk ??
From: michael@sunbeam.ksc.nasa.gov (Michael D. Myjak x7-3286)
Date: 7 Jan 93 16:10:44
Distribution: usa
Organization: NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL.


I would not have believed that this were possible if it wasn't
happening to me.  It seems to go against everything I've learned in
electronics, physics, telephoney, and electrical transmission line
theory...  but...

    I seem to be experiencing capacitive coupling on my phone lines!

I know that capacitive coupling is not possible with DC... I know that
there is no short either. How can this possibly be happening?

I recently built and wired a new home for dual telephone lines. I
used 3 loops (instead of home runs) throughout the house and used 26/4
stranded, flat, unshielded untwisted telephone conductor line commonly
called "Silver Satin". Its the usual stuff that is used to connect
phone equipment to the wall outlets. The total wire length installed in
the house is about 2100 linear feet.

What is amazing to me is the volume level of the cross talk. It is
simply astonishing! Its like there was a short or something, but there
isn't. To give you an idea of the the magnitude of the problem,
whenever my wife and I are using both lines simultaniously. I cannot
not only make out my wife's voice but I can clearly make out the other
half of the conversation...  almost as if it was the primary circuit!

We have disconnected the phone company from the house and tested their
lines using both of my phones and the problem goes away. When we add
the house wiring back into the circuit, the problem returns. So the
problem has to be with the house wiring. The house wiring ohm's out
with every phone (both of them!)  and the answering machine
disconnected... to something like 2-10megOhms or so. We've eliminated
the equipment as well by connecting them to the phone company without
the house wiring connected.

To prove that the problem was indeed the internal wiring, we went to
the first junction inside the house where the internal wiring connects
to the phone company.. there we disconnected the rest of the house and
wired in the two phones and a very minor amount of crosstalk was
present!

This was only about 20' of wire!! This is supposed to be telephone grade
wire too! its the same stuff that your telephone equipment lines are
made from, only without the twist.

As we added in each junction box to the live circuit, we could detect
an increase in crosstalk... we could even see the increase on the
o'scope. With the entire house connected, the crosstalk level as
measured on the second line was close to 50mV. A.C. However, this 50mV
doesn't seem to correcpond to the level we are hearing.

Anybody have any idea whats going on here?

--
- Michael D. Myjak			
  Senior Technical Specialist, Systems Analyst
  McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company
  Kennedy Space Center, Fl., 32815
  MYJAK@TITAN.KSC.NASA.GOV

Gravity. It's not just a good idea. Its the LAW!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: General Ionics Water Systems
From: Chad Miller <chad@lilly.com>
Date: 11 Jan 93 13:46:12 EST
Distribution: world,local
Organization: Eli Lilly and Company
X-UserAgent: Nuntius v1.1.1d12X-XXDate: Mon, 11 Jan 93 18:42:23 GMTLines: 15

	Just had a salestype spend 1 1/2 hours "persuading" me to buy
a General Ionics (sp?) Water purification system.  Part is for the
whole house, plus a unit under the main faucet in the kitchen.

	Anyone have any experience with this stuff?  His deal to me
was $5500 discounted to about $3800 plus a few freebies. I
refused, since we don't have near that kind of cash flow. I was
just wondering if anyone else got the system and liked it.

/-----------------------\------------------------------\
| Chad Miller            \ Lilly Research Laboratories | 
| Systems Manager/Analyst \ 2001 West Main St. MS GL18 |  
| Internet: chad@lilly.com \ Greenfield, Indiana 46140 | 
| miller@nuacc.acns.nwu.edu \ (317)277-4107 Fax: -4962 |
\----------------------------\-------------------------/
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: af905@yfn.ysu.edu (Ed Shanks)
Subject: Re: "decommissioning" a pool
Organization: Youngstown State University/Youngstown Free-Net
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 15:10:07 GMT


>Are there any other options?

