tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30579132186501370102024-03-27T16:54:05.536-07:00View from a BusThis blog is dedicated to the work that I perform on my VW Bus, the trips we take with him, and the things we see and learn about cars, people and ourselves along the way. That said, I am working on other cars a lot lately. So, I post on that too.PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.comBlogger676125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-88954398899465765112024-03-26T08:00:00.000-07:002024-03-26T08:00:00.252-07:00Fixing Hapy Furnace (part 2)<div style="text-align: left;">Picking up where I left off the last post, Hapy has an operational furnace again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Fuel Pump Swap</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp15XlcZlZtUanAMBikOk29Iqxe8qZ1ntFGmP3qyxpp8m89lAy2sTbV-rkUT6_dp65F1HCenDwYvcKOrNULLzLGu0WJlOuZtJcFmHBLBGYMMtxVvRBdUAcVHffXSnopgHxiylw-3ui_bpgDYEub51tWGM0mvZfeJYuHfDLojXcxpYnZX8Db8RPWKs8-Y7r/s747/diesel_heater_fuel_pump.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="679" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp15XlcZlZtUanAMBikOk29Iqxe8qZ1ntFGmP3qyxpp8m89lAy2sTbV-rkUT6_dp65F1HCenDwYvcKOrNULLzLGu0WJlOuZtJcFmHBLBGYMMtxVvRBdUAcVHffXSnopgHxiylw-3ui_bpgDYEub51tWGM0mvZfeJYuHfDLojXcxpYnZX8Db8RPWKs8-Y7r/w182-h200/diesel_heater_fuel_pump.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>As I mentioned in my last post, the fuel pump which originally delivered with the heater/furnace would not work when I tried to bring things back to life. I splurged and bought a more expensive "quiet" model for $50US rather than another standard pump for $20US. I figured quieter or not, the more expensive pump may have better parts in it, and it may last longer whether it is quieter or not. Or it was just a marketing gimmick and I got took. Let's chalk it up to the cost of an experiment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The old fuel line path was relatively simple. The "hard" (clear but firm plastic) lines that delivered with the furnace had short (50mm / 2-inch) stretches of fuel hose between them and the pump. The pump was suspended from a cross beam by the included rubber mount held in place by a single sheet metal screw. After a few turns with a screwdriver, the pump was on the ground. A few more and the fuel lines were removed from it. The supply fuel line started dripping fuel after a few seconds, so I caught it with a pan. The line on the pressurized side was completely empty, so no drips. I simply reversed the removal: added the rubber mount from the supply end of the pump, added the supply fuel line, suspended the pump from the cross beam and then added the pressurized-side line.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Prime and Fire Up</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Afterburner has a control page where you can direct only the fuel pump to fire up. This allows you to get fuel all the way to the furnace without the glow plug turning on (drawing the battery and maybe burning out the glow plug). I had not connected the pressure line to the furnace, but I wanted to clear the lines of any bad fuel, so I moved the pan under the dangling hardline and triggered the Afterburner to prime. Within a minute of the prime starting, fuel started spurting out the end of the line. It took longer than I expected it to, but perhaps that is an indication of how little fuel these units actually consume. Once the fuel leaving the pressure line looked like the fuel supplied at a filling station, I stopped the prime function and connected the hardline to the fuel hose dangling from the furnace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While the pump was slightly larger than the original, it did not seem much quieter during the prime. Of course, I hadn't heard it pump in a couple of years, and memory is a funny thing. I do recall that when the furnace was running, I could hear the tick-tick-tick of the fuel pump over the whoosh of the furnace. With this in mind, I set the furnace to start. I did not want to consider the experiment with the new thicker, dedicated wiring yet, so I left the battery tender hooked up. At no point did the battery fall below 13.5V so either the tender was working hard, or the new wiring is a hit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Regardless, the glow plug got lit, the fan started spinning and after 2 or 3 minutes the furnace ignited. This felt like a considerably longer period of time than before. Perhaps the priming was incomplete and I needed to prime again after connecting the hose to the furnace. Perhaps it took time to ignite simply because it had been so long. Once it ignited, a <i>huge</i> plume of smoke poured out of the little muffler. There was virtually no wind, so the cloud grew and sat slowly obscuring first the rear end of the bus and slowly 2/3 of the bus before a light breeze broke it up. After a few minutes, the cloud dissipated and the exhaust emission was reduced to nothing. All that remained was a light smokey haze inside the bus. I regret not taking a picture of that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Noise Observations</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">While the temperature inside the bus slowly crept up from 55*F (13*C), I noted the noises. I could only hear the fuel pump ticking inside the cabinet where the furnace is located and even then, only when I stuck my head into the cabinet. I think the pressurized line is transmitting it. I stuck my head into the rock-n-roll cabinet above the spot where pump is actually installed and could not hear it. Maybe this new pump <i>is</i> quieter. Then, I moved outside where in the past I could clearly hear the pump from several feet away, even from the passenger-door side. I could not hear it, but I could hear the furnace whoosh. Of course, my muffler-ing of the furnace is different this time, having removed the second small rectangular muffler and the motorbike muffler. Perhaps the pump is no quieter, but the furnace is that much louder. To determine if the muffler configuration is a variable, I decided I will conduct another test at a different time, after re-attaching the other muffler bits. I had thought about bringing them along for while-parked use, and maybe I will need to, out of respect for our festival-going neighbors. In the past, I took decibel readings, but they were for while the furnace held a temperature, not during temp catch-up (full blast).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I will continue to experiment with noise readings and post if I find any readings are different than they were 4 years ago. I expect that once I put the extra rectangular and motorbike mufflers on, the readings will be what they were before. The only real mystery to me is whether the fuel pump can be heard over it. At this point, though, the pump seems significantly quieter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-57794334275033312842024-03-19T08:00:00.000-07:002024-03-19T08:31:55.634-07:00Fixing Hapy Furnace (part 1)<div style="text-align: left;">Having finally arrived at a place where we have some heat while we're moving, I felt motivated to fix the heat for when we are standing still. Today's post covers most of the saga of getting a Chinese diesel heater operational again. Spoiler alert: the heater isn't running by the end of this post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Brief History</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtA2w7yg66gpu735He-e2WLEYuQ4DNpD4uwojW-LnFJoKhTZ8QpgJok9B3SWK7li7Tt4ye1MJiZwkh2oEwgAqztnUlpfjA0Gtz2PO8wyd5_W88FTdlieNpHVjGDku8rc3bBiN1A18-8PD/s800/IMG_2812.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtA2w7yg66gpu735He-e2WLEYuQ4DNpD4uwojW-LnFJoKhTZ8QpgJok9B3SWK7li7Tt4ye1MJiZwkh2oEwgAqztnUlpfjA0Gtz2PO8wyd5_W88FTdlieNpHVjGDku8rc3bBiN1A18-8PD/w150-h200/IMG_2812.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>Back in the early days of CoViD, I installed one of those Chinese diesel parking heaters into Hapy (See Parking Heater <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/01/parking-heater-part-1.html" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/02/parking-heater-part-2.html" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/02/parking-heater-part-3.html" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/02/parking-heater-part-4.html" target="_blank">4</a>, <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/03/parking-heater-part-5.html" target="_blank">5</a> and <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/05/parking-heater-final.html" target="_blank">Final</a> for deep detail). While I was able to run it a few times, I found that the heater pulled the voltage way down on whichever battery was connected to it. I tried to solve by providing multiple batteries to source from: one to start, one to run, but switching from battery to battery seemed like a bad practice. I had other priorities, so I just let the furnace sit unused. When I did the sound deadening effort and the luxury electrical re-wire, I dismantled the cabinet which housed the furnace so I could get sound deadener underneath it and electrical cables through it. This meant dismantling part of the furnace too. Later, when the band wanted to use Hapy for the album cover, I removed the furnace exhaust so it would not appear in pictures. So, I had a furnace without an exhaust, and would draw way too much juice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Electrical</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUp9tEmv1shIaWfH2qT8FOJGGKthCbftzvkJuWsdUGMR_AzWVU4IMIQlRZcypre_b96xvEqZC_rR4TsNtc4tDHBmhfG3wcQXqra2jlnS8YcKd4vdJNBMlsC8pyGxXRgHiMOZ6cpl8dryBmOMN7gX1vE95daaDAUJIyd91xdaSpZV0tASTyWFtZGgTExxvI/s2048/IMG_1865.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUp9tEmv1shIaWfH2qT8FOJGGKthCbftzvkJuWsdUGMR_AzWVU4IMIQlRZcypre_b96xvEqZC_rR4TsNtc4tDHBmhfG3wcQXqra2jlnS8YcKd4vdJNBMlsC8pyGxXRgHiMOZ6cpl8dryBmOMN7gX1vE95daaDAUJIyd91xdaSpZV0tASTyWFtZGgTExxvI/w150-h200/IMG_1865.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Over time, and with more learning about electrical stuff, I have concluded that the wire used to convey electricity but perhaps more importantly the wire for a ground were far too thin. It was due to these thin wires that the voltage would drop so badly as the furnace attempted to compensate. Wires which would have been barely up to the job had the battery been sitting right on top of the heater will definitely NOT be up to the task once you move the battery a few feet away. This is exacerbated by running the ground to the body of the bus instead of back to the battery. The ground location should not matter as much, but I'm citing it as a participant cause anyway. So, addressing the electrical came first after removing the furnace from the bus.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A small harness of wires leaves the furnace body and enters a black plug (see picture on the right). The harness that ships with the furnace includes a pigtail that clicks into the furnace black plug. To my eye, the red and black wires in the pigtail are not nearly as thick as the wires leaving the furnace. This probably saved the manufacturer a few pennies, but the amp draw issue starts right there (and in my case got worse). So, I cut the main power and main ground wires from the furnace black plug and put male/female wire ends on them (12V/ground respectively). I made them different so I couldn't accidentally plug it in backwards. I then prepped a thick 2-wire black/red cable with matching wire ends, and routed it over to the luxury battery. At the battery end, I added a ring terminal for the ground and added a 20Amp fuse into the positive side before adding a ring terminal on that end. I left things detached as I switched to preparing for the exhaust.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Exhaust</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7wdmcCAAZ9jWSdud4_iuwzW2Ss7C7nySQXBBzV8xRb-dTL35QBkQrE1vWff7t62GJGOnHdyZ83SDk5RAIku0ipSl16jnU5f6xDZxJohk_Weqheik-x9xUIjGXo481leUQiY-Xo74nXR9flDBhrPAfd2gxe5BJ16HqGPWUix9Yhe7TWfwhjRF2twSDQQq/s2048/IMG_1867.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7wdmcCAAZ9jWSdud4_iuwzW2Ss7C7nySQXBBzV8xRb-dTL35QBkQrE1vWff7t62GJGOnHdyZ83SDk5RAIku0ipSl16jnU5f6xDZxJohk_Weqheik-x9xUIjGXo481leUQiY-Xo74nXR9flDBhrPAfd2gxe5BJ16HqGPWUix9Yhe7TWfwhjRF2twSDQQq/w150-h200/IMG_1867.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>From under the bus, it was clear that I had not made the hole(s) large enough for the exhaust, intake and fuel to be easily maintained. Quite the contrary, I had installed it such that once it was all together, it would have to all come apart to fix anything. Frowny-face. So, I started by cutting a 4-inch square hole into the lower belly pan. Many buses do not have these, but I got lucky. Anyway, with the hole cut I could see where the furnace sat, and noticed that the exhaust was getting pinched by the too-small hole in the floor as the exhaust left the furnace. So, I went topside and expanded the upper hole both in the floor of the cabinet and the steel floor of the bus. With the larger hole, the exhaust easily fits and things could be maintained from below. Still, I did what I could on the furnace itself before lowering it in: Connect a 6" long stretch of fuel line, attach a small circle of window screen to the intake (so bugs and pebbles don't get in) and then attach maybe a foot of heat-wrapped exhaust. I set the furnace in place and attached a small subset of the muffler arrangement I had used before: just one rectangular muffler. I may bring the expanded muffler set up for use when we are in tighter camping spots (like festivals), so we can bolt-on some extra quiet. I mounted the muffler to the underside of the frame rail, with the outlet pointing rearward and slightly away from center (picture on the right).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A keen eye can see some fresh Rustoleum primer + paint above the muffler where I discovered some rust had eaten all the way through the body. When I was working on the other stuff I ground the metal down, removing the rust, but exposing the holes. Sadness. That rust traces back to when this bus had a small vent window directly above this spot. That vent window was badly leaking and the rust had already been forming to the point of marring the paint when I bought this bus over 20 years ago. I eliminated the vent window in 2015 (See <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2015/05/calling-glass.html" target="_blank">Calling "glass"</a>) with a window I purchased from BusBoys in Redding, CA in 2009. Some things move slower than others.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Fuel</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I shifted over to fueling at this point. The fuel line that had been between the included "hard" line and the furnace had breeched, probably when I did the sound deadening. The fuel in the line looked dark, so I dropped the line into an empty pail, and figured I would prime the fuel system, and purge the bad fuel at the same time. Unfortunately, the fuel pump is no longer functional, so I am waiting on a replacement to finish this job.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Afterburner</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/assets/images/white-grey-251x349.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="251" height="200" src="https://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/assets/images/white-grey-251x349.png" width="144" /></a></div>Back when I first did this job, I bought an Afterburner from the guy who hand builds them in Australia. Apparently, there are people building knock-offs, eating into his business, since they basically have cloned his work. So, if you are looking at getting the much nicer controller for your parking heater, please connect with <a href="https://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/" target="_blank">Mr. Jones in Australia</a> and get the real deal. Anyway, with the Afterburner, I tried to prime the fuel system, but the fuel pump wouldn't respond. When I unplugged the pump, I got a code; I concluded the wiring to the pump was good but pump was bad. So I ordered a new, supposedly quieter, one. We'll see. While I was clowning around with the Afterburner, I got it onto my home network, downloaded the newest firmware and wandered around the new-to-me website that the Afterburner hosts. It's really cool. I am looking forward to triggering the furnace to warm the bus from inside. For reference, here is a <a href="https://www.mrjones.id.au/afterburner/assets/files/UserManual-V3.2.pdf" target="_blank">link to the user manual</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is as far as I've gotten. I am waiting for a new fuel pump to arrive. I need to purge the old lines of nasty fuel, and install that new pump. I expect there will be other discoveries, and I need to rebuild the cabinet innards. There's always opportunities to improve things. Anyway, thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-2154169248581849942024-03-12T08:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T08:00:00.138-07:00Diesel Dumping Discontinued<div style="text-align: left;">In my last post, I discovered that the injection pump was leaking fairly badly. Today's brief post covers my replacing the 2 top seals.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Symptoms</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cclDDikgltcAR76PP8hwLuQca9FdCzsYMjdXr25ybAoppbQw7_IEvrbLz-PrD17Goe4-cHYIUmSapkv-W24b1cfe3i9VrDp2bD4UufANf67t3l4PLhyphenhyphendDKaV9EosAmk9UFTCVwP196imZ26rdmY4pJG_4JD-49rNjauH7y9rGnIPfNux2ev7TtnoGng1/s2048/IMG_1852.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cclDDikgltcAR76PP8hwLuQca9FdCzsYMjdXr25ybAoppbQw7_IEvrbLz-PrD17Goe4-cHYIUmSapkv-W24b1cfe3i9VrDp2bD4UufANf67t3l4PLhyphenhyphendDKaV9EosAmk9UFTCVwP196imZ26rdmY4pJG_4JD-49rNjauH7y9rGnIPfNux2ev7TtnoGng1/w150-h200/IMG_1852.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>If you don't open your hood very often, especially while the engine is running, any leak may not be obvious. With the engine under the rear deck, and the rear deck often having stuff on it, I hadn't seen the leaks evolve. On my last few drives, I had smelled diesel fuel, and I had made a mental note of it. Honestly, I thought it was related to the now-not-operational furnace which still had a diesel line filled with diesel running to it. I suspect I fueled with something which was not B20 and that caused the seals to shrink. Recall, I wanted to run the air out of the new heater so I popped open the rear-deck engine lid (I cut in years ago) and fired up the engine. I walked to the back of the bus and could see fuel dumping down the sides of the injection pump. I dashed to the driver seat and turned off the engine. Returning to the engine bay, I added coolant, but tried to figure out where the fuel was coming from. It looked like it was coming from the black plug on the side, and maybe out of the edge along the top on the opposite side. The top seals had finally shrunk to the point of being compromised.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>DieselGeek</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are lots of sources for seals and seal kits, but IMHO, the best is from DieselGeek (like <a href="https://dieselgeek.com/products/bosch-injection-pump-seal-kit-for-vw-tdi" target="_blank">here</a>). The operator is a TDI owner and only sells things he actually uses. His opinions are highly regarded on Fred's TDICLub forum too. The kit is complete; and you will want to include an anti-tamper socket (<a href="https://www.dieselgeek.com/products/mn3001-metalnerd-anti-tamper-socket-for-bosch-ve-injection-pump-tdi" target="_blank">here</a>) to get that one fastener removed. His product page contains a link to a complete how-to (also linked <a href="https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/ip-top-and-bottom-seal-how-to.262019/" target="_blank">here</a>) that will take you through the process. Since it is so well documented, I will not repeat it here. I will only highlight things that I discovered that either differ or underscore that documentation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Clean and Mark Pump Location</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">After ordering the kit, I went out to Hapy and cleaned outer case of the Injecion Pump with degreaser. I paid special attention to the seams where the seals would be replaced. Once clean and dry, I applied the JB Weld (as instructed) on 2 corners of the pump covering the lower seals both above and below. This will allow for a more precise re-location of the pump after the lower seal has been replaced. I also took a chisel and made a clear mark that crossed the seam. For good measure, I added lines with a Sharpie. Although diesel fuel can remove Sharpie lines, I did not suffer that fate.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Top Seal</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqIDliSt0hImh_rTCmVpXedOLHopaOldVyKxRitdS-nyAbEtB3oi1_yPsNnGHRHBbY3zCofzIEd2Vq66nZhlvqdJi7Yxf86C6aML2O_v06X96jqhEDzU-e7U1nZe5mvIdhgyOQrdIHKevxjCti3HBohfI0-XKZIgM6ApMeEHb7DxEWUO328u-8WLQM_3e/s2048/IMG_1854.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqIDliSt0hImh_rTCmVpXedOLHopaOldVyKxRitdS-nyAbEtB3oi1_yPsNnGHRHBbY3zCofzIEd2Vq66nZhlvqdJi7Yxf86C6aML2O_v06X96jqhEDzU-e7U1nZe5mvIdhgyOQrdIHKevxjCti3HBohfI0-XKZIgM6ApMeEHb7DxEWUO328u-8WLQM_3e/w150-h200/IMG_1854.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Following the instructions, I replaced the top seal first. Before I started, I wrapped the Injection Pump below the lower seal with a ratty old towel to capture spilling diesel fuel. This turned out to be an unnecessary precaution, but when I need to replace these seals again, I will do the towel wrap again anyway. Better to be safe. I left the return fuel line attached and tilted the cover far enough so I could reach the old seal. With a watch-repair slotted screwdriver, I picked out the seal. It looked fine, but I did notice that it was practically flat with the edge of the cap, so I could imagine how it could be leaking. Once removed, the groove was perfectly clean. I gave it a cursory pass with a paper towel anyway and the new seal slid in perfectly. Before returning the cap to the pump, I noticed some gunk buildup on the black-plug side so I carefully scraped it off with a razor blade and then wiped it clean with a paper towel. It is little things like that which can prevent a complete seal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bottom Seal</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The lower seal is a little tricky, but, again, the instructions were spot-on with only one exception: The Torx bolt holding the corner directly below the fuel return may not be easily addressed, depending on your tools. The picture below-right illustrates the issue. My Torx socket fits a 1/2" ratchet so it's rather thick. It is also kind of stubby, so the socket itself needs to occupy the space where the fuel return is. So, either have longer throw Torx sockets or do what I did: Remove the cap to remove and install that once fastener. Yes, that's a pain in the butt, but I found no alternative other than loosening the banjo bolt, and after the power steering debacle with Flash all those years ago, I want nothing to do with a banjo bolt if I can avoid it. I just went looking for the post and I can't find one. I can't believe I didn't post on the saga of replacing Flash's steering rack, like, 10 years ago. The banjo bolt was nearly the death of me; my thumb swelled up from applying pressure to get things bolted together... it was a nightmare.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBgqXh25jwoSuTlZEB6iksryWeKeALcdUC_HWBORQ8SbiQixGo4N82G5uItC-ICzX8sSQMGLxhohYrcUrtq2xxnAXRFyn2o-TctBbyFu5Ory-F6QMPlVWiKK45jQ1430oO_URnbFlYWDWue1CIEdZNzteIvbJ4PR2TTrPZSmpvI0ezhseI28SSwBCDLPs/s2048/IMG_1855.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBgqXh25jwoSuTlZEB6iksryWeKeALcdUC_HWBORQ8SbiQixGo4N82G5uItC-ICzX8sSQMGLxhohYrcUrtq2xxnAXRFyn2o-TctBbyFu5Ory-F6QMPlVWiKK45jQ1430oO_URnbFlYWDWue1CIEdZNzteIvbJ4PR2TTrPZSmpvI0ezhseI28SSwBCDLPs/w150-h200/IMG_1855.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Similar to the upper seal, once the unit was unbolted, the TDIClub documented process was spot-on. Even the "smack it with a bit of wood to crack the JB Weld worked as written. I did not remove the hose from the fuel return line, however. I just tipped the unit back far enough to remove the seal without fear of something dropping into the top of the pump. I also found some gunk build up along one side on this piece, like I did on the cover. So, I did the same thing: slowly scraping it clear and then cleaning the metal with a paper towel. With the seal in place, I again followed the instruction to make sure the little drive stick entered the hole on the piston (you can feel it locate) and set the unit in place, using the fracture lines in the JB Weld to position. Because of how thick the new seal is compared to the old one, there was some wiggle space in the fractures, so the extra marks, bot the chisel and the Sharpie, were necessary to get the unit in the right spot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Because of the Torx socket challenge, I got 2 of the fasteners on, then removed the cover, put the other Torx fastener in place. At this point, I re-set the location of the top unit comparing the lines again. Then, I tightened down the 3 Torx bolts hand-tight. Since these are brass bolts going into aluminum, the threads can strip, so mind your torque settings (less than 8 ft-pounds). Content, I put the cover back on, added the anti-tamper bolt and the cover Torx bolts.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Testing</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">At this point, it is recommended to prime the system with a MityVac. I read some comments by users who did not need to do so. I thought I would try starting before getting into the hand-vac, and Hapy fired right up. I walked around to the back and there were no leaks, and he idled nicely around 903 rpm like always. The test for whether the little drive-stick is in place is simply to try the accelerator. If the engine RPM's change, it's in there. Success. So, we took a quick drive around the usual test loop. Hapy was responsive and slowly warmed up. As part of my test drive, I tried the heater.. that worked too! I could feel warm air blowing up through the defroster.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I got home, I noticed that Hapy was having a harder time maintaining a consistent idle. He would drop down around 875 and go up around 950. I vaguely remember this being a thing for him and a quick tap on the accelerator settled him down. I don't know why this is a dynamic for him, but with the seals replaced he is acting exactly how he used to... without dumping fuel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for today. I hope to get after the furnace next. We'll see what the future holds. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-726765739418811242024-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:002024-03-05T14:50:10.088-08:00Hapy Heat Repeat (Part 2)<div style="text-align: left;">Continuing the efforts on creating some cabin heat in the old microbus, today's post covers sourcing the air for the heater from inside the bus.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Grounding</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAV-VX7ZiZ8IO-VVAL-BuO_ur_4B52kJcuX7B1Fd20E0XEBvKs_Ui2UJnNqnV4vz9YwmUIn2c-hjioFY25YDWMBGfOW4tXum-_WkmaLCv9t-HYHjs_J4mDcTNN0Yr6pNulyVrqearLyMDdmhluE15tZe2YijTiCgh92aHRJrXtdoRN-AGXpjbryiasH-Vb/s2048/IMG_1836.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAV-VX7ZiZ8IO-VVAL-BuO_ur_4B52kJcuX7B1Fd20E0XEBvKs_Ui2UJnNqnV4vz9YwmUIn2c-hjioFY25YDWMBGfOW4tXum-_WkmaLCv9t-HYHjs_J4mDcTNN0Yr6pNulyVrqearLyMDdmhluE15tZe2YijTiCgh92aHRJrXtdoRN-AGXpjbryiasH-Vb/w200-h150/IMG_1836.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">air sourcing from inside</td></tr></tbody></table>In the last post on this topic, I mentioned that the prior attempts, and the original heat, for that matter, all pulled in air from the outside. The original heat pulled from the engine bay, sent it through heater-boxes (insulated boxes around the exhaust manifolds) and then up to the front of the bus. There was even a booster fan to push air when the engine speed was too low to push air. Years ago, I added a bilge-blower fan mid-stream to help get the air forward, and replaced large sections of pipe with insulated hose. In the end, the original system at-best, delivered warm moist air when it was raining (again, it's Oregon so that's 8 months of the year). When not-best, we got cold moist air that smelled like oil or exhaust.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I did the ALH-TDI engine swap, I removed the original system rear of the front frame, setting a Vanagon rear-seat heater against that frame crossmember. While it didn't leak for a while, it started leaking again this past year. The unit was really never up to the task, and since it was only designed to heat the rear of a Vanagon cabin, I was probably asking too much of it. Still, it was a significant improvement over the original and bilge-blower-enhanced systems. The air was warmer more often, and exhaust-smelled less often. Overall, though, it was not "warm" in Hapy from the use of the heater, and the issue with moist air remained.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fast forward to the Maradyne heater I just installed. Unlike the Vanagon rear-seat heater, the Maradyne is a 3-row heater core and it is almost twice the width. The core alone could provide considerably more heat. The fan is way more powerful too, so moving that heat into the cabin will be that much more effective. What remained, however, is the air is still sourced from below the bus, so the wet roads will provide an endless supply of moist air to fling onto the inside of the windscreen. I hope I resolved that with the changes below.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Maradyne Heater Prep</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriKhI4yE_-G3ce1Gg4s_3XuD0wOH9hg3SCzVOeunzSC08coH0uDGltHM7S_s5P6fbSheju8L5N6fY7Kh3vTSaQ0iBcyApA6VMKnsb12T_qGeGEmIfNW43aVL_0vxauMk-SbTl7V36mJ8deEUKzg7BmebaQjsQ-TpTtZ9rHc1A7BflnIztEY2kCiVVSB_Z/s2048/IMG_1838.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriKhI4yE_-G3ce1Gg4s_3XuD0wOH9hg3SCzVOeunzSC08coH0uDGltHM7S_s5P6fbSheju8L5N6fY7Kh3vTSaQ0iBcyApA6VMKnsb12T_qGeGEmIfNW43aVL_0vxauMk-SbTl7V36mJ8deEUKzg7BmebaQjsQ-TpTtZ9rHc1A7BflnIztEY2kCiVVSB_Z/w200-h150/IMG_1838.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">purists love this</td></tr></tbody></table>In the last post on this topic, I described how the heater was installed on an angle to minimize the ground clearance impact and so the outlets point more directly at the original air pipe. This orientation, however, meant that the brackets were hanging into the space where air intake hoses would go. So, first order of business was cutting those brackets down with the death-wheel (angle grinder). Once cleared, I could easily see that the coolant outlet jutted too far into the same air-hose space so I cut it down as well. Last, I changed the hose from the outlet from a straight hose to a 45* angled hose, routing the coolant above and away from the air inlet. While the inlet is not completely exposed now, it is considerably better. The inlets are 3" diameter and have a lip that's maybe 3/8" for a hose to fit onto. I had intended to add something more substantial for the hose to attach to, but once I got into it, I concluded that the original fan housing could hold a hose and clamp. Time will tell, and I am retaining the extensions I bought for this purpose in case I need to add them in later.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Holy Bus</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYc2pbAj4Egs_oofD0gMnuIcO6fdfJVa1Fy1kzzyHlRRWedO5AYa3suzXbd2zrW6Z-eg8o-y_zpgfX_d-7PpA6r9aKEZAHMpLlA9y_xYjMFp60mHJUWFsnDLIg0lv9yvgWjgbOqBq5S84f2PuwtErWH6L3E5cbECf2Pl40rAdjgu9icfjPVdNn0lv8U1IR/s2048/IMG_1832.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYc2pbAj4Egs_oofD0gMnuIcO6fdfJVa1Fy1kzzyHlRRWedO5AYa3suzXbd2zrW6Z-eg8o-y_zpgfX_d-7PpA6r9aKEZAHMpLlA9y_xYjMFp60mHJUWFsnDLIg0lv9yvgWjgbOqBq5S84f2PuwtErWH6L3E5cbECf2Pl40rAdjgu9icfjPVdNn0lv8U1IR/w150-h200/IMG_1832.