Cooling the Media Closet

                  Over the last few years the home media center has taken on a dramatic new look but not in the way that you might think. The once small and unobtrusive space just below the television set has somehow grown into a pile of assorted game consoles, audio equipment, network devices, cabling, and more.

With this abundance of electronic devices a troubling consequence has also managed to make its presence known, and that is the accumulation of heat.

Heat, has long been the primary factor when it comes to premature failure in any type of electronics. The amount of heat that is emitted from just one continually running device is enough to warm the space around it, but compound that with multiple running devices and you actually raise the temperature in the room.

There are a number of solutions to help counter this problem, but in a recent project of mine we had to take a completely different approach in resolving this issue.

I was tasked with providing a method that would prevent a trove of electronic equipment from overheating and allow for additional devices that would be arriving once this project was completed.

Rather than trying to solve the problem in its existing cabinet the homeowner agreed that his media cabinet should be moved to a central location where the equipment could be better accessed, maintained, and expanded. For this project it would mean sacrificing the entryway closet.

Speeding through the construction details the new media closet was modified to fit a sliding rack, overhead light, dedicated circuit, and lots of wires.

To deal with our primary issue, the door of the new media closet was removed so that access holes could be cut for the intake/exhaust fans. The Middle Atlantic CLS-COOL2 Closet Cooler was an easy choice, the fans covered up to 50CFM, turned on/off automatically, and were very quiet.

Once the intake/exhaust fan openings were cut out, the intake was installed at the bottom cutout and the exhaust was installed at the top. Rather than securing the fan wires with the zip tie adhesive mounts that came with the kit, we decided to use split wire tubing and secured it with screw hole zip ties.

Now although this required making holes in the door we felt in the long term it would be the better choice.

The inline fan controller was installed in the center of the door as this was the highest it could be placed given the length of the cord and the wall plug.

Once the closet cooler was installed the door was rehung and the unit tested. The closet cooler fans worked perfectly, although some time was needed to reach the temperature needed to before they would automatically turn on.

Even with the additional equipment was installed the cooling fans worked quite well and continue to do so.

I hope you've enjoyed this article and if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them down below. Until next time.

M. Hernandez Sr.

Lamp Revamp

                 A few weeks ago, I began work on a pair of small wooden lamps that were in pretty rough shape. According to the owner both of the fixtures hadn't worked in years but rather than toss them out she wanted to restore them due to sentimental value.

In terms of light fixtures the lamps were as basic as they come, each lamp had a socket for the bulb, a sphere shaped body that was mounted to a base, and a cord.

Although these lamps were bare-bone fixtures they needed a lot of work to get them functional again. Aside from the body and base, everything else had to be replaced.

Once I received the lamps I did a thorough inspection before taking them apart, after teardown was complete I called the owner to finalize the scope of work.

At the top of our list, were the lamp cords. The original cords had dried up and stiffened so when each was tested for flexibility deep cracks would show up along the outer insulation. This meant there was no chance we could safely reuse the existing cords. So, we would go with the flat plug lamp cord.

The flat plug lamp cords unique design is perfect for fixtures that need to be plugged in behind furniture. When in use, the plug sits flush against the outlet while the cord travels safely against the wall. This eliminates the potential for furniture coming in contact with both the plug and the cord, a common issue with standard design lamp cords.

Next, the lamp sockets. The original sockets were fairly thin and hadn't held up very well over time so we wanted a replacement that would keep these old lamps working longer, we chose porcelain lamp sockets with the On/Off Switch incorporated into the design.

The existing set up had the On/Off switches as part of the lamp cord, which in my opinion wasn't very convenient.

The last thing we wanted to address was the final look of the lamps, originally both fixtures were simple wooden spheres with a socket base mounted on the top. Now, we wanted to offer an alternative finished look to these lamps and so we suggested lamp shades.

The owner loved the idea but insisted that she choose the shades once the lamps were completed, so adding the right hardware would be our stopping point.

Material choices were straightforward, since the lamps were older we wanted to lean more towards antique brass for the harps and finials. This would also go well with the porcelain switched sockets. And, to avoid any potential issues with the lamp shades, adjustable harps was the best choice.

Once the parts arrived it was time to get to work.

The first thing up was to take apart the porcelain sockets; within each socket base was a small screw that held the bottom portion to the upper half. Once separated I loosened the terminal screws on the upper half where the lamp wires would eventually connect.