Turn it into a ground-level trampoline! :-)

-- 
        Ed Shanks      af905@yfn.ysu.edu
"Whattaya mean I'll be cut off in 5 minutes? I just got started!"
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.rural
From: papworth@pdx022 (David Papworth)
Subject: Re: Power company easement
Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro, Oregon
Distribution: misc
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:08:10 GMT

In article <JCH.93Jan12084820@mitchell.cit.cornell.edu> jch@jch@nr-tech.cit.cornell.edu (Jeffrey C Honig) writes:
>Our local power company (NY State Electric and Gas) just contacted me
>to request an easement to put a power pole on our property.  Are there
>any liabilities or disadvantages if we agree to this?  
>
>The proposed location on what is currently our properly line (we are
>trying to purchase the adjoining land from our neighbor) new our barn.
>It would be inside what will soon be a sheep and later maybe a duck
>pen.  It is right next to a row of pine trees so it should not have
>much of an adverse visual impact.
>
>One advantage I can see is that it's proximity to the barn would allow
>us to have a seperate electrical service installed for the barn.  The
>panel and wiring in the barn need to be replaced anyway.  It is
>currently feed from a 20A overhead circuit from the house which dodges
>some trees on the way over.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Jeff

What voltage do they want to run up there? If it is 220 or 440; there
shouldn't be any concern about elf e or m fields. It would have to be
a low voltage like this to be of any use for powering the barn.

One bug of separate service for the barn, even if it is possible,
is that you will have to have a separate meter, and will probably
pay an additional "monthly service charge" (typically $10 or so) for
it even if you use very little electricity.

Perhaps you can negotiate with the power company to waive the monthly
service fee in return for you granting the easment.
From: garyp@rmtc.paramax.com (Gary Palangian [RMTC/ISP])
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Garage door handle w/lock
Date: 8 Jan 93 20:46:42 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Paramax Systems

In article <C0Jy77.DD7@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, flynn@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Tim Flynn) writes:
|> 
|> I have a garage door with a standard T-type handle.  The lock is in 
|> the center of the handle.  Unfortunatly I don't have the key to the
|> lock (I can still get in the garage through the normal "people" door).
|> I looked around at a couple of hardware stores but could not find a
|> replacement handle.  Does anyone know if they make replacement 
|> locking garage door handles (the handle has "Stanley" stamped on it)?

Hey Now Tim,

    I don't know the answer to your question, but... If I were
you, I would remove the handle from the door and take it to
my local locksmith where s/he could re-key the lock for a
minimal charge (around $10 including the new key).  I have done
this frequently with a variety of household and automobile locks.
It is quite possible to do funky things, like keying different
manufacturer cars to a single key (like a Nissan and a Honda).
Anyway, that is what I would first consider, most likely cheaper 
than trying to replace the handle.  But if you are
intent on replacing, I would start with garage doors under the
yellow pages... Can't be that hard to find a replacement.


Party On...


Gary P.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: eldred@rrunner.jpl.nasa.gov (Dan Eldred)
Subject: Re: CREDIT REPORTS: They don't know the diff. between Jr. and Sr.?
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 02:21:07 GMT

In article <6254@naucse.cse.nau.edu> rrw@sunset.cse.nau.edu (Bob Wier) writes:
>From article <buck.726165123@granite>, by buck@granite.ma30.bull.com (Ken Buck):
>> 
>> wait a minute!
>> what about different unrelated people with the _same names_ (regardless
>> of any Jr. and Sr. suffixes)?  do they assume there will only be one
>> "John Smith" in the whole state?!  something sounds a little strange here.
>> maybe you're just dealing with a *really* rinky-dink credit bureau?
> 
>  Here's a real nightmare for you - when I was in Grad school in Texas,
>  there was another fellow in school with the same name, except for 
>  middle initial.
>
How's this:  I know two identical twins whose names were "Jane Betty Doe"
and "Jane Beatrice Doe" (names changed to protect the innocent).  The world
cannot even come close to coping with two people with the same first and
last names, same middle initial, and identical photographs.  One of the
girl's college transcripts were thrown out because of this, and furthermore
she was admitted to graduate school based on the other's transcripts (they
did eventually straighten this out).

	- Dan 		eldred@rrunner.jpl.nasa.gov
From: goddard+@cs.cmu.edu (Nigel Goddard)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Gravity vs. Pump fed Hot Water Radiators
Date: 8 Jan 93 18:46:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.C0JtHE.953.2
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon

Is it more efficient to use gravity feed or pump feed?

