Once indoors for the winter, the hibiscus will still need proper care if it is to survive the long months ahead. Gardeners are advised to look up the plant that they have and treat it accordingly rather than make general assumptions. However, if the plant tag is lost or if the plant was a gift from friends, this article will provide some tips that apply to most hibiscuses. Hibiscuses need both warmth and light to flourish indoors, but will take the warmth over the light if they must. Ideally, these plants should be placed beside a window in the toastiest possible location. Plants that spend their winters in a room with no windows or in one that has low lighting will benefit from having their own lamp. However, gardeners should take care to keep the device far enough away from the plants that it doesn't burn them. Hibiscuses kept in outbuildings will likely need a heater of some type to keep them warm enough to survive but even a tiny space heater will adequately serve this purpose. Tropical plants generally prefer for the temperature to remain above 55F (13C). However, cold tolerance does vary by species and gardeners will need to check their plant's specific needs. Direct sunlight is recommended for most hibiscus species but some can take a bit less. If the leaves on the plant begin to appear browned or scorched, it might be best to move them to a situation with less light. Water the hibiscus according to the individual varieties needs. For example: In the wintertime, Chinese Hibiscuses (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) will only need to be watered enough to keep the soil from drying out, while Mallow cultivars (Hibiscus moscheutos) will require moderate levels of moisture. Gardeners should be aware that the Mallow types do not handle drought or being overwatered very well.

Summary: Look up care instructions for your specific variety of hibiscus. Provide the hibiscus with warmth and/or light. Keep the temperature above 55F (13C), if possible. Prevent the leaves from becoming scorched. Make sure that the soil is kept moist.

Add whiskers (lots of dots). Done!

Summary: Use face paint to draw a lion nose. Fit the lion fringe.

Ice cube trays are available in several different materials, including plastic, silicone, and stainless steel. Choose the material that best fits your needs. You can also find trays that make ice in a variety of shapes. A cube shape is obviously the classic option, but you may prefer a tray that makes heart, star, fish, or other novelty-shaped cubes for a party or special occasion. Plastic ice cube trays are the least expensive and durable. They may absorb freezer odors and crack when you remove the ice. Silicone ice cube trays are more expensive, but they're durable and don't crack. They tend to absorb freezer odors the most. Stainless steel trays are the most expensive and durable, but they also don't absorb any odors. Wooden ice cube trays can be very inexpensive if you make them yourself. They make the highest-quality ice cubes. Mix 2 teaspoons (10 g) of baking soda with cup (120 ml) of warm water. Pour the solution into the tray, then scrub all of the wells with a clean cloth. Rinse the tray with warm water, then allow it to dry. If your tray produces off-tasting ice cubes, that means it has absorbed odors from the freezer. Washing it with this baking soda solution will help fix that. Once the tray is washed and dried, fill it with water. Try to pour the same amount of water into each compartment so the cubes will all freeze in the same amount of time. You can use tap water, but be aware that the minerals in the water can give you cloudy, poor-tasting ice cubes. Filtered or bottled water typically produces better-tasting ice cubes than tap water, but be aware that the ice may still look cloudy. If you want crystal clear ice, boil the water first. Let it cool, boil it a second time, then use it to fill the tray. The hot water will freeze much faster as well.

Summary: Choose the right tray. Deodorize old ice trays to reduce off-flavors, if needed. Fill the tray with water.

When solid-state relays start to short, they will almost always fail. Solid-state relays should be checked with an ohmmeter across the normally open (N.O.) terminals when control power is off. The relays should be open, switched to OL, and closed (0.2 , the internal resistance of the ohmmeter) when control power is applied. You can further confirm that the relay is bad by taking a multi-meter, put it in diode test and checking across A1(+) and A2(-). The meter will apply a small voltage to make the semiconductor conduct and read that voltage on the screen. This will check the (typically NPN) transistor from the base(P) to the... emitter. If its bad, the meter will read 0 or OL, but if the relay is good it will read 0.7 for a silicon transistor (which almost all of them are) or 0.5 for a germanium transistor (which are relatively rare but not unheard of). Solid-state relays are easy to troubleshoot, cheap to replace and last a long time if they stay cool. Typically, new relays come in DIN rail packages and block mountings. There is also a special type of relay called an SCR that comes in two flavors for heating wires and IR lamps and ovens, usually for exquisite process temperature control. This is basically a fast switch on a much faster switch that can turn off and on, which fail often due to temperature fluctuations.
Summary: Use an ohmmeter to check solid-state relays. Use a multi-meter in diode-test mode to confirm your findings. Keep SSRs cool.