Various updates...

[johno]

While looking for a old post, I noticed some posts needed updating...

Power/UPSes: Took the advise and bought APC UPSes as replacements.

APC 1700 for the entertainment center.
APC 750 for the office/bedroom
APC {mumble} surge protector, w/ 11 sockets for all the other stuff.


Kitties:

Settling in still. They live mostly in the library still, but sleep under the desk in the office. They have been exploring more and watching us again. Cordelia (Mom Cat) has popped her head up over the end of the couch to look at chriso. Both Cordy and Miles will sit in the entrance to the kitchen and watch C cook. While still skittish, they have started (half hearted) hissing at us, before running away. Miles is back to letting me approach close enough for her to sniff my fingers, but no petting yet. Dominance games between Miles and Autumn seem to have stopped. Not sure who won.



Filk Biking Shirt:

Gah! Forgot to defend it and I was outbid. Went for a lowly $33.



Spring cleaning continues:

2 weeks ago, we did some major mucking out. Straining a back muscle with all the bending and incorrect lifting. Fortunately it was just muscle strain. Took a week to heal though, which not helped by the UPS event.

Last week we did lots more, getting space made in the library and office, so we can put even more stuff in later in the Summer.
On Sunday, we had iamradar come down and do the deep cleaning of the bathrooms and some other general cleaning. Much better and faster then either of us could have done.

This weekend is a working weekend for me, but we're going to try to get a few loads of boxes to a storage unit.


Why all the major mucking out?

As mentioned in the UPS post, our house is 50 years old and, except for the garage and 1 circuit to the office, is all ungrounded rag-wire (cloth covered 2 wire power lines.) Which in general should be replaced as just plain being old and in a modern house 3 wire grounded is needed for many electronics. I also want to the get GFCI circuits, or at least outlets, in the bathrooms and kitchen as well.

Comments

[trystel.livejournal.com]

Ah, my utter sympathies on the electrical project. Sending you what meager reserves of patience and calm that I can muster after dealing with our own nightmare. :-)

[knaveofhearts.livejournal.com]

My house was built at least that long ago and the power issues have been a minor problem -- though not as bad as at the old place.

I wish you luck on finding a decent contractor to solve the problem!

[dafydd.livejournal.com]

ungrounded rag-wire

It's called Knob & Tube wiring, for the devices used to keep the wire out of contact with the wood structure of the house. I have reason to know... :p

[johno.livejournal.com]

One step up. This is 2 insulated wires, in a cloth sleave. The issue is that with the 50-year-old stuff the cloth disinigrates and the insulations becomes brittle. If it looses the sleave and insulation, you can get shorts.

knob-n-tube is actually pretty safe if the knobs are well spaced to keep the wires seperate.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

John's right. His is unsafe, should be replaced. You can't always see the disintagration, but it's there. And it shorts and causes fires. Nasty stuff. Don't know why it was liked, probably easier than knob and tube.

Our old knob and tube is fine, so long as we keep an eye on it (1920s house). The k&t you can see the wires clearly and verify that everything is still sound. The wires also never touch each other as they snake around the house. And the insulation doesn't break down the way John's does. We've left ours alone where we don't need grounded wires. We did bring a new 100 amp drop into the house though, 30 amps just doesn't cut it any more :).

I worked for an insurance company, I know too many stories about "New and Better" wiring systems that haven't been. John's sounds like one of them.

[oddharmonic.livejournal.com]

You can have all our remaining wiring karma. My sister and brother-in-law had the wiring in their home, a c. 1880 schoolhouse trucked to its current location in the 1940s, replaced in 2004.

I also want to the get GFCI circuits, or at least outlets, in the bathrooms and kitchen as well.

They're totally worth it. With a little guidance, I installed GFCI outlets in my bathrooms and kitchen in my home in NC. The landlord told me it was on my own dime, but it was worth it for my own peace of mind.