D.I.Y. by Example

All of us have had a problem with TV remotes from time to time. You have to press the buttons several times before the TV responds or you have to aim it directly at the TV before it works properly. Well, after having several neighbors ask me about this, I decided to tell the world a few things to try to get your TV remote functioning properly again.

Physical Issues

The majority of the time, the problem is a physical one…something is physically wrong with the TV remote. The most common problem is bad batteries.

Replace your batteries – The first thing your should do, if a properly functioning remote starts acting up, is to replace the batteries with good, high quality alkaline batteries. Many of today’s TV remotes perform many functions and can drain batteries quickly, especially if you have to hold down the buttons for long periods of time. Backlighted remotes will also drain batteries quickly. With this heavy drain, standard batteries and rechargeable batteries don’t last near as long as good, fresh alkaline batteries.

Clean the remote and TV – Another common problem is a dirty remote. Keep your remote clean! A dirty remote will cause buttons to stick or just not function. Please see your owner’s manual on how to do this properly.

TV remotes work using light (in this case it is infrared light so you can’t see it) to send information from the TV remote to your TV, DVD players, etc. When the TV, DVD player, etc. receives the information from the remote, it decodes it to figure out what you want done. So keep the plastic window in the front of the remote clean so all of the infrared light gets to the TV. The other end, that most people forget about, is the TV, DVD player or Tivo itself. Keep it’s infrared window clean as well. Check your owner’s manual for the location of each infrared window and how to clean them properly. And please take off the pieces of tape that were put on at the factory to protect the remote and the TV! They may look clear but they interfere with the infrared signal strength.

Check out the remote itself – Look the remote over. Is it physically damaged? If so, you might consider replacing it. Remotes can take a lot of abuse but they can break and should be replaced if they are too badly damaged. Back in the day, remotes were expensive or hard to find but today they can be had for under $20.

Environmental

Believe it or not, infrared TV remotes are affected by the environment that they are in:

TV placement – How you have the TV, DVD or Tivo setup could effect the infrared remote that you are trying to use with it. Check your owner’s manual for the location of the infrared receiver window that your remote is trying to talk to. Now hold your remote like you normally would and put your head close to the remote. Can you actually see the infrared receiver window clearly? Many people put their TV, DVD or Tivo too far back on a shelf or put DVDs or cords in front of the infrared receiver window causing the infrared signal to have to bounce of something to be seen. Putting the infrared receiver window in plain sight will improve your remote’s performance!

Lighting – With everyone trying to save money these days, many people are switching over to fluorescent bulbs from incandescent bulbs (normal light bulbs). This can be bad for your infrared remote. When trying to use an infrared remote in a room illuminated by fluorescent bulbs, the fluorescent light will cause interference for the infrared signal. This causes the infrared signal to be weakened or garbled, so either way, the TV has a hard time figuring out what’s gone on. Either turn off the fluorescent lights or replace them with normal light bulbs in this room.

Room itself – Yes, the room itself can effect your infrared remote! Dark walls and cloth drapes/curtains will not reflect the infrared signal from your remote very well (if at all). If your entertainment center/TV isn’t in a lightly colored room with few drapes/curtains, be sure to aim the remote directly at the infrared receiver window on your TV, DVD or Tivo.

Conclusion

In short, to get the best out of your TV remote, give it fresh alkaline batteries, keep it clean, take good care of it and keep the infrared receiver window in plain sight.

Many people think that you can plug in as many outdoor christmas lights into one outlet as you want since they are small. Well, that isn’t quite true.

Christmas lights, just like all lights, pull power from the outlet in a measurement called amps (or amperes, abbreviated as A). Most outdoor outlets can only provide a maximum of 15amps but since many are also providing power to the inside of your house as well (lamps, other outlets, etc.), many outdoor outlets provide MUCH less than 15amps.

Helpful Hint: Even though the outlet is rated for 15amps, never try to pull the full 15amps from it. You risk tripping a breaker or GFCI if you get too close to the maximum output. A good rule of thumb is the only pull about 80% of the maximum or in this case, 12amps.

Speaking of GFCI protected outlets, these are outlets that are designed to trip when they sense a short circuit. Most bathroom and kitchen outlets are protected by GFCI breakers or outlets. Also, most outdoor outlets are GFCI protected as well. This means that water (from rain or dew) could cause your lights to go out especially if you are trying to pull too much power from the outlet.

And now the math

OK, you know that you have a limit to the amount of power that you can pull from an outlet but how much power does a string of christmas lights pull?

• 100 light string of mini-lights = 1/3amp or .33amps

Well, with 12amps to play with, that means you can have 36 strands of 100 mini-lights. That seems like quite a lot! But you have to count everything. Here are some other items to consider:

• 60watt light bulb in a blow mold figure = .5amps
• 15feet of rope light = .75amps
• 150watt flood light = 1.25amps
• 300 light strand of icicle mini-lights = 1amp
• Inflatables = .5 to 1amp

It adds up quickly!

We need more power Captain!

If you find you are running out of power, find another outlet, on a different circuit, to power part of your lights. Or better yet, make the investment in LED lights!