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Well, more like holey bus. In order to send air from <u>inside</u> the bus to the air intake on a fan system that is <u>outside</u> the bus, I need to add a hole or 2 for the air to pass through. I did not want to put air intakes in places where I would accidentally spill water (or other beverages), or get dirt and the like into it. I also did not want the air intakes to be so close to the front that the fan was effectively pulling the warm air right out of the outlet vents. I applied some cold-air-return thinking and chose to put one intake inside the rock-n-roll bed base cabinet. This cabinet is probably the coldest space in the bus (second only to my feet) and the vacuum created by the fan will draw air from the front to the back, creating room for the warmer air to enter the bus more freely. Of course, it's not like a 50+ year old microbus is sealed, but my 70+ year old house isn't either and once I tied the cold air intake into the house system, the house grew measurably warmer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From underneath, I considered where there was a space without structure nor pipes to interfere with the air intake plumbing. With the radiator, wiring, original stuff and everything else, it is quite busy under there, but there is a space just behind the rear cross-frame (think: rear jack-point) but in front of the rear wheel well that is inside the cabinet, nearest the front outer edge. I tested a few spots with a drill to make sure that I could fit a 3-1/2" circle without hitting something neither underneath nor inside the cabinet and found a good spot. I cored a 3-1/2" hole with a hole saw. Why 3-1/2"? The inner diameter of these hoses is 3", and I felt that leaving a little extra room for wiggling was better than having it tight as would have been with a 3-1/4" hole. This turned out to be a wise decision. Once the hole was cut, I shot it and the support brackets with paint to delay (can it really be stopped when it rains 9 months of the year?) rust.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Fitting</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfK7gycD51IccjKrCBWdGVGkaSj5pPOOSyQD_U7OE7O7ZEENfTd7hCAGdwgKaOrHyL7ETJ0TfydsgPFLxudsEjteqiqWTOtoI5-aB17K33Mi8QNu0YAlvoQPhVe0NBqgNKPKjUYPSjrr-qoizwrgs3wU3QNbBW__naBI291O2rh_PERDIbd8wH6aGDtA1/s2048/IMG_1835.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfK7gycD51IccjKrCBWdGVGkaSj5pPOOSyQD_U7OE7O7ZEENfTd7hCAGdwgKaOrHyL7ETJ0TfydsgPFLxudsEjteqiqWTOtoI5-aB17K33Mi8QNu0YAlvoQPhVe0NBqgNKPKjUYPSjrr-qoizwrgs3wU3QNbBW__naBI291O2rh_PERDIbd8wH6aGDtA1/w150-h200/IMG_1835.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cabin air intake</td></tr></tbody></table>Once the hole was cut, I was on the home stretch. I found what look like air outlets with metal grills that fit a 3" hose to act as an air intake screen. I a-fixed one end of the hose to the grill, cable-tied it to be double-sure and passed the hose through the hole from above. The hose barely fit. It was so tight, I had to cut off the cable-tie because the cable tie end prevented the grill from sitting flat on the floor. Anyway, I chose an orientation that pointed the grill away from the center of the cabinet so things don't accidentally fall in or over it and then screwed it down to the wood floor of the cabinet. From underneath, I stretched out the compressed hose, stretching it along the side of the radiator, and turning it towards the fan.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had initially planned to have 2 air intakes, one per fan intake, but after cutting the passenger-side hole, decided that I had 3" of outlet, so having only 3" of inlet was actually a fair balance. So, rather than run 2, I added a 3" wye along the passenger-side frame rail. I sent the stretched and then cut hose into the base of the wye and shifted to the fan inlet on the driver side, knowing it would be the harder of the two. I can always choose to add a driver-side inlet, but with the furnace on that side, there will be additional complexities.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The driver-side was definitely harder, but simply because the coolant outlet hose still ran across the air flow path. I twisted and bent the air hose and jammed it onto the inlet lip. I added a hose clamp while pressing the hose onto the lip, threading the clamp until it was quite secure. Content, I stretched out the hose, threading it behind the fan housing, but in front of the radiator intake to the passenger side. I added a cable-tie on the driver-side to hold the air hose in place. I cut and then sent the other end of the hose into the wye. It got another cable-tie up to the underside of the bus before it entered the wye.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The section from the passenger side air intake to the wye was a little over a foot, and was the easiest part of the install. I attached to the fan intake first, adding a hose clamp, of course. Once stretched and cut into the wye, I cable-tied the wye up near the floor of the bus, mostly out of sight. I cable-tied the passenger-side hose as well so there would be minimal pressure on the hose clamp. At this point, the air intake for the cabin "climate control" sourced from the inside of the bus.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Testing</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpysK6rXsjNJW-gPp8JjRpo7AUvbF2qPBs8QkuuX-8yvvBkDZS2m7RiyHi92seE5DDRGUeae6pR4I0ZWoIc7gQ7cOnc2xFoG-Tzv_n73I5AEh7zozIw8QObE-NN7mg7hdaOWv5hvg0tF64J-F79maSsmAtWUYjBnLdd3auSqXz332UWSLRkmZ9-a4_39XK/s2048/IMG_1840.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpysK6rXsjNJW-gPp8JjRpo7AUvbF2qPBs8QkuuX-8yvvBkDZS2m7RiyHi92seE5DDRGUeae6pR4I0ZWoIc7gQ7cOnc2xFoG-Tzv_n73I5AEh7zozIw8QObE-NN7mg7hdaOWv5hvg0tF64J-F79maSsmAtWUYjBnLdd3auSqXz332UWSLRkmZ9-a4_39XK/w200-h150/IMG_1840.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ground clearance mostly unchanged</td></tr></tbody></table>All that remained was testing the system, both for air flow as well as coolant. I started with the air flow, accepting that I could confirm that without running the engine. As expected, the fan blows hard, and draws through the inlet. Because the inlet is inside cabinet, it make less noise than it might have had it been placed elsewhere. Still, I will need to be aware of it when we pack things so it is not even remotely blocked.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Satisfied, I exposed the top of the engine and started it up. I had expected to simply add coolant/water while air bubbles appeared but 2 things interrupted that plan. First and worst, the injector pump started leaking all over the place. Now, to be fair, I had smelled diesel on my last couple of drives, so this was not 100% a surprise, but it still was a little bit. Second, air bubbles did not really appear. I will need to bleed the heater core segment, once I replace a seal or two in the injector pump. A seal set has been ordered, so until the kit arrives and is installed, Hapy will sit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's where we are at this point. I may try to bleed the heater while I wait for the seal kit, but it will depend on the weather and my workweek. Thanks, as always, for following along. More next time-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-17395965892618382732024-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:002024-02-27T11:23:57.730-08:00Hapy Heat Repeat (Part 1)<div style="text-align: left;">Ask anyone who has owned or simply driven an old air-cooled Volkswagen in not-Summer and 9 times out of 10 they will regale you with tales of being cold. These awesome vehicles were designed to have heat, its just that they were also designed to be owner-maintained, and maintaining the cabin climate control is not easy. With aftermarket replacements of J-tubes for heater boxes, cardboard pieces eventually failing over time and long channels under the car (where road salt, etc gets in), it's no wonder heat doesn't make it. Anyway, today's post documents another attempt to get some warmth into Hapy, specifically onto my feet and maybe even onto the windscreen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Why the Obsession</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZgnfGQqT7sszX9xmrHgoB_u7JHcksinQQVdIZIqs-wSn-pcHGqtPN2fCmH6CPX-GvpM795CzSeJyvZswRx9jIyQwv_066bmIQi8Zad0DYGacv23aMVcHeewhX2ttoVAIhtqwQ6HwnmybGAOuiHGJ2_qUU2tfcNDa_4Xebe_Sa3Y5Egdt1Wnxdxk9Hhef/s2048/IMG_1789.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZgnfGQqT7sszX9xmrHgoB_u7JHcksinQQVdIZIqs-wSn-pcHGqtPN2fCmH6CPX-GvpM795CzSeJyvZswRx9jIyQwv_066bmIQi8Zad0DYGacv23aMVcHeewhX2ttoVAIhtqwQ6HwnmybGAOuiHGJ2_qUU2tfcNDa_4Xebe_Sa3Y5Egdt1Wnxdxk9Hhef/w200-h150/IMG_1789.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>By now, you must wonder why am I so focused on getting heat into the bus. And I get it. Put on a coat or something, right? Besides, it's not like we really get snow in the Northwestern Willamette Valley. This is all true. For folks who own these cars and busses in genuine snow country, I suspect either they are summer-only vehicles or you are far more brave than I, driving in moon boots or something. Around here, we really only have about 10 weeks of warm-to-hot weather out of the 52 in a year. For the rest of the year it is either cold or cold and raining. Driving around in the cold is not as fun when you're bundled up (ski-gear head to toe) and still cold. Regardless, the temperature is hovering around the dew point during those 42 weeks, and overnight for most of the 10 weeks of warm-to-hot season. In the mountains, it approaches the dew point earlier in the evening and remains later into the morning. So, having a means of getting the fog off the windscreen, and not adding to it, is super important.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Plan</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOMmdO7Z_2eQeOuhhZe6VmvPSsTf7BlO5k3t4NVFRLwun9akrotpjOMN45csLuapgfJ8UpDmk1kR0zIPKqOh1vyunFz6NHKmfK-x0Se82ilUnBvobZRiB7k5C_eWDey9I0h43eoATuAavCjo5Ptm_MBZOja8_KQwYp9DdoExvSSsAg4lCwlyA8N6xBsFw/s2048/IMG_1784.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOMmdO7Z_2eQeOuhhZe6VmvPSsTf7BlO5k3t4NVFRLwun9akrotpjOMN45csLuapgfJ8UpDmk1kR0zIPKqOh1vyunFz6NHKmfK-x0Se82ilUnBvobZRiB7k5C_eWDey9I0h43eoATuAavCjo5Ptm_MBZOja8_KQwYp9DdoExvSSsAg4lCwlyA8N6xBsFw/w150-h200/IMG_1784.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">so it begins</td></tr></tbody></table>Last November, I posted an update (see: <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2023/11/hapy-update.html" target="_blank">Hapy Update</a>) where I replaced Hapy's crappy glow plugs with a new set. I did not circle-back on that since, but he has started without a hitch all winter. Those plugs are fantastic. The real test will be how well they behave next winter. Anyway, in that post, I mentioned that I had acquired a <a href="https://www.jegs.com/i/Maradyne-Fans/303/MM-A1160005/10002/-1" target="_blank">Maradyne Fans</a> heater unit and shut off the Vanagon rear-seat-heat unit because I believed it had started leaking again. We had a "break" in the weather (almost 10*C / 50*F and only occasional rain), so I took the unit out to Hapy. The think was to remove the old, and swap in the new. Ain't nuttin ever that easy, but it's in now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Old Heat Exit</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Vanagon rear-seat-heat was suspended from beneath the belly of the bus just forward off the radiator. I had fab'd a custom plenum from the heater unit into the original 3" diameter air channel, run coolant lines along the driver side to feed it and run electrical from the dash to control the fan. I hadn't tried to control the valve, choosing to leave it on or off by setting the valve before a drive instead. I unplugged the electrical first, then the flashing/plenum that routed the air into the 3" channel. Then I set to removing the heater from the underside of the bus. Both of the nuts at the bottom of the threaded bolt supporting the unit had rusted so I had to encourage them with a hammer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Last, the coolant lines needed to be removed. I held the lines closed with vice grips so I did not lose a bunch of coolant and then set a dishpan underneath so I didn't spread coolant all over the ground when I disconnected things. The lines removed easily enough and a small amount of coolant dribbled into the pan. From this I concluded that the unit had been the source of the leak in the cooling system or there would have been more than the few ounces that appeared. I set the unit aside and shifted to the new heater.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>New Heater Hung</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVfci5XLFpBnduW-US0cNVkBPAQweNg7i5otbACGGyuFbMoPZgbYeR0Gfg8nchlT3yUlDtTJ957TUDGIgplg7HlzHF0un5L74xwuHOWgWAnMhwPRvVzjiehv9TVyq18Rd31o0bZtNu-so5YRjGxNlyHv1NOWQ9hpLBoFjvvuaH0nZqhezL09ouoZzol-z/s2048/IMG_1787.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVfci5XLFpBnduW-US0cNVkBPAQweNg7i5otbACGGyuFbMoPZgbYeR0Gfg8nchlT3yUlDtTJ957TUDGIgplg7HlzHF0un5L74xwuHOWgWAnMhwPRvVzjiehv9TVyq18Rd31o0bZtNu-so5YRjGxNlyHv1NOWQ9hpLBoFjvvuaH0nZqhezL09ouoZzol-z/w200-h150/IMG_1787.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mounting angle</td></tr></tbody></table>For installing the new unit, I started with placement thinks. I wanted it in essentially the same place, running air into the same 3" diameter hole. The force and size of this new unit dwarfs the Vanagon rear-seat-heat unit, however. The Vanagon unit is 6" tall and about 9" wide. The Maradyne unit is also 6" tall, but it is almost 18" wide. The Maradyne unit arrived with a cover that had 3 3" vent protrusions. The outer edges of those protrusions are 13" apart, so I decided I would retain the cover and enclose the vent protrusions inside my new plenum. I was unable to reuse any of the old piece.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After some failed attempts to place the heater straight/level with the ground, I shifted the mounting hardware so the new heater was at approximate 45* angle with the bus, pointing upwards. One would reasonably assume this would cause the unit to hang considerably lower, but because of the placement of the fans, the unit is only about an inch lower. How? Well, in this configuration, the top edge of the heater unit nearly touches the floor of the bus. Neither the Vanagon rear-seat-heat nor this unit could do that in the horizontal position because of all the various pipes running under the floor. In the picture on the right, here, the heater looks much lower than the radiator; that is probably caused by the angle I held the phone. In reality, the radiator is a hair lower. The mounting brackets have 2 holes, designed to be used with the enclosed screws. Yes, that's right, screws, and short ones at that. With this install design weakness in mind, I suspended the heater from a pair of metal tubes under the bus floor with.. wait for it... cable ties. Yeah, that is so <a href="https://www.motortrend.com/roadkill/" target="_blank">RoadKill</a>; I am not a fan of using cable ties this way. Having said that, I have not ever experienced a failure with cable ties, and if my 20-year history with Hapy is any guide I will be up under this bus fairly frequently. So, I will be able to monitor the health of these ties and resolve before any real issue arises.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Plumb It</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRhQOPghDghCwd3kyL6krArjF_6DqVbYYJ8QG0Vhy9c_LXmAHXRUbPkl54JJNGLOWmYm2Aa_mQFgFhJFJCpn2ztMW15f6FvNBrLlmI4jmswfKfZ8P9xG3Xy5tL1QaVpE4RalQVpkdDB7LhEeYfqce8Q1bAFNE8a6etTHQ0nCsIs1gxQB_GNRXp-M6cxaX/s2048/IMG_1786.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRhQOPghDghCwd3kyL6krArjF_6DqVbYYJ8QG0Vhy9c_LXmAHXRUbPkl54JJNGLOWmYm2Aa_mQFgFhJFJCpn2ztMW15f6FvNBrLlmI4jmswfKfZ8P9xG3Xy5tL1QaVpE4RalQVpkdDB7LhEeYfqce8Q1bAFNE8a6etTHQ0nCsIs1gxQB_GNRXp-M6cxaX/w200-h150/IMG_1786.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>With the heater relatively stable, I flipped to the driver side of the bus and started working on the coolant lines. As I mentioned in the referenced post from November, I picked up an old-skool control valve. Prior to installing, I noticed that the valve seemed to operate more like a shut-off valve than a gradual taper. When "closed", it was definitely closed, but it remained mostly shut through about half of it's travel, then opened up very quickly through the next 1/4 of it's travel and then that last 1/4 its no more open, in fact it almost seems to close a little bit. So, from closed to open the valve really only had to move a little over 1/4 of it's overall travel. I chose to drill out a little bit of material at the barely open part of the valve so that the first 1/2 of travel now actually opens a little bit near the end of that movement. Overall, I think the open-to-closed is closer to 1/2 the overall travel now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once modified, installing the coolant lines part was fairly easy. I cut a short stretch off of the return line, and added that to the return off the heater. To that I attached the valve, minding the indicated direction of coolant flow marked on the side. Last, I connected the supply and return lines and then removed the vice grips. I am not 100% thrilled with the routing of the hoses and will incorporate a 45* angle so they are not forced so route to low. After this picture was taken, I shortened the return line another inch or so to reduce the droop a little bit. I poured a bunch of water into the coolant bottle and called it a day as it was starting to get dark.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Plenum</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6swSGyi6YU33r6agp-9E_G-aPctT2t53L6_go8VGqaz1rRyD0WFZyqkkIRKQ0__J9AAYXffJeoCZ7qW3KJBJxGWRjvEdKRmWbJV3u9Dd7tJUyunriVPIXKy59Ukj_3ph9dER_hAHrdmAysuzcLejkHp4TVhR7nCm61Ma0SrE3z2cbjvBSl4bjY-usw-Z/s2048/IMG_1785.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6swSGyi6YU33r6agp-9E_G-aPctT2t53L6_go8VGqaz1rRyD0WFZyqkkIRKQ0__J9AAYXffJeoCZ7qW3KJBJxGWRjvEdKRmWbJV3u9Dd7tJUyunriVPIXKy59Ukj_3ph9dER_hAHrdmAysuzcLejkHp4TVhR7nCm61Ma0SrE3z2cbjvBSl4bjY-usw-Z/w150-h200/IMG_1785.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>I returned the following morning to complete the job. In a typical install of one of these Maradyne heaters, either the purchaser connects 3" hoses to the outlets or maybe some directional vents (neither are included). Remaining a-typical, I assembled a 4 sided plenum, like the one before it, held together with the higher-end flashy ducting tape.. The top is a 13" by 5" rectangle with 1" long drop-down sides, with a 45* angled rear tail and an up-turned front (image on the right). The bottom is 13" long by 4" (with 1" drop-sides along the shorter edge) and the plenum sides are right triangles with 4" long sides. Remaining ever cost-conscious, I cut material from the old furnace intake. Recall, it was 15" square, so I cut up one side and got 13" length with 1" for the drop-sides with one cut. I taped on the top and bottom first, then the sides, and closed up all the gaps. I get this is not exactly contours-quality... this is far from that. This is all about getting on the road with whatever heat I can extract from a TDI engine. Besides, the last taped-together plenum lasted a few years and would have continued had I not torn it apart for this install.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Electrical</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FytYsM3KpfC4iy7hE6NjQdJF2jqNyBMFPlL9iOAleJxupzfIuhhdxRXdDjAnqtE4d3v_qf31LobVpT2yk4WDzcfP6TDYyUw6NWe1T85peXIQTUqu3XS5Z-pUZp_1TmqUHyZFUy45QdtappxBOBJlqIjhD4vzmYCexp1jM4j-l1ReBMZMhrSkf2GnAvc7/s2048/IMG_1788.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FytYsM3KpfC4iy7hE6NjQdJF2jqNyBMFPlL9iOAleJxupzfIuhhdxRXdDjAnqtE4d3v_qf31LobVpT2yk4WDzcfP6TDYyUw6NWe1T85peXIQTUqu3XS5Z-pUZp_1TmqUHyZFUy45QdtappxBOBJlqIjhD4vzmYCexp1jM4j-l1ReBMZMhrSkf2GnAvc7/w200-h150/IMG_1788.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Before I got started on the electrical, I looked back on the post I wrote about the Vanagon rear-seat-heat fans (See <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2020/07/defrosting-part-4.html" target="_blank">Defrosting - Part 4</a>). I discovered that the fan switch that I bought for that install was the exact same as the one that delivered with the Maradyne fans, just with a different knob. So, while I could run new wires and replace the switch, I didn't need to. So, I didn't. Instead, I cut the 3-wire plug off the fan power wires and the ring terminal, leaving enough material so I could reuse it somewhere later. I added female spade connectors to the four wires. I could easily identify the ground wire and low-fan wire so I connected those and tested the fan. Success! And even on low, this fan is more powerful than the Vanagon rear-seat-heat unit on medium. It probably rivals that unit on high, in terms of airflow, but not fan noise. This is super quiet: no fan noise, only the sounds of the rush of air.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With a multi-meter, I confirmed which of the remaining 2 disconnected wires was the wire for medium. I decided that since I had a strong 12V signal, I would reuse the relays and simply wire up the fan. This was also much easier and it insurers that the wires won't melt when I turn the fan on one of the higher settings. The air flow on the "medium" setting is considerable. Boo and I have noticed that the heat in ToyoTruck is most effective on the not-highest setting, concluding that the air speed is so high on the highest setting, it is unable to pull heat out of the heater core as it passes through. As I wired up the high fan, I considered that we could have a similar issue in Hapy now, and may really only use the lower 2 speeds. Time will tell.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwStOx2dQRdAelLwQHB1aNX09m0i_9KoTxYdw1CRI6h28fVl-1Z53HHTiLsGCXHXqPsyK9hbtVjAfh4HylBjfqtckadj0mK5jdB-HYHx6kIKBukszzBhyphenhyphenjD8W6BqNcdNo1qljBZHE5bHtcAP60iUmYACOOYqUiCXOwFUrI35TWU_63tbLgiT99MT9MYkP8/s2048/IMG_1790.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwStOx2dQRdAelLwQHB1aNX09m0i_9KoTxYdw1CRI6h28fVl-1Z53HHTiLsGCXHXqPsyK9hbtVjAfh4HylBjfqtckadj0mK5jdB-HYHx6kIKBukszzBhyphenhyphenjD8W6BqNcdNo1qljBZHE5bHtcAP60iUmYACOOYqUiCXOwFUrI35TWU_63tbLgiT99MT9MYkP8/w200-h150/IMG_1790.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Any time the coolant system is open, there are a series of engine runs or test drives followed by adding water and coolant until it levels off. Since I did not need to drive Hapy during the week following this work, I didn't run the engine. Instead, I prepared for "part 2".</div><div><br /></div><div>The inlets for the fans are drawing outside air and the control valve is still managed by rolling under the bus. I'll get to the valve eventually, but I don't want to wait too long. The drawing outside air, however, needs to be considered right away. As it is, a drive through one of our seemingly ever-present puddles and I've got warm fog blowing up on the windscreen. At least until I route the fan inlets to the bus interior. Since wet season will persist for another few months, I got after changing the air source shortly after I completed this post. I added the image on the right here to illustrate the first problem I encountered: the return coolant line runs straight through where an air inlet would go. Of course, the support bracket isn't helping either.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-38098899358633326152024-02-20T08:00:00.000-08:002024-02-20T08:00:00.205-08:00Hapy Speedometer Cable replacedI mentioned in my last NewOldHouse posting that Hapy's speedometer suddenly stopped working on the way home from a party. It worked on the drive there, but didn't on the way home. Fortunately, there was lots of traffic for me to keep pace with ,but it's still annoying not having a speeod. Today's post covers the adventure of replacing the speedometer cable. Before I begin, today's my birthday, so Hapy Birthday to me, I guess.<div><br /></div><div><b>Symptoms</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYX1qtBj5UcmCTD7CtwNVkev9birHqXlBKgYig9NaAb5nGBYVLga75BU44cCxZfvpUpAUYGMA_OVu-5J5YKvBFNkLz6dFkRJjWmW3AgTmJj5iEP6BG4EailWIy_nPpFhXYwnd-3XgQCPDSQW_smXCH_KE_Ziovr_lpXuWvhGRYYJwUnVqyC3HJkIIh6tlI/s2048/IMG_1696.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYX1qtBj5UcmCTD7CtwNVkev9birHqXlBKgYig9NaAb5nGBYVLga75BU44cCxZfvpUpAUYGMA_OVu-5J5YKvBFNkLz6dFkRJjWmW3AgTmJj5iEP6BG4EailWIy_nPpFhXYwnd-3XgQCPDSQW_smXCH_KE_Ziovr_lpXuWvhGRYYJwUnVqyC3HJkIIh6tlI/w200-h150/IMG_1696.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">working on concrete!</td></tr></tbody></table>It makes sense to start with the symptoms I noted before the speedometer stopped working. Other than the obvious of it not working, during the drives prior, I noticed that the speedometer needle was bouncing an awful lot. This is often a sign that the cable is binding either due to age or because it hasn't been lubricated recently. Since it was the original cable, and I had never lubricated it (I know bad owner), I concluded that the cable had broken. Had I recognized these symptoms earlier, perhaps I could have prevented the failure. Ultimately, I am not sure the cable actually broke, but at this point in my process, my conclusion seemed solid. Before I began, I disconnected the battery. I did not want to pop a fuse or smoke another wire.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Removing</b></div><div>Someone posted on the Samba that replacing a speedometer cable took 15 minutes. I know better, and assumed it would take me hours, which proved correct. Because of the size of the holes through which the cable passes, it can only be removed one way: from the wheel up through the back of the dash. So, I started with raising the driver-side front corner and removing the front wheel, and then the grease cap. With a pair of pliers, I removed the hard rubber boot on the rear of the wheel (that the speedo cable passes through) and then pulled the cable through. I wiped off the grease and then got under the bus, pressing back the 2 sets of tabs that hold the cable to the underside. Then, the cable easily pulls through to the front of the bus.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I reached around the steering column and detached the cable. In Hapy, the cable actually enters a converter box that creates a wave pulse for collecting speed and mileage for the TDI computer. I hadn't connected the wiring for that, but it was between the speedo cable and the speedometer. With the speedometer disconnected, I could pull it up through, feeding from below with one hand while pulling taught with the other. Once the cable was out, I tried turning each end, and watched the other end turn, albeit sporadically. So, the cable was good, but not working very well. Since I had a brand new cable, I decided to keep going.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Preparing</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXc2nlupD-H8cEaZRUFsK_221ybVdw1lIASelOjPuFrijr0COyU54iVdrIFrvbtKRMeNovskdARunw-4k7MDl0L__A8VJAGRsXczlJpGuB-s5b8JNuQEpkn3KT_UwZp97XjeGHB3jtWYHAdABi4_L-hksX9aHOYnVPD-LTs5X9nfOkH0W872dusqn_FMj/s2048/IMG_1748.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXc2nlupD-H8cEaZRUFsK_221ybVdw1lIASelOjPuFrijr0COyU54iVdrIFrvbtKRMeNovskdARunw-4k7MDl0L__A8VJAGRsXczlJpGuB-s5b8JNuQEpkn3KT_UwZp97XjeGHB3jtWYHAdABi4_L-hksX9aHOYnVPD-LTs5X9nfOkH0W872dusqn_FMj/w150-h200/IMG_1748.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cable lubrication</td></tr></tbody></table>I took the new cable over to the side and started working silicone-based cable lubricant into it. My process was fairly simple: shoot some into the speedometer-end of the cable until it pooled up to the lip. Then, wiggle and turn the cable from the other end until the puddle disappeared into the cable sheathing. I repeated this may times. Once I was satisfied that there was a lot of lubricant inside the cable sheathing, I laid the cable flat so the lubricant could spread out and took a long lunch.</div><div><br /></div><div>I added a little bit of lubricant to the outside of the wheel-end of the cable so I could easily add the rubber boot and then started my re-install. I had purchased 2 circlips for the wheel end of the cable and a new grease cap. I shot the new grease cap with some wheel paint so the brassy cap would not be so grossly out of place. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Installing</b></div><div>I started by passing the cable from behind the dash, choosing to not pass it through the oval hole in the steering column support. Why? That hole seemed to prevent the cable from easily installing, and actually seemed to force the cable to bend unnaturally. By skipping the hole, the cable had a much more gradual curve back behind the dash. Time will tell if this was a poor decision. Finding the hole through the floor in the nose proved to be the single most time-consuming part of my process. Since I had added holes and electric cables, I had more wrong ones to chose from. Once I found it (there are 2 original holes, one directly in front of the other. The speedo goes through the one that's rearward), the cable easily passed through and I was able to route it the rest of the way to the wheel. I refrained from securing the secure-to-body tabs at this point so I had the most play in the cable at the wheel.</div><div><br /></div><div>I slid the rubber boot on and then passed the cable through the wheel. I left myself plenty of excess so I could add the grease cap and circlip. I found, however, that the new grease cap did not fit. It is just a hair too small. After many attempt to make it work, I abandoned the new cap and switched back to the original. Because of the nature of the grease cap, I found the grease had found its way to the edge where the cap needed to seat on the wheel. With grease on that lip, the cap would not rotate with the wheel. I think this may have been part of the bouncing speedometer needle. To remedy, I cleaned the edge of the cap and the seating lip with brake cleaner, careful not to let it near the greased wheel inside. Once clean, the cap fit on correctly and rotated in time when the wheel spun.</div><div><br /></div><div>Satisfied with the cable attached to the wheel, I added a touch of silicone grease to outer edge of the rubber boot and fit it into the hole. I tried to fit it without the lubricant, and it would force the grease cap off. With the lubricant, the rubber seated and the cable is set. I moved to the body-securing tabs next and closed them snug. Last, I returned to the behind the dash to connect the cable.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Extra Conditions</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsXrsqslCQn_Imo4DUotZneBIBMvI3VP3ckztF_n5a3CaNmUE_I7MgyUticCt5Lzop-EQ2iv5enPLrlEoTACW0lXHEDB0bcLEf2LWiyYdH5wHq-pTwjBkcpgJq8j3hgJwPyBbOtnG-L3w5ba9c4x3XxYgHyMUKDViYzlT2CB-HeanhpD3aYiEhUVg1-DI/s700/F4CE1953-727D-4B58-842E-469A6B4628C6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsXrsqslCQn_Imo4DUotZneBIBMvI3VP3ckztF_n5a3CaNmUE_I7MgyUticCt5Lzop-EQ2iv5enPLrlEoTACW0lXHEDB0bcLEf2LWiyYdH5wHq-pTwjBkcpgJq8j3hgJwPyBbOtnG-L3w5ba9c4x3XxYgHyMUKDViYzlT2CB-HeanhpD3aYiEhUVg1-DI/w200-h200/F4CE1953-727D-4B58-842E-469A6B4628C6.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hapy as album cover</td></tr></tbody></table>It was at this point, that I started to question the quality of the speedometer cable converter box. When disconnected from everything, spinning one end of the converter had no resistance: is spun normally. If I connected it to the back of the speedo and gave it a spin, the needle would move. What was interesting was when I connected the cable to other side of the box. The output would not be fluid consistent. I could spin the wheel and see the cable rotate freely by itself but as soon as I connected it to the converter box, the converter box output was all over the place. At this point I concluded that the box was the main problem. Since I had not been capturing or using the output of the box, I decided to not integrate it, connecting the cable directly to the rear of the speedo like everyone else.</div><div><br /></div><div>To test, I spun the wheel a few times and I could see the odometer slightly move in the 10th-of-mile. I concluded that the main issue was resolved. Since I was back behind the dashboard again, I needed to confirm I hadn't done anything wrong, so I verified the running lights, fans and hazards after reconnecting the battery.