Next, taping the new cords to the bottom ends of the old cords, I gently pulled the new cord through the center of each fixture. With the new cords now in place the harp holders were ready to go on. Separating the harp from its holder, the cord was fed through the center, and the harp holder seated down onto the threaded lamp tubes, at the top of each sphere.

The cord was then run through the center of the lower half of the socket base, before the socket base was threaded onto the tubing. With the socket base now firmly in place the keeper screw on the side of the base was tightened to prevent the base from coming loose.

With the hard part now complete it was time to connect the new cord to the upper half of the socket base. Taking the new cord wires from the top of the lamp, I landed each wire to its corresponding terminal screw.

The smooth insulated wire went to the gold terminal screw while the ribbed insulated wire went to the silver terminal screw.

NOTE: All lamp cords come with a smooth side and a ribbed side on the outer insulation. The smooth side goes to the hot terminal which is identified as a gold termination screw. The ribbed side goes to the neutral terminal which is identified as a silver termination screw. 

After securing the lamp cord wires to the terminal screws, the excess cord was carefully pulled down the bottom of the wooden spheres until the upper half of the socket base touched the bottom half. Lining up the two socket base halves, the securing screw was reinserted and the base was back together again.

The harps slid into place without any problems, there were some slight adjustments that needed to be made but simple enough to figure out. One problem in particular was a leaning harp, by gently moving it in the opposite direction solved that issue.

Finally, we were ready to test. The owner wasn't sure exactly how long these two lamps had been our of commission but one thing was certain, we were both happy to see them light up. 

The overall project didn't take a lot of time to complete and in fact this same process can be followed for just about any fixture with little to no damage to the main body.

I hope you've enjoyed this article, if you have a comment or a similar project that you've been able to revamp feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. Until next time stay safe.

M. Hernandez Sr.

The Cord Epidemic

              A few months ago my family was going through this phase where every couple of months or so we'd replace a charging cord to one of the electronic devices in our household.

Well, after dealing with the last replacement I decided it was time to come up with a solution.

While going around and inspecting all of the device cords, the first thing I noticed was that most of them were either laying on the floor or draped over some furniture.

When I looked closer I also noticed a couple of them were showing signs of wear near the connector ends, just like the ones we replaced. 


My initial thought was to try and save the cords since we just finished a round of replacements only days before, so I wrapped one of them in electrical tape to help reinforce the outer layer.

Now, I have to admit, although this idea was effective it wasn't the prettiest. The once sleek charging cord now looked like it belonged on one of the small power tools in my garage.

Not only that but I wasted nearly an entire roll of electrical tape on this one cord, realizing this was not the answer, I continued on for another solution.

For the second cord I decided to try using heat shrink. For those of you not familiar with this product, heat shrink is a rubbery tube like material that slides onto a cable like a sleeve. Once in place the material is heated with a small candle, torch, or hair dryer and it shrinks tightly around the cord.


Like the electrical tape, the heat shrink was effective, however, there was only one problem.

If the sleeve was a couple sizes larger than the cord, the material wouldn't shrink enough to tightly wrap around the cord. Since some of the cord connector heads were significantly larger the heat shrink could not be applied to every cord.

That evening one of my kids tripped over the charging cord near the kitchen, when I saw this I immediately went over and coiled up the cable, not wanting it to unravel itself I wrapped the cables end around the loop so that it would stay out of the way. A short time later however, the cord was back on the floor.

Thats when it hit me, why not coil the cords up temporarily when they weren't in use. Remembering the pack of velcro straps from a project a few months ago, I went to the garage and grabbed the leftovers.

Attaching each velcro strap to the cords was simple, since each strap came with a predesigned cinch loop the velcro straps were virtually guaranteed to remain attached to the cord.


For the shorter cords where the velcro straps didn't make sense I found these small inexpensive suction cups with clips on them.


With a reasonable fix now in place it was time to get the family on board. Forming this new habit was actually easier than I expected, I simply explained that if any one's cord was not coiled up when they were not being used all electronic privileges would be lost for a month.

In addition to that they would have to buy their own replacement cord.

Well after a few hiccups I'm happy to report that we have gone more than ten months without a replacement cord and there doesn't look like any of our device cables will need replacing anytime soon.

I hope you've enjoyed this article, if you have any questions, comments or an experience you would like to share, feel free to do so below. Until next time, stay safe.

