What is a Neon Glow or "Phase" Tester?

A neon glow tester, sometimes called a "phase" tester is a device used to detect mains voltages. The neon capsule in the device is usually sensitive to voltages from 90 volts upwards. Contact must be made with a live terminal for the neon bulb to glow. When doing electrical maintenance work, a neon tester can be used to double check power is turned off after switching off a breaker. Neon testers are commonly available in the form of a flat screwdriver whose blade is sized to suit the screws in electrical fittings.
Newer type hand held electrical testers such as the Fluke VoltAlert use an electronic detection circuit which activates an LED when the tip of the tester is in close proximity to a live terminal or power cable, actual contact is not necessary. These testers are useful for detecting presence of voltage e.g in a power flex or on the output of a breaker. However if the tip is too far away, the LED may not light up, giving the false impression that a circuit is not live. So they should never be used to test for absence of voltage. A neon tester should be used for absolute certainty when testing (and the tester should be pre-checked by touching it against a live terminal , e.g. the outlet of a socket to ensure it is working properly).

How Can a Pinhole Leak be Temporarily Fixed Until a More Permanent Repair Can be Done?

Ordinary 2-part epoxy resin also works well for sealing leaks. I have used it successfully for repairing a long crack in the polystyrene spray nozzle of a hose. Make sure you get the quick setting stuff which hardens in about 10 minutes. Try and dry the joint thoroughly, and if possible, rub it with sandpaper to improve adhesion. Let the epoxy stiffen slightly before applying to prevent it spreading out. Heat from a hair drier accelerates the curing process. As far as I know special pipe sealants are epoxy based.
Another alternative (although this is theoretical and I haven't tried it!) is to use a hose clip. Keep one opened out and if you have a leak, wrap it around the pipe, push the end of the clip back into itself and semi-tighten it with a screwdriver. Push a small piece of rubber (bicycle patch, piece of old tire, rubber boot or whatever) under the clip over the hole and tighten. The advantage of this is that the water wouldn't have to be turned off and the area around the hole wouldn't need to be dry but it would probably only work on a hole in the actual pipe itself where the clip would exert sufficient pressure on the patch. You can also buy emergency clamp type fittings which seal over a hole, effecting a temporary repair until the section of pipe can be replaced.
Yet another repair method for cracked brass fittings is to solder them. I had to do this when a fitting on a heating system in my workshop developed a hairline crack during a lengthy period of snow during the winter. (Haven't looked at it for years so hopefully it's still water tight!).
It's wise to know the location of all your stop cocks/gate valves, and write the function of the valve on the wall behind it with a marker, or tie a label around it. In an emergency, you don't want to have to figure out which valve shuts off which pipe. Also valves tend to stick and seize up after years of disuse, so "exercise" them at least once a year by screwing off and back on again. It's actually a good a wise idea to add a redundant valve in case your main water shut-off valve fails. Another option is to fit a quadrant ball valve in addition to the main valve which can be quickly turned off by turning it through 90 degrees (These are the ones commonly encountered on gas and air compressor lines or on oil tanks). Quadrant valves don't normally seize up.

Can an Oil Stain be Washed Out of a Cotton Shirt?

Any of the well known hand cleansers used by auto mechanics or similar are excellent for cleaning oil stains from clothes or even worse carpets. The stuff I use on my hands after I do work on my lawn mower is excellent and seems to remove even the worst grime. Some of these cleansers contain hydrocarbon solvents which may remove colour from clothing, so try using some on the tail of the shirt first to see what the affect will be. Wash the shirt in your washer after removing the majority of the stain. Cotton is a somewhat porous fabric compared to to synthetic fibres which are more smooth. So the oil content of the stain will be removed, however you may not be able to remove all the stain, especially if black, waste oil is involved.  However it may become less obvious after further washes.

How Can I Mould Stepping Stones For the Garden Using Cake Tins?

If the pans are slightly tapered from top to bottom, there shouldn't be any problem releasing the cement, just as it is easy to release a cake from a mould or a sandcastle from a bucket. Cement doesn't normally stick readily to smooth metal. You could spray the inside with silicone lubricating spray and this should help also or even rub around the inside of the mould with some butter, Vaseline or similar. You only need to rub the surface in the same way that pans and dishes are coated when cooking or baking.
When the cement is set hard after a few days, lightly tap all around the base and sides, turn upside down and then if possible, hit the edge of the pan off the edge of a surface such as a bench, wheel barrow or kerb. This usually works when releasing plants from pots so it should work with cement also.
Leave the cement for about a week before walking on it so that it attains its full strength.
If you want to make the stones really strong, you can reinforce them by laying any scrap metal items you want to dispose of inside the cement. Half fill the mould with cement and then place the pieces of metal flat on the cement. Fill up to the top of the mould with cement.
If the stones are going to be walked on, they need to be at least 2 to 3 inches thick.