• 60-70 light string of LED lights = .03amps

Yep, 300 lights of mini-lights pull 1amp but 300 lights of LEDs pull only .15amps! The LED lights might cost a little more but they are safer (don’t get as hot), pull MUCH less power and last longer.

Putting everything together

When you assemble your christmas light display, be sure to use only products rated for outdoor use. Yes, they cost more but they are designed to be out in the weather. Rain and dew can be rough on indoor products causing the products to rust and possibly short out causing a shock or fire hazard!

Helpful Hint: When you connect strands of lights together, always use the rule of threes. Don’t connect more than three strands of lights together. The lights aren’t designed for more than that and if you add more, the fuse in the strands might blow.

Many people follow the above rules but forget about their extension cords. Extension cords are measured by their length in feet and the size of wire used in gauge (the larger the number the smaller the wire). The longer the extension cord and/or the smaller the wire, the less power can flow through it. Having the wrong extension cord can dim lights, cause inflatables not to work properly and cause a fire hazard.

Table courtesy of Planet Christmas

Think of it as a hose. The bigger the hose, the more water will flow. If you need a 50ft extension cord to provide a total of 6.5amps, you need to use a 16gauge or larger extension cord. Extension cords are expensive, matching the right extension cord for your needs could save you quite a bit of money!

Helpful Hint: If you have open outlets on your extension cords (using only two outlets on a three outlet extension cord), be sure to protect them from rain and snow. If water gets into the extension cord, it could cause a short which will trip your breaker or GFCI protected outlet.

Conclusion

Using the above as a guideline, you can have a beautiful, safe christmas light display. Now, go make your neighbor’s jealous!

With the common use of electric screwdrivers, many people have a hard time picking the proper screwdriver for the job.  They will try to force a screwdriver that is too large into the screw head or use one that is too small either of which will strip out the top of the screw head.

Using the right tool

Select the proper screwdriver for the type of screw you wish to install or remove.  For instance, don’t use a slotted screwdriver to install or remove a phillips head screw.  You will damage the screwdriver.  Worse yet, you might damage the screw.  If you are removing a screw with the wrong screwdriver and damage the screw head, you might not be able to get the screw out without a LOT of effort.

Size is everything

Now that you have the right screwdriver for the screw you are working with, do you have the right size screwdriver?  Choose a screwdriver that fits in the screw head snugly while seating itself into the bottom of the screw head.  If it is loose, it isn’t going to turn the screw properly and may strip the head.  The same thing is true if the screwdriver is too big and very little of the screwdriver tip goes into the screw head.

The proper screwdriver can help prevent hours of aggravation!

Helpful Hint: If you are having problems getting a screw into wood, try coating the threads with some candle wax.  For metal, try candle wax or machine oil.

The worst can happen

If the worst happens and you strip a screw head that you are trying to remove, can you use a pair of Vise-Grips to remove the screw?  If not, you only have two options and neither are that good.

The first is to use a tool called an EZ-Out or Grabit.  It is basically a special drill bit that has large teeth to grip the damaged screw head and help turn it.  If done improperly or if the screw is weak, the screw head will break off and you have to resort to the second option.

Your second and final choice is to drill the old screw out by using a drill bit a little larger than the existing screw.  Once complete, you have to use a tap and die set to rethread the hole (if needed) and insert a larger screw that fits the hole.

Conclusion

Using the proper tool for the job is always your best bet!  Things usually go quicker and without incidence.

The portable band saw gets its name from the blade it uses to make cuts. The saw blade is in a continuous band (like a rubber band) and it is turned by the motor inside the saw. You don’t do the cutting, the saw does. The continuous band extends the life of the blade by insuring that the cutting takes place over the entire length of the blade instead of in a small area (like a hacksaw or reciprocating saw) and keeping it much cooler.

This example is the Makita 2107F Portable Band Saw. Sold at many home improvement and tool centers for about $300. It features variable speed and quick blade changes.Portable band saws are typically used for cutting metal such as steel pipe or iron balusters. They can usually cut something as large as 4 inches in diameter.
They require a steady hand for a cut straight and to keep the blade from binding.

The reciprocating saw gets its name from the motion of the blade when the saw is turned on…it moves back and forth or reciprocates. These saws are very versatile and can be very powerful. They are typically used for demolition or cutting in tight spaces but can perform many other duties depending on the type of blade used. With the appropriate blade, they can even be used for cutting/trimming trees.

This example is the Dewalt DW304 reciprocating saw. It features a 10amp motor, keyless blade changing, variable speed and a multi-position blade clamp for flush cutting. It sells for about $100 at your local tool/home improvement center.

Reciprocating saws need to be held firmly against the material that they are cutting or the blade can stick causing the saw to reciprocate instead of the blade. With the proper blade, they can cut plastic, metal, wood, etc.

If you are looking for a smooth, clean, finished cut don’t use a reciprocating saw! They use brute force to cut through an object. But for many projects, nothing can beat their speed and versatility.

Related Links: DEWALT DW304PK Reciprocating Saw Kit