Author: Dave Farquhar

GFCI without ground wire

Dave Farquhar DIY
GFCI without ground wire

A GFCI outlet without ground wire isn’t ideal, but it’s better than a 2-prong outlet. A GFCI outlet will work without a ground wire and it’s legal. Here’s how to properly wire a GFCI outlet without the ground wire, and label it to meet code. If the outlet shorts out for any reason, it will still trip for safety, even without ground.

A GFCI without ground wire won’t protect electronic equipment from static electricity, so you have to label it as such, but it will protect human life in the event of a short circuit. And, if your goal is to pass an inspection, an electrical tester will cause it to trip. Installing a GFCI is an acceptable alternative to the dangerous and illegal practice of a bootleg ground.

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American Flyer bulb cross reference

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
American Flyer bulb cross reference

A.C. Gilbert didn’t use standard bulb numbers for its products, so locating the correct bulb can be difficult today. Here is a cross reference chart between Gilbert’s American Flyer bulb part numbers and standard manufacturer part numbers.

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Difference between antivirus and antimalware

Dave Farquhar security
Difference between antivirus and antimalware

The difference between antivirus and antimalware is largely academic, but understanding it can help you understand what protection you’re getting when you buy off-the-shelf security software.

I have to explain it myself pretty frequently, because people will see the words “antimalware” in my employer’s product brochures and they immediately say, “Tell me about your antivirus.”

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Intel NIC vs Realtek networking

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Intel NIC vs Realtek networking

I’ve always heard, going back to the 1990s, that you should go with an Intel NIC vs Realtek or another low-tier brand. But why? “Because the most expensive one is obviously the best,” and “because I like Intel CPUs” aren’t good answers.

I often noted the Intel advocates weren’t ever spending their own money. It’s easy to say the more expensive solution is better when someone else pays the bill. So let’s try to take a look at this objectively and quantify the differences between the two. And I’ll also share my secrets for finding high-performance cards for $10-$15, shipped.

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Change a wall light fixture

Dave Farquhar DIY
Change a wall light fixture

It’s easier to change a wall light fixture than it looks. If your wall light fixture is old, broken, or you’re just tired of it, you can swap in a new one in 30 minutes.

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Hi rail in model railroading

Dave Farquhar model railroading
Hi rail in model railroading

Hi rail in model railroading refers to the use of traditional Lionel or American Flyer trains in a scale-like setting with realistic scenery. Hi-rail is a railroading term, but in real railroading it refers to a vehicle that can operate either on tracks or a regular road.

Sometimes hi rail is spelled high rail, with or without a dash, and sometimes combined into a single word, highrail or, more frequently, hirail.

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The baseball card bubble

Dave Farquhar Baseball
The baseball card bubble

In the 1980s and early 1990s, baseball cards became a popular investment. Prices increased to unsustainable levels, creating what we now call the baseball card bubble. And then, in 1993-1994, the bubble burst. The baseball card market crash affected some cards more than others but the overall effect was severe.

Here’s what happened and why.

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Add SSL to WordPress

Dave Farquhar Apache, security, Wordpress
Add SSL to WordPress

I had to add SSL to WordPress recently. I’d tried it before without success, but this time it was surprisingly easy. My downtime was minutes, at most, and I saw a small bump in traffic within days.

My walkthrough assumes you are running WordPress on Linux and you have shell access. It will be different on other setups.

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Bavarian Inn, St. Louis

Dave Farquhar St. Louis
Bavarian Inn, St. Louis

I’ve driven past the old building dozens of times. An old-style restaurant building still stands at 3016 Arsenal, with a faded sign across the street that reads, “Bavarian Inn. Free Parking. Customers only.” Here’s what little I can find on the story of the Bavarian Inn, St. Louis.

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Atari 5200 power supply specs

Dave Farquhar Retro Gaming

The ill-fated Atari 5200 doesn’t use the same power supply as the more popular Atari 2600. If you need a replacement power supply, here are Atari 5200 power supply specs that will work.

There are any number of common power supplies from other consoles that will fit, but most of them will damage the console, so you have to be careful.

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