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it for today. While it was a little frustrating getting the cable replaced, it re-excited me about working on Hapy. I have a serious backlog of things I want to do, so if the weather is willing, and I have some time, maybe I'll get after one of them next weekend. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-73604311019079757272024-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:002024-02-13T08:00:00.139-08:00NewOld Kitchen progresses<div style="text-align: left;">Quick check-in post today on the state of the kitchen. Most of this work is being done by others while I work my 9-5 and then Boo and I clean up or move stuff around on the evenings and weekends. The construction has been moving at an incredible pace after so many months of seemingly slow-go. To be fair, I was only really getting after it on weekends versus a crew working multiple days. So, it's probably not fair to me to compare. On the personal side, my band's EP (<a href="https://sunkicksmusic.com/media.html" target="_blank">find detail here</a>) released on Groundhog's Day (2-Feb) and my sister came to visit for the following week. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Where Were We</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsGAkcFyucQCupfSLOaRdEHLJAt9OAHTBZxJljKfB5ob5Gaso3Pe6R_35rUcVCH6EEhSTd9Mk5zuaM_VZtvPtdvL3-ApUAk8QRH9QivqfioCKzYB5LTFAh9Mi_3Ajp9ogTS0jrOVWXh5HFheHmCqRiF6N4w7QiBMp4XRe5zMI137Z_W3bUcD3qQUyWhOX/s2048/IMG_1742.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsGAkcFyucQCupfSLOaRdEHLJAt9OAHTBZxJljKfB5ob5Gaso3Pe6R_35rUcVCH6EEhSTd9Mk5zuaM_VZtvPtdvL3-ApUAk8QRH9QivqfioCKzYB5LTFAh9Mi_3Ajp9ogTS0jrOVWXh5HFheHmCqRiF6N4w7QiBMp4XRe5zMI137Z_W3bUcD3qQUyWhOX/w200-h150/IMG_1742.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">current state</td></tr></tbody></table>Once the floors were finished, we could get moving forward on the kitchen. Consider, we have been living without a kitchen for about a year. Instead of a kitchen, it has been a version of an efficiency apartment where we have a fridge, but only a crockpot, a single burner hot plate, a microwave and a hot pot for making food. I suspect most folks, at least Americans, would have lived on take-out food. Had this project only lasted a few weeks, we might have gone that route. Into our 12th month like this, however, yeah, we could not afford that. After the plumbing work I described last time was completed, our electrical rough-in was done by our friend Gary.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Electrical Started</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">For electrical, we simply focused on the "sink wall", making sure we had juice where we needed it for the dishwasher and disposal, as well as some over-counter outlets. Last, he ran a line for task lighting over the sink. Since that initial work, he returned to run the 220V for the wall oven and the 110V for the fridge. He will return to run lines for the stove and some additional outlets.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Drywall and Cabinet Set</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dWmkbwDnH_JdTnKvq7uYNZCjgOlmGS_ZEfY9urj6ezCq3cmvmWJRw2QknEKB64TZv55DQU68PIMc1f1L1QwLx3lSstNcBJkcvJF7Rfu3NhmMaihyphenhyphentEhviSSb6ulG7wQojX-QtU9nf5siYP9fP7EBu2oxU5PfddMPtWCWSD7JKPnUSm7sxruxoUkLFIMY/s480/IMG_1660.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dWmkbwDnH_JdTnKvq7uYNZCjgOlmGS_ZEfY9urj6ezCq3cmvmWJRw2QknEKB64TZv55DQU68PIMc1f1L1QwLx3lSstNcBJkcvJF7Rfu3NhmMaihyphenhyphentEhviSSb6ulG7wQojX-QtU9nf5siYP9fP7EBu2oxU5PfddMPtWCWSD7JKPnUSm7sxruxoUkLFIMY/w200-h150/IMG_1660.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rough plumbing done</td></tr></tbody></table>With the electric on the "sink wall" done, Ray, our general contractor was able to get the drywall repairs completed. This included some of the rough bits around the new rear door, the holes for the old furnace location, the false beam where I removed that wall and everywhere else in the main kitchen space. Once drywalled, mudded and sanded, they primed and then painted. Once dry, the "sink wall" cabinet was cut down to fit the dishwasher, and both were set in place. They continued by installing the pantry cabinet and fridge, and then the cooktop peninsula. The cooktop peninsula, similar to the sink wall cabinet, was cut down to fit our space. Again, most folks design and buy cabinets to fit the space. We bought and are customizing. Considering the cost of new cabinetry, both in terms of dollars and environmental impact, this path is far less expensive on both counts.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So we could get a sense of the workability of the space, Ray cut down some 3/4" plywood for countertops and pin-nailed them into place. The cabinets along the once-furnace-wall have not been cut down and installed yet but already it feels like there is considerable space to work in. We have not had a kitchen in a while, so it is more pronounced for us, but visitors have made similar observations: for what looked like a really small space from outside, it is looking like it will be very functional with lots of counter space. Boo and I have been calling it the <a href="https://thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/tardis/" target="_blank">TARDIS</a>-effect. Dr. Who fans unite.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Water and Gas</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFacgNAPu6j4tSihBABxF_EN_zaIdESVMorD55xl9FtpJY4X7rbIx_-xcy_2XIK0prB0odAsPWRa9VS4cuB0EeV38wzBnQul19tJhHh2HkqOYI2q_A9QS3ZIwZMZnhMCBqDcpP5zvHjScPXi9bhkELhEu-pEbILyLXrl0y3a7-fzegFesA8jS9oyqigec/s2048/IMG_1702.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFacgNAPu6j4tSihBABxF_EN_zaIdESVMorD55xl9FtpJY4X7rbIx_-xcy_2XIK0prB0odAsPWRa9VS4cuB0EeV38wzBnQul19tJhHh2HkqOYI2q_A9QS3ZIwZMZnhMCBqDcpP5zvHjScPXi9bhkELhEu-pEbILyLXrl0y3a7-fzegFesA8jS9oyqigec/w200-h150/IMG_1702.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">setting pantry depth</td></tr></tbody></table>For the water rough-in, the plumber did everything he could that did not require a permit. From that point forward, the work is either mine to complete, or I need to get permits and farm it out. Boo and I decided to split the difference: I do the work, but have the gas plumbing inspected by the gas company. Fortunately, the water is quite simple these days: shut off the main, release the pressure (dumping water down the drain) and do the work. In terms of the work, there are shark-bite valves that are no-solder connections. I simply cut off the closed nipple on the end of the pipe and attached the shark-bite around the pipe. It really is that simple. Once the valves were on, we could re-pressurize the system and check for leaks. Seriously, it was that easy; I have no idea why that part of the plumbing needs a permit while the pipes in the walls don't. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For the gas line, we ran 3/4" pipe from the "T" near the furnace over to the peninsula in the crawlspace, but did not connect it. Instead, where the union will be, we capped it off. At the peninsula, we necked down the 3/4" pipe to 1/2" per standard to pass through the floor. Above the floor, we added a pressure gauge. All of the joints were coated with pipe-dope, of course. We applied air-pressure into the pipe run (from cap near the "T" to the pressure gauge) to 15 psi to verify there were no leaks. As of the publishing of this post, the pressure is still holding at 15 psi. We did all this so we could document it with pictures for the gas company inspector. We do not have the inspection scheduled yet, but after 5 days of holding 15psi, I think we have demonstrated we are good. I expect to finish the gas line next weekend.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAsalNsNx2Til7-WkC3qtucKWkZCkuABGFbt-HhHpYnNYz7RNEfkVbJMulEw0Y8Yjg31Xe3BZS2Xo2J6yRpSOSewOuVSuY7vvLLS8NyStDoNS0wlwCIQJzlOQ48fXPFW71oq6lRfErlZzfI1V5pf4EGVCid9UsPFQh8sbNIVrKlXRUI1eoBfFBvVnlxKT/s2048/IMG_1741.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAsalNsNx2Til7-WkC3qtucKWkZCkuABGFbt-HhHpYnNYz7RNEfkVbJMulEw0Y8Yjg31Xe3BZS2Xo2J6yRpSOSewOuVSuY7vvLLS8NyStDoNS0wlwCIQJzlOQ48fXPFW71oq6lRfErlZzfI1V5pf4EGVCid9UsPFQh8sbNIVrKlXRUI1eoBfFBvVnlxKT/w200-h150/IMG_1741.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">what's next</td></tr></tbody></table>That's as far as we've gotten in the last couple of weeks. It has been a whirlwind of activity, though. Next up will be the construction of a cabinet to hold the wall oven, installing the oven into that and then installing the cabinets along that wall. We have not made any decisions about upper cabinets in the main work area. At this point, however, we are considering leaving the walls without upper cabinets nor open shelving. We have a cabinet we call "the Archie" that we expect to install next to the oven cabinet (on the all in the picture on the right, here). It is possible that it will be the only upper cabinet. Again, we'll see how it evolves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along. Hapy broke his speedometer cable a couple of days ago, so I will be posting on that replacement as soon as I've completed that.</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-64341035361140603382024-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-30T08:00:00.160-08:00NewOld Floored<div style="text-align: left;">It has been an unusual start of the year and as such I have not been posting much. Today's post is a quick update of the swirling chaos with NewOldHouse.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>On the Level</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCW7VMqVdo80kg0iaZKHam-atOCViiJdgAiRPepekijTEM196izqK6howdfqhEvLpJg43iSvkjWXeSiGObUmhKEa6rnvzTVGVWCFj2Ggo936-MKZ_MELKhb5c0Nz3Jc7UpCAEJvnbuXAbBJrDqkR6txXxpr0zJLbTd8FLsZ4mxdaNZHe9U0faDFizODir/s2048/IMG_1668.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCW7VMqVdo80kg0iaZKHam-atOCViiJdgAiRPepekijTEM196izqK6howdfqhEvLpJg43iSvkjWXeSiGObUmhKEa6rnvzTVGVWCFj2Ggo936-MKZ_MELKhb5c0Nz3Jc7UpCAEJvnbuXAbBJrDqkR6txXxpr0zJLbTd8FLsZ4mxdaNZHe9U0faDFizODir/w200-h150/IMG_1668.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">finished floors</td></tr></tbody></table>As we started to approach a return to getting the kitchen done, Boo and I realized that if the floors are not level then any cabinet install will be crooked. Then, when we get around to getting the house leveled, the cabinets would not be anymore. So, we had a foundation company come out. They added 2 beams and a bunch of house jacks to get the main house and the 1960's addition leveled. Prior to their work, I had to completely clean the crawlspace as they would not enter a space that had a suggestion of asbestos or rodent. To remedy, I added a 30-foot (10 meter) hose on old PigPen (shopvac). I set the PigPen outside and crawled around under the house for literally 3 hours vacuuming the entire vapor barrier and collecting other debris into a thick plastic garbage bag. The foundation guys were here for 2 days, and now the house is level. A couple of doors which didn't ever close right now close properly and when I sit on an office chair in one of the back bedrooms I no longer unintentionally drift across the floor.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Add Laundry</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The prior owners had their laundry machines in the garage. When we moved in, we brought a set of stacked machines and set them next to the large concrete sink just outside the kitchen where the prior owners had theirs. This worked fine, but with where the sink was located relative to the garage door, placing machines near the sink effectively prevented the garage from storing a car. So, we removed the sink and built a small platform (in-process picture below, right) just outside the kitchen-to-garage door. With the machines on the platform, the full width of the garage door is available, so we can one day park a car out there. We hooked the machines back up to the original sink fixtures, routing the waste into a temporary waste-stack. We haven't decided how we are going to finish this space. We will probably frame in walls around the area where the machines are, complete with a ceiling, so they are at least visibly separated from the garage. Around while this was getting built, the garage door was fixed so it opens and closes again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Kitchen Plumbing</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtagfsEOT_R22f1KHCRs3TsgsPulHDjyB2DPKUUi1GM4107YTdk_hShTMjQC82Ep06djBZV9eXb7e1OVJNgHBJqDnoRFET9hLtXJn4aCAe3tY0o-HVzIiYYMIncFjRv3RSz8rOqMnCiFhHgPrEgyVYex7egYLoznqFkQKRmk7Ms-EhR6pFkJTeJ29KH5D/s2048/IMG_1556.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtagfsEOT_R22f1KHCRs3TsgsPulHDjyB2DPKUUi1GM4107YTdk_hShTMjQC82Ep06djBZV9eXb7e1OVJNgHBJqDnoRFET9hLtXJn4aCAe3tY0o-HVzIiYYMIncFjRv3RSz8rOqMnCiFhHgPrEgyVYex7egYLoznqFkQKRmk7Ms-EhR6pFkJTeJ29KH5D/w150-h200/IMG_1556.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">laundry platform framed</td></tr></tbody></table>We knew the kitchen install was coming, so we went searching for a plumber. The plumbing trade, like so many, are significantly stressed by the current labor environment. I suppose, a couple generations of convincing every high-school student that they need to go to college and not explore trades has not helped, but finding a plumber or electrician who can start the work reasonably soon is virtually impossible. It is reasonable to expect at least 2 months delay. When we contracted our plumber, we indicated that we were 100% flexible and they could send someone over as a schedule-filler even if our project had to be left part-done for weeks. Having this kind of flexibility proved to be a real winner: a plumber arrived the following day, mid-morning, having to leave a job where they weren't ready. 2 days later, our kitchen and attached laundry were rough-plumbed in, and the laundry machines were again operational.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>NewOld Floor</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Before we moved into this old farmhouse, we had the floors in most of the house redone. The kitchen was still in a semi-demo state, so that area was left alone. Once the demo was completed, and the furnace moved, the floors in the front half of the house could be addressed. Since we now lived here, we needed to further compress our living. So, for about 2 weeks (there was an ice storm in the middle that delayed the flooring work) we used a 10' by 10' space for living, dining and cooking... and the space also held our piano and refrigerator. Needless to say, it was some cramped living, like you couldn't turn around it was so tight. Seriously, you could walk in, but then had to back out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The flooring guys were pretty magical. They sourced 2-1/4" rolled red-oak flooring matching what was already in place and then feathered it into the existing floor. They repaired in the hole where the furnace used to be, and added a clean crawlspace-access where I had cut the big hole to send the furnace. They spent 2 full days getting the floor installed, filled, stained and clear-coated. The finished floor looks like it was always that way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Back Door</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9Ix0fC49xQODT23WFHofSMowsGUsbIrm5XQQTqWecinC1Grvzc9aIXU7SwV8EbaBSIJkAANFVxWL27fjOHmkcqgic_ROs0TkjG17hkBdVllSAXD0Hd8OFnzDAHKfVo4I6pv9Yzncgn7w4JTnQbl4Iaew4TR3sC9u5Kn1LLlVQ2CtbLl2pXQN8y48bxxK/s2048/IMG_1534.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9Ix0fC49xQODT23WFHofSMowsGUsbIrm5XQQTqWecinC1Grvzc9aIXU7SwV8EbaBSIJkAANFVxWL27fjOHmkcqgic_ROs0TkjG17hkBdVllSAXD0Hd8OFnzDAHKfVo4I6pv9Yzncgn7w4JTnQbl4Iaew4TR3sC9u5Kn1LLlVQ2CtbLl2pXQN8y48bxxK/w150-h200/IMG_1534.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">back door</td></tr></tbody></table>Before the flooring guys could start, Boo and I needed an escape route. Their work was going to cover the front half of the house and our only egresses would be blocked. We had intended to add a back door eventually, but needing a means of getting in and out of the house moved it to the front of the list. For a hot minute we thought about climbing in and out of a bedroom window. Once the ice storm hit, we were grateful we did not go that route. We added a basic large-windowed (double paned) door that allows a considerable amount of light into a part of the house that had been rather dark. Outside the door, we added 3 steps down to an odd sidewalk that runs along the back of the house. Eventually, we will add a permeable patio back there, but for now, it's where Zed and Oliver are parked (on top of tarps and patio blocks, covered with fairly high-end car covers). The picture on the right, here, shows the after affect; there used to be a built-in bookcase where that door now sits.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All of this activity has been consuming most of our energy. Around these larger items, we had insulation blown into the attic space and I have had to make a few adjustments to the heat distribution as the power of the fan has blown off a connection or 2. I also moved the thermostat so it passes up inside a wall and is attached in it's permanent location opposite the front door. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, the kitchen install work starts with some wall insulation, drywall, and electrical followed by cabinet installs and some appliances. At this rate, we could be making meals in the new space by Easter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-7654313013396090572024-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T08:28:54.434-08:00Hapy Electrical Fix and Planning<div style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, I rotated the headlight switch clockwise and that caused a short that allowed a wire to release it's smoke. Today's post covers that resolution, with some expected twists and closes with a plan to update the fuse box.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Poof</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVuNr2qDn6pVXPMTDcvU6oKI36VpeYOB49Rw9MrPzOXFXc0T9A9YUBwtWOmGNXzYI9J5Ubo4939LOQyaJOU1FxmtEutSGL3V1hsoV-VGJFrPoj1e5nKa6yrisWZV0IiMwliwc8GkcLB_ZV84_G56TywnXOlzsynLZi-lsGbOeic5RlDbvnn8-X3M5jPxD/s2116/IMG_1627.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="1592" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVuNr2qDn6pVXPMTDcvU6oKI36VpeYOB49Rw9MrPzOXFXc0T9A9YUBwtWOmGNXzYI9J5Ubo4939LOQyaJOU1FxmtEutSGL3V1hsoV-VGJFrPoj1e5nKa6yrisWZV0IiMwliwc8GkcLB_ZV84_G56TywnXOlzsynLZi-lsGbOeic5RlDbvnn8-X3M5jPxD/w151-h200/IMG_1627.jpeg" width="151" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">72 bus wiring diagram<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>First, I accept that what happened was entirely my fault. I turned a push-pull knob, and the housing was loose so I created a short. At first, I thought I had grounded a pin on the back of the switch. Based on the wire which fried, I'm not so sure, but the grey wire fell off of pin 58. That wire fall was what caused the running lights to not function: they tie into fuses 1 and 2 which control them. It wasn't wire 58 which fried.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, I dug into the interweb. I found another person who had the buzzing noise from their flasher relay and they discovered the root cause was that the dashboard did not have power. Sounds about right, I suppose, so we remove the dash to see. The dash removes with 4 screws. If you are fortunate enough to have the vent and oily-smelling-air controls, you may need to manage them first. I have the older style controls which originally had the little colored spring-loaded clips. Of course, Hapy didn't have the colored clips, and still doesn't. Anyway, remove anything from the vent control levers which impede the dash removal, remove the 4 screws and detach the speedometer cable. Then, the dash lifts straight out (a little diagonal) to the steering wheel. At that point, I rotate it so the face points to the floor. To me, this puts the least pressure on the wires while exposing them for me to see. From here, I could see that the black wire from fuse 12 that delivers 12V to the dash had it's plastic casing melted off. How and why that wire fried rather than popping the fuse, I don't know. The fuse was and is still there, it was relatively new (like, in the last 5 years), the right rating and it was seated properly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Clumsy</b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYb5TCWpNP0RQtegh18Opl0cSj1ngSM-Pcmc6zQ9UZcQT5TaVhpoGM2UDtZqf2QePgFcHlzf5J15LAs6RjpCc9saBaOMzpbCLUdj2i-F7EajZ4PjSUSOurIVK3AnkMfQaj3_QmPgtWYfE2Gn0uzr9VBM7Yur54uqlD_zmOLiDm7Oc4RxM4mfv5kBuDPsfN/s2048/IMG_1628.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYb5TCWpNP0RQtegh18Opl0cSj1ngSM-Pcmc6zQ9UZcQT5TaVhpoGM2UDtZqf2QePgFcHlzf5J15LAs6RjpCc9saBaOMzpbCLUdj2i-F7EajZ4PjSUSOurIVK3AnkMfQaj3_QmPgtWYfE2Gn0uzr9VBM7Yur54uqlD_zmOLiDm7Oc4RxM4mfv5kBuDPsfN/w150-h200/IMG_1628.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 fried wire</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Knowing which wire needed to be replaced is a great first step. Getting that wire replaced without negatively impacting anything else in the original electrical system, however, is a virtually impossible task. Such was the case this time. First, I pulled the wrong wire out of the fuse box, and as I did, I dislodged a couple of fuses. Then, I got the wire back in and dislodged some other ones. Finally, I found and removed the bad wire from the fuse box, bumping a wire out of the high-beam relay holder as I did. Neat.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I formed a new multi-female-spade-connector wire, using the fried one as a pattern. With a multi-meter, I confirmed the connectivity between all of the end points had 0 resistance and returned to Hapy's driver seat. I plugged the wire into the tabs on the dash, and dangled it behind, finding the tab in the fuse box. Again, I unsettled a few fuses, but once they were in place again, I started testing. First, I confirmed that the running lights and headlights came on. It being daytime, I could tell the lights were on, but not that the headlights were the high-beams. I turned the key to run and the buzzing was gone. The turn signals worked, the hazards worked, and continued to work when I turned off the key. I even test started the engine to prove things were good. What I didn't test: the wipers. It seems that when I was messing around with the fuses, I failed to reseat fuse 11 (which controls the wipers and the rear defogger) after reseating what felt like all of the others -or- another wire fell off. I didn't discover that the wipers didn't work until I tried to take a drive at night in the pouring rain. So much fun. I don't think Hapy likes the winter weather very much; he does seem quite persistent in staying in the driveway.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><b>About Had It</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">
So, after spending so much time diagnosing issues only to discover the issue was the 50+ year-old fuse box or really the style of fuse used in the 50+ year old fuse box, I have decided to look into replacing it. I say that because the wire that fried was on a fuse that didn't blow and the fuses are in the box so loosely now they become disconnected simply by brushing past them. Based on my research, I understand the fuse-box layout / purpose to be this table below. I will replace with a simple 12-slot 12-independent-circuit box that uses spade fuses instead of the old buss style. It will ultimately use the same circuit numbers as before for all of the things I am keeping (never had ambulance fans, nor ignition buzzer, nor interior lights). Plus, it will include things I need, like radiator fans and the fan for the heater.</div><br />
<table border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Fuse #</td>
<td>Original Purpose</td>
<td>Changed Purpose</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1a </td>
<td>front running lights, license plate light</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2a </td>
<td>rear running lights</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3b </td>
<td>passenger low headlight</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4b </td>
<td>driver low headlight</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5b </td>
<td>passenger high beam</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6b </td>
<td>driver high beam</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7*</td>
<td>open? looks like it was for ambulance fans</td>
<td>radiator fans</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8*</td>
<td>emergency flasher and interior light</td>
<td>emergency flasher only</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9*</td>
<td>ignition buzzer, rear interior light</td>
<td>interior heater fan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10#</td>
<td>horn, brake light warning switch/light</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11#</td>
<td>windshield wiper, rear defogger</td>
<td>plus the windshield washer pump</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12#</td>
<td>dashboard, emergency flasher</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td>rear backup light</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><div style="text-align: left;"><div>a: supply-side from light switch</div><div>b: supply-side from headlight flasher (dimmer relay)</div><div>*: always hot</div><div>#: switched</div><div>&: inline fuse not in fuse box</div><div><br /></div></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><div>I will be adding a master circuit-breaker as well back by the starter (where the main 12V source for the fuse box comes from) so there is a safety on the entire #30 circuit that goes to the ignition and the head light switch via the supply-side of the always-hot fuses. I do not know when I will get after this, though. The joy I have had since removing the rat's nest of wires for the engine control has been significant. The wires for the original bus have their problems, and I will be replacing some of the runs (particularly the rear tail lights), but for the most part, they have been up to the task. I just need to find a way to stay somewhat dry and maybe a <i>little</i> not-freezing so I can get after it. Since it is January, I recognize my opportunities for something this big will probably not appear for a while. Still, I can't keep letting smoke out of the wires, and I would very much like to get Hapy out of the driveway for a safe drive-around before spring. For the Pacific NorthWest, that starts with getting the wipers working again and then getting the high-beams turned off.<br /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><div>That's it for today. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div></div></div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-38268932149659036952024-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-09T08:00:00.137-08:00Furnace Finished<p>Today's post covers the final steps of completing the furnace in the NewOldHouse. In my last post, we had cut the hole for the intake and lined it with venting. Our no-longer-an-HVAC-guy electrician was coming over to test the system so I needed to solve a couple of things first. Like the exhaust venting.<br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Exhausted</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqxZJe6RCnNyC8Ane62m157fGkXmiGBoNHqMa5O_UKp-gIttC7DhEfbtcUGwVeZhV2vwCuhHS7saCD3On1CEzIbEc7eQi2TLOkPXahthAiAJeei-DDHp8_j5UX7VEyH3k1wumzdeI48YaiH7NMzBh9pUwDMRbkA8SLn_mB6a6XDhGRdLp354TSw-abSmI/s2048/IMG_1541.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqxZJe6RCnNyC8Ane62m157fGkXmiGBoNHqMa5O_UKp-gIttC7DhEfbtcUGwVeZhV2vwCuhHS7saCD3On1CEzIbEc7eQi2TLOkPXahthAiAJeei-DDHp8_j5UX7VEyH3k1wumzdeI48YaiH7NMzBh9pUwDMRbkA8SLn_mB6a6XDhGRdLp354TSw-abSmI/w200-h150/IMG_1541.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">operational furnace<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>When
I disassembled the furnace last summer, I saved all of the exhaust
venting. I figured I could reuse all of it and but whatever pieces I
needed after that. When I did my test fit to confirm the angle (minimum
is 1/4" per foot or 1" per 4 feet, I did 1" per 3 feet so better than
minimum), I determined that I had more than enough pieces, but did not
end-to-end assemble it. These double-walled vents are built to
twist-lock and they only assemble one way, indicated by the arrow on the
sticker on the side. They are kind of like big-boy Tinkertoys. The
sections which can turn are an engineering marvel. They can be twisted
into all kinds of off-set shapes or simple angles to get the venting to
go where you need it to. My needs were simple, however. From the top of
the furnace, I turned it 45* towards the chimney, ran a straight segment
and then another 45* angle to head straight into the chimney clear-out
hole and the liner contained within. I had retained the collar that
threads onto the liner and rests in the brick and I had retained the
connector at the end of the vent that abuts the collar, and it tightened
down with a set screw. I had expected a couple of hours, and assembly
of the chimney was less than an hour.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Using
stainless steel pipe-hanger strapping, I suspended the chimney from the
floor joists in 3 spots, all closer to the chimney than the furnace. I
recalled from my angle testing that I needed the exhaust to enter the
chimney near the highest point in the hole. So, I started there,
pressing the vent up against the hole, and then worked towards the
furnace from there. I used screws instead of nails so the straps could
not work their way loose from vibration. Before crawling out claiming
victory, I grabbed the cloth webbed strapping that I used to suspend the
HVAC and supported the gas line from the floor in a similar fashion.
Like the exhaust vent, I do not want the gas line to shake itself loose,
potentially creating a leak. I chose to use the fabric webbing instead
of the stainless because I thought steel-on-steel could either create a
spark or slowly cut into the pipe. Cloth don't cut. Content, I contacted
our electrician to test things.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Furnace Active</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg3Lahhumx3sh5zcjxL1ANk7G8Y5xZ92-7l96LBc-MNvRheU4nz7IHp-5Tb2dPkRebp2DSaZ7D4XbVsRnXzqs2K_aFJwupGJfKp6-VxJoKzD9T7u08GLaMOKLP_zeYP3TQcpe38FeKQUo6Yhdrw6U7Oy65BPsICfORyiS4yaU4i_fF5Ju0Xr6Vyt4bKkk/s2048/IMG_1533.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg3Lahhumx3sh5zcjxL1ANk7G8Y5xZ92-7l96LBc-MNvRheU4nz7IHp-5Tb2dPkRebp2DSaZ7D4XbVsRnXzqs2K_aFJwupGJfKp6-VxJoKzD9T7u08GLaMOKLP_zeYP3TQcpe38FeKQUo6Yhdrw6U7Oy65BPsICfORyiS4yaU4i_fF5Ju0Xr6Vyt4bKkk/w200-h150/IMG_1533.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">suspending the vent<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Our
electrician connected the thermostat to the control wire (which was
just run out through the big hole in the floor) to test the system. He
knew the state of the gas line, the electrical, etc, so I wanted him to
run the test. Besides, I wanted a final review of the work too. The
review was quick and positive, so he started a test.... shazam (not
boom) we have central heat. While the cold air side of the furnace is
just an open plenum reaching into the crawlspace, the test was
successful. We ran the system for a bit while he checked for leaks and
CO. Everything came back perfect, so we just let the furnace run and
bring the temperature of the house up from 58*F to 68*F (14.5C to 20C).
The following weekend, I returned to the cold air intake.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Return to the Return</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>With
the furnace operational, I could get back to the intake with a little
bit of time flexibility. I had the start of the intake from the floor
side and I had the plenum jutting out from the intake side of the
furnace. I just needed to connect them. I started with what I thought
would be the hardest part: the sides from the plenum to the intake. In
retrospect, I probably should have started with the floor of the
floor-side to keep it square, but it's done now so who cares. Because
the furnace is not 100% square to the house, the sides were not exactly
the same length. I cut them the same though, so the south side is a
little longer, jutting into the floor-side box by an inch or so.