Light Bulb Burdens

             If you've been to the lighting section of a hardware store lately, you know how difficult picking up a replacement bulb has become these days.

Before, when you needed a replacement you made a quick dash over to the local hardware store and grabbed a single or maybe even a multi-pack of bulbs. If there was a particular brightness you needed you simply looked for the higher wattage.

Today, that process is no more. Hardware stores have evolved into these massive buildings with rows and rows of sections and subsections. The light bulb shelf has become an isle in the Lighting Department surrounded by even more stuff.

And if by chance you do happen to make it into the right subsection of these stores your immediately swallowed up by the abyss of colorful packaging filled with highlighted charts, efficiency ratings and lists of functions guaranteed to overwhelm even the most passive of shoppers.

To be fair, these mega hardware stores have educated their employees in their respective subsections, but if a question cant be answered or there aren't enough specifics, most aim the customer back to the charts or give bad advice before heading off to restock and organize their endless Departments.

So how can the average person navigate through these waters and still maintain their sanity? Believe it or not its simpler than you might think. I'll explain.

Okay, first and foremost knowing what type of bulb your replacing is a must, using terms like standard, regular or a normal bulb just wont cut it these days. The biggest advice I can give you is to bring the bulb that needs to be replaced, with you.

Doing this will dramatically reduce wasted time and of course improve your experience with the Department associate.

The second thing, know where the replacement bulb will be used, will it be used inside the home or outside? If its for the inside of your home look for terms like "soft White, or Warm White" printed on the box. Also, look for a color temp of "2700K or 2700 Kelvin", above "3000k" and you'll end up with a bluer looking light.

Since most replacement bulbs are moving toward efficiency you wont need to focus so much on wattage just look for bulbs that are LED.

LED or Light Emitting Diodes are some of the most efficient bulbs around and they use a fraction of the energy that Incandescent and Compact Florescent bulbs use.

If the replacement bulb is for the exterior of your home then look for terms like "Bright White, Daylight, and Cool White". The spectrum for these are 3000k to 5000k.

Now remember the higher the K or Kelvin, the bluer the light color will be so unless you really enjoy the bright blue color at night stay within 3000-3500k to be safe.

The third and final piece of advice I want to give has to do with the CRI. The CRI or Color Rendering Index effects how natural the colors of objects appear under the light.

Bulbs with a 90 CRI or above tend to present a cleaner, crisper, more vibrant room because of how the light washes over each item in the space. Its an inexpensive way of brightening a room and drawing the eye to richer looking colors that you may not of noticed before.

Designers who know about this little piece of information tend to use it to help bring out the rich colors of the newly designed space. If your looking to maximize from a bulbs color benefits stay within 90-93CRI, you'll appreciate the clarity and difference.

In my opinion the higher CRI is always worth it, not so much for the outside but definitely anywhere indoors. One other thing, the closer you get to 95 CRI the higher the price the bulb will be, but a bulb with a minimum of 90 CRI is more than sufficient for any budget and style.

Bonus Tip #1: If your replacing an old bulb with a new LED bulb, and there is an existing dimmer switch, odds are the new bulb will not be compatible with the old dimmer. You have two choices, either you don't dim the new LED replacement bulb, or you ask the department associate to provide you with a dimmer switch that is compatible with the new bulb your purchasing.

This will require a competent person to replace the existing dimmer switch with the new one.

Bonus Tip #2: Most people are computer savvy these days so when you buy a replacement bulb create a file on your computer identifying the information of each new type of bulb you've installed, and for what room. This prevents having to redo any new searching if and when another bulb in the same area goes out.

It's a good organization habit to have when it comes to all parts for your home. Also these new LED bulbs are being marketed as long lasting so be sure to scan or photograph a clear copy of the receipt just in case one of these replacements don't live up to there claim, then add it into the same file folder as the bulb that you purchased. In most cases you can replace the bulb for free, as long as you have a receipt.

I hope this article helps you get through your next Hardware Store visit, as always thanks for reading and stay safe.

M. Hernandez Sr.

Nest for your nest

           The Nest Thermostat is one of the easiest Thermostats you could ever install, with Honeywells Wifi thermostat coming in at a strong second.

The installation process is simple, it starts out with shutting off power at the circuit breaker.  Now I know there are those who choose to skip this step for one reason or another but just do yourself a favor and always shut off power when working with any electricity.