My central heating (65 yrs old) was designed as a gravity fed
system.  A previous owner installed a new gas-fired boiler with a pump.
It works fine, except the pump is noisy.

I noticed my electricty bills increase by about 50% in the cold
months.  It's probably due to the pump, as the only other significant
uses are refrigerator and oven (infrequently used).

I turned off the pump.  The heating works fine by gravity feed and
I don't have to hear pump hum.  However, the water in the system
does reach a higher temperature and presumably flows more slowly.
I guess I'm using more gas this way, but I'm using less electricty.

I'm interested in finding out if it's really much more efficient to
turn the pump back on.  I'm monitoring the bills but wonder if anyone
has relevant experience to relate?

Nigel

-- 
Nigel Goddard
goddard@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu
From: bobk@sequent.com (Bob Krull)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Garage door handle w/lock
Date: 8 Jan 93 21:15:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: sequent.1993Jan8.211509.15850
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.

In article <C0Jy77.DD7@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> flynn@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Tim Flynn) writes:
>
>I have a garage door with a standard T-type handle.  The lock is in 
>the center of the handle.  Unfortunatly I don't have the key to the
>lock (I can still get in the garage through the normal "people" door).
>I looked around at a couple of hardware stores but could not find a
>replacement handle.  Does anyone know if they make replacement 
>locking garage door handles (the handle has "Stanley" stamped on it)?

I had the same problem, also a "stanley" handle.  I was able to pop
the lock cylinder out and get it rekeyed at local locksmith for $5.00.

Maybe a new handle would have been cheaper ;=)

-Bob Krull
bobk@sequent.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: CREDIT REPORTS: They don't know the diff. between Jr. and Sr.?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 17:38:58 GMT

In article <buck.726165123@granite> buck@granite.ma30.bull.com (Ken Buck) writes:
>guy@ns.network.com (Guy D'Andrea) writes:
>
>> The local place that handles our credit ratings in the Twin Cities of
>> Minnesota does NOT make allowances for the difference between a Jr.
>> and Sr.!
>>Has anyone had this problem in their state?  IS there a way to fix this???
>
>wait a minute!
>what about different unrelated people with the _same names_ (regardless
>of any Jr. and Sr. suffixes)?  do they assume there will only be one
>"John Smith" in the whole state?!  something sounds a little strange here.
>maybe you're just dealing with a *really* rinky-dink credit bureau?

The state of New Jersey drivers' license bureau works the same way. They
key on first and last name, middle initial, and date of birth. They do
indeed get conflicts. I was informed when I moved here that I had been
convicted of running a red light when I lived in Seaside Heights back
in 1976. That was a little difficult to swallow, since at that time I
lived in College Park, Georgia and would have laughed in your face if
you told me I'd ever be driving in New Jersey.

In that particular case, it didn't matter, but it was (and is) disconcerting
to find that you can aquire someone else's driving record without knowing
it or being able to correct it. Did you ever try to convince a Jersey
cop that his records are wrong?

Just a thought. I wonder if the criminal records department works the
same way?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | He who is not a revolutionary at 16 has no heart.
                    | He who is a revolutionary at 60 has no head.
                    |                          Lord Chesterfield
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: billd@informix.com (William Daul)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Refrigerator Ice ... yeech!
Date: 6 Jan 93 00:21:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

Correct me if I am wrong...

The frost-free refrigerators produce ice that tastes like a stale
kitchen.  Anyone have a suggestion on how to freeze water so that it
tastes like water when it is tasted?

Thanks,  --Bill
-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 William Daul             Advanced Support      INFORMIX SOFTWARE INC.
 4100 Bohannon Dr.        (415) 926-6488 - wk
 Menlo Park, CA. 94025    uunet!infmx!billd  or  billd@informix.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: florence@infonode.ingr.com (John Florence)
Subject: Re: "decommissioning" a pool
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 00:23:52 GMT

                  Fill it with top soil and start a garden.........
-- 
   John N. Florence     **** All opinions expressed herein are mine
   Intergraph Corp.     **** and mine alone. ****
   Huntsville, Al.      uunet!infonode!florence OR florence@infonode.ingr.com
                    "This line intentionally left blank"
From: dedek@meaddata.com (Mike Dedek)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Central AC not working
Date: 8 Jan 1993 17:45:08 GMT
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: moonlight.meaddata.com

In article <C0IEpt.H3v@fiu.edu>, ibarrac@kzin.fiu.edu (Carlos A. Ibarra) writes:
|> The central air conditioning unit in my new home is giving us problems.
|> It was working fine a couple of days ago but yesterday, it was not cooling
|> for a while (air was coming out cool from the outside fan-thing (compressor?))
|> and warm from the inside vents. Today the outside fan is not running but the
|> outside unit is making lots of noise. The copper tubing coming out of the
|> inside unit is hot. What could be the problem?