For Less Than $4 This Mini Adjustable Zooming LED Flashlight is a "Must Have" for Camping, Hiking and DIY

So I received one of these flashlights from Dealextreme  in the mail today and I wasn't disappointed! This 120 lumen flashlight is really bright and runs on a single1.5 volt alkaline AA cell or alternatively you can use a 3.6 volt Lithium 14500 type.

SIPIK SK68 120lm Convex Lens LED Zooming Flashlight w/ Q3-WC

You are probably familiar with the two AA cell Maglite which is a nice compact torch, and an indispensable item in any DIYers toolbox. Maglites can be zoomed so that they throw a narrow parallel beam, useful for instance when running services under floorboards or pinpointing stuff in the distance. This flashlight is a little over half the length of  a double AA Maglite, but has the added advantage of a zoomable beam, which can be adjusted from flood to spot by sliding the lens at the front backwards and forwards.

How Bright is It?

Well it's REALLY bright for something so small which runs on a single AA cell! According to the spec on Dealextreme's website, the flashlight pumps outs 120 lumens of light from the Cree Q3-WC LED. This is insanely bright and perfectly adequate for lighting up an area. When adjusted to provide a narrow beam, it can easily light up a target 30 metres away.

What's the Runtime?

At a voltage of 0.7 to 4.2 volts, runtime is 1.5 hours

What's the Construction Quality Like?

The body is made from aluminium so the flashlight should withstand being dropped from at least waist height. It's sealed with O-rings as is standard on these types of torches to make it water resistant, I couldn't see how they sealed the the LED head, presumably there is an O-ring between the two sections. The contact spring in the base cap is gold plated which may help to reduce bad connections, a problem which plagues torches with pressure contacts. The contact pad inside the torch however isn't plated with gold. A metal belt clip is a useful feature with a recess on the flashlight to prevent it slipping off the belt.

How Much Does it Cost?

$3.43 £2.62 or €3.09 excellent value for a bright, well constructed flashlight

Where Do I Buy It?

From Dealextreme at this URL http://bit.ly/2aZexby

Rosebay Willowherb - Tall Flowers at the Back Please

You've probably seen these growing along the roadside in the country. Rosebay Willowherb also known as Great Willow Herb and Fireweed is a perennial weed (or if you prefer, wild flower) which can grow up to 8 feet tall.  It gets the name Fireweed because it is one of the first plants to colonise burnt areas of forest and was a common sight in bomb craters after WWII (the plant was also called bombweed).
These plants propagate naturally by seed, but also spread by sending out underground stems (which according to Wikipedia are called "stolons" . Runners are overground stems which root, as in the case of creeping buttercup, briars and strawberries).

Image courtesy Eileen Henderson CC SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

I've had a patch of these for a few years growing in against a hedge. The seeds probably arrived with the wind. New plants have appeared around the originals, so I dug them up last year and separated them from their parents. They should look good at the back of the herbaceous border, towering above what's left of the delphiniums.....

Visit me on HubPages - http://eugbug.hubpages.com

Why Won't my Lawn Mower Start?

Lawn Mower Won't Start?

As the days lengthen, and temperatures rise, the grass cutting season isn't far away. So you drag your mower out of storage over winter, fill the tank and pull the cord..., and pull it again....and again....and of course nothing happens - Well that's typical!

If you leave fuel in the tank over winter, the carburetor can get gummed up with varnish deposits, jets get clogged and small delicate parts can seize. Ideally you should run the engine dry before overwintering and/or use a fuel stabilisation product such as Stabil.

Engines need fuel and a spark to run, plus good compression (the engine needs to hold pressure when mixture is compressed)

Checking the Spark Plug

First check the lead is pushed onto the plug properly and this wasn't the cause of non-starting. Move the mower to the shade so that it's easier to see a spark, remove the spark plug and re-attach the lead. Leave the threaded part of the plug in contact with the engine block and  pull the starter cord. The chances are that you won't be able to see the plug from your vantage point behind the mower, so an assistant may be able to aid you by pressing the plug against the block (using a plastic bottle or whatever to avoid shock if the plug lead is damp). The spark should be bright and blue.

When replacing a plug, make sure there's nothing on the threads such as dirt or grit, and make sure it isn't cross threaded by screwing in by hand before tightening with a plug wrench. If the plug is cross threaded, it will be difficult to turn by hand.

Fuel  Starvation

This means the engine isn't getting fuel. On engines with the tank above the carburetor, fuel first flows to a device called a float bowl. This is like a toilet cistern and prevents fuel just running into the carburetor. The bowl fills and once its full, a float (which functions just like the ballcock in a toilet cistern) cuts off flow. Sometimes the intake to the bowl can get clogged or the filter in the fuel line can be blocked, either of which can cause fuel starvation. When you remove the bowl, petrol should flow freely and stop flowing when you push up the float (use a jar or tin to catch fuel).