In addition to saving yourself from potential problems its an excellent habit to have.

With power off, the next step thing was to separate the face of the existing thermostat from its base, this could be done in one of two ways; either prying it off with a small screwdriver or lifting the bottom end up. The most effective is the screwdriver method.

If you don't have a small trim screwdriver not to worry, Nest provides one with every one of their thermostats.

Once the existing t-stat face was off I photographed the wiring layout so I could wire it correctly to the Nest base. Another option is to label each wire individually as they're removed them from the existing base. If you decide to label Nest provides a set of labeling tabs in the box.

After photographing, I disconnected the wires and then removed the base itself.

With the old t-stat now completely out of the way it was time to install the Nest. I had two options for mounting this device, I could use the rectangular back cover that came with the kit or, I could mount  the round base for a more minimalist look.

In most cases the round base by itself is much more appealing but there are times when the rectangular accessory is necessary. For instance, if the opening where the wire passed through was larger, or if the walls weren't near a stud, then the rectangular piece would make perfect sense.

Using the affixed level on the round base, I leveled and secured the whole piece to the wall, then one by one, I wired each lead to its corresponding place using the photo I took earlier.

Once that was done I  lined up the t-stat to the base and snapped the device into place.

With the power back on, I had the homeowner run through the programming part of the install so they could tie the device into their homes network. Minutes later the device was tested manually and remotely and the new thermostat worked perfectly.

The ease and simplicity of installing the Nest and similar thermostats is important for the average person because it virtually eliminates the need of having the device professionally installed. In this instance it was necessary because we had to move the device to a different location, before installing the Nest.

I hope you've enjoyed this article, and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to share your experience feel free to do so in the section below. Until next time, stay safe.

Hollywood Lights

             The kitchen is often the epicenter for nearly every event that takes place in the home. Its where those special occasions, endless conversations, and unexpected moments, get there start.

Its where secret family recipes and last minute meals always turn out just right. And its where those first hello's, last goodbye's, and late nights finally come to a close.

With kitchens playing such an important role in our every day lives its no wonder that so few repairs and improvements ever get done in this part of the home.

Recently, I had an opportunity to work on one of these active and beloved work spaces, and was tasked with breathing new life into an existing lighting system.

The kitchens lighting had a number of issues going on with it, the first problem was that half of the fluorescent lamps were either flickering or not working at all. The other half offered very little in terms of light and output and were on the verge of going out.

In addition to the failing lighting system there was also this really annoying buzzing sound that seemed to carry through the rest of the house. The homeowners explained that they had had the ballasts replaced multiple times in the past but within a couple of years the buzzing would eventually return.

The other issue with the existing design was that even when the entire system was fully functioning there still wasn't enough light in the kitchen.

Part of the reason for the reduced amount of light was because of the type of diffusers they had. The amber colored diffusers were designed to soften the unappealing fluorescent light that illuminated a given area, but what it actually did was cause the kitchen to take on a dark and dingy look.

After reviewing a number of suggestions with the homeowners the plan was set to revamp the existing system for a more brighter, efficient and buzz free design.

The plan that the homeowners decided to go with was to completely remove the T12 Fluorescent lamps and replace them with *T8 LED retrofits. Since these specific LED lamps were designed to be direct wired there was no need for any more annoying ballasts.

The next thing we would do was remove the amber colored diffusers and replace those with a clear prismatic option that allowed the light to freely pass and brighten up the space.

To fit within the homeowners time frame and budget they would order the lights and have them overnighted to their home. They would also stop by a local plastics store and have a set of clear prismatic diffusers custom cut to replace the old diffusers.

Once the schedule was worked out, the project began.

Power to the kitchen lights was cut off at the circuit breakers. Next, the old amber diffusers were slid out of place and retired into the recycling bin. Next, all of the fluorescent T12 lamps were removed, carefully bundled, and recycled at a local hardware store.

Quick Note: All fluorescent lamps are hazardous waste and should never be thrown in the garbage bin, they need to be disposed of properly.

With the T12 lamps now safely out of the way we could continue on with the rest of the project. The next step was to gut the fixtures. To access the wiring and ballasts I located the retainer clip on one end of the cover and gave it a quarter turn. Sometimes there are two retainer clips or a retainer screw.   

All but one of the covers dropped down easily, the other needed a gentle tug before it popped loose.