Regardless, the installs for the 2 sides were the same: I set the plenum
side into the S-clamp, screwed in 2 sheet metal screws and then
attached the other end with another pair of sheet metal screws. I
shifted to the top and bottoms next.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp7cvvJ-3augIN9iBPYLQIrtmGL-6hqI4OgmUyQuSNMovx-MkiZ1mdV-99VWGyzF_Bsk2B1zn01dtLTRXRbKVJoMNbtjYg-Iv_S9MIGFtF1r6Nm0YVaa7UMy1usVGGjm1aYnRXyjS_dgDgxjZW-9nn36jff8SF1ZOc8P5MHElfz2npPSnWvRo8xzGbfpf/s2048/IMG_1543.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp7cvvJ-3augIN9iBPYLQIrtmGL-6hqI4OgmUyQuSNMovx-MkiZ1mdV-99VWGyzF_Bsk2B1zn01dtLTRXRbKVJoMNbtjYg-Iv_S9MIGFtF1r6Nm0YVaa7UMy1usVGGjm1aYnRXyjS_dgDgxjZW-9nn36jff8SF1ZOc8P5MHElfz2npPSnWvRo8xzGbfpf/w200-h150/IMG_1543.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Because
the floor-side is not aligned with the plenum, the top and bottom were
parallelogram shaped, with the ends measuring 20" and the sides at a
angle around 45*. Again, because the sides were not exactly the same
length, one cardboard template did not suffice. In the interest of
conserving materials, the top was completed with multiple smaller
sections and then seam-taped. The bottom, however, is one shaped piece
added after the floor of the rectangle intake was in place.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Last,
I got to the rectangle at the bottom of the intake box I built earlier.
For this "floor", I cut another piece of sheeting 23 inches long by 16
inches wide and cut 1/2" notches out of each corner. 3 edges were then
bent 90*, leaving the edge facing the furnace flat. I set the floor in
from below, sealing the seams with tape, before shifting to the bottom
of the intake-to-plenum connector.</div><div> </div><div><b>Filtered</b><br /></div><div>I had
intended to get clever with brackets and such to hold the filter in
place. I abandoned that simply because I ran out of give-a-shit by now
and simply wanted filtered air. Since the south-side ran long into the
airbox, that provided material to hold the upper corner of the filter.
Using a filter to guide the shaping, I bent the overhang into a tang to
hold the filter. The other corners simply stay put, and the 16 x 20
opening is perfectly covered with the filter.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipopQvcriE8NFTvIaec6YldPuoeJ0NX05crmdWQLLuZbj7uBLfz-ES9GQRiEVPMH7SYR7-a02JRKoVOLCojgANRRPgRlREgvTVsGhuockRyPZ3WBLjjCKSk0_RpT5xJihb8KLd7TlgHJQk0feMwmLVKwb8LdZEK2obDKBEYCfgzCBBKvuaPF2NKd9Msj9K/s2048/IMG_1212.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipopQvcriE8NFTvIaec6YldPuoeJ0NX05crmdWQLLuZbj7uBLfz-ES9GQRiEVPMH7SYR7-a02JRKoVOLCojgANRRPgRlREgvTVsGhuockRyPZ3WBLjjCKSk0_RpT5xJihb8KLd7TlgHJQk0feMwmLVKwb8LdZEK2obDKBEYCfgzCBBKvuaPF2NKd9Msj9K/w200-h150/IMG_1212.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">where we started<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>We have been running the furnace since the filter was added and the air in the house is steadily getting less dusty. After all the work that's been done around here, the dust has been considerable. We have run a small portable filter, but it has not been as effective.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, that's the end of this epic effort. For a timeline, the furnace was disassembled in August and moved in September, the chimney repaired and lined in early October. The crawlspace patio was dug out, graveled and patio-blocked in late October; a stand attached and the furnace secured in early November. Air distribution was disassembled, cleaned, reassembled and insulated from mid November to early December. Everything else was crammed into the following 2 weeks. This job was quoted to me for $10kUS. If I paid myself $100US per hour, I still would have paid the HVAC company more for this.</div><div> </div><div>This effort took place around a music festival, a family wedding, multiple holidays, kitchen planning, prepping and seeding a lawn, gigs, jams, love and life, and of course, my band (shameless plug: <a href="https://sunkicksmusic.com/" target="_blank">Sunkicks</a>) recording, tracking and mixing an EP (release date 2024-Feb-2). Life is full. I expect there will be more construction posts, but Hapy needs some work done so I expect there will be a post or 2 on that, once I get to it. Thanks for following along- </div></div><p></p>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-11994188458868099632024-01-02T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-02T11:12:22.170-08:00Planning the Intake<div style="text-align: left;">Today, I further document the efforts to put heat into this old farmhouse. First, Hapy New Year. I absolutely recognize that it is past Winter Solstice and we have not had central heat since last spring. We have been getting by with small oil-based space heaters, as opposed to the ones with bright orange electrical coils and blower fans. Except for the sub-freezing cold snaps or windy days, the space heaters have been up to the challenge. On those sub-freezing days and nights, we have closed off sections of the house and hung blankets over doorways, etc. It has been an adventure. A couple of weeks ago, we had that which had once been thin gross cellulose insulation in the attic removed. So, what little heat that grot held in was now escaping to atmosphere. If being cold were not enough of a motivator before, it just went up another notch </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>In my last post, I could see the finish line. The furnace had been moved, mounted on a stand and angle-confirmed for safe exhaust. The conditioned air side had nee disassembled, cleaned, re-assembled and insulated. The gas line had been reconfigured to feed the furnace, with a "T" fitting so we could tap into it for the stove later. The electrical had been completed to the furnace, with an integrated worker-safety switch. The thermostat control cable had been wired into the furnace. So, what remained? Connecting the thermostat to the control cable, the exhaust vent and a cold air return. I started with the cold air intake, but shifted midway once I concluded that we could get the furnace running for a short time without a cold air return, drawing air mostly from the crawlspace.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><b>Best Laid Plans</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMg-1Q3rOYtV4U2R0UBvLXCIWQKdq1h0hDwumAk4sLrDm3u2n-yKJZMncCUvhyITst64f6pl6tVL-1bZrwr6TR2fhgFqmfKu1jcFhibwbedXFjsuN0GUOtnh1CzTI7PDnZxEwH_tko9e2a9myabS0htm_FwsgoNyD8KvLVJwuoSxbZho63N4K8UJDL2chD/s2048/IMG_1540.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMg-1Q3rOYtV4U2R0UBvLXCIWQKdq1h0hDwumAk4sLrDm3u2n-yKJZMncCUvhyITst64f6pl6tVL-1bZrwr6TR2fhgFqmfKu1jcFhibwbedXFjsuN0GUOtnh1CzTI7PDnZxEwH_tko9e2a9myabS0htm_FwsgoNyD8KvLVJwuoSxbZho63N4K8UJDL2chD/w150-h200/IMG_1540.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">completed box<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>My original plan for the cold air intake was, again, to reuse as much of the HVAC stuff that I had removed from the furnace as I could, and add what was needed. When I looked at the pieces above the plenum, though, I decided they were not up to snuff. Whoever built that intake restricted the airflow considerably. Consider that the plenum is 16x20. The intake grate and filter are also 16x20. In between, they built a 90* turn using a 15x15 box. No wonder the furnace made so much noise when it was running; it was begging for more air. Simple math: 16x20 = 320 square inches. 15x15 = 225 or over 30% smaller. When discussing this with our electrician, he indicated that the restriction was probably not as bad as I thought. I never sought to be an HVAC expert; I just want heat and a quiet running system.</div><div><br /></div><div>My plan was to install the original intake-side plenum and simply reverse it back on top of itself and then route over to the hole in the floor where the furnace used to sit. In theory, this was a great idea. There's an old Yogi Berra quote about theory and practice (In theory there is no difference between theory and practice - in practice there is). I think it applies here. The intake plenum was nearly as big as the conditioned-side plenum, and once attached it took up more than 50% of the space between the floor joists above and the vapor barrier on the ground. There would be no doubling-back on itself. For a moment I thought about having it turn on it's side, but that would route it where the exhaust vent is. We can't have both things in the exact same space.</div><div><br /></div><div>I could route the cold air intake around the chimney and under the main beam of the house twice to leverage the existing hole where the furnace was. I started to take measurements and discovered that the space between the bottom of the beam and the top of the concrete curb underneath where the furnace used to be... was a little over 12 inches. I can't run a 16x20 rectangle through the 12" space. I could neck it down, but that would decrease air flow, create noise and potentially shorten the life of the fan since the reduction would be, like 25% (16 to 12). We have already suffered a 30% reduction before, and all of the downsides with it. Now, I could create a pass-thru that's like 12 x 26 so we don't restrict air flow, but when I took a minute and considered how long that intake would be, I figured it was time for a new course.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before I got too wrapped up in the next step, I installed the intake plenum, sheet-metal screws, tape and all and then suspended it from the floor joists with webbing. With the plenum in a fixed location, I could take some measurements and make some plans.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>New Plan, New Hole</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSFuxIF3HdXEOzV2Q1AmdDSewNB3pggCP01rzqnNc5I9UrGHoOAFi5JdsobpMm94f2jEsSp7SAz2ygPZ6wjl2_XfPBfatSTaJm2bt6TPQYvtwRVkyINOqblMti2tU3RHxYNsKjuZM8doNVucjMP7VAIKUjBQ08QfJmHl0BbE1_dSvEyCTCyQvkPMpaKLf/s2048/IMG_1539.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSFuxIF3HdXEOzV2Q1AmdDSewNB3pggCP01rzqnNc5I9UrGHoOAFi5JdsobpMm94f2jEsSp7SAz2ygPZ6wjl2_XfPBfatSTaJm2bt6TPQYvtwRVkyINOqblMti2tU3RHxYNsKjuZM8doNVucjMP7VAIKUjBQ08QfJmHl0BbE1_dSvEyCTCyQvkPMpaKLf/w150-h200/IMG_1539.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">simple floor grate<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I started by determining where the joists were and marked them on the floor above. Since the joists are 16" on-center apart, the usable gap between the joists is about 15". While obviously that is less than 16, it is greater than 12, so I could put a hole anywhere without touching a joist and the neck-down would be significantly better than running it in a big circle around the chimney in the crawlspace. I also figured that the shorter the intake, the fewer opportunities for leaks. Consider that the area of the house above the furnace is our emerging kitchen. We had been making plans accommodating an intake along one wall, making an allowance for a space without a cabinet for that intake. Now that the intake will no longer reuse that big hole, we can reconsider the cabinet plan there, and have that floor fully repaired by our flooring guy (Thomas).</div><div><br /></div><div>Both Boo and I have lived in older houses before and we both recall having air intakes in random places in the floor. For whatever reason, they seem to usually appear in hallways, so you get to walk on them a lot. Since there doesn't appear to be much reasoning other than have them centrally located, We are going to make the intake run as short as possible, setting the intake alongside the chimney. This will allow for a simple 90* turn at the end of the plenum straight up to the floor. I will add a little bit of ducting to align between the floor joists, but it will be quite short.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cutting a hole in a perfectly good floor is hard to bring myself to doing. I ultimately asked our general contractor to do it. I figured he could get the cut straight and along the top of the joists on his first try. In the picture on the right, here, you can see the floor grate I got on Etsy from a guy (Doug) who hand makes these in Minnesota. Big fan of Etsy's handmade stuff. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Return</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLygqY8zhVggPxSzXJH3mnjTB3rv7LIO9MwmYL-ilWO99uKEFW6sKv_Kr6H4LBanrIzdHlkLzSkM4NuGq0aoyQuYIJMGgtmhIJb0HnPc4wo-nE3pumuHEhaaThW7vOtHn7SLdr4CX0vMNB77kdS4wQmqzOVqxmC_emWZXJ9Itb5qoqRWMtZ1C6Uz3bF4b/s2048/IMG_1527.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLygqY8zhVggPxSzXJH3mnjTB3rv7LIO9MwmYL-ilWO99uKEFW6sKv_Kr6H4LBanrIzdHlkLzSkM4NuGq0aoyQuYIJMGgtmhIJb0HnPc4wo-nE3pumuHEhaaThW7vOtHn7SLdr4CX0vMNB77kdS4wQmqzOVqxmC_emWZXJ9Itb5qoqRWMtZ1C6Uz3bF4b/w150-h200/IMG_1527.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">building the box<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>With the hole cut, I had a clear target for building the rest of the cold air return. My plan was to have a simple straight down, 90* bend to the plenum. At the point where the venting turns, the air filter sits and it is replaced from above, after removing the air return grate. To help hold the air filter in place, I planned to add a small rib an inch to the plenum side of the 90* bend. Last, I added a flip-down tab above the filter so that after the filter was set in, the tab would rotate down to hold it in place. Back to that Yogi Berra quote, the reality, however, was not simply applied theory. I mean the applied Yogi Berra theory would be there's no difference between what you plan and what you build until you start building. In that spirit, I got after it with a stack of 24" by 36" HVAC sheeting.</div><div><br /></div><div>I started with a simple box that lined the sides of the joists down to the level where the plenum was. The top of the plenum is about 1 inch below the floor joists, so the box was little more than a 3-sided rectangle. With one sheet, I bent the side furthest from the furnace into a wide U, with the center section 22" across. I pre-drilled holes to connect additional pieces and screwed it into the floor joist level with the top of the joist. Adjacent to the shorter sections of the "U", I added 10-1/2" and 12-1/2" sides (also 24" long). The wider of the 2 sides was bent 90* for the final 2-1/2", and that short stretch runs along the furnace-facing side, reducing the aperture from 22" to 20" to align with the size of the plenum. I left an extra 1/2" of HVAC sheeting so I had something to connect the next pieces to. Along that 4th edge, I ran an 8-1/2" strip of HVAC, covering the floor joist plus an inch. That last half-inch was angle bent rear and upwards to provide something to attach to. Once I got this far, I shifted gears over to the exhaust vent so we could get the furnace tested while our electrician was available.</div><div><br /></div></div></div>I am going to stop here since things got moving really quickly around the electrician's visit. Thanks, as always, for following along-<br />PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-82393198425487951082023-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:002023-12-28T08:00:00.131-08:00Dashing Thru the Smoke<div style="text-align: left;">After returning Hapy to service, I have not driven him much. As has been true for most of the time we have been together, he doesn't have heat. So it's like driving in an ice fishing shed... which probably brings some appeal to some folks, but it's not my favorite. Still, if I had to get somewhere and I could get there without using freeways, I would and have drive(n) Hapy. Why not freeways? This time of year, as I am sure you have noticed, drivers are especially distracted and others are driving specially, uh... nasty. This old bus needs more braking space than modern cars but other drivers don't always recognize that. When you add those factors together, it is tough sledding in the bus. Add in wet or slick roads and it gets scary. Regular roads are bad enough, but freeway speeds are too scary in the winter for me and the bus. With this backdrop, I start today's post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Smoked Again</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YMX1hiv4WeIuQGpoZFslTPw46nyZTAi__ukwifMyUfMa7UBvUL2r7dOPM3V5nF2rLf6J06b3PMmEyCiOIkOHLPtK2QOoUZ6nvBKwvEhLbHXjcba5ch07fRNmlIkNrBQPi4GQe55_nRHM1mVuZQKdtdIAWJp-4aYv_AZSnjXk2EZH656RrpGJZNSDivLj/s2048/IMG_1498.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YMX1hiv4WeIuQGpoZFslTPw46nyZTAi__ukwifMyUfMa7UBvUL2r7dOPM3V5nF2rLf6J06b3PMmEyCiOIkOHLPtK2QOoUZ6nvBKwvEhLbHXjcba5ch07fRNmlIkNrBQPi4GQe55_nRHM1mVuZQKdtdIAWJp-4aYv_AZSnjXk2EZH656RrpGJZNSDivLj/w150-h200/IMG_1498.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">can you spot the loose wire?</td></tr></tbody></table>A few years ago, on the return drive from 4Peaks, we were greeted with smoke billowing out from under the dash (See <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2018/07/4peaks-2018-road-report.html" target="_blank">4Peaks 2018 - Road Report</a>). Somehow the ignition sub-harness had fried, leaving us stranded, riding home on a flatbed again. There's a song lyric in there somewhere. Anyway, I fixed that once and then again in a not-to-my-best-liking way with now 2 keys to operate the bus: one to unlock the steering and one to start/run the engine. This is working well enough so I leave it alone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The other night, I had to drive out to Hillsboro for a final recording session with the band I'm playing in (shameless plug: <a href="https://sunkicksmusic.com/" target="_blank">Sunkicks</a>), and Boo had not returned from work. So, I pressed Hapy into service. With the new starter and better glow-plugs, he fired right up and hummed like he was ready for some fun. It was damp out, so the lack of heat meant drying the inside of the windscreen with a towel, but for the ride out, it only needed that one wipe down. Even the driver door closed without too much trouble. It was like Hapy was really trying his best to show he was a real car and could be used reliably. We stopped for some home repair parts at the big box home repair store and he started right up afterwards. Again, "I'm a <i>real</i> car".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After the recording session concluded, the temperature had continued to drop, while the moisture held steady so the interior glass was quite foggy. Hapy fired right up and I flipped on the running lights while I refamiliarized myself with the controls in the dark. I thought I had the switch for the fans in my hand, but it was actually the headlight control... I turned hard it to the right (the fan control switch has always been a little resistant), and rather than turn on the fans, I caused something to ground, causing a wire to release it's smoke. When I saw the smoke, I turned the switch back left (anti-clockwise) but the damage had been done. All that was left was to figure out how widespread it was, and to apologize to Hapy; this wasn't his fault, it was all mine. The smoke was pretty bad though, considering the windows were closed, the bus wasn't moving and the fan wasn't on. The next day, my throat was still sore from it. When I opened the driver window, it must have looked like a scene from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083929/" target="_blank">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</a> with the billowing smoke rolling out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkE_nmjgw7Xzcbptxz6WtfjMpb14pSvqdjPY0W7FtoA4Zl_ObT9KO8rkmEnuxtlcjqqbG-DssORwP3_Wzlaerh1evP3OXwqdw1b_8XtMyjWQkAEfWt2LcYOXoT2JPqhFTUgao1c81evXeWHMZMIyacMunthUEppbqvOZEtKlvElGAbhRsp2THcsw1iKlg/s2048/IMG_1499.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkE_nmjgw7Xzcbptxz6WtfjMpb14pSvqdjPY0W7FtoA4Zl_ObT9KO8rkmEnuxtlcjqqbG-DssORwP3_Wzlaerh1evP3OXwqdw1b_8XtMyjWQkAEfWt2LcYOXoT2JPqhFTUgao1c81evXeWHMZMIyacMunthUEppbqvOZEtKlvElGAbhRsp2THcsw1iKlg/w150-h200/IMG_1499.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dripping blue</td></tr></tbody></table>Starting with the positive... the engine was still running. The cooling fans were on and could be turned on and off. The defogger (doesn't defrost, hardly de-fogs) fan could be turned on and off. As to the negative, the driving lights were out, I think the tail lights were out and there was an annoying buzzer like a seatbelt warning was on. When I flipped the turn signal or hazards, the front lights flashed correctly and the buzzing went away. I was still sitting, idling in front of my bandmate's house, so I decided that I would just drive home and deal with it later.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The drive home was quite uneventful other than the constant buzz noise and concern that drivers behind me could not see us nor tell when we were braking. When I got home, the engine and fans shut off without issue. It was too late and too dark to diagnose, but my hunch was that it's the wire that sends a signal to the running lights.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Wire Still a Puzzler</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days later, when I could go out to the bus in daylight, I went out and removed the headlight switch from the dash. I could see one of the wires had become detached, but I was unable to see any truly fried wires. Puzzled, I plugged the wire into the open pin on the back of the switch, and tried the lights. Yep, headlights still turn on, dash lights still turn on.... running lights turn on. All of them, including the tail lights. So, I pulled on the hazard switch. Dash directionals flash, front directionals flash, rear directionals flash. At this point, I don't know what's fried, but the engine starts and runs, the cooling fans fire, the dash lights, switches and gauges work and all the lights work. In the middle picture, just above, there's a light blue orb thing on the lower left side of the image. That is a blue drip that I cannot account for, but I think something melted and that's the result. Neat.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think it is time for me to determine which of the original circuits no longer need to be served and at the very least remove the fuses. After the cleanup I did in the back for running the engine, I think it would be wise to plan to do something very similar up front. I mean, in the end, the only things the "main" fuse box is running now are the dash, and the lights. That's like, 4 fuses tops? Regardless, this exercise should lead me to the smoked wire and reduce the electrical gremlins.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Furnace Update</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOjLld81inrUXSbABpcd2pyt1wznOaRU7r7bdrmcjwc1RD-RdaL564NTO2EuySXUV55Wl_AWq5-H806n8qU6qMZ9uzXiLSZzdFEbeZMx20Mt4nji075DntbtjYG3uxXMlUEPi9E_kUojk0ij2f-r1S3n8-v034GfNjfCVhlIRF7y4ojVulSKzPonPuKtn/s2048/IMG_1523.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOjLld81inrUXSbABpcd2pyt1wznOaRU7r7bdrmcjwc1RD-RdaL564NTO2EuySXUV55Wl_AWq5-H806n8qU6qMZ9uzXiLSZzdFEbeZMx20Mt4nji075DntbtjYG3uxXMlUEPi9E_kUojk0ij2f-r1S3n8-v034GfNjfCVhlIRF7y4ojVulSKzPonPuKtn/w200-h150/IMG_1523.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">furnace control board</td></tr></tbody></table>Our electrician is semi-retired. He used to run a HVAC company and has installed literally hundreds of furnaces before focusing on general residential electrical instead. Now, as he is slowly divesting of his electrical business, he has observed my work on our furnace. In a fit of holiday fever (he swore off furnace work years ago), he popped by for a couple of hours, got the gas line hooked up and leak tested as well as the 110V electrical feed completed, with a worker shut-off switch. He even got most of the exhaust venting put in. He hit a wall when he was unable to connect the control cable because the access screws are hidden behind a panel that you can't get to once the first piece of exhaust venting is attached to the furnace. That's some poor design.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Still, I saw the furnace project as 7 big individual efforts: demo/move/mount, conditioned air distribution, cold air return, gas, electric, exhaust vent and the thermostat/control cable. I had completed the first 2. He knocked down 2 more (gas and electric) and set me up to get the next 2: thermostat control and exhaust vent. Once I have that done, he will confirm things, and test the system. Then, I just need to get the cold air to pull from inside the house and we have a complete system. For testing purposes, I may simply smack a filter on the plenum.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Since I started this thread, I caught a cold, celebrated Christmas and installed the thermostat control cable. As I indicated, I had to remove the exhaust venting all the way to the firebox before I could remove the panel which covers the control board. I ran a new wire from beneath the furnace (where the old one entered) and connected the control wires. Before putting everything back together, I took the opportunity to spray the snot out of the control board with a can of computer-cleaning compressed air. I figured that panel won't be coming off anytime soon, so may as well get the board as clean as I can. After that, it was simple replacing that which was removed, re-using the same fasteners.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's about where things are today. Hapy appears operational, and I will be test driving him here in the next couple of days. The furnace is almost ready to test. I need to complete the assembly of the exhaust vent and properly suspend it from the floor to retain the correct exit angle, but I think that is a couple of hours effort at most.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks as always, for following along. Have a peaceful, pleasant, hapy new year-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-77226440798887473492023-12-12T08:00:00.000-08:002023-12-12T08:00:00.140-08:00Completing the Furnace Conditioned Air<div style="text-align: left;">In my last HVAC/furnace post, I had described the conditioned air plenum, and my efforts to create and then attach one. Today, I get on with the rest of the "conditioned air" venting. As before, I call it that so there's no confusion between the venting that has the output from the furnace and the venting that is the cold-air return side that feeds the furnace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><b>Rectangular Vent Prep</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0pI0lgxfRZhUmdEHTxicPKWB_JhM4IkjENiIBklpiKlE0h0ZVnv0OcG3RrL_EiUyHuSwu2j5x7B5VV0NyVezHaQNPC9jplgJ-n-ez6VhSIh9cOq2kM2LR0gxQyzmdq6avGQN3tLdahAVvlHBPTBu4VDaPFk57LqL_vfJNNLrvhX_E2gnJyvj9qNVr9f0/s2048/IMG_1457.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0pI0lgxfRZhUmdEHTxicPKWB_JhM4IkjENiIBklpiKlE0h0ZVnv0OcG3RrL_EiUyHuSwu2j5x7B5VV0NyVezHaQNPC9jplgJ-n-ez6VhSIh9cOq2kM2LR0gxQyzmdq6avGQN3tLdahAVvlHBPTBu4VDaPFk57LqL_vfJNNLrvhX_E2gnJyvj9qNVr9f0/w200-h150/IMG_1457.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">long arm</td></tr></tbody></table>Recall that the crawlspace in this house had been infested with rodents. I mean it was bad. We had it emptied of rubbish and insulation by a team who seemed borderline hazmat. The work was disgusting, that team was amazing. They replaced some, but not all, of the circular vents with insulated flexible venting, but left the larger rectangular trunk lines. Perhaps they thought those vents were clear and clean or maybe they just wanted to complete the job (not that I blame them). Those vents were unobstructed, but far from clean. I had intended to clean them in-place with a microfiber cloth on an extendable pole. Once I got to really looking at them, I knew this was simply not going to be sufficient, and chose to ignore the fact that these vents were used last winter. Yuck.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoljcHQQFysagGm4OEdt7IQJFUiQjbU9gCEWsYMkP3LM6yogaaiy-jZ5_q7_xbD8_5Ucq8wThsNnTEggs1R4sIxHzs6GuSIeFeboOt_qXmt3XwkY45EADbpKRvvEbaWd5xkanjDLVUgvaPCby4gNarVE55QAA2TwzSKVPqwr5F5t7A95MoJ23CuiUvSPZ/s2048/IMG_1432.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoljcHQQFysagGm4OEdt7IQJFUiQjbU9gCEWsYMkP3LM6yogaaiy-jZ5_q7_xbD8_5Ucq8wThsNnTEggs1R4sIxHzs6GuSIeFeboOt_qXmt3XwkY45EADbpKRvvEbaWd5xkanjDLVUgvaPCby4gNarVE55QAA2TwzSKVPqwr5F5t7A95MoJ23CuiUvSPZ/w200-h150/IMG_1432.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ga-ross</td></tr></tbody></table>To remedy, I dismantled them, and hauled them piece by piece out of the crawlspace into the backyard. Using the highest pressure setting on my hose-end sprayer, I jetted off the worst of the caked on filth, inside and out. Then, with a scrub brush and dish-soap, I cleaned each piece inside and out. Once rinsed, they were set aside to dry and I took one of my most-needed showers ever. The insides are clean, but I noticed a very slight brown staining. I concluded that it's probably from many years of people smoking tobacco in the house. I considered spray-painting all of the inside surfaces, but decided that the off-gassing of the paint was worse than whatever caused a stain (but was now gone). I did, however, spray paint bits of the outside of the venting which had rust or remnants of the old fabric (asbestos-imbedded?) tape which was removed by the hazmat guys.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rectangular Vent Install</b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYD0akEryXjCCtKfn5Izm5mvLCBBtzmR5o5fHHR5wTmpbxwGOi8GsnSqTgiAKcQ-nn0ODCDJu153M0yHsOoCTWJbGthZRMsxarrKj4BCRkzMM2lAbjlsf9wY5aLE6W5_XSQ1sKlr53ano50E_EFKVyveXENWIdHkS3QNVyuvEC5BvZh6QrKgYG1MVS-53f/s2048/IMG_1434.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYD0akEryXjCCtKfn5Izm5mvLCBBtzmR5o5fHHR5wTmpbxwGOi8GsnSqTgiAKcQ-nn0ODCDJu153M0yHsOoCTWJbGthZRMsxarrKj4BCRkzMM2lAbjlsf9wY5aLE6W5_XSQ1sKlr53ano50E_EFKVyveXENWIdHkS3QNVyuvEC5BvZh6QrKgYG1MVS-53f/w150-h200/IMG_1434.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cleaned</td></tr></tbody></table>Once cleaned, partially painted and moved back into the crawlspace, I was ready to start installing. I started at the furnace and worked by way out. First were the bits that connect the plenum to the rectangular vents. These are angled and change shape from one end to the other, converting whatever size hole you had in the plenum to the size of the vent. I found that by bending the lip wide open, the piece fit easily, and then just fold the lip back against the inside of the plenum. With high-end foil tape, I sealed the seams from inside the plenum.</div><div><br /></div><div>I read about and considered using a brush-on goop to seal the seams but decided that painting goop while army-crawling around a filthy crawlspace just did not sound like a great idea. Consider too, the goop seals as well as tape, for the most part, and it's effectiveness is directly tied to user application. So, again, lying prone (or supine) with a brush of goop sounds like errors would abound. Taping is hard enough when you're lying down.