Something similar happened to us.  Check the circuit breaker; the compressor
is likely on a dedicated circuit while the fan motor might be on another
circuit.  In our case the condenser wasn't running; the circuit breaker kept
breaking and we replaced it.  That solved the fan running but compressor
not running problem (opposite from you problem), but it still didn't cool.
It turned out that a capacitor was blown, but we decided to replace the
whole condenser since we were replacing our furnace and it was 20 yrs. old.
The compressor was making more noise than usual.  The air coming out of the
vents was room-temp but not warm; the copper tubing was quite hot.

Freon leakage could be a problem; certainly investigate that before doing
major work.

You mention a "new home", is it new to you or newly built.  If newly built,
freon leakage is probably more likely than compressor or other failure.  If
old but new to you, it could be anything.

We got the furnace guy to diagnose the A/C free while he was making the
estimate on the furnace.

-Mike Dedek

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.rural
From: colette@bnr.ca (Colette George)
Subject: Re: Power company easement
Organization: Bell-Northern Research 
Distribution: misc
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 15:38:19 GMT

In article <JCH.93Jan12084820@mitchell.cit.cornell.edu>, jch@jch@nr-tech.cit.cornell.edu (Jeffrey C Honig) writes:
|> Our local power company (NY State Electric and Gas) just contacted me
|> to request an easement to put a power pole on our property.  Are there
|> any liabilities or disadvantages if we agree to this?  
|> 
Well, I don't know too much about this subject, but I saw a program once
where a farmer's livestock became sick and died off one by one when a
hydro tower was installed on his property.  I have also read that there
is evidence linking close proximity to hydro lines with leukemia in humans 
and animals.  Then again, there is no "hard evidence" of this, so the findings 
are still being investigated.  I'm not sure I would want to take a chance,
though.  You may want to read up on the subject to become more informed
before making a decision.

-- 
===================================================================
Colette George 			
Bell-Northern Research Ltd. 	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Internet:  colette@bnr.ca 
===================================================================
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: marcher@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: Quality bathroom fan?
Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 12:33:26 GMT

I am looking for brand recommendations for bathroom fans.  Also, 
recommendations on installment of same would be very helpful.  As soon 
as I get enough $ together (sometime in Feb., maybe) I'm going to get 
me one!  I look forward to hearing from all and sundry.  I always 
learn a lot from this newsgroup.

Cheers!
Mary Elizabeth
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Plumbing - pipe sizes
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 18:48:08 GMT

In article <1993Jan12.161158.983@cbfsb.cb.att.com> dwb@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (david.boyle) writes:
>Can someone please post or email some info regarding plumbing pipe
>sizes?  Specifically, when should you measure inside versus outside
>diameters?

By convention, galvanized piping is referred to by it's inside diameter;
that is, the hole in 1" pipe is 1" in diameter. The small sizes increase
in 1/4" increments (1", 1.25", 1.5", etc.). At about 3" in size, they
begin to increase in 1/2" increments. You can expect the outside of the
pipe to be 1/4" or more larger than the inside size, but the thickness
of the walls varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Copper tubing is usually sold by various sizes, followed by the initials
"od" or "id". The first means the measurement is the outer diameter; the
second means it's the inner diameter. Just make sure you buy fittings
labeled the same way.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | The human race likes to give itself airs.
George Patterson -  | One good volcano can produce more greenhouse gases
                    | in a year than the human race has in its entire
                    | history.                - Ray Bradbury
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bryant@mpr.ca (Nick Bryant)
Subject: Hot Water Heating
Summary: Hot Water Heating - Botched Posts 
Organization: MPR Teltech Ltd., Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 22:16:15 GMT