Taping the retainer clip to the cover so as not to lose it, I then placed the covers aside for later reassembly. With the ballast and wires exposed, I first disconnected the power leads and then moved on to the socket terminal leads.

In most cases the socket terminal leads need to be cut near the ballast, however, these fixtures have had multiple ballast replacements over the years so it wasn't necessary.

Now that the fixtures were completely gutted the rewire process could begin. Using the wiring diagram that came with the T8 LED lamps, each fixture was wired to manufacturer specifications.

Once wiring was completed the cover and retainer clip went back up. I slid the cover in place, inserted the retainer clip into its slot and gave it a quarter turn. The cover was now properly secured in place.

The T8 LED lamps were installed with the LED's facing downward, unlike the fluorescent lamps that can be installed in any direction, the T8 LED's must be installed so that the diodes are pointed in the direction you want to aim the light.

With the new lamps now fully installed all that was left was the prismatic diffusers. I passed all of the newly cut pieces through one of the openings, and then slid each diffuser into place. The kitchen retrofit was now complete.

With the power back ON, the homeowners were given the honor of being the first to try out the new lights. They loved it.

Retrofitting an existing lighting design with the latest products can be a big budget saver both for the short term and long term. If your looking to do a lighting project of your own be sure to thoroughly research and plan accordingly.

I hope you've enjoyed this article, if you have any comments, questions or just want to share a similar experience, feel free to leave it below. Until next time. Stay safe.

*LED Model- HLWW420 (3700 Kelvin).












      

Fan Troubles

        Over the last few years the unbalanced ceiling fan has increasingly become one of the most problematic fixtures in the home. What once was an unstable, rattling mess has now evolved into a homeowners nightmare.

The trouble started when a newly selected safety device was adopted into the Homes electrical system. The AFCI or Arc Fault Current Interrupter was designed to limit the potential for electrical fires by cutting off power to a circuits path whenever an electrical arc was detected.

At first the AFCI seemed faulty and riddled with problems but as it was improved a particular problem began to surface.

Whenever an unbalanced ceiling fan was on the same circuit as the AFCI, power would continually shut off.

After coming across a number of these incidents I was able to find a common problem in some of cases. When the light bulbs of an unbalanced ceiling fan had shaken loose the AFCI would shut off.

As the light bulbs came loose a small gap between the socket base of the fan fixture and bulb base would get bigger, so when the bulbs were drawing power the electrical current was forced to jump across the two points and cause an arc. 

Before the AFCI was adopted most loose light bulbs in ceiling fans just flickered until they either burned out or lost connection completely. Now a loose light bulb will trip the circuit.

So whats the solution? Well the easiest answer would be to check your bulbs every so often or wait until you have an outage, but thats not really fixing the problem. The easiest and long term solution is to balance your ceiling fan.

The process is simple, all you need is a step stool or ladder, a Ceiling Fan Balancing Kit, and a small piece of tape. If you don't have a balance kit one can be purchased at the local hardware store or online.

Quick note: Look for a balancing kit that has flat weights, they have more surface area and tend to secure better and longer to the blade. The ones I used for the example later fell off. 

Start by making sure power to the Ceiling fan is OFF. Then, with the balance kit open, take the U-shaped rubber or plastic clip and slide it onto the center of one of the blades. It doesn't matter which blade you start with just pick one. 

 Then mark the blade with a small piece of tape so you know where you started. 

Next, turn the unit ON to its highest speed. Look and listen for wobbling, shaking, rattling or any other indication that the unit is out of balance. If there is a lot of wobbling, shut the fan OFF and move the U-shaped clip to the next fan blade. Repeat this process until the ceiling fan is running smoother. 

If the fan is running smoother but still has a slight wobble to it try sliding the U-shaped rubber or plastic clip halfway, closer to or away from the motor. Again make sure the fan is OFF. This should reduce the problem even more.

Once the Ceiling Fan is running smoothly turn the unit OFF and wipe the top of the blades surface clean. Then take one of the weights from the kit remove the backing and line it up with the U-shaped clip. Center the weight to the blade and press down firmly. Be sure to brace the bottom of the blade with your other hand. 

Hold the weight down for a few seconds, once secured remove the U-shaped clip and test the ceiling fan once more. The unit should continue to run smoothly.

If you have any trouble with the balancing process reread the steps above or watch a link I found of a video that does a pretty good job of the process. 

I Hope you've enjoyed the article if you have any question or comments feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Until next time stay safe.