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once the 2 main bits were connected to the plenum, I first did a 90* turn bit on the smaller distribution arm (8 x 12 rather than 8 x 18) and then shifted to completing the larger arm. This took many hours, even though there were only 4 sections. For each section, I would wrestle the rectangle into the connectors on the end of the one prior. I used another section of HVAC to hold the far end up while I fastened the new piece to the old with sheet metal screws. Then, I suspended the far end from the floor with nylon webbing stapled to the floor joists above. Once free-standing, I sealed the seams with that high-end foil tape and then wrapped the vent with (R8) foil-wrapped closed cell HVAC insulation. I expected the venting to take a little while, but did not anticipate that the insulation step would take maybe twice as long as the venting assembly. I took care to seal up the insulation seams, but the time was consumed by, again, lying down and wrestling large rectangular insulation panels, trying to wrap them around a rectangular vent which had circular vents jutting out of it. I don't know if having the insulation sealed up tight matters much in the grand scheme, but I made sure they were relatively well sealed anyway. I spent probably 8 hours in total getting the larger arm assembled and insulated.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxhB2YDCGMJiOwt5-8KzKfm_8loBLWiAYcRUc_umadHAhVkdM_MI0EZh_Ev3llLZIMENGnMYGVosOmqS0v8FLVWXJdertCN72Xm3Hk9HcGhrPoDdzM1_oUzq_IRlB0B0gGOM1iNUL4Wk6uvgCYSYA04qDGkixFPgC10dTLJevHf7IABZvljzmt0Uvlyyr/s2048/IMG_1453.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxhB2YDCGMJiOwt5-8KzKfm_8loBLWiAYcRUc_umadHAhVkdM_MI0EZh_Ev3llLZIMENGnMYGVosOmqS0v8FLVWXJdertCN72Xm3Hk9HcGhrPoDdzM1_oUzq_IRlB0B0gGOM1iNUL4Wk6uvgCYSYA04qDGkixFPgC10dTLJevHf7IABZvljzmt0Uvlyyr/w150-h200/IMG_1453.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">original round vent</td></tr></tbody></table>Before I moved to the smaller arm, I attached the round vents to the larger arm. I had initially intended to remove the original remaining round vents, believing they were not up to snuff. While I was assembling the larger arm, I looked at the 2 remaining larger circular vents (picture on the right shows what condition they were in) and while there is some dust and more brownish stain, there is no rodent evidence. What I did not expect was just how close the rectangular venting is to it's original location. The round outlets on the rectangular vents are a few inches off center and less than a foot away from the original. So, I placed a short stretch of insulated flexi-venting between, taping both the inner hose and the outer insulation wrap at both ends. I did not capture a close-up picture of that, but I found that these sections were so short that it was actually easier to remove the inner sleeve from the insulation, attach it to both ends and then wrap the flexy-hose with the insulation jacket afterwards.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Smaller Arm</b></div><div>When I changed the vents around on the larger arm, I inadvertently removed the vent intended for the bathroom. I will re-integrate that later. The bathroom floor vent has not been connected since we first got the house. Recall above where I described where I made the cut in the plenum, I removed another vent access, which was direct-connected there, to the bedroom. Since it was not part of the air design plan for either arm, adding it to one or the other could upset the pressure for the other destinations. Since the bigger arm distributes to the west side of the house and the smaller arm goes east, I decided to tie it into the east (smaller) arm simply because that's the side of the house the bedroom is on. As it stands, the smaller arm only had 2 destinations (the kitchen and one main living space) so I felt adding a 3rd there would be less intrusive than adding a 5th destination to the larger arm. Also, I considered that the kitchen is an uninsulated space, cordoned off from the rest of the house with plastic. I decided to connect the bedroom to the used-to-be-kitchen vent in the smaller arm. When the kitchen is ready for a vent, I'll cut a hole and tie it in or I will move the bedroom connection back to the plenum.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_zridtD1_OU5ZtE3s1EmicyXolZFyZtWWi5CZYC6wpzQ5mlLvMu5d8BUiInVJI-K30V2SzlZEoD5wxsPGdGD981jhGdhIHH9sq8P6LAFBeI6igcF_3S0R-Y0MWUPPphYJ-o4nD8gy9Ji5Sl8EaCxu97C6iXi8BHBwTb3b_mNz1jchERvTOZ3j5AkPfK2/s2048/IMG_1469.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_zridtD1_OU5ZtE3s1EmicyXolZFyZtWWi5CZYC6wpzQ5mlLvMu5d8BUiInVJI-K30V2SzlZEoD5wxsPGdGD981jhGdhIHH9sq8P6LAFBeI6igcF_3S0R-Y0MWUPPphYJ-o4nD8gy9Ji5Sl8EaCxu97C6iXi8BHBwTb3b_mNz1jchERvTOZ3j5AkPfK2/w200-h150/IMG_1469.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">short arm completed</td></tr></tbody></table>The smaller arm took less time, and other than threading new stretches of flex-hose from the arm to the vents, it was a reflection of the larger arm work. Each arm-piece-to-arm-piece connection was metal-screwed in multiple spots, foil-taped and suspended with webbing. The entire arm was insulated with the R8 closed cell stuff, each circular connection was double-taped (inner tube and insulation jacket). The only real anomaly was with one rectangular-to-circular connector not aligning between the floor joists because of the furnace move. To remedy, I simply flipped it upside down (see picture on the right) so it is on the bottom instead of the top. I'm sure some HVAC person somewhere doesn't like this, but it fits, and it's sealed. All told, building the large arm took a weekend while attaching the circular vents to it and doing the entire smaller arm took a second weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, it had grown dark on a Sunday afternoon/evening. So, I picked up my tools and supplies and put everything away. With some scrap paper and a pen, I started contemplating the cold-air supply side. I will start that work next, but I think getting the "conditioned air" / distribution part completed was a significant milestone. Sure, I still need the gas hooked up, the exhaust re-assembled and suspended, the cold air return I just mentioned, the trigger wiring done and, last, the electrical (and walk thru by our electrician / HVAC guy). Yes, that is a lot, but I feel like the largest, hardest part is now behind me. I know... "famous last words".</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks, as always, for following along-</div></div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-69670043087282388552023-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:002023-12-05T08:00:00.158-08:00Starting to Solve for the Furnace Conditioned Air<div style="text-align: left;">If it feels like this furnace saga is unending, it definitely feels that way on my end. Every passing day, the weather gets colder, but I will not short-cut this work. It being correct is too important for health and safety. I do want to stress that our electrician, Gary, owned an HVAC company and did hundreds of furnace installs. He consulted on the plan and will be reviewing my work / confirming everything when he connects the electrical at the end. So, we keep going. Honestly, the hardest part is putting on cold clothes in a cold house to get into an even colder (and, frankly, filthy) crawlspace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, today, I am focusing on what I refer to as the "conditioned" air. This is the air that is leaving the furnace, presumably warmer, but on those days we are only running the fan, it will just be filtered. For simplicity, and since this was the way I did it, we are working from the furnace exit to the floor vents. Sadly nothing was as easy as it seemed in my head, resulting in this expanding to cover many weekends. This is just the first part of it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Furnace Mounted</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8TYU1N6FPQClygWJguJQmiWoOMFqRJC6NCrJYl7rfUrFy4B-kZHwX8aJqD1gcE5Ev8QwqlOiMkDF2MIhQ6rm-4bFWoR1HVvODEvk_UebXlO0QL0zxxERt4UYPprXxu_WKma6PQpdCs802ZmDWPH6kUMb8pZ7d0GRLkkCrMxzJc_y2TGdzF5XQt9zujZ9/s2048/IMG_1416.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8TYU1N6FPQClygWJguJQmiWoOMFqRJC6NCrJYl7rfUrFy4B-kZHwX8aJqD1gcE5Ev8QwqlOiMkDF2MIhQ6rm-4bFWoR1HVvODEvk_UebXlO0QL0zxxERt4UYPprXxu_WKma6PQpdCs802ZmDWPH6kUMb8pZ7d0GRLkkCrMxzJc_y2TGdzF5XQt9zujZ9/w200-h150/IMG_1416.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">checking pitch</td></tr></tbody></table>Before I shift to the new topic, I had a couple of final things I needed to do with the furnace: confirm the pitch and attaching it to the stand. To confirm the pitch, I found a straight bit of hard plastic tubing that was over a meter long. At exactly 1 yard (36 inches or 3 feet), I attached a 1 inch thick piece of scrap wood. Recall the minimum pitch for the exhaust from a furnace installed on it's side is 1/4 inch of rise per foot (or 1 inch of rise per 4 feet). I figured that if I made sure my work was at 1 inch per <u>3</u> feet I would have exceeded the minimum and have some wiggle room for the furnace or the ground shifting. I set the plastic tube jig on top of the furnace and set the level on top of that. Bubble between the lines? Yes, so somewhere along the way between my level crawlspace patio and the top of my furnace the world tilted. Glad it pitched the right way for me. I had planned to shim the exhaust-exiting end. Do I want to know why it shifted? Yes, but I think because the furnace is offset rearward (you can see the stand in the lower right corner of the picture), the weight of the burner is causing the tilt.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Feeling fortunate, I grabbed a longer run of that plastic tubing to simulate the exhaust from the furnace to the chimney and set the jig on that. We have good angles, though I will need to add a brace near the chimney end to make sure it doesn't relax downward over time because the exhaust needs to enter the chimney near the top of the hole. To make sure the rest of my efforts don't cause the furnace to move, I sent sheet metal screws through the now-bottom of the furnace into the stand so it is fixed-in-place. I re-checked the pitch, and it is still 1 inch for 3 feet even after sending screws through. On to the conditioned air!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Plenum Pablum</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzwBAycknn_qIXsYDX9C-_5v1-v4pVBaLMWEKvMeGxdiiZlGnGNQ32TJX0snqXLpVndEWLtG9tVSQdV8o915s9o00HjQjy-lbua_TeOKoEaCzzizLszs_bkV7eM9mrnuTR9i65K9yo_Cf8c3fLaWpU1PBjgzkmtWgieKMSC9CAkomJSp01ITRms_Di5UN/s2048/IMG_1347.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzwBAycknn_qIXsYDX9C-_5v1-v4pVBaLMWEKvMeGxdiiZlGnGNQ32TJX0snqXLpVndEWLtG9tVSQdV8o915s9o00HjQjy-lbua_TeOKoEaCzzizLszs_bkV7eM9mrnuTR9i65K9yo_Cf8c3fLaWpU1PBjgzkmtWgieKMSC9CAkomJSp01ITRms_Di5UN/w150-h200/IMG_1347.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">building a plenum</td></tr></tbody></table>The first thing the conditioned air enters is a box called a "plenum". It acts as a singular junction box for all of the conditioned air, but it does more than that. Consider what happens when your furnace kicks on. The fan starts and very quickly air pressure increases at the furnace outlet. To cushion the system from that large pressure increase, there is the big box (plenum). Secondarily, this box allows the air to flow smoothly and evenly into the ducts. If the box is too small, or nonexistent, the air would not enter all of the vents evenly, leaving some spaces with too much airflow and others getting an old microbus heating system experience (virtually nothing). I am over-simplifying it as there are air dynamics about back pressure from the branch lines, etc. that I really don't understand.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The original plenum to this house was just that. The original plenum, as in it was the plenum when the heat source was something other than gas, we believe. I think it may have been coal based on the soot we have found and then oil since there's an old oil-tank shed in the back of the house. Still, airflow is airflow and if the thing that is pushing the air is heated by coal or wood or geo-thermal fanciness, and the venting beyond the plenum is the same, I would expect the plenum should be relatively the same. Of course, 15 years after the house was built they added 2 rooms to the back, so maybe the plenum has been the wrong size since. I suppose, this could be a recently-added bit, but none of the other metal venting looks remotely new.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAe4PH2-o5ZkFcLSl9eWZiTR0AevKci8xb471X5KzjCQqD4xo2dpzyWBlFZnMKpACQjySrdBCH-d1Y5BnCDY-ch1syWC65cjFmd0OHmmw45gtUWeYu4pLxhmVJrua5KJWxlgfOso1aCbf4O0rZHBGqvSnQcfsh9ufSwrSwfe8ZHjMUL9m4B-3abNL_THuQ/s2048/IMG_1367.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAe4PH2-o5ZkFcLSl9eWZiTR0AevKci8xb471X5KzjCQqD4xo2dpzyWBlFZnMKpACQjySrdBCH-d1Y5BnCDY-ch1syWC65cjFmd0OHmmw45gtUWeYu4pLxhmVJrua5KJWxlgfOso1aCbf4O0rZHBGqvSnQcfsh9ufSwrSwfe8ZHjMUL9m4B-3abNL_THuQ/w150-h200/IMG_1367.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">furnace entry</td></tr></tbody></table>The plenum was almost a meter tall and about 2 feet square. From my research, this is excessive, but was unable to arrive at a clear answer as to what size it should be, like with a calculator or simple rubric. The most basic advice seemed to be "make it a little bigger than the outlet of your furnace". I am fairly sure that would lead you to a too-small plenum and poor circulation impacts, but I defer to experts. Regardless, I took all of this and decided that I needed the plenum to fit in the space I had, so if it was smaller, well... we'll just deal with it and worst case I'll make another one later. I simply built what would fit in the space without digging again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Plenum Fab-lum?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, what did I do? The original plenum had the air enter from above and then it routed air sideways out 2 rectangular vents and one round one. In order to keep the orientation of the rectangular outlets, I needed the top covered and a new entry added on one of the other "horizontal" sides. In order for the 1-meter-tall plenum to fit into my not-quite2-feet-high crawlspace, I needed to shorten it too. So, I measured and then cut (with the death wheel) 9 inches down from the top in each of the 4 corners. Then, I folded the sides in like a cardboard box. With a hammer and dolly, I squared the newly folded lines. Content with the shape, I drilled and then pop-riveted the new top in place (upper image). Last, I sealed all of the edges with high-end foil tape.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSULwJ2IjWKjNgNbUOH3j6EVIea2p7VKHWTvrhCLV1XgMywXzbh0SnK-YCCsH2bieDW5N7ya9ypvYx2M8cyUQ2VCScTVpOLzPMTIZpmHsDpBGml2pOPXtSscYqBng8OKYOSVGhvrzvqYeOPvgZ23aeI5L5GUs6k7fNxFF6vVB5IL9hGhcevgU7-_tapDU/s2048/IMG_1430.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSULwJ2IjWKjNgNbUOH3j6EVIea2p7VKHWTvrhCLV1XgMywXzbh0SnK-YCCsH2bieDW5N7ya9ypvYx2M8cyUQ2VCScTVpOLzPMTIZpmHsDpBGml2pOPXtSscYqBng8OKYOSVGhvrzvqYeOPvgZ23aeI5L5GUs6k7fNxFF6vVB5IL9hGhcevgU7-_tapDU/w200-h150/IMG_1430.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenum added</td></tr></tbody></table>So, I have a box, but no entry for the furnace. Onto the side which had a circle-vent, I applied blue tape and then measured the dimensions of the furnace exit. Half an inch inside this rectangle I marked the actual cut line. That extra 1/2" will be the lip which will press against the exit "flange" on the furnace. I cut the hole with the death wheel, turned the lip with some pliers and cleaned up the fold with the hammer and dolly again. The circle-vent used to feed the bathroom, which does not currently have a vent. If we re-introduce a vent into that bathroom, I can re-integrate it into the system.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I lowered this new plenum into the crawlspace, army-crawled it past the furnace and attached it to the furnace. It barely fits between the ground and the floor joists, but it does and it did not disturb the angle of the furnace. Once it was in place and the edges sealed, I was ready to look back at the main trunk / vent lines (the big rectangular ones).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As often happens when I get to posting about something, this got very long. This feels like a logical transition point so, I am going to stop here, and pick it up next time. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-36990861274180388582023-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:002023-11-28T08:00:00.131-08:00Kitchen Planning<div style="text-align: left;">Around the furnace work and getting Hapy operational again, Boo and I have been trying to move forward on having a viable kitchen as well. Today, I will post briefly about that progress.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cabinets</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cnY4RTn7VvdxvirspIPdyYD73xTOGq3P44IqgjQvzXbLqbWzd4aIxEckWDqzQNXvlruDrGkTk3uAM9ddGJIWBzvmkYhZIkm1ka5908RI-mxm75wPBo3KGxYW7L2a_lFdjHn6uuTy1x6SkncjIwAQxi2Af3XiwTKKu3NLIDZ_eoop_vRrCw-m7nD-SWZx/s2048/IMG_1411.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cnY4RTn7VvdxvirspIPdyYD73xTOGq3P44IqgjQvzXbLqbWzd4aIxEckWDqzQNXvlruDrGkTk3uAM9ddGJIWBzvmkYhZIkm1ka5908RI-mxm75wPBo3KGxYW7L2a_lFdjHn6uuTy1x6SkncjIwAQxi2Af3XiwTKKu3NLIDZ_eoop_vRrCw-m7nD-SWZx/w150-h200/IMG_1411.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rough kitchen thought</td></tr></tbody></table>It probably makes sense to start somewhere near the beginning. Shortly after getting this house, Boo and I hit the rebuilding center looking for all kinds of things. What we were NOT looking for were kitchen cabinets. The old ones were still in there, the kitchen needed serious cleaning and fixing, we didn't have a place to put new ones, etc. Well, there was a full set from an old house that had rounded corners and such that they looked perfect. At $420 for an entire kitchen's worth of cabinets (plus a bathroom vanity and a couple cabinets for a laundry, we think), we pulled the trigger. Through the help of Boo's ex-husband, and his minivan, we managed to fit all of them into the van and the pickup in 2 trips, and loaded them rather unceremoniously into the garage. Fast forward over a year and they were still there though the kitchen is now getting some focus. Still, they have been safe, undamaged and long-since paid for.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We recently engaged with a contractor to help get things moving more swiftly. Had we not done so, I suspect those cabinets would have sat in the garage for another 6 months while I finished the furnace work and then got going on some kitchen rough-in. Instead, I spent a few hours in the garage freeing the cabinets from the things that had been buried on top of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cleanup</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniVuX5s95d2DdZVTqCVfj0NRG-R9Q9GF7vMwKyZKrDTILWYWdFrYJlpVyEJXuYfjc57_6MA_tfyTyOt20F5uJqGUfrnN2DMunUubNR0_eyNUlT_YZgDhgZxINle-VT9q6HUGi2zRVDY2hoGLIgTnPl2DgGPClkPxROTF31hAKHnGtk_g065ti2j-1xUmD/s2048/IMG_1365.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniVuX5s95d2DdZVTqCVfj0NRG-R9Q9GF7vMwKyZKrDTILWYWdFrYJlpVyEJXuYfjc57_6MA_tfyTyOt20F5uJqGUfrnN2DMunUubNR0_eyNUlT_YZgDhgZxINle-VT9q6HUGi2zRVDY2hoGLIgTnPl2DgGPClkPxROTF31hAKHnGtk_g065ti2j-1xUmD/w200-h150/IMG_1365.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cleaning the line</td></tr></tbody></table>The old kitchen was somewhere between a cold-room, a tool shed, building supply storage and the pass-through to the laundry and backyard. As a result, it was a mess. Oh, and I did tear down a bunch of drywall when the weather was warm so the whole area was cordoned off with a floor-to-ceiling plastic sheet. It was not exactly welcoming for the holidays. When I removed that non-supporting / secondary wall, I had left extra space below the ceiling. I wanted that line clean before I did anything else. So, I measured again the height of the passage I was mimicking (7'4") and sent in a screw to mark the spot. From beneath that screw, I pushed up with a long section of door trim (knowing it was straight). Atop the trim I set the level and then sent 2 screws through the trim into the drywall so I had a fence to cut along. With a handheld drywall saw I cut the line, knowing it was level. After the fact, I realized that having the cut leveled would have been best done after getting the floor perfectly level... which it isn't. We have moved the floor leveling to the front of this active list and that line will probably need to be fixed with a subsequent cleanup cut or some drywall repairs. Oh well. With the wall pushed up, we can better imagine the kitchen space, so it was not a total waste of effort.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With the line cut, my demo was done; the contractor will be handling the floor and anything else that pops up. So, I could clear everything out... the work table, construction material, the construction waste I just created, etc. leaving just an empty room. A couple hours of sweeping, vacuuming and mopping left us a room that was ready for some imagination. Before we could really do much else, though, the hole through which we lowered the furnace needed to be temporarily covered. Boo picked up a 4-foot-square sheet of 15/32" plywood that more than covered the hole. In fact, it helped us consider the swing-room for the door as we started plopping cabinets.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Try Before You Mount</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht10APwcL9vGKPzJMVaLUPZYwBdya8BsBJl053o2nyHAQNpLU_kfHaO_HHb8RD7p1JmPWuuLFxFFBm20AwdwM-Dw_8Vh8GeV8LHsaExCtcZy7MS8zeP_UVnlyAM8_n7Bz_AT2rP1SfbL9s0OwzstTTj4QdeMOrngZVw8jx9jcKj-_3CdRSNKXytIvBGheU/s2048/72204991423__A5A48948-FE29-4393-BD9F-CFBEFC436710.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht10APwcL9vGKPzJMVaLUPZYwBdya8BsBJl053o2nyHAQNpLU_kfHaO_HHb8RD7p1JmPWuuLFxFFBm20AwdwM-Dw_8Vh8GeV8LHsaExCtcZy7MS8zeP_UVnlyAM8_n7Bz_AT2rP1SfbL9s0OwzstTTj4QdeMOrngZVw8jx9jcKj-_3CdRSNKXytIvBGheU/w200-h150/72204991423__A5A48948-FE29-4393-BD9F-CFBEFC436710.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sink thinking</td></tr></tbody></table>Boo and I had her sister, her niece and their respective partners over to haul kitchen cabinets from the garage into the demo'd kitchen. One by one, we hauled a cabinet up the 2 steps and thru the doorway. Once the first end fit through, we slapped a moving dolly underneath it. When the other end made it through, it was placed onto another dolly. Once on dollies, the cabinets could roll around the floor. A few weeks ago, we bought a half-dozen moving dollies from Harbor Freight (they were on sale) for this purpose.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Most folks do this in a completely opposite way: hire someone, have that someone take measurements, with those measurements they plan a kitchen, cabinets are built to that plan, and then they are installed. We started with buying a rando-set, so in order to figure out how they could fit, we could have measured things, and gone virtual planning. This felt much more visceral. We moved them around and played house by pretend cooking a meal and using the sink to get a sense for how the space really works for us. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While we did arrive at some ideas, and at least a couple cabinets set in their probable-permanent locations (sink base and pantry), we are left with unknowns. While the rest of us played with the cabinets, Boo's sister's partner Glenn measured and marked up a sheet of graph paper with the dimensions of the overall space. Boo and I will cut up little pieces of paper reflecting the remaining cabinets so we can arrive at the open working kitchen we are seeking. Ultimately, we will probably cut down at least one of the cabinets. Representing that is much easier by cutting a small piece of paper than actually taking saw-to-cabinet. It's obviously, much easier to undo as well. Before you ask, yes, we absolutely could do this with SketchUp or something similar. I started down that path and the amount of work necessary was considerable when compared to pencil, paper and scissors. While the paper plan is 2-dimensional (versus SketchUp or similar), we can arrive at a 3D experience simply by moving the cabinets around in the actual space. Or, at least, that's the current thinking.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Still Cold, Inside and Out</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Progress on the furnace continues. I will post an update next time, but I will say that with every weekend spent working on HVAC, the $10K estimate seems more and more reasonable. Our overnight temperatures have been dipping below freezing with increasing frequency. When coupled with little-to-no insulation and an overtaxed electrical system, we have to pick which areas will have any heat, and those which do get some are not having it consistently. If fear is the ultimate motivator, I think wanting to be warm is a fairly close second. We are also realizing just how important it is to have a considerable part of the house electrical work done when Gary is here for the kitchen and hooking up the furnace. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">NewOldHouse is starting to feel like the house version of the old VW bus: there's always something to work on because there's always multiple things that need to be fixed. And, the answer to the question of "will it ever be done" is also the same: Probably not. Thanks as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-18304459889216295372023-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:002023-11-22T08:00:00.153-08:00Hapy Update<div style="text-align: left;">Today I could continue the dissertation on the effort to move the furnace in our 1948 farmhouse. Instead, I actually have something car related... the check-in on Hapy that I said I was going to do in a prior post and then flat-forgot. Remember Hapy? He's the 1972 VW camperbus that launched this blog. I meant to post this yesterday, time got away from me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hapy No Start Returns</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, as the weather turned cold, Hapy became increasingly difficult to start. Again. I figured it was the same issue as last time (See <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2023/07/hapy-no-start-again.html" target="_blank">Hapy No Start Again</a>), and started checking things with my multi-meter. I started where the old problem was: the main fuse for the glow plugs. Nope, there's a clean over-12V signal there. Then, I checked the voltage at the relay, and it was fine there too. Same for the resistance in the wire and the fuse.. no issues. So, I started thinking about the glow plugs themselves. I swapped this set in when I put in the chipped CPU and bigger nozzles, but not because there was anything wrong with the ones that were in there. I had this set of plugs that I had lying around for a few years, and I was selling Flash. Flash had failing glow plugs (resistance tests between the plugs were not within a few ohms of each other). So, rather than put the new set into Flash, I got selfish and put Hapy's nothing-wrong-with-them plugs into Flash and installed the new-never-opened plugs into Hapy. Looking back, I don't think these plugs were nearly as good. I think we have had starting-while-cool problems from the beginning, but it was Summer when I did the swap and never thought about it. Until now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.accuratediesel.com/resize/shared/images/product/tdi.jpg?bw=1000&w=1000&bh=1000&h=1000" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="202" height="200" src="https://www.accuratediesel.com/resize/shared/images/product/tdi.jpg?bw=1000&w=1000&bh=1000&h=1000" width="180" /></a></div>I pulled the rear-most plug (#4?) and tested it by resting the glow plug threads against a grounded bit of steel on the engine and triggering the ignition to "run". After a 3 count, the tip of the plug started to glow orange. After another 3 count, I could hear the relay click off, and the tip returned to black. I did this a few times and each time it took a few seconds for the plug to respond and even then it was only the very tip. Based on some internet imagery, I concluded that those plugs were insufficient and bought a fresh set.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days prior to installing the new set, I started hitting the in-engine plugs with some Kroil penetrating oil at dinnertime. I did not want a plug to break off or damage the head during removal. Whether it was necessary or not, the plugs removed relatively easily. All of them had soot on them when they were removed. Into the trash they went. For each of the new ones, I applied some anti-seize onto the threads prior to installing and then only snugged them down (did not torque the snot out of them).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, my efforts to start Hapy when the glow plugs were not working did a number on the starter. Again. So, my attempt to start him after replacing the glow plugs was not fruitful. Since I did the glow plug swap around the furnace work, and the furnace still is not operational, I self-limited my time to just swapping the plugs and then getting back under the house. I returned the following weekend (bumming rides and car-sharing with Boo the week between) to remove and inspect the starter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2jdm12879vwV8d3-EqP8NheFfYHZLdPkBen4bem1ScsDzvHUXUq9fgN9H46pNmyrDi7w7ZTt6Ao9QFPs9P4jDUmp2X7cspruw6BoDfqFasI4yjNXeg9deMROAOdRFBOBgrxRYapUNyq1BlWj7XIk3kKtFFjNZioyUVZiU6rWfVfVf-HliTBScEG5IV5K/s2048/IMG_1373.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2jdm12879vwV8d3-EqP8NheFfYHZLdPkBen4bem1ScsDzvHUXUq9fgN9H46pNmyrDi7w7ZTt6Ao9QFPs9P4jDUmp2X7cspruw6BoDfqFasI4yjNXeg9deMROAOdRFBOBgrxRYapUNyq1BlWj7XIk3kKtFFjNZioyUVZiU6rWfVfVf-HliTBScEG5IV5K/w150-h200/IMG_1373.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">should be 1 part, not 2</td></tr></tbody></table>I admit, I expected the starter to just need a remove / re-install cycle. I was wrong. This rebuilt starter was installed in June 2023. After a summer of being my "daily driver", the starter was cycled well less than 500 times. I guess rebuilt Bosch starters are not all the same. Maybe the starter was a Bosch but the rebuild was done with cheap-o parts, leaving just the case as a Bosch unit. Regardless, it did not take very long to notice that the seal on the end (which is supposed to go around the shaft which juts out when 12V is applied) wasn't there anymore. It had potato-chipped inside the little pocket where the nose of the starter goes. Neat! So, off to the internets I went looking for a suitable replacement. I decided to get a new one from <a href="https://metalmanparts.com/" target="_blank">MetalManParts</a>. Run by MetalNerd, his site only sells things that he personally fabricated or installed into his own vehicle. I have purchased both types of things from him before and have no regrets. Since Bosch was sold off to Seg Automotive, he now supplies <a href="https://metalmanparts.com/ols/products/starter-manual-trans-a3-a4-b4-tdi-alh-new-02a-911-024-d-sr0408x" target="_blank">new starters from them</a>. I trust that if he is selling them, he is using them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sadly, the install of a starter has become fairly rote, since I've done it so many times. I simply put a 19mm socket, 13mm socket, a ratchet and a couple extensions into my pocket, slide under the bus with the starter and it's installed in less than 15 minutes now. If the rear sway bar were not there, I could probably have it done half that time. Of course, I ran the battery down with all my glow plug testing, so it got a spell on the battery charger before I could test my handiwork. Once that was resolved, I turned the key to "run", counted to 6 (for the glow plugs, it's 45*F here) and returned the key to "off". I repeated and then tried to start. Fired right up! I let him run a few minutes to top off the battery and now he is back to being my daily driver.