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Water seepage in basement: Five fixes

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording May 16, 2017November 19, 2018caulk, leaks

It’s not uncommon for water seepage to happen at random places in basements, sometimes even in the middle of the floor. And the first thought that comes into most people’s heads is a sump pump, which is an expensive proposition. Here are five fixes for water seepage in basement or basement water seepage to try first.

It’s possible that the problem does call for a sump pump. But before going to that expense, there are a number of things you can do that cost little or nothing. You should do those things anyway because the sump pump will work better when you do.

Connect a 2-wire light fixture without ground

Dave Farquhar DIY May 15, 2017October 28, 2022

If you’re changing out a light fixture and find there’s no ground wire in the box, you’re not out of luck. Here’s how to connect a 2-wire light fixture without ground.

If you’re having trouble locating the ground wire, the ground wire is either a bare wire or green.

Epyx Fast Load cartridge

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing May 12, 2017September 15, 20221541, commodore, commodore 64, tape drive

The Epyx Fast Load cartridge, released in 1984, was the first commercially successful Commodore 64 fast load product. Commodore’s 1541 disk drive was much slower than competing disk drives, so fast load cartridges became popular. While the Epyx product was first, and sold very well, it didn’t have the market to itself for long. Its developer, Scott Nelson, went on to produce other fast loader products as well.

Epyx Fast Load was a plug-in cartridge that replaced the Commodore 64’s stock ROM disk loading routine with a more efficient routine that was about five times as fast. The result was that software that normally took three minutes to load often took closer to 30 seconds with the cartridge.

Peel and stick tile over existing vinyl

Dave Farquhar DIY May 11, 2017March 13, 2021Ammonia

You can put peel and stick tile over existing vinyl, but there are certainly right and wrong ways to do it. If the underlying vinyl isn’t in good condition, you won’t be very happy with the results. And if you don’t do any prep work, you won’t be very happy with the results.

I’ve seen this go well, and I’ve seen it go poorly. Here are the secrets that allow it to go well.

Is powerline networking safe?

Dave Farquhar Servers and Networking May 10, 2017March 13, 20211990s

Is powerline networking safe? It may sound strange to send computer networking signals down the same wire you use to get electricity. Here’s what you need to know.

Phone call saying services are stopped on your computer? It’s a scam.

Dave Farquhar scams May 9, 2017February 12, 2019command prompt, intel, Netstat, Windows 10, windows 7

“Hello? My name is Max and I’m calling from CSA. We got a report saying that services are stopped on your computer.”

I hung up, for lack of energy to fight with “Max,” or even to troll him by telling him my name is Suchita. But if that phone call sounds familiar, feel free to hang up on Max, or whatever he says his name is. Better yet, block calls from people like him entirely. It’s a scam. If you want to know why, read on.

Is 802.11ac faster than gigabit Ethernet?

Dave Farquhar Servers and Networking May 9, 2017March 13, 2021cat5e

If you’ve been shopping around for 802.11ac gear, you might wonder about the print on some of the boxes. Is 802.11ac faster than gigabit Ethernet?

Yes, sometimes it can be. But it’s probably not hurting you too badly just yet.

What is Spectrum, or Charter Spectrum?

Dave Farquhar ISPs May 8, 2017February 10, 20251990s, AT&T, AT&T U-verse, cable tv, comcast, Missouri, New York, Paul Allen, phone service, time warner, verizon

What is Spectrum? Charter Spectrum, or simply Spectrum, is a new name to many parts of the country. Spectrum is the brand name for cable, Internet and phone service from Charter Communications.

Although Charter started using the Spectrum name prior to its merger, the name Spectrum gained prominence as a result of the second, fourth, and sixth-largest cable operators in the United States merging in 2016. Post-merger Charter is now a Fortune 100 company.

Netgear vs TP-Link

Dave Farquhar Servers and Networking May 5, 2017October 22, 20221990s, 3com, cisco, FCC, netgear, TL

If you’re looking for the pros and cons of Netgear vs TP-Link, I have experience with both and I’m glad to share it.

Netgear is a well established brand, having been on the market since 1996.

I don’t blame you if you’ve never heard of TP-Link. They were founded in 1996 but if you were buying their stuff before 2005, you’re well ahead of me. But I like them a lot.
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Wiring a Lionel KW transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains May 4, 2017August 1, 2017american flyer, amps, KW, lionel, marx, red wire

When it comes to wiring a Lionel KW transformer, there’s more to consider than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train 8 amps of power can run through the wire for 10-15 seconds before the circuit breaker kicks in. You don’t want the insulation to melt and catch fire.

Proper wiring for the KW transformer is a bit of a safety issue.