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Replace your UPS battery

Dave Farquhar Hardware June 19, 2017May 22, 2022APC, Batteries Plus, best buy, home depot, Micro Center, recycling, red wire, usb port

My UPS started squawking one Friday evening, the tell-tale sign that the battery was dead or dying. When that happens, it’s time to either replace the UPS battery, or replace the entire UPS. Hopefully you can just replace the battery. Here’s how to replace your UPS battery.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

dfarq.homeip.net

Connect a 2 wire light fixture to a 3 wire ceiling box

Dave Farquhar DIY June 6, 2017September 1, 2017led bulbs, red wire

If you’re changing out a light fixture and find two wires on the fixture and three wires in the box, you’re not out of luck. Here’s how to connect a 2 wire light fixture to a 3 wire ceiling box.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Wiring a Lionel LW transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains June 2, 2017August 1, 2017american flyer, amps, KW, lionel, LW, marx, red wire

When it comes to wiring a Lionel LW transformer, there’s more to consider than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train, 5.5 amps of power can run through the wire for 10-15 seconds before the circuit breaker kicks in. An LW has enough power to melt wire and make it smoke or even catch fire.

Proper wiring for the LW transformer is a bit of a safety issue. It’s not just about preventing voltage drop to keep your train running smoothly. A smooth running train is nice, but safety is a must.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

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.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Wiring a Lionel 1033 transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains March 16, 2017January 2, 2018american flyer, amps, lionel, marx, red wire

When it comes to wiring a Lionel 1033 transformer or its brothers, the Lionel 1044 and 4090, there’s more to consider than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train 4 amps of power can run through the wire for 10-15 seconds before the circuit breaker kicks in. Although this is less of an issue than with Lionel’s larger transformers, a 1033, 1044 or 4090 still has enough power to melt wire and make it smoke or even catch fire.

Proper wiring for the 1033 transformer is a bit of a safety issue. It’s not just about preventing voltage drop to keep your train running smoothly. A smooth running train is nice, but safety is a must.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Wire a Lionel ZW transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains March 9, 2017August 1, 2017american flyer, amps, KW, lionel, marx, red wire

When it comes time to wire a Lionel ZW transformer, there’s more to think about than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train 12 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 ZW transformer is a bit of a safety issue.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Repair a large hole in drywall

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording December 6, 2016February 3, 2022red wire

When I changed the cheap bar-style light fixture in my bathroom to something a little nicer, I found something weird other than a red wire. I also found a 5-inch by 2 1/2-inch hole in the wall behind the old fixture a few inches from the electrical box. It’s a good thing I know how to repair a large hole in drywall.

All it takes to fix a big hole in the wall is a scrap of drywall larger than the hole, a ruler, a utility knife, a pencil, some wood glue or regular white glue, and some Gorilla Glue.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Replace a ceiling light fixture

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording November 25, 2016October 11, 2019red wire

It’s not hard to replace a ceiling light fixture once you know how everything goes together. Even if you’ve never installed one before, you can do this.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Wire a ceiling fan with light to one switch

Dave Farquhar DIY, Landlording October 14, 2016March 13, 2021curtains, home improvement, red wire, thermal curtains

People frequently wire a ceiling fan with a light to two light switches. That way they can control the fan with one switch and the light with the other. But what if the room has only one switch and you have to wire a ceiling fan with light to one switch? You can still do it. You just have to know what to do with the fan’s red or blue wire.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Where to connect the red wire to a light switch

Dave Farquhar DIY September 5, 2016September 7, 2023red wire

After reading where the red wire goes in a light fixture, someone asked me where to connect the red wire to a light switch.

That’s a good question. The first time I saw a red wire on a light switch, it certainly confused me. I have one in my kitchen and it scared me for years.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

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The Silicon Underground

red wire

Replace your UPS battery

Connect a 2 wire light fixture to a 3 wire ceiling box

Wiring a Lionel LW transformer

Read more

Wiring a Lionel KW transformer

Read more

Wiring a Lionel 1033 transformer

Wire a Lionel ZW transformer

Repair a large hole in drywall

Replace a ceiling light fixture

Wire a ceiling fan with light to one switch

Where to connect the red wire to a light switch