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hapy Heat Not Heat</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remember all that effort I went through to install the Vanagon rear heater under the bus for some heat? While that was fun, the result is not much heat. I described the lack of warm on the drive to and from the Cascade Equinox festival. Beyond the lack of detectable warmth, opening the valve to try to get heat has resulted in a coolant leak. I can attribute no other source for why Hapy's coolant level is suddenly not holding. So, I turned the valve back off and will be replacing the Vanagon rear seat heater with something else: a <a href="https://www.jegs.com/i/Maradyne-Fans/303/MM-A1160005/10002/-1" target="_blank">Maradyne Fans Stoker</a> heater.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.jegs.com/images/photos/300/303/303-mm-a1160005.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1500" height="141" src="https://www.jegs.com/images/photos/300/303/303-mm-a1160005.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maradyne, but could be any</td></tr></tbody></table>There are lots of auxiliary fans which all look the same and have the same spec's (300cfm, 40k BTU - airflow and heating capacity, respectively). JEGS has their own, for example, that looks identical. Since I am unsure who is the originator, I went with a manufacturer with a known, solid reputation. There is little documentation and hardly any photos of this particular unit on the interwebs, making this choice perhaps a little more risky. I find the 40k BTU number everyone is using to be gross hyperbole, but I don't know how to test that nor the 300cfm number. I will bench test to get some amp-draw numbers before I install it. The amp-draw might be useful information for the next person since even Maradyne doesn't list this detail on their product page. And, it could be one more thing that is exactly the same on all of these units. For future reference, the JEGS unit draws 5.5, 7.1 and 11.6 amps (for low, medium and high settings respectively). I had relays in-place for the medium and high draw switch positions for the Vanagon unit. I don't know if I will re-use them. Perhaps the amp-draw numbers will help me decide.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One other thing to point out: none of these heaters ship with a coolant control valve. Since I was leveraging the valve in the Vanagon, I have to add one of these or the heat will be on maximum all the time. I included this <a href="https://www.jegs.com/i/Vintage-Air/960/46104-VUH/10002/-1" target="_blank">"vintage" control valve</a> in my order. I thought about going with an electric one, but decided that I would really like to re-use one of the big original heat-sliders on the dash to control the amount of coolant flowing into the heater core. That feels more authentic than another knob attached to the bottom of the dash. Of course, I haven't ever had that control cable, so I will be running this either full-on or full-off until I do.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For now, this means that trips in Hapy will be just like all the other trips I've ever made with him in the not-Summer. They will be cold. It will be like driving around in an ice-fishing shed, unless I can either install that heater soon-ish -OR- get the little Chinese diesel heater/furnace working.... or both. Since I do not have a garage and I barely have a 4-meter square piece of concrete to work on... and I have a house furnace to fix, I do not think Hapy's heat will get addressed terribly soon. At least I have the parts for when I do. Of course, now that he is my daily-driver again, I may decide another week without a furnace might be a fair trade for some heat, any heat, in Hapy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for today. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-83328227198398890492023-11-07T08:00:00.004-08:002023-11-07T15:10:53.206-08:00Setting the Furnace<div style="text-align: left;">Continuing the fun with the furnace today. It being October, of course we had another issue with Hapy not starting so I'll touch on that as well. EDIT: oops. Didn't post on Hapy. Next time, I swear!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Plan and Plan Again</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VKPfWkde3tg06eZ0m4OkZqUeczJOXM1rqq2jgZzZ7ZKyTSfuYQk8ExDTTRv_UFWWaANWq0Zq-4UgX30X58M9wtWvCxT4_6KSG4Qks79DNndCGCgVBc7Qr4RePxQRP9QDks_U2ymua9s6SPrLUEMQBf9c4vSyYoVET5K7qs9IkHvXb9VUlR_CmXiDA6dN/s2048/IMG_1346.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VKPfWkde3tg06eZ0m4OkZqUeczJOXM1rqq2jgZzZ7ZKyTSfuYQk8ExDTTRv_UFWWaANWq0Zq-4UgX30X58M9wtWvCxT4_6KSG4Qks79DNndCGCgVBc7Qr4RePxQRP9QDks_U2ymua9s6SPrLUEMQBf9c4vSyYoVET5K7qs9IkHvXb9VUlR_CmXiDA6dN/w200-h150/IMG_1346.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">today's end-state</td></tr></tbody></table>Recall our plan to move the furnace into the crawlspace. We had the work bid by a furnace company and they quoted us $12kUS; we recognized that as a "go away" price and chose to do it ourselves. My biggest considerations are around the combustion exhaust, so I spent some time researching this. According to multiple sources, an 80% efficient furnace needs a double-walled exhaust (check) and it must have an upward pitch of no less than .25" per foot. I thought that was fairly flat, so checked other sources. From this data point, I collected others, like how far from the ground is the bottom/top of the exhaust pipe heading into the chimney, where the exhaust exists the furnace, etc. With these numbers in mind, I set to planning where to set the furnace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56rKsumVy-0fzyH4uLyJ3DuGyhsdhoj8DJjLLx5w2ObLb5szDcWTw7JKyyanduQhgfBtoQxxXYUFmC5ncg7o-C3TEZ30pqQdkMDL1CsEIQOX9u7Ww_wIAYt5RkEDMC4phyphenhyphennWYBG-Ww8ngrtP-kLKGb3ZqQpzZzLUgtKe8qCsKzHDNB59d__NLZv07GKdR/s2048/IMG_1298.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56rKsumVy-0fzyH4uLyJ3DuGyhsdhoj8DJjLLx5w2ObLb5szDcWTw7JKyyanduQhgfBtoQxxXYUFmC5ncg7o-C3TEZ30pqQdkMDL1CsEIQOX9u7Ww_wIAYt5RkEDMC4phyphenhyphennWYBG-Ww8ngrtP-kLKGb3ZqQpzZzLUgtKe8qCsKzHDNB59d__NLZv07GKdR/w200-h150/IMG_1298.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">planning a hole</td></tr></tbody></table>Initially, I planned to put it directly beneath where it had previously been. This would have changed the routing of the conditioned air, gas line, cold intake and exhaust the least. Unfortunately, this would have put the furnace right against a main beam running the width of the house, making seasonal maintenance impossible. Additionally, that spot under the furnace had an unexpected rectangular concrete curb that was smaller than the space we needed cleared. So, the furnace is going to be adjacent to that curb'd rectangle, but because the distance to the chimney is around 3 feet, and I would like an angle of assent that is greater than the minimum, the furnace will need to be almost on the ground. So, a plan that wound have suspended the furnace from the floor joists will be replaced with a plan that has the furnace a-fixed to the ground instead.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Dig Another Hole</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-m1hehk2UvN613IKEkxdwwQYbHqbHXKlZtVXoegI2rwQUyw9atWnDIP5fGscAXrJReAQfJErMqIm2RTIinavkmUm-vih-bIVXFr96oeUcr_oI4MIBD9t-h3TS8wTUw8_1k644QNA3uiifmmNVZT35UkhyqZV9HLjSiajWIdRzAnl0iIiuBJSxdw5lkCV/s2048/IMG_1301.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-m1hehk2UvN613IKEkxdwwQYbHqbHXKlZtVXoegI2rwQUyw9atWnDIP5fGscAXrJReAQfJErMqIm2RTIinavkmUm-vih-bIVXFr96oeUcr_oI4MIBD9t-h3TS8wTUw8_1k644QNA3uiifmmNVZT35UkhyqZV9HLjSiajWIdRzAnl0iIiuBJSxdw5lkCV/w200-h150/IMG_1301.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hole dug</td></tr></tbody></table>Obviously, I am not going to simply set the furnace on the vapor barrier on the ground. Beyond the fact that there are safety issues, the furnace needs to be up off the ground height-wise to get the exhaust angle I want and to minimize both the conditioned air and gas line routing. Instead, I decided to dig a foundation and set the furnace on a stand. That sounds so simple until you get down to trying to dig a hole when the headroom between the dirt and the bottom of the floor joists is less than 2 feet. Starting with my tools, I had a 5 gallon bucket for removing dirt, a small-bladed shovel with a broken-off handle, a crescent-moon scraper thing and a 4-prong hoe. I cut 3 sides of a rectangle into the vapor barrier with scissors and peeled it away, leaving a 2 foot by 3 foot rectangle of rough dirt. With the tools I mentioned, I removed probably 60 gallons of dirt, leaving a 2 foot by 3 foot hole nearly a foot deep. This took almost 3 hours since the whole thing was done on my belly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5Xuy0gpOfCodCtH1K2nQV-wAwzKK2cxH5PsEjl_-FXbz1WgF8By7EwD34nr6yhJ3wSMtCbQsBKQfRbcDabw2mxJUkLR1Efib6o06YNTV1bo2Q1eRwAinfqU37p16D0vEBDxSe1E0UxFWdIAxt_IIe-UPdFIIJSA06qzVs-DrqAYAAJ8sRfo6iSY7BYZv/s2048/IMG_1313.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5Xuy0gpOfCodCtH1K2nQV-wAwzKK2cxH5PsEjl_-FXbz1WgF8By7EwD34nr6yhJ3wSMtCbQsBKQfRbcDabw2mxJUkLR1Efib6o06YNTV1bo2Q1eRwAinfqU37p16D0vEBDxSe1E0UxFWdIAxt_IIe-UPdFIIJSA06qzVs-DrqAYAAJ8sRfo6iSY7BYZv/w200-h150/IMG_1313.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gravelling</td></tr></tbody></table>After taking a break for a few days, I returned and repaired the vapor barrier with thick black garbage bags. Along the cut edges, I made sure the plastic overlapped more than a handful of inches, and I lined the hole with sufficient slack so the additional layers of material would not cause gaps to form. Once satisfied, I added a 1/2 yard of gravel and moved it flat with a garden rake and then my gloved hands. On top of the gravel, I set 6 1-foot-square patio blocks. For each block, I made sure it was flat, and then flat to the adjacent block. As you can imagine for each block, this required multiple install-remove-install cycles and then additional ones to get the overall 6-block space flat. Between the gravel and the blocks, I probably spent 2 hours getting it level. This crawlspace patio will serve as a foundation for a stand upon which the furnace will rest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Rack It</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0JlvKDMOkeVGhUp-k27eooOq8JATdPaQ-zYn4BLo5l4e9lQPXIRosJqRMRwfN66xvhGE8iyuY3EamjDSGaNxNYF4jQPAifkHcUDZniUcAiIpbXmLJEKRSUySNyKq0WTCbKyUf6yXhS25Er_E1Qbh6buuXxFh2wOpMi_9PDQGlBW8G_zolW7AkVRzfgVH/s2048/IMG_1314.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0JlvKDMOkeVGhUp-k27eooOq8JATdPaQ-zYn4BLo5l4e9lQPXIRosJqRMRwfN66xvhGE8iyuY3EamjDSGaNxNYF4jQPAifkHcUDZniUcAiIpbXmLJEKRSUySNyKq0WTCbKyUf6yXhS25Er_E1Qbh6buuXxFh2wOpMi_9PDQGlBW8G_zolW7AkVRzfgVH/w200-h150/IMG_1314.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crawlspace patio</td></tr></tbody></table>I initially thought I would simply use a pair of hot water heater stands for the furnace. I figured, they could withstand the weight of a full hot water heater so they could definitely hold a 70# furnace. I priced them but the cost and availability was not good. While searching, I found air conditioner stands designed to hold up to 400#. While local availability was again nil, the price was the same as for one hot water heater stand, and they are height adjustable. The rack I ordered was lost in shipping, so I switched the plan again. This time, I ordered a non-adjustable storage rack capable of holding 1000#. While I won't need anything that strong, this rack is also 2 foot by 3 foot in dimensions so it will fit into the hole, and potentially support the furnace better. When the rack arrived, I took the pieces into the crawlspace to consider my options. The rack is only "adjustable" by cutting legs to the height I need them to be. So.. adjust once, really.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI7ISLlNO5vRfbFflVl1-5vv8TcfD_M4PkJrB9TzCv8mKoFrnFdU5lxTHzDrscsjArTu8PaRXe5h0cjXWDK-xfASoBUt5T3WwmUl7f86QmDoqg7OCIUAdO9scDIrp5t07-PPUTKpf-3zeLJfWuTmFPDW2OUf0k8vCWREo9nlSE10GbadqXKnAdBwe33O0/s2048/IMG_1344.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI7ISLlNO5vRfbFflVl1-5vv8TcfD_M4PkJrB9TzCv8mKoFrnFdU5lxTHzDrscsjArTu8PaRXe5h0cjXWDK-xfASoBUt5T3WwmUl7f86QmDoqg7OCIUAdO9scDIrp5t07-PPUTKpf-3zeLJfWuTmFPDW2OUf0k8vCWREo9nlSE10GbadqXKnAdBwe33O0/w150-h200/IMG_1344.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">prepping the legs</td></tr></tbody></table>Accordingly, I wanted to be sure of my height, so I considered the exhaust run from where I expected the furnace to be over to the chimney. By suspending a long exhaust run, I could consider the angle of assent and the final destination for that edge of the furnace. From this, I could measure and math to the needed length for the furnace stand legs. You may notice from the pictures that I needed to move a couple of the blocks around too. Once satisfied, I took the rack back out from the crawlspace and cut the legs. Since the stand is really just unbraced legs, I added angle-irons at the bottom so I could mount the stand to the patio block. I then took the pieces to the crawlspace and re-assembled the stand. I set the stand where I planned, marked the holes on the patio blocks and took the stand apart again. Now, I could drill holes and mount the legs to the blocks. With the legs attached to the patio block, but not torqued down, I could set the stand top on, and then torque the concrete screws. I checked level along the way, pleased that all of this amateur work is level. Last, I bolted the legs to the top, using blue locktite so they would not work themselves loose from furnace vibration.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With the rack assembled, I was ready to move the furnace onto the stand. The gas line and the electrical will both enter the furnace from the bottom, and these will need to be routed so the "front" cover can be removed for seasonal servicing. The electrical entry has some wiggle room, but the gas line does not. I needed to account for these as I considered where on the stand the furnace would be placed. The stand is more than large enough to account for that adjustment and the space beneath it has ample room to run gas and electric.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGeAbh8y-DRckhQpvX4ACPLRWoxFpQzp72wWRiL_TZEoWYmh1kqLjRldt8CELP0hIZIo-9ao74xIrg2SV1uVXXhQkLR_tn1rAINUyXujwtbI7fdSWnwSI3zuyOLwGEMW0HieTeUwT5idKZ_kxYGXQloGCu17e7pTyBgCFCeOjHsjBvHcZuNVJKG4yNqeE/s2048/IMG_1345.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGeAbh8y-DRckhQpvX4ACPLRWoxFpQzp72wWRiL_TZEoWYmh1kqLjRldt8CELP0hIZIo-9ao74xIrg2SV1uVXXhQkLR_tn1rAINUyXujwtbI7fdSWnwSI3zuyOLwGEMW0HieTeUwT5idKZ_kxYGXQloGCu17e7pTyBgCFCeOjHsjBvHcZuNVJKG4yNqeE/w200-h150/IMG_1345.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rack installed</td></tr></tbody></table>The furnace is heavy and the ceiling in the crawlspace is limited. I had feared that pushing and lifting it would be quite the undertaking for me (Boo had to work). My fears were not warranted, it turned out. To prevent the furnace from getting scratched up, I left in place the moving blanket in which we had moved it around under the house. This also reduced the friction as I moved it around. I set the furnace rear-ward of center on the stand, further from the chimney. This aligned with where I had expected it to go, mostly, leaving me with an exhaust run of around 3 feet along the plane, with a slight diagonal turn in it.. when I install it. The picture at the top of the post shows how it is right now, and no, the end furthest away is not touching the ground; it just kinda looks that way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Exhausting</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once the furnace was in, I spent some time rough-assembling the exhaust. This consisted of taking the old exhaust down to it's most basic pieces and assembling a path that had the correct angles and took a slightly indirect route so I could route the cold air intake without interference. Once roughed-in, I took it back apart so I could easily get to the other side of the furnace. I have a great deal of "conditioned" air work to do, and having the fuller access will make that work easier.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This has gotten super long, and it has covered a few weeks of work. I was able to get another few hours in, but I'll couple that with whatever I get done next weekend into my next post. The calendar says 7-November, so, clearly, the weather is starting to get cold. We were fairly motivated when the daily high temperatures dropped into Autumn temps. We are getting overnight lows below freezing now, so there is no lack of motivation nor pressure. Still, I want to do it right and have a safe space once it is completed. Since I am doing it mostly by myself, it will only go so fast. At this point, I hope to have an operational furnace by the Winter Solstice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along-</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-77031804822793179582023-10-17T08:00:00.023-07:002023-10-17T08:00:00.154-07:00Chimney Repaired<div style="text-align: left;">In my last post about the NewOldHouse work, I described the efforts by the chimney guys. Today, I get after repairing the chimney and then sending a liner down through. I didn't take pictures when I was up on the roof, nor did I appear to get any after I removed all the failed-mortar ones. Oh well, there are a couple shots after the chimney after mortaring.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Out with the Bad</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQy9eOJijxJZdiEjCtBhyOBeyyQ1nNBsaDJYQNlk9jwBsDr5qTybEt_cwnA1XYARvLy_muzAVKuQfejFxFdhoz5d6ogh1UEXMxsYpImdSjSbdjjzSvRIhUsn0U6ws7hHzU9wz3sGSNiJ7DWlxabK64s8eHuv_Aeq8zxCfRWtoWwJRyfJezrW2K6Nu1ii9/s2048/IMG_1270.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQy9eOJijxJZdiEjCtBhyOBeyyQ1nNBsaDJYQNlk9jwBsDr5qTybEt_cwnA1XYARvLy_muzAVKuQfejFxFdhoz5d6ogh1UEXMxsYpImdSjSbdjjzSvRIhUsn0U6ws7hHzU9wz3sGSNiJ7DWlxabK64s8eHuv_Aeq8zxCfRWtoWwJRyfJezrW2K6Nu1ii9/w150-h200/IMG_1270.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">liner in, cap placed</td></tr></tbody></table>This was actually very straight-forward and simple. With a framing hammer and an empty 5 gallon bucket, I climbed onto the roof. I set the ladder into an inner turn of the roof line so it could set against the gutter in the corner. This made getting on/off the ladder easier. It's funny how fglat a roof looks from the ground and how not-flat it feels once you're on it. Anyway, I carried the bucket and hammer over to the chimney to see what the chimney guys described. Sure enough, the mortar holding the bricks together at the top of the chimney was failing. After initially thinking I would just remove the loose bricks and clean them up on the ground, I fell into a different pattern.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As I removed each brick, I smacked the mortar that still clung to the brick with the hammer, directing the crumble into the 5 gallon bucket. Once the brick was unwilling to release any more mortar, I set it on the roof and moved on to the next one. Once the top course was clear, I swept the crumbling mortar into the bucket. I repeated this process for the 2nd course and found that the corner facing south west had additional loose bricks, so I took 3 or 4 out of the 3rd course and 2 out of the 4th course. Once they were all cleaned of mortar (and in some cases what looked like silicone), I swept up the roof into the bucket and climbed off the roof.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>In with the Good</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next time I was able to get on the roof was the following weekend. Fortunately, even after the cold and wet weather initially arrives, we will often get some nice weather patches before the cold wet really sets in for the winter. This week and weekend were like that. So, leveraging a 5 gallon bucket as the means of mixing and transporting mixed mortar, I returned to the chimney work.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/1bf1402c-e803-4577-9859-99cd157e3199/svn/anvil-brick-jointers-57539-40_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/1bf1402c-e803-4577-9859-99cd157e3199/svn/anvil-brick-jointers-57539-40_600.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">joiner for brick mortaring</td></tr></tbody></table>The instructions on the bag and on the internet agreed that for 17 bricks, I needed to mix up 1/2 of a 80# bag of type N mortar. I had almost half of the mortar left when I was finished, so I think everyone overestimates how much product is wasted or lost in the process. Anyway, I put about a quart of water in the bottom of a clean 5 gallon bucket and then added around half the bag of mortar in. On top of that, I added water and mixed with a drill-attached mixer I got at harbor freight for mixing paint. It worked perfectly, getting the mortar evenly mixed. To test the water:mortar concentration, I learned that if you can scoop some onto a trowel and hold it vertically... and the mortar doesn't slide off... it's right. If it slides off, it's too loose. On my first go, it was too loose so I added some more mortar and mixed again. This time, it held to the trowel. Winner! Next, the mortar needs to rest for 10 minutes before use, so I set up the ladder and hauled tools up to the roof. The bucket of mixed mortar was last. This is some heavy stuff, so I pushed it up rung-by-rung ahead of me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once on the roof, I set to learning how to mortar bricks by doing. I'd watched a few videos, so I knew the basics, and after a few bricks, I actually got the hang of it. My process was to slap a blob down first, then butter the adjoining short end before setting the brick in place. I then pressed it down, squeezing a little of the mortar out the sides, but eliminating air pockets in the process. Then, I would peanut butter spread mortar along the outer and inner seams. Last, I would use the brick joiner tool (image above until HomeDepot changes the URL) to clean up the outer seam. Using this process, I set 17 bricks in just under 2 hours (the use-life of mortar is 2 hours after the 10 minute rest period).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Liner In</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP9xt1MNplWkDCSEpsylzfdXfZ0jr__zcr8tDLKylxHX91JmPxr0TG92rQ-b3X6kl60iighyNdKm1kj3ls5RqixtDX8vGwnJO1695BvwFg8U-ZeaulukRRLxH_LndbQ32WnC3RtcdSvkvzExU4sgSlYqVgifFzAZirvOLvksjQqQapGamn_t0TAs5ypiB/s2048/IMG_1267.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP9xt1MNplWkDCSEpsylzfdXfZ0jr__zcr8tDLKylxHX91JmPxr0TG92rQ-b3X6kl60iighyNdKm1kj3ls5RqixtDX8vGwnJO1695BvwFg8U-ZeaulukRRLxH_LndbQ32WnC3RtcdSvkvzExU4sgSlYqVgifFzAZirvOLvksjQqQapGamn_t0TAs5ypiB/w150-h200/IMG_1267.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mortar fixed, no cap</td></tr></tbody></table>With the chimney repaired on Saturday, I returned on Sunday to confirm the work. Things looked great, so I shifted to installing the chimney liner. I ordered a replacement liner to run the full length. I could have found a short section and abutted it to the end of the original liner, but finding a 3 meter (9 foot) length was a challenge. So, I removed the original liner from the cap and attached the new liner in it's place. The new liner arrived all compressed so I had to stretch it to the needed length. I set it on the ground alongside the old one and measured another 10 feet beyond that point. I then stretched out the new liner to that 10 foot point.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hauled this bundle up onto the roof and slowly passed the liner down through the chimney until it hit bottom. Boo had been my on-the-roof witness (strongly advise you have a partner around when you are on the roof. One good wind and you could be on the ground. Without someone there, that could be life-altering... or -ending). At this point, though, we needed someone in the crawlspace so she got down in there. We lifted the liner up a touch so she could grab hold and then she simply pulled it through the hole. As she pulled, I pushed down on the chimney cap, until the ap was settled and the liner jutted out from the chimney by about 6 inches. Once the cap settled onto the chimney top, I could apply construction adhesive and fix the cap to the chimney. I chose to leave it until the furnace work is complete, though, in case we need to move things. Down in the crawlspace, Boo added the stiff adapter tube to the end of the flexible liner, reflecting the original install, and providing a firm surface to attach the furnace exhaust / flue.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I chose not to do anything more with the liner at this point, preferring to let the furnace work dictate where and when the liner would be cut in the crawlspace. I expect it will be cut similarly to how it was before: right at the chimney wall where a transition to a hard exhaust will appear. With the chimney and liner solved, all of the outside work is complete. Next, I will be cleaning up the other rectangular ducting and then we can start to fix the furnace either to the ground or suspended from the floor joists.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for now. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-11477367897096181892023-10-03T08:00:00.146-07:002023-10-03T08:00:00.145-07:00Cascade Equinox Festival 2023 - Report<div style="text-align: left;">In the past, I have created 3 separate posts for a festival: the road, the bands and then the festival itself. When the road trip brought perils, this made sense. Lately, though, Hapy has been driving so well, I don't really have much to say in the the road report. So, the road gets a subheading. We did not see much of the music this time either, so there's no point for a separate post there either. So, one big post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>There and Back Again</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_IBZwS-hacKl3tvgiDiRdgHS2Lin5j8r-myDnBNRh2NLVnAu0s3TEhITRTr8LkrHWYTQn4muLxHHch_pd2iprGfjQmlKZOvPYJg-Md1jzgRX8m8o0tpvOlCBHs5fAIsKFc97shEZjiZ7h1iLWd1v6H40E_VXsiKptBPiLo7_G36NxUqFeOTCO0AW928t/s2048/IMG_1136.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_IBZwS-hacKl3tvgiDiRdgHS2Lin5j8r-myDnBNRh2NLVnAu0s3TEhITRTr8LkrHWYTQn4muLxHHch_pd2iprGfjQmlKZOvPYJg-Md1jzgRX8m8o0tpvOlCBHs5fAIsKFc97shEZjiZ7h1iLWd1v6H40E_VXsiKptBPiLo7_G36NxUqFeOTCO0AW928t/w150-h200/IMG_1136.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>We had not taken a trip in Hapy since LeisureFest, but we had our gear relatively well organized. Unlike our usual night-time exit, we were unable to dodge out of work early. So, we did like everyone else and loaded up in the morning instead. We had some typical delays, like cleaning things and getting Tuukka to Aunt Linda's. We left home around 3, got some B20 at the usual corner station with a couple bags of ice and hit OR217 South. Cascade Equinox Festival is held in Redmond (due east of Sisters), so the route is fairly familiar: OR217 to I-5 to OR22 to OR20 into Sisters. From there, it's OR126 to Redmond. We have done the route as far as Sisters for 4Peaks, so we know the landmarks. We had not been through the Detroit Lake area since the wildfires a couple of years ago, so seeing both the devastation and the start of the regrowth was breathtaking. Hapy ran like a champ, and after the heavy traffic on I-5 lightened up south of Wilsonville, he purred the rest of the way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We determined that the Vanagon rear-heater that I installed as a means of producing some heat in the bus is simply not up for the task. Since this heater capacity was designed as an auxillary heater for the back seat in a Vanagon, this should surprise no one, including me. To wit, we had virtually no heat on the drive out and only suggestions of heat on the way back. We remedied with lap-blankets, but I will need to do something more significant eventually. On the way out, we stopped only once at a rest area along OR20. On the way back we stopped at the iconic <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sno-Cap-Drive-In-269793833045140/" target="_blank">Sno-Cap</a> in Sisters for lunch. We love Sno-Cap; the shakes are great and the service is small-town warm. The drive home was colored with a steady rain, which Hapy absolutely loved. His temp barely reached 185* most of the time, and with the help of a super-slow driver behind us holding back the heavy Sunday afternoon traffic through the mountains, we had OR22 to ourselves most of the way to Salem. We continue to consistently around 30mpg, even when loaded with gear. This trip was no different; when I finally filled up (after driving to the festival and back plus some around town driving) he got over 300 miles and about 30mpg.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Festival Upsides</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyIBZBwl9b_N8RrM54fjvH2kpmvco8VJ-_UTKHd3rnqcu129XUvnyRRPJ4U7LeGUPkHYBpJaidxrymv25hdyDLLz-nzm1bPEF3pOQEQF_7gsD6jMJdT1a_8UjAaXgKDmbS7DDIMcCu-ZFTbOLdqDAE3D1VXPKntc5Clcc36Mo2sae3IQ9qZVyCyK2l3oD/s2048/IMG_1145.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyIBZBwl9b_N8RrM54fjvH2kpmvco8VJ-_UTKHd3rnqcu129XUvnyRRPJ4U7LeGUPkHYBpJaidxrymv25hdyDLLz-nzm1bPEF3pOQEQF_7gsD6jMJdT1a_8UjAaXgKDmbS7DDIMcCu-ZFTbOLdqDAE3D1VXPKntc5Clcc36Mo2sae3IQ9qZVyCyK2l3oD/w150-h200/IMG_1145.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">installation art</td></tr></tbody></table>Since one of the organizers for Cascade Equinox is the organizer for 4Peaks, Boo and I had an idea of what Cascade Equinox was going to be like. We were mistaken, but that wasn't all bad. There were 4 large installation art pieces being created over the course of the weekend. It was fun to watch the artists work, and see their pieces evolve. There were 6 music locations within the secured area, with up to 5 of them going at once. This created many options for what to see/hear when. The vendor area was significantly larger than 4Peaks, offering a wide array of products. I bought, and then lost, a ring, but otherwise our back-to-school shopping was limited. We sampled a few of the food vendors, and they were both good and popular. In terms of services, there were free showers and there was never a queue for a porta-potty.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Camping in Hapy, we discovered some upsides as well. We had not really used the side-walls of the BusDepot canopy before, but we did this time. They were incredibly easy to put up and take down, held firm in the gusty winds and the biggest surprise was how well they held in the heat from a Little Buddy heater. We slept very well and the sound-killer that I installed held the seemingly constant subwoofer to the background. We camped on flat, soft grass and had ample space for the bus and our canopy. We were able to collect solar to boost our luxury battery on Saturday. We had enough water from home so we did not need to source more, we brought plenty of simple food so we only cooked what and when we needed to. As far as a camping experience, it was great. Boo even got to read some of her book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Festival Downsides</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, there were quite a few things that did not go well. Some of these could be chalked up to a first-time event, but since both of the organizers have done events before, the oversights are worth noting.