Another cause of fuel starvation is a clogged main jet. You can get carburetor cleaning aerosols which have a straw just like on a can of WD40. You insert the straw into the jet and press the button on the aerosol, the spray flushes the jet. If you have an air compressor, you could try using the a blow gun attachment to blast air through the jet. Avoid poking nails, wires or other objects through it, which could damage the jet which is made from brass.

Compression

Check the plug is screwed in tightly. Don't over tighten as you can damage the threads.

Read my full version of this blog post on DenGarden.com. It has lots more info on lawn mower troubleshooting with loads of pictures and goes into much more detail:

 

https://dengarden.com/landscaping/Why-Wont-That-Lawnmower-Start

Now's a Good Time to Treat Your Lawn for Moss

If your climate is characterised by long, cold, wet winters, the chances are that your lawn is now choked with moss, especially if drainage is bad and you never feed the grass. Moss can grow in cold conditions when grass is dormant and will tend to out compete it. Heavy moss growth can also clog your mower at the start of the season, and if you have an electric or low powered petrol mower, it can be tough going as the wheels sink into the soft moss and the blade struggles to cut through it.

Moss can be treated with iron sulphate. Dissolve 21 grams ( about 3 heaped teaspoons) in a litre of warm water and spray your lawn in strips, marked out with string and pegs. Treated areas turn black fairly quickly so it's easy to see what you've covered.

Full Article at http://hubpages.com/living/Easy-Guide-to-Killing-Moss-in-Lawns

 

Home Security and Safety - Maintaining and Replacing Your Smoke Alarm

Smoke alarms can be lifesavers in the event of a fire. They mightn't stop your home from burning down, but they provide the extra few minutes of time during which you can exit the house. There are two types of alarm, ionization and optical. Ionization alarms which use a small radio-isotope source, are best at detecting the small particles produced by a flaming fire. Optical smoke alarms are better at responding to the relatively larger smoke particles generated by a smoldering fire. Ideally you should have at least two alarms, one upstairs and one downstairs in a two-story home. Having two alarms is added insurance so that if one fails, the other acts as a backup. For added safety, an ionization and optical alarm can be installed side by side. Alarms should be located so that they are not subjected to draughts which could prevent smoke reaching them. So the best place is away from windows and doors. Also they should be kept away from corners of rooms and at a minimum distance from the point at which the wall reaches the ceiling. This is because smoke doesn't easily move into these "dead spaces". Consult the instructions provided before installing. What about batteries? Well you should use alkaline types which have a long shelf life and higher capacity than zinc carbon or zinc chloride types. Avoid buying batteries in bargain basement shops unless the word "alkaline" is printed on the pack. Terms such as "high capacity" or "super heavy duty" are meaningless and the batteries may not be alkaline. Check the best before date also. Alarms usually require a 9v square PP3/MN1604/6LR61 type. If you use a rechargeable type, the voltage is lower (8.4v nominally) and the alarm might not work correctly and/or the low battery warning may not operate. Also re-chargeables have the annoying habit of self discharging and will need to be recharged. Alkaline batteries usually last at least one year in an alarm but may last 2 to 3 years. Check the alarm regularly by pressing the self test button. Do alarms ever need to be replaced? Yes, according to the NFPA, alarms should be replaced every ten years. Life span is limited and accumulation of dust, dirt and general grime can interfere with the alarms ability to detect smoke.

For further information on this and a comprehensive guide to avoiding fires in the home, check out my article on HubPages: http://eugbug.hubpages.com/hub/Common-Sense-Fire-Safety-in-the-Home
 
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Check Your Electrical Outlets and Prevent Fire

I have just being listening to the radio on which a story was recounted about a person whose house was burnt down by a fire started by loose connections in an electric socket outlet. This just shows how electricity can be our enemy if we don't look out for warning signs, and maintain the wiring in our homes.
So what can you do to prevent fires?
Don't overload sockets.
Ensure you wiring is up to standard and circuit breakers or fuses are properly rated for each circuit. Don't replace a fuse with a higher rated type.
If a plug becomes hot, this is a symptom of a loose electrical connection. It is normal for power cords which supply a high powered appliance such as a heater or tumble drier to become warm, and plugs which have an integrated fuse (standard in the UK and other countries) can become warm also. It is not normal for a plug or socket outlet to get hot. This is either caused by the screws which hold the wires in the terminals of the socket or plug becoming loose, or alternatively the brass strips in the socket which grip the pins of the plug may not be doing so adequately. Either scenario will result in arcing and potentially this can start a fire if sparks are produced, or the insulation on power cables catches fire. Sometimes arcing can produce clicking noises, or a burning smell can be detected, but not always. Don't leave high powered devices switched on when no one is at home or you are in bed.

For further information on this and a comprehensive guide to avoiding fires in the home, check out my article on HubPages: http://eugbug.hubpages.com/hub/Common-Sense-Fire-Safety-in-the-Home

Image courtesy PACAF http://www.15wing.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123143636