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Ticketing</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEfGUBbJkDund9bOt_Wu6cc9YWtv4iwb6x2zgWlKEa9_FdwSI8VSIqvZ7BW_btjwXHD8zRXZpN_hnq0MTRELXVv69ELRh21vHEkNJa0SyU0I-Plwm4mzHja-pZjNe6AtfjAHLHPJVVuGolQIpxXwEZIt8YVX8F3q1Yo_9449v0bubRC_vZZ1GXGv_-m97/s1024/IMG_1143.PNG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEfGUBbJkDund9bOt_Wu6cc9YWtv4iwb6x2zgWlKEa9_FdwSI8VSIqvZ7BW_btjwXHD8zRXZpN_hnq0MTRELXVv69ELRh21vHEkNJa0SyU0I-Plwm4mzHja-pZjNe6AtfjAHLHPJVVuGolQIpxXwEZIt8YVX8F3q1Yo_9449v0bubRC_vZZ1GXGv_-m97/w200-h200/IMG_1143.PNG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the elusive map</td></tr></tbody></table>When I first learned of this festival, I got super-early bird tickets the day they went on sale. At the time, they had not figured out camping nor even the schedule of things, just that it was equinox weekend. At some point, I was contacted about a car-camping ticket, so I added one. We discovered upon arrival that the terms of the festival attendance tickets changed / were refined after we bought them and that "early entry" was now an add-on. So, at the gate at 9:PM I had to pay another $145US or park outside and drive in / set up the next morning. We were cold so we paid, leaving us that much less to spend on vendors. In retrospect, perhaps we could have gone in in the morning. Anyway, once through the gates, we were led to the car-camping zone. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Camping</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of the biggest misses were around how they managed campers. First, the area was mapped out in very long (100 meters?) lines where cars were parked with one set of tires on the lines (see in top picture) and between the lines of parked cars alternated camps and fire-lane. On paper, this makes sense for maximum density. Because every car was hood-to-trunk with the car on either side, there were no cut-thru's for people to just walk by, so no one did. Accessing services meant walking all the way to the end of the fire-lane and then finding services. Which leads to the next 2 misses: porta-potties and water.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Drinking Water</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMRovCe0rDjtN81otrWninkd76nhGUcOFyLj8a-xTN30lpKt9dSFCMUOwUVtCwzDvxKoIQ1hXf9rM7K-DYBBqiBJRtKLAm_ypC7JbicZyzwMgTXCPDnb2KgIkIyw5yCUBE4v-LwrMHAaMtz4msw2bZgDI_w0kr1_jVXLJi9t-dh1EECcexmfUrt4DV6F2/s2048/IMG_1137.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMRovCe0rDjtN81otrWninkd76nhGUcOFyLj8a-xTN30lpKt9dSFCMUOwUVtCwzDvxKoIQ1hXf9rM7K-DYBBqiBJRtKLAm_ypC7JbicZyzwMgTXCPDnb2KgIkIyw5yCUBE4v-LwrMHAaMtz4msw2bZgDI_w0kr1_jVXLJi9t-dh1EECcexmfUrt4DV6F2/w200-h150/IMG_1137.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>When spending multiple days in the desert, it is highly advised to drink lots of water. In fact, from the stage at 4Peaks, we are often reminded to drink water. In light of this, the lack of access to drinking water for a large swath of the car-camping area was especially noticeable. Fortunately, Boo and I brought our usual 5 gallon water jug and I filled it before we left simply because our water here tastes very good, and water elsewhere often does not. Bringing our own is a luxury item, unless we find ourselves in a place which does not provide and suddenly it is a very precious resource. We discovered that there was a single source of water on the other side of the festival grounds (but within the camping ring around the festival grounds), had we walked that far. The return walk with a full 5-gallon would not have been fun.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Porta-Potties</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, all porta-potties are gross. That's just a given. In the camping zone, they were clumped in large groups, but very far apart. Once you made your way there, they were not serviced often, leaving you to bring-your-own-supplies. The first cleaning took place mid-afternoon Saturday, so for those who arrived when the gates opened on Thursday, that's a long go. Beyond that, the porta-potties themselves were especially disgusting. Even after they were cleaned, there was black mold on the walls and inexplicable yuck on the floor. Fortunately, once the gates opened, there were better services inside: actual bathrooms which appeared to have been cleaned before the festival started but not afterwards. So, it was bring-your-own-supplies even then. Had security been more thorough, it would have made for interesting conversations.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Gate Entry</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1Ss44hAmZ3MLX3SS242fbjXzQeIzTP-dpsinR_pHWSaDcaSUyjYIo4zEPMcHjp3r7m2kXGSZugQ9ll5_8ZVoGAFDvaN1pSnDMxaVfTnjL-ZHLPRMRfy7KcbG50_norS2w0QWKThobMJX-pcvQbs5uvXlF2zk-s-uFvmgTnZGxNYoIIc2quBYOaqkJJr-/s2048/IMG_1138.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1Ss44hAmZ3MLX3SS242fbjXzQeIzTP-dpsinR_pHWSaDcaSUyjYIo4zEPMcHjp3r7m2kXGSZugQ9ll5_8ZVoGAFDvaN1pSnDMxaVfTnjL-ZHLPRMRfy7KcbG50_norS2w0QWKThobMJX-pcvQbs5uvXlF2zk-s-uFvmgTnZGxNYoIIc2quBYOaqkJJr-/w200-h150/IMG_1138.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sidewalls hold in heat!</td></tr></tbody></table>Because of staffing or staff-allocation of security, the entry gate from the camping area into the "secured" festival area did not open until almost noon every day. On Friday, they didn't open until 2:30. Since the stages started at 10:AM, and most of the folks who would have been inside were camping, the early artists did not enjoy much of an audience. For campers who did not bring food, water or coffee with them (we see this a lot at festivals), they needed to trek to the other side of the festival grounds to gain entry thru the main gate for breakfast.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Security</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Since this was the first year, Boo and I could forgive the marked lack of volunteers. What was surprising, though, was the large number of security people. Once the camper gate was staffed, there were at least 6 security people there, though it was usually 8 or 10. Only one person got through at a time, with one security person checking a bag and another patting people down. I don't know what the other 4-6 people were doing beside appearing as a show of force. Even still, it was evident that many of the security people were on their first assignment as Boo and I watched them get verbal training one morning prior to opening the gate. Even still, I am not sure what they actually stopped from entering. On the last day, I had forgotten that I had a pocketknife in my pocket; they didn't find it and I didn't volunteer it. They never found my bathroom supply in my cargo-pant pocket.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Maps / Directionals / Signs</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bbxON75da0tkl3tpiQSaU5nEJ3HEbvL3DSIsjiZOPukOfJPTlfMJiMS5ZsQW3U8nhHbuAVh1pF40Eb0dySF70chgnJUaO7ZFWDUEKClsSOXi2B4idPn6mz0pH_FP408YbF8EHKarPwwZMOZ65mvIYkPHb8zPjDeV__ilZt006kP7vXwYkAqvDpeLmoau/s2048/IMG_1132.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bbxON75da0tkl3tpiQSaU5nEJ3HEbvL3DSIsjiZOPukOfJPTlfMJiMS5ZsQW3U8nhHbuAVh1pF40Eb0dySF70chgnJUaO7ZFWDUEKClsSOXi2B4idPn6mz0pH_FP408YbF8EHKarPwwZMOZ65mvIYkPHb8zPjDeV__ilZt006kP7vXwYkAqvDpeLmoau/w150-h200/IMG_1132.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">camper entry</td></tr></tbody></table>Once through the gate, there was very little to help you gain your bearings. There wasn't a map posted in physical form anywhere. On Friday afternoon, I found the map above buried on the website. Inside the festival grounds, however, there were no guideposts and very few signs. At one point on Friday, we asked a vendor what stage we were next to, and they didn't know either. With the map above, we figured out later that it was Harvest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Use of Space</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wasn't sure where else to put these. First, there were carnival rides in the middle of product and food vending. This seemed like a strange place to put them, and, frankly, they appeared to be little used when we walked past. I understand that having a Ferris Wheel at a festival has become an expectation, but I honestly don't know why though I can see the appeal of combining psychedelics and carnival rides to a much younger version of myself. It still seemed strange to have them in the middle of vending. Second, there were 2 stages near one another (Equinox and Harvest) which created a sonic cacophony in between while a third indoor stage (Gravity) that wasn't used all day. Unfortunately for the vendors in the zone between Harvest and Equinox, this area was fairly clear of attendees whenever both stages were going. What made this such an odd decision was that the Harvest stage had artists who could have otherwise been in the "Gravity" stage/room, in terms of space. Gravity was a great room, easily larger than the tented "small stage" at 4Peaks, but it was empty until after Harvest closed for the night, at which point it opened. In our humble opinion, the Harvest stage could be eliminated, using that space for more vendor/food/hangout space. Maybe that's where the Ferris Wheel goes? Regardless, staging those Harvest-artists in Gravity where they are not competing with Equinox for sound-space would have enabled the attendees to really hear what they're doing... and maybe hang out for whoever is next. Considering how cold it was, simply being inside could have increased the audiences for the Harvest staged artists.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Impressions</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZPn-cN1H4AeLcporTiwc_WukOoAWER9uooxx8o3s5mIcZX5qy86wxR-nTM2tlGUdqb6YJoO31XurgIsLFshynNQ2agZmq81gy_WhO008_2b0D0IusnEfF8bVMjJEH06EQwRBo30FFVHt7s85HitAAl0VeXaUXLTqopgHiQpQ21SoZU9dSUr8ZozExWI-/s2048/IMG_1146.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZPn-cN1H4AeLcporTiwc_WukOoAWER9uooxx8o3s5mIcZX5qy86wxR-nTM2tlGUdqb6YJoO31XurgIsLFshynNQ2agZmq81gy_WhO008_2b0D0IusnEfF8bVMjJEH06EQwRBo30FFVHt7s85HitAAl0VeXaUXLTqopgHiQpQ21SoZU9dSUr8ZozExWI-/w150-h200/IMG_1146.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"follow your dreams"</td></tr></tbody></table>We did see some of the bands and were very impressed with how much Yak Attack has grown since we saw them years ago. They pulled a huge crowd into the Harvest stage area, getting a couple hundred people groovin. DirtWire, and Phantogram also stood out to us.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, our festival experience was colored by 2 independent health challenges. First, I appear to suffer some form of altitude-sensitive anemia so it takes me a couple of days to adjust to the higher altitude of central Oregon (2k feet above sea level). I had a similar super-low-energy experience at 4Peaks in 2017(?), and recognize that I need to supplement with iron prior to going -or- arrive a couple of days early if I want to avoid that. Second, we had a fried rice dish from one of the vendors and triggered Boo's sensitivity to MSG. We ate and she almost immediately fell asleep, missing Friday night's artists. Last, it was cold and windy the entire time. The overnight temperatures were below 4*C (40*F) and daytime highs barely touched 20*C (68*F). Once the wind chill is added in, temperature was a near-constant challenge.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Totally unrelated, but I feel compelled to at least comment on it: do you see that sign in the "camper entry" picture? First Interstate Bank. First Interstate suffered a hostile takeover by Wells Fargo over 25 years ago, yet there are multiple First Interstate Bank signs around the fairgrounds, and they are in amazing shape. Clearly, the operators of the venue take care of the space if 25+ year old signs can look that good after sitting outdoors the entire time.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we look back on this festival, I don't think we will be returning. The vibe of the festival seemed to be very "stick-with-your-tribe" oriented. From how the camping area was set up to tables near food vending to hang-out zones, none of the design appeared to support creating chance encounters or accidental conversations with people you didn't know. Quite the contrary, it seemed designed to support small groups staying connected to each other, but disconnected from everyone else. Even a queue for the porta-potties or restrooms creates that kind of 1:1 shared experience. The last picture, however, illustrates how the attendees were looking for that greater connection as this came from a "take something leave something" table that someone had set out in the fire-lane near their car. We left a fist-full of tea bags which had been picked up by someone else shortly thereafter. Clearly, there was a pulse there that the organizers failed to tap. Anyway, we wish them luck, but we will probably be celebrating the autumnal equinox in other ways in the future.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for now. Back to the furnace next week-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-88078007464075988392023-09-26T08:00:00.002-07:002023-09-26T08:00:00.142-07:00Down in the Hole<div style="text-align: left;">Today's post is continuing the fun with the furnace. We took a weekend off for a family wedding and all the events around it. So, when we returned, we had a hole cut in the floor, a dozen 5-gallon buckets worth of dirt removed from beneath it, and the furnace slid over to the edge of the hole.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Chimney Cleared</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxyjqBFr1MafPmB3CoafQLBFwGknZueNztKspCx8cgBz3O6s14MruMs5ujqnpzJOgOoq-DUVXGX9KYS0h90wJqF2MiJz3DvKqZMiKM54W4tVjp8TPW62ABEmBowsjvHEq0MowXiRDeJFcmaBIsFg4ayxB164RdZwb0ZEtgUu_oM_-GFTVAzFdThpLAD2I/s2048/IMG_1113.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxyjqBFr1MafPmB3CoafQLBFwGknZueNztKspCx8cgBz3O6s14MruMs5ujqnpzJOgOoq-DUVXGX9KYS0h90wJqF2MiJz3DvKqZMiKM54W4tVjp8TPW62ABEmBowsjvHEq0MowXiRDeJFcmaBIsFg4ayxB164RdZwb0ZEtgUu_oM_-GFTVAzFdThpLAD2I/w200-h150/IMG_1113.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">placed for now</td></tr></tbody></table>Before Boo and I got after moving the furnace, we felt that getting the chimney liner removed and the blockage between the floors removed needed to happen first. Also, by keeping the furnace out of the way, the chimney folks would have the most space available. We hired a father son team (DGC Chimney Service) to do the dirty business we were unable to complete ourselves. This also created an opportunity to have this chimney inspected and repaired, if necessary. They started by removing the aluminum sleeve out the top of the chimney. It is in re-usable shape, so we just need to add about 8 feet to it and re-feed it down the chimney to vent the new furnace location. Once it was out, they cleared the mortar plug that had been placed between the floors and then swept out the remaining soot. After an inspection and read-out, they were done. All-in, they were here for 2 hours.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIClmdNzrywzirRFNYpN5_7yIhjalqHOo3-dzi6GDgvSZYcix040L4SosdgaR4Al2qe3j7jsEf9RBf25c6DOEMLKciuLitSOMD471lz8hmnWzM84JptDyHezs6RvFm1OBhnBGeCAYPVZJWzb_O99EhAdStm_2jTPty8ri3i-H1yicg2cOqkg1q0l4s3hz/s2048/IMG_1110.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIClmdNzrywzirRFNYpN5_7yIhjalqHOo3-dzi6GDgvSZYcix040L4SosdgaR4Al2qe3j7jsEf9RBf25c6DOEMLKciuLitSOMD471lz8hmnWzM84JptDyHezs6RvFm1OBhnBGeCAYPVZJWzb_O99EhAdStm_2jTPty8ri3i-H1yicg2cOqkg1q0l4s3hz/w150-h200/IMG_1110.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lowered</td></tr></tbody></table>During the read-out, they shared that the top 2 courses of the chimney needed to be repaired. These are not structural, so they insisted a homeowner could do it. Otherwise, the chimney is in incredibly good shape. The age of this house pre-dates the building code requiring the terra-cotta tile liner. Prior to that code change, masons would apply a thin layer of mortar by hand inside the chimney as it was being constructed. Once complete, there would be an uninterrupted skin from bottom to top. While cohesive, this was a great liner of a chimney. Unfortunately, this mortar is more sensitive to the acidic emissions which pass through a chimney. When the residue on the mortar skin is met with rainwater, the mortar is slowly eaten away. So, ordinarily a house this old would have some areas of the mortar liner, especially nearest the top, compromised. That is not the case here, so somehow we're lucky. Perhaps the chimney was cleaned annually. Regardless, I need to repair the top 2 courses and re-introduce a liner down through to the crawlspace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Furnace Lowered</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaaQwGfPVuVFrh3GxDSsSmXSkTO0uHjvY507O2K2sDx3opjLFKuTYNZp59B3hub20zPJlNKJaXJC7tmqaU3IOw0oE7KEfXZ-BiPY3JYTC-vV6kjGq8b_hidzYfz8xHaKxADaMsdgUsNMZgEUeu9spq7XItQaNvQ6_zL2TpBpSRXoNNd0ghlJEYQRQGxq0/s2048/IMG_1111.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaaQwGfPVuVFrh3GxDSsSmXSkTO0uHjvY507O2K2sDx3opjLFKuTYNZp59B3hub20zPJlNKJaXJC7tmqaU3IOw0oE7KEfXZ-BiPY3JYTC-vV6kjGq8b_hidzYfz8xHaKxADaMsdgUsNMZgEUeu9spq7XItQaNvQ6_zL2TpBpSRXoNNd0ghlJEYQRQGxq0/w150-h200/IMG_1111.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rotated 90*</td></tr></tbody></table>With DGC's work complete, Boo and I could return to moving the furnace. As I mentioned, it was on the edge of the hole in the floor and I had dug out a bunch of dirt below. To keep things clean, we set out a blue tarp over the dug-out hole. Then, we wrapped the furnace with a pair of load straps, tying the ends so the furnace had 2 long canvas straps around it. Boo and I used those straps as handles, shifting the furnace first over and then through the hole in the floor. The hole was cut exactly right for the size of the furnace, but it di not account for the machine screw heads sticking out from the sides. So, the furnace would hang up on the screwheads on the floor joists. We encouraged the furnace to pass with a booted foot and once the screwheads passed the top edge they dug into the joist just enough to prevent the furnace from falling through. A couple of centimeters after the top edge of the furnace passed the bottom of the floor joist, the furnace rested on the blue tarp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once on the ground, Boo ducked through the hole where the furnace used to be and returned the furnace from the crawlspace. Then, as I lifted up on the straps, Boo pulled the bottom edge towards her, tilting the top away. The furnace rotated on it's horizontal axis until it had turned 90*. At this point, I climbed down behind the furnace and Boo and I wrapped it with a moving blanket. Then, as Boo pulled, I pushed the furnace over the plastic vapor barrier over to the base of the chimney (to be fair, Boo pulled more than I pushed). We left the furnace like that, wrapped in a moving blanket, and not quite where it's going, but fairly close.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>More Vent Fun</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgGJXpcsRkhlDJrxlXXjuNU8PwLyOb46_AK6f4cl2E-tCjWp_2HBYxREONmEupBAi5YOiLdm5diJQg3ELFXCaISFdvdVQKks5orkg_mQYnx_ptJdHxqFoPi-9RDu007zbmezXmB5JYx1WB7-HPv7X3pJpbMPuS_R7aqiAt8c6C_miwNDMUHYnRJ9O5OZH/s2048/IMG_1114.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgGJXpcsRkhlDJrxlXXjuNU8PwLyOb46_AK6f4cl2E-tCjWp_2HBYxREONmEupBAi5YOiLdm5diJQg3ELFXCaISFdvdVQKks5orkg_mQYnx_ptJdHxqFoPi-9RDu007zbmezXmB5JYx1WB7-HPv7X3pJpbMPuS_R7aqiAt8c6C_miwNDMUHYnRJ9O5OZH/w200-h150/IMG_1114.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">insulation stripped</td></tr></tbody></table>With the furnace somewhat settled, I took a closer look at the rectangular vent/ducting we had taken down for the furnace removal. It looked awful. The ducts had been wrapped with open-cell pink fiberglass insulation. On surface, that sounds like a great idea, but this crawlspace had been inhabited by rodents. So, the fiberglass was, uh.. let's just say guh-nasty, gross, disgusting. Wearing a respirator (of course), I removed the insulation from the larger run and carefully swept up the droppings and dust into a plastic garbage bag and removed the bags from the crawlspace. The other duct needs to have a similar treatment, but the one which was stripped of insulation now looks brand new. We had feared that they would need to be replaced, but now, we will simply clean the insides with a vacuum and long-handled brush. Of course, with the furnace re-location, the venting will need some re-orientation, but we may be able to escape with only a few small pieces rather than a full vent replacement.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is where we're at. For Pacific Northwesterners, you are well aware of how our weather has shifted from summer to autumn-ish over the past few weeks. Overnight low temperatures have dropped into single-digit C (below 50*F) and daytime highs are barely breaking 20C (68*F). Not having an operational furnace nor a meaningful alternative heat source may very well become an issue before we get the furnace operational, based solely on the speed at which we have gotten to this point. Fear is the ultimate motivator; we will have heat this winter. It will be interesting to see if we have heat by Halloween, though.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-22498418474939354302023-09-12T08:00:00.001-07:002023-09-12T08:00:00.143-07:00Digging a Hole Where the Furnace Gets In<div style="text-align: left;">Kindly forgive the Beatles song stretch. Today is a brief post covering a considerable amount of sweat and effort: getting the furnace moved into the crawlspace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Can You Dig It?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkGan7tgDmPt-CFhKa4Z33fnlt4W_AVh1MtOgNley6TG0QmpzOLWOc5S_MLOensbwMV54f-DUi4e_dxwR7dKWMlqsVbqYzJUbbCOa7ykRNMETW4T1EhccK9G8XWjVgk9E_VcBrCq1h7SiWL2KMhMTL2CEhKvmOpbEQMzWRhuZi_IaIfDV1QTVnIb5Fr2H/s2048/IMG_1004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkGan7tgDmPt-CFhKa4Z33fnlt4W_AVh1MtOgNley6TG0QmpzOLWOc5S_MLOensbwMV54f-DUi4e_dxwR7dKWMlqsVbqYzJUbbCOa7ykRNMETW4T1EhccK9G8XWjVgk9E_VcBrCq1h7SiWL2KMhMTL2CEhKvmOpbEQMzWRhuZi_IaIfDV1QTVnIb5Fr2H/w150-h200/IMG_1004.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dig hole</td></tr></tbody></table>In my last post, we cut a hole in the old kitchen floor just inside the door to the garage. The hole is one floor joist wide, allowing the most narrow dimension of the furnace (~11cm or just over 14inches) to pass through. We decided that the height (depth?) of the other side of the hole would be the largest of the 2 remaining dimensions of the furnace. We could have used the next-smallest. We figured that whichever dimension remained would need to be available between the bottom of the floor joist and the ground. Since the plastic-sheet covered dirt floor was 2 feet (60cm) +/- from the bottom of the joist, we would need to dig. The furnace has one side that's about 28-1/2 inches (72cm) and it stands 33-1/2 (85cm) tall in it's original alignment. Our choice was to dig down 4 inches or so for the size of the hole or dig down almost a foot (25cm plus wiggle room). I suppose the mount of dirt to move is the same, its just a question of depth versus width. Still, it just seemed like digging shallow and wide felt like less dirt.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With the hole cut in the floor, I grabbed a 5 gallon bucket and the post-hole digger. I filled a bucket, hauled it up and outside and spread the dirt around a low spot on our lawn. I did that at least a dozen times. Once the main rectangle was dug, I considered that once the furnace was in the hole, we needed to tip it one way or the other to get it flat so it could slide around. So, the edge of the rectangle that faced towards the furnace final destination was cut down on an angle so we could pull that bottom edge up and away from the hole. I figured that if I had 28 inches from the bottom of the hole to the top of the dirt as measured from the inner edge of that floor joist, it could effectively hinge. By the nature of how this tip, though, that front edge will come up between the joists and not have an issue. It wasn't until after completing the dig, that I pieced that together and determined that I dug out more than I needed to. Ultimately, it is better to have too much room than not enough.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Venting Some Venting</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdzR7ukPPwL23mycvDFf3PMe9_iJKV_U2ESp84gFLbYODWWeFKPie2_hjMSyOcg4EYIqRSp-rxvH1be90rfdVgVPiXSoQZ1w3jinewTrTMIU1S1iqcSi3-bjRHKZJwCTfNX5PELrABm4w-4YcJUInW1eLUojlCqKdDwSVL2LZdGoJcO8JOMYHvmdYm400/s2048/IMG_1037.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdzR7ukPPwL23mycvDFf3PMe9_iJKV_U2ESp84gFLbYODWWeFKPie2_hjMSyOcg4EYIqRSp-rxvH1be90rfdVgVPiXSoQZ1w3jinewTrTMIU1S1iqcSi3-bjRHKZJwCTfNX5PELrABm4w-4YcJUInW1eLUojlCqKdDwSVL2LZdGoJcO8JOMYHvmdYm400/w200-h150/IMG_1037.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">venting set aside</td></tr></tbody></table>With direct access into the crawlspace, Boo and I looked towards the location where the furnace would ultimately reside. Our view was impeded by supply venting routed all over. There are 2 main runs, heading in opposite directions: one towards the hole we just dug and the other going away. From these main trunk vents, the smaller round vents are attached. Where the 2 main runs come together is a large box (plenum?) where the conditioned air leaves the furnace and enters the system. All of this stuff needed to get shifted out of the way before we could bring the furnace down.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We started with the vent that ran from the box towards the hole. This system is old, and held together mostly by faith and tape. Boo removed the tape at the box, and the vent detached easily. She cut down the cloth webbing that suspended the vent from the floor joists and the whole thing dropped to the floor. She slid it to the side. I followed suit, removing the vent running the other way by the same steps. This left the big box.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoEABM5zPBRMARM_RAmUleHE71MmmTxupan2X8A_JvVMRpX3XVOZPsbafkL8ku1CT5QY-ZOdIW9t0VEKRBOoRf8BqnZD5Kwrs0YL_gE-yUqn_iiJgzkqNbQqcphmJdyuQnMrx3BrxPT1rQO0Lyz_m_CQ0QhenqmXdOeqJgg9tKTVLLWVUSSR5whqYu5ni/s2048/IMG_1034.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoEABM5zPBRMARM_RAmUleHE71MmmTxupan2X8A_JvVMRpX3XVOZPsbafkL8ku1CT5QY-ZOdIW9t0VEKRBOoRf8BqnZD5Kwrs0YL_gE-yUqn_iiJgzkqNbQqcphmJdyuQnMrx3BrxPT1rQO0Lyz_m_CQ0QhenqmXdOeqJgg9tKTVLLWVUSSR5whqYu5ni/w200-h150/IMG_1034.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the box</td></tr></tbody></table>The box was simply hung from the floor by a lip that was less than 1/2". I lifted the edge of the lip with a bladed screwdriver, pressing the lip up and inward while sliding the screwdriver along the edge. The lip simply folded under the floor. Once the final side of the box's lip was so treated, the box fell to the floor of the crawlspace. I was (and still am) amazed that a heat system constructed in the late 1940's was held together without any fasteners. I removed the connectors attached to the box that allowed the vents to connect and then lifted the box out through the hole.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Sooty</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mTIcnr2SM5d2yrqGWgr3i468uY-yR1Q64wP-1WNXtqZRgpfxsnwwxDgby69weQdy_4zlq0NOTIilsAlinKdsjx19QNqKLl2GYOtuqHSZO5yycltX94ypl_HEuNceixBefDRR9fgCAKVBKTy-wo4slSXC7mmeXXp1vC3_CsyKqrgq2p3ahsGS4h8_i9P1/s2048/IMG_1039.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mTIcnr2SM5d2yrqGWgr3i468uY-yR1Q64wP-1WNXtqZRgpfxsnwwxDgby69weQdy_4zlq0NOTIilsAlinKdsjx19QNqKLl2GYOtuqHSZO5yycltX94ypl_HEuNceixBefDRR9fgCAKVBKTy-wo4slSXC7mmeXXp1vC3_CsyKqrgq2p3ahsGS4h8_i9P1/w150-h200/IMG_1039.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">blocked with soot</td></tr></tbody></table>The last thing I tried to complete before lowering the furnace was removing all the soot from the clear-out. I foolishly thought that I could dig out the soot that was at the clear out down in the crawlspace. Well, it looked like the clear out had maybe never been cleared out. I was able to remove a full trashbag of soot and was unable to reach any further up into the chimney. Looking down from above (through the original oil? wood? coal? furnace-to-chimney access, I could tell there was at least another foot of solid soot I could not reach. So, Boo and I decided that we would bring in a professional. Many years ago, I had used British Brush to clean and repair chimneys at various houses. Well, they are out of business so we hit Yelp / the Yellow pages and solicited bids. In the end, we have some chimney repair from when the furnace was in the dining room, probably a new liner from the cap to the clear-out and then a safe connection to which we can attach the furnace. My biggest concern about this whole furnace move was to safely manage the exhaust and not accidentally create a CO or CO2 issue inside the house. Having a professional will help.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is where we are left off. We have the venting removed, the furnace freed, an access hatch built and the hole dug for moving the furnace. We decided to leave everything just like this until after the chimney folks do their thing so they have the greatest mobility. We have some family events coming up, so the work needed to come to a stand-still anyway. We will pick this up after that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As always, thanks for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-16707985235591040042023-09-05T08:00:00.024-07:002023-09-05T08:00:00.141-07:00Kitchen Trap Door<div style="text-align: left;">In my last few posts, I have been walking through the slow process of kitchen and furnace demo. Today, our destruction continues with the creation of a hole in the kitchen floor, which will become a crawlspace access. Let's start with the obvious questions: why, how large and where. Before I begin, for my US readers, Happy first day after Labor Day; so starts the most productive period of the year (until ThanksGiving in late November). If you feel like you're working "so much more than", that's because you are. Now, where were we? Oh, yeah, cutting a hole.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Why</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-XBhbY6Nfq1jCjnUFDX3zyRWWCB-ThLDB7F9O5XI2I-I1Y8duLDql78H0MQCp-8CQvRrlV1S144XP0IQacdg2Zp53bV38cPi32doxnd7A7l6fRRAPnOGMLYMcUslrYfeBN37F_DCMomrixuctsubi9hiwhkst-3W06O6wcBgHa-KNCyVWiX2JT-1Y_VF/s2048/IMG_0982.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-XBhbY6Nfq1jCjnUFDX3zyRWWCB-ThLDB7F9O5XI2I-I1Y8duLDql78H0MQCp-8CQvRrlV1S144XP0IQacdg2Zp53bV38cPi32doxnd7A7l6fRRAPnOGMLYMcUslrYfeBN37F_DCMomrixuctsubi9hiwhkst-3W06O6wcBgHa-KNCyVWiX2JT-1Y_VF/w150-h200/IMG_0982.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">its a hole</td></tr></tbody></table>Recall, this is a 1948 farmhouse. This house pre-dates most modern design like an inside access to the crawlspace. Instead, there are large openings around the outside of the foundation, which are blocked off with framed wire rectangles (to keep critters out). So, when under-house maintenance is needed, one of the frames is pulled off the house and the worker-person crawls under. When it is nice outside, this is clumsy, but not terrible. Add in rain, snow, cold and/or wind and this quickly becomes much less pleasant. Consider, between readying tools and parts in the rain near the crawlspace access, you will be fairly wet before you slide under the house... into the dry dust and dirt. Being wet, that dust and dirt clings to you. Yeay. Having an ongoing internal access would address this, but honestly, if a furnace could fit through the existing foundation opening, we would not have taken on the scope increase. Whether we were to buy a new electric furnace or reuse our existing furnace, the hole is too small to fit a furnace that is large enough for the home size.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>How Large</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, answering the question "why" above, I shift to "where", with an eye on "how big". I took measurements of the in-hand gas furnace, and I swear the designer had standard US housing standards in mind when they considered the size. The most narrow side is just over 14 inches wide. Standard framing width is 16 inches-on-center, so the just over 14 inches wide will just slide between. The floor joists in this house are standard width (I was shocked, honestly), so the furnace can fit between. The next most-narrow side is around 27 inches. This is important for install as well, but this next-shortest side drove us to the size and shape of the hole. In short, the hole needs to be at least 14 inches by 27 for the furnace to slide through.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Where</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpTr9kCpx6wu4VGRzV_gUZebmw6Bx732u4URoftwsu43e1p5iHtVJhaOkaGZN-LpAFuQRNM046B_G4iZimtjdRSnrYoG4JBUqzwbeYmhxpSslfoL9PgVDJYyD5qsHrRgDbLqxezVGaFxDq9r93oGqWtNCU_m_SlRAvaiCRQJBtonqOWL6bgTj4r1C-6xG/s2048/IMG_0983.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpTr9kCpx6wu4VGRzV_gUZebmw6Bx732u4URoftwsu43e1p5iHtVJhaOkaGZN-LpAFuQRNM046B_G4iZimtjdRSnrYoG4JBUqzwbeYmhxpSslfoL9PgVDJYyD5qsHrRgDbLqxezVGaFxDq9r93oGqWtNCU_m_SlRAvaiCRQJBtonqOWL6bgTj4r1C-6xG/w150-h200/IMG_0983.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stripped clean</td></tr></tbody></table>I touched on where we were thinking about putting the access in my last post. Since we have not fully decided where things would go in the kitchen, cabinets and appliances -wise, we had to make some informed guesses. We recognize that the smart place to put food storage (fridge and pantry) is close to the door where you bring groceries into the house. So, we figured the if we set the trapdoor inside the door to the garage, the limit to how far into the room it can go will be constrained by the space consumed by food storage. Knowing the width of the pantry (sitting in the garage, waiting for install) is 24 inches and a standard-sized US fridge is 33 inches, we can measure off the not-moving-chimney towards the door to the garage, and mark where the closest edge of the fridge will be.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Along the adjacent wall (the wall with the door in/out of the garage), we intend to put cabinets with a sink. Similar to the pantry cabinet, we know the width of that standard-depth cabinet (82 inches). By marking that off on the floor, we could see that there was about a foot and a half between the end of the cabinet and the start of the door frame, leaving ample space for garbage/recycling bins by the door. For this purpose, though, it gave us a large space where the hole could go.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With these parameters, we needed to know where the joists and beams were so we could cut a hole that met the various needs. To get exact locations, someone had to go under the floor.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Mark Your Spots</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwigl8TdPC9IxUMW4AURScITvfXvmPJPmOf5XZCj947wYWz0F_IuUG6ed7ikZWriQ1H1XcAxO7448SBPQBZYWFZtJ9Ug2viOBtMaREbAUQCca2WBRvudNml4HXfyu-jy-rZ6JXabF6Th_o60k1-ZPOhJJT9BszkfNMPnC4fHzuBexF1NSWmBHD7LD1AJ5x/s2048/IMG_0004.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwigl8TdPC9IxUMW4AURScITvfXvmPJPmOf5XZCj947wYWz0F_IuUG6ed7ikZWriQ1H1XcAxO7448SBPQBZYWFZtJ9Ug2viOBtMaREbAUQCca2WBRvudNml4HXfyu-jy-rZ6JXabF6Th_o60k1-ZPOhJJT9BszkfNMPnC4fHzuBexF1NSWmBHD7LD1AJ5x/w150-h200/IMG_0004.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">old access</td></tr></tbody></table>Boo has a very healthy sensitivity to rodent waste and what the dust that waste creates can do to your lungs. Because of that healthy sensitivity, she has always taken on the role of under-house-slider, wearing a full respirator. For this task, it was no different. She took a flashlight, a measuring tape and a cordless drill with her. Shouting to each other through the floor to arrive at an approximate location, Boo sent the drill through 6 different locations to indicate for us where the joists were. Beyond the drilling the holes, Boo had a clear understanding of what barriers or hurdles exists beyond the joists. It was with that info plus the drilled holes we were able to plan the rectangular cut.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cut Once.... Or Twice</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Based off of the holes, we drew an initial rectangle. I opened up the holes with a larger bit so the jigsaw would fit and then cut the lines. Once we had the initial hole, Boo and I got to thinking, did some more measuring and more talking. It was at this point that we realized that the furnace could fit between the joists. Could we have figured this out earlier? Maybe. Sometimes, you need to see things in real-time before you have a flash of realization. Once we could see where the cabinets and fridge were going, we could see where we could re-shape the hole parallel to the door to the garage. The furnace would fit and we would not have to cut and frame-fix any joists. So, we measured and cut another small section of flooring out, reshaping the hole.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Furnace Prep</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">While this was going on, I removed all the bits that were attached around the furnace, to get it's dimensions down to the size of the outer frame. This included removing the stove-stack out the top, the gas line from the side and the emergency electric shut off box. With these gone, the furnace is actually the measured dimensions, allowing it to pass between the joists. In my last post, I walked through our logic to try to reuse our in-hand furnace. We are continuing with that thinking, as you have probably surmised from how we approached the size of the hole. While Boo was under the house, she crawled over to the chimney and confirmed there is a soot clean-out. So, with that variable solved, we could commit to reusing the furnace whole hog.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A hole in the floor just inside a regularly used door is very unsafe. As you can see in the first image, we temporarily covered the hole with some waste from the first cut. Once the furnace is through the hole, we will nail-down some plywood until the flooring company can fit us into their schedule. At least the visible floor in the kitchen is getting replaced; we don't know about the rest of it. Regardless, this trapdoor will persist, and while the extra cut will create some subfloor repair by the flooring company, this access will be an incredible upgrade long-term while creating a means of moving the furnace where we want it. That's next.... and a future post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-24701098955737294472023-08-29T08:00:00.066-07:002023-08-29T08:00:00.156-07:00Furnace Freed<div style="text-align: left;">Continuing the NewOld House construction, today's post is about disconnecting the furnace, and considering our options for what's next.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hapy Update</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I know I have not written much about cars lately, so here's a quick update on Hapy. I don't drive every day, but Hapy has been my main vehicle all summer. The other night, I grew frustrated with someone driving at least 10 mph below the speed limit in the left lane. I was cruising around 2k RPM in 3rd (around 30mph in a 45mph zone). An opening appeared in the right lane, so I stepped on it and started changing lanes. I guess I stepped on it too hard because I smoked the tires for a second before they grabbed, launching us forward. Goes to show, the KermaTDI bigger nozzles and Malone Tuning CPU chip were significant improvements. Since I have been driving him so much, it is now time to do his front brakes. I am still questioning the brake booster, so once the front brakes are done, I may revisit the booster and master cylinder. Since Hapy has become the gear-hauler for the band I've been playing in, taking him off the road has larger implications than ever. Anyway, back to the furnace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Exhaust</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lQ6LNqdquwEsrWLZG24DdKujSIBvTO-7PeOFzoeYUhuQpQU9iYxG1KJFOGnn8r2i9Ag8QPBMBM9how5-JxAB4Lrsse3lcEJPCjOIBlOjb-mjImIurrhWJfCWBlezXP6JY6CL4JPRI1WcAxkGLEyXKCYhwDGnt1yu69D5fXxC-5HLj2Hf-YJiydFDJ9FH/s2048/IMG_0954.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lQ6LNqdquwEsrWLZG24DdKujSIBvTO-7PeOFzoeYUhuQpQU9iYxG1KJFOGnn8r2i9Ag8QPBMBM9how5-JxAB4Lrsse3lcEJPCjOIBlOjb-mjImIurrhWJfCWBlezXP6JY6CL4JPRI1WcAxkGLEyXKCYhwDGnt1yu69D5fXxC-5HLj2Hf-YJiydFDJ9FH/w150-h200/IMG_0954.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">furnace freed</td></tr></tbody></table>Because of the way the furnace was installed, I had to get the exhaust stack out of the way first. The furnace is not a 95% efficiency-or-better, so the exhaust is both double-walled and transfers more than just water vapor. Still, it is put together the same as one of the high efficiency ones, it is just double walled instead of single. Some pieces twist-lock together and others are held together with sheet metal screws. With a 1/4" hex socket on the cordless torque driver, I made quick work of all of the sheet metal screws. I was able to remove the exhaust in sections and set them aside. Once the entire exhaust, from furnace-to-chimney-liner was removed, I shifted to the cold air intake or "return" in HVAC parlance.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cold Air Intake</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">On this furnace install, the cold air return/intake enters from above. So, while warm air rises and cold air drops, our cold air return was installed 6 feet up into the wall. Genius. It was simple to take apart, though. The protective grill was held on with 3" long screws, which also held the air filter in place. Behind that the HVAC flashing was bent to create a flute or trumpet-bell shape to route air from the grill through the hole in the wall into the main intake. From there, the intake took a 90* turn down into the top of the furnace. Easy-peasy. The intake was similarly held together with sheet metal screws, and it came apart just as easily as the exhaust had. The sole difference was that each seam had the fancy shiny duct tape. That came off fast too. Once in pieces and the trumpet-bell bits bent straight, the whole unit came free.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hot Side</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipioN12h1A5XLEa7CqL5POQBK0Yb08G7e8zi_RM4dBP0nbjh8HQRuA8mv6gQH6GdaCPl9y4-4eVBesGKCKAY89RQXYMNZEkpkU7ugfk0gOmxcJMx36R1Q78oNzelGt2nL63JxfcpryYmHQai5bfFFDEl96HNilioLM3NpUjFWU3SArHDHi_BW0KhgVJMmz/s2048/IMG_0953.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipioN12h1A5XLEa7CqL5POQBK0Yb08G7e8zi_RM4dBP0nbjh8HQRuA8mv6gQH6GdaCPl9y4-4eVBesGKCKAY89RQXYMNZEkpkU7ugfk0gOmxcJMx36R1Q78oNzelGt2nL63JxfcpryYmHQai5bfFFDEl96HNilioLM3NpUjFWU3SArHDHi_BW0KhgVJMmz/w150-h200/IMG_0953.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">exhaust removed</td></tr></tbody></table>Once the "cold" air passes into the furnace, the squirrel-cage blower pushes it through the heating element and down into the chase below. In our case, that chase is large, rectangular and takes an immediate hard 90* turn along the main beam. From that chase, the round insulated heat conduits attach, routing the air to the various registers around the house. None of that needed to be touched for the furnace removal. All I needed to do was detach the furnace from the floor. Again, sheet metal screws held a double-thick 90* bend of HVAC flashing between the side of the furnace and the top of the chase interface. Once removed, the furnace was free-floating. We intend to re-use as much of the original "hot side" as we can. The round insulated tube things were all replaced when the crawlspace was done, so they are effectively new. The places where heat needs to go remains the same and whichever furnace we put in the crawlspace, it can send heat (or should I say processed air) down the same paths.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Electric</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next came the electric stuff. I started by removing the thermostat and the trigger cable from it to the furnace. We don't know if we are going to retain that thermostat, nor are we sure it is going back in the same spot. Either way, it was a standard 5-wire control cable, so re-installing it or doing net-new is very little difference in cost. Having it all out so we could make decisions was worth the few minutes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Obviously, a gas furnace still needs electricity to run the squirrel-cage fan, so I flipped the breaker for the furnace and disconnected it at the furnace end. I pushed the wire through the hole in the floor. Next, I disconnected the ground wire which the prior installer had connected to the gas line. While I would like to accept that this was safe, it really didn't feel like it. I think we will run a fresh 3-wire line if we reuse this furnace. Since an electric furnace requires 220V, that would also get a new line.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Gas</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiFtiLDznnaeIIsqq_5QfEYHyrBH5iHDUMyODdAIn-tEPu-NMHLM7BfX3KIzavhZ0zKzs9l4Bv9tQ8bLC8cMhOzi5r4ThZhIpZVLiRdHOP1hYnrPbGr_QS_MWq2-u55zd37DRyiH1Nx1T2ee4ozbbLJohnbtifcnDAryNpfcTJzMgeUEEI3535sL7ae8H/s2048/IMG_0959.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiFtiLDznnaeIIsqq_5QfEYHyrBH5iHDUMyODdAIn-tEPu-NMHLM7BfX3KIzavhZ0zKzs9l4Bv9tQ8bLC8cMhOzi5r4ThZhIpZVLiRdHOP1hYnrPbGr_QS_MWq2-u55zd37DRyiH1Nx1T2ee4ozbbLJohnbtifcnDAryNpfcTJzMgeUEEI3535sL7ae8H/w150-h200/IMG_0959.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gas and electric shutoffs</td></tr></tbody></table>All that remained was the gas line. After our little excitement a few years ago when Zed went crashing into our gas water heater at the old house (See <a href="https://viewfromabus.blogspot.com/2018/01/one-of-many-joys-of-home-ownership.html" target="_blank">One of the Many Joys of Home Ownership</a>), I was not exactly wanting to do this part. Our pipe-fitter (also licensed plumber) friend offered to do it. So, Lana came by, shut off the gas at the meter, disconnected the gas line under the house where it bent up to the furnace and capped it off. Together we push/pulled the disconnected end up through the hole in the floor, leaving the furnace completely disconnected.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Considerations</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">We have a curious cat, so we are leaving the furnace pretty much where it was while we figure things out. Otherwise, we would have a cat stuck in the heat system as fast as you can ask "where'd the cat go". Meanwhile we have some things to figure out. The furnace was manufactured in August 2019. The house was vacated around a year later, so the folks who installed the furnace got one winter out of it. We bought the place last year and used it this past winter so this furnace has 2 years of use. There are at least 15 more in it. Knowing that natural gas prices will continue to climb, eventually this furnace will be more expensive to run on a month-to-month basis than an electrical one, but that isn't the case today. Today, a gas furnace is considerably less expensive to run. A heat pump is different, but we don't have one of those. Adding a heat pump to this system would be a $8-10k upgrade. We are not in a financial place to do that. Assuming either system can reuse the existing hot side, and routing the cold return from the hole in the floor will be effectively the same, we can eliminate those from the decision: its a wash.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBT3K9CzlwoWRBrRB_0UG9E8RxwwuXFCZcyf_NQDQyzboBAruC3JWMT7k843OTYpHeZ26V2xYJJpBSuHNsMJbRzQYot2XMupnR2O6h-OAY1Kfgx8jjlhNoWrWPTzZDF5X84gYkXCoDwaSTU11ChwfVyPVA-tQvUdEsDyF_7gXcTmOuzRLCRYd9C7vhtCE/s2048/IMG_0965.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBT3K9CzlwoWRBrRB_0UG9E8RxwwuXFCZcyf_NQDQyzboBAruC3JWMT7k843OTYpHeZ26V2xYJJpBSuHNsMJbRzQYot2XMupnR2O6h-OAY1Kfgx8jjlhNoWrWPTzZDF5X84gYkXCoDwaSTU11ChwfVyPVA-tQvUdEsDyF_7gXcTmOuzRLCRYd9C7vhtCE/w150-h200/IMG_0965.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">August 2019</td></tr></tbody></table>So, we are looking at electric-only or gas-only. Since this furnace is practically brand new, and in-hand, it probably makes the best financial sense to keep it, and install it under the house. Before we jump in, we need to route the gas and the exhaust -or- get 220V under there and set up the trigger cable. The gas is already right there. We may need to add some flex-pipe depending on where the furnace ends up, but the gas part seems easy. For 220V, we have multiple extra slots in the breaker panel, so it would just be a matter of adding a breaker and threading the wire through. I know how this furnace was set up so re-introducing the trigger wire is easy. I don't know anything about a new furnace, so while it is probably not that hard, it would be something new and potentially challenging. Last, the gas furnace needs to have the exhaust routed. The chimney goes through the floor, but we don't know if there is a clean-out at the bottom. That would tell us if the chimney is hollow below the floor (we think it is), and therefore available for having the exhaust run into it. This mystery needs to be resolved if we are going to retain the gas furnace for a few years. I think, for the bigger financial picture, it makes sense to relocate this furnace rather than spend even $1500US on an electric one. I cannot imagine routing the exhaust would cost half that, and the 220V routing versus gas routing is a cost-wash. So, really it comes down to the cost of the exhaust versus the cost of a new furnace plus the increase in monthly cost to run the electric... even if we could sell the gas furnace to offset some of the initial outlay. I think, the gas makes better cost-sense. Once we make a determination about the chimney, we'll know.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, that's it for now. thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-17051074340053914322023-08-22T08:00:00.032-07:002023-08-29T07:59:58.361-07:00Wall Comes Tumbling Down<div style="text-align: left;">Upon our return from vacations to Maui and the Coast Range, Boo and I started to feel the pressure of the approaching end-of-summer. We were refreshed from our journeys, though, and ready to get after the next step in getting this old house fully functional. Today's post documents that next step. The actual demo was performed over the course of 2 full weekends, one in early summer and one after LeisureFest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Rough Plan</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi801DX4-xnXHHydVWN2EVtmfBCOiLzKbx_UGSZXc_ZzFmfCHHgkRmUlMgDWyTrUNhamMiObPIxO17737VJ9ELZNm3E56jcGd-diNZaZ160JQT-GEe7aBtmS6YRD3ny8pKqRUiWiVWk9meCbYp25gzt03RRcyzN6SSP1VchAYpr9Ygh8rbR_ZUHHmQeYyyh/s2048/IMG_0922.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi801DX4-xnXHHydVWN2EVtmfBCOiLzKbx_UGSZXc_ZzFmfCHHgkRmUlMgDWyTrUNhamMiObPIxO17737VJ9ELZNm3E56jcGd-diNZaZ160JQT-GEe7aBtmS6YRD3ny8pKqRUiWiVWk9meCbYp25gzt03RRcyzN6SSP1VchAYpr9Ygh8rbR_ZUHHmQeYyyh/w200-h150/IMG_0922.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wall gone</td></tr></tbody></table>In a post in April, I described the tear out of the old kitchen cabinets. They were g-nasty. Smashing those and hauling them away was strangely satisfying... but totally gross. Once the cabinets were gone, the kitchen work sat idle while we focused on other things, and considered our options. Before we can really get into the kitchen, we have to solve for the furnace in the middle of the room. Again, I have no idea who thought this install was a good idea, but it's flat-stupid in our opinion... which seems to be shared with everyone who has visited since. We start, then, with moving the furnace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On surface, this feels hard. The existing furnace is a down-draft, feeding the distribution system in the crawlspace through a big rectangular hole in the floor, drawing cold air from above. It is a modern furnace, however, installed in 2019, and it can be installed horizontally without modifications. So, our initial thought is to install it into the crawlspace, re-using the hole in the floor for the cold air return. The complexity is in the gas and combustion exhaust. This furnace is not 95% or higher efficiency, so the combustion must exit through a stovepipe / chimney as it is not just CO2. We are considering getting an electric furnace (not a heat pump purely for cost reasons) and selling off the gas furnace. The location of the furnace in the crawlspace remains the same, this would just eliminate the gas line and exhaust problem. All the other install challenges would remain, starting with creating a crawlspace trapdoor through which the furnace can fit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2m0DRpmdwRzQpnio5ZRhyiMPmEx6TQTY-t60QepOA3sTY64i33fE2dr1HktCKGzOpLN7M8cZSEDqkamPIN-sx4v-hV-6vtd7vOvUg6uq5u_q2mS5mg70ZEeLqOUTaRntfF6YaH8fk1IGMlCgKt5N7hV1BBvNSTZcIxuSvmLgUkD_TyP-nE8xThK2a0l2/s2048/IMG_0910.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2m0DRpmdwRzQpnio5ZRhyiMPmEx6TQTY-t60QepOA3sTY64i33fE2dr1HktCKGzOpLN7M8cZSEDqkamPIN-sx4v-hV-6vtd7vOvUg6uq5u_q2mS5mg70ZEeLqOUTaRntfF6YaH8fk1IGMlCgKt5N7hV1BBvNSTZcIxuSvmLgUkD_TyP-nE8xThK2a0l2/w200-h150/IMG_0910.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mid-move of temporary kitchen</td></tr></tbody></table>Logically, we then shift our thinking around putting a trapdoor in the floor. Before we can go too far down that path, however, we need to think about what parts of the floor be occupied by a cabinet later. Since the door to the garage is not moving, and it will not be blocked by a cabinet, we are tentatively planning to have the trapdoor there. With the furnace and trapdoor set aside, we can think about the kitchen. We know the wall between the kitchen and the rest of the house is not a support wall. We decided early on that the wall would go away, opening up the kitchen from a 4-walled, enclosed by doors space into a 3-walled open concept. So, I started tearing down wall. Sort of. I did the kitchen half at this point. To do the living-space side, more steps were needed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Clear Out</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we first moved in, we did not occupy the kitchen. We set up a temporary kitchen space just on the other side of the about-to-be-eliminated wall. In order to have room for demo, and moving the furnace, etc. everything that was at that end of the house needed to move. So, we consolidated again, this time into the front living room / foyer. Cabinets full of food and dishes, the fridge, table and chairs all condensed into a much smaller space. Our house feels more like a NYC apartment than ever, but it is functional and kind of cozy. Once the belongings were moved, I hung up a plastic sheet between the newly condensed space and where the wreckage was about to take place. I expected dust to travel into the main space, but, to my surprise, it really remained well contained.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Swingin Sledge</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ocSASaxwQe3R_qJIctog8EgJMdT7Yle40EmFi_UpNz9a9-hpWJclDWks7N9apw0qsIb65a4_qUcjF1dHtFdEj4obYaxqQnBiKUspwpq9cnC1r-Us_VMsZ-Rax4xQpCSb-savWfbKX6tHJlJbmdLBLP-PgefGc72qkaeztQg3froQxyVJb_wZdMzeZJvw/s2048/IMG_0913.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ocSASaxwQe3R_qJIctog8EgJMdT7Yle40EmFi_UpNz9a9-hpWJclDWks7N9apw0qsIb65a4_qUcjF1dHtFdEj4obYaxqQnBiKUspwpq9cnC1r-Us_VMsZ-Rax4xQpCSb-savWfbKX6tHJlJbmdLBLP-PgefGc72qkaeztQg3froQxyVJb_wZdMzeZJvw/w150-h200/IMG_0913.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trim removed</td></tr></tbody></table>There is a strange therapeutic value that comes from smashing drywall with a 5-pound sledgehammer. I can't explain it. For attacking the kitchen, I started with the drywall inside the kitchen, removing the drywall from floor to ceiling from the secondary wall separating the kitchen from the main living space. This allowed me to control the dust and waste from getting into the main house. I also removed the drywall that had been behind the gross cabinets along one of the outer walls. Once that waste was contained and removed, we could consider the other side of the wall. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For the other side of the wall, I used the hammer sparingly, sending the debris towards the kitchen when I used it. Once I had an opening near a post, I used a wrecking bar to pry the sheets loose instead of just smashing. This method considerably reduced the amount of dust produced. Unlike the kitchen-side, this side of the wall had a coved transition from wall to ceiling. We are not sure if we want one uniform ceiling without a transition from main-living to kitchen or not. Once the cove is gone, it's gone, so we decided to remove the drywall up to the top of the door frame, delaying the decision. We are leaning towards mirroring the opening the owners did in the 1960's when they opened up the wall between the living area and the original 2nd bedroom. They left the cove and cut a straight line less than a foot from the ceiling. One advantage to having the cove, beyond aesthetics, is that we can run wiring on the kitchen side without having the get into more drywall or run them through the attic or crawlspace. Leaving these decisions for another day, I packed the waste drywall away and turned to consider the framing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Framing</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil67pB7rzNKblF1IP3ezlqh0obN-GSprg6rF3ga19Suczq9JafBjy-ealWMca3rbrQPShmacsMSh0lu7m-CCa277ZFK7auYbenvSQSZ-32NT3qIRUpA4bxTsrPoMrT2Iod2Xx-UCiVDn5Z-JIUP1DHb72om_jfnJyfC259TolCWUatTmP7TUsEKwTf2e9A/s2048/IMG_0923.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil67pB7rzNKblF1IP3ezlqh0obN-GSprg6rF3ga19Suczq9JafBjy-ealWMca3rbrQPShmacsMSh0lu7m-CCa277ZFK7auYbenvSQSZ-32NT3qIRUpA4bxTsrPoMrT2Iod2Xx-UCiVDn5Z-JIUP1DHb72om_jfnJyfC259TolCWUatTmP7TUsEKwTf2e9A/w150-h200/IMG_0923.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wall gone</td></tr></tbody></table>With about of foot of drywall still attached at the top, I could not just remove the framing. Instead, I cut it off a couple of inches below the bottom edge of the drywall, and removed the framing one at a time. The end result is an opening over 3 meters across. The base plate still needs to be removed, and we need to decide what to do about the ceiling, but the impact of the opening is substantial. After these pictures were taken, I removed the post on the left-side in that first picture. I also cleaned up all the raggedy-jaggedy drywall at the ends, cleaning up the final opening.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our next steps include solving for the floor in the kitchen, including cutting in a trap door. Then, we will make a decision about the furnace. We are considering an electric furnace that can be adapted to handle a heat pump / air conditioning system later. This also takes us another step away from non-renewable energy sources, which will only become more expensive, but an all-electric furnace is definitely more expensive on a month-to-month basis.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for today. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057913218650137010.post-72453082544140017612023-08-15T08:00:00.024-07:002023-09-06T08:57:15.779-07:00LeisureFest 2023 - Music Report<div style="text-align: left;">I wasn't going to do a special post for the bands, but each performance capsule got so long, the original overall post got way too big. So... here's the music review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Before I begin, last weekend was my father's birthday. After not seeing him nearly as often in his final years as I had before his health started to slip, I find that I miss him at the strangest times. For example, my mother-in-law shared some fresh-from-her-garden tomatoes with me and I was immediately transported to a childhood memory of walking the tomato vines with my father after he arrived home from work, salt shaker in his shirt pocket. Few things as good as a tomato directly from the vine, with a little salt. Miss you, Dad.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><b>Music In-Brief</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9yhMiE08X2LJx_W5mYLuzPwh61lZtHt1Z8AW0n5B7X4ei-t3vomoY7Qb9_v6n003RVnfDUDTLHaUoECnw1lD44JaU40JRXAFujNh6V8q2wpOv7oGmmu6TFXpXfwOJW5iHhQ-6fuy3UOjyxK35RCenprb3gzjd0CCGbilq1RCkjfsWXvhyo7dBFOAUs_Q/s1280/gallery-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9yhMiE08X2LJx_W5mYLuzPwh61lZtHt1Z8AW0n5B7X4ei-t3vomoY7Qb9_v6n003RVnfDUDTLHaUoECnw1lD44JaU40JRXAFujNh6V8q2wpOv7oGmmu6TFXpXfwOJW5iHhQ-6fuy3UOjyxK35RCenprb3gzjd0CCGbilq1RCkjfsWXvhyo7dBFOAUs_Q/w200-h150/gallery-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We did not see all of the bands, and because of how far away we were, we could not hear all of them either. It was an interesting mix of genres, challenging Randy, the sound guy, but he flippin killed it. Randy was the star of the music, independent of every artist, he made everyone, and I do mean everyone, sound very good. The bands below I actually heard, but there were some I missed. Similar to my prior post about this festival, I did not take any pictures, enjoying the space IRL, absent a technological veil between me and my surroundings.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Steel Wool</i> - (Eugene-based) fronted by the prior owners of the property, they had an early Airplane sound. Steel Wool played on Friday night while we were setting up, so we could not hear them as well as some others. What we heard was really good, setting a fairly high bar for the next day.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Jam</i> - some of the artists scheduled to play the next day tossed in for a jam that ran until midnight. I was asked to throw in, but between the road fatigue and lingering anxiety about the variables I mentioned above, I was a bit of a wreck and abstained, hitting the bed instead. Besides, I was part of the opening the next morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://sunkicksmusic.com/" target="_blank">Sunkicks</a></i> - (Hillsboro-based) it's not fair to judge Sunkicks, because I play bass for them. The feedback we heard was very positive. Katie's vocals are always amazing, and even though we started playing at 11AM, she nailed it. We were given, and played 2 sets, setting a mellow wake-up tone for over 2 hours. I had to eat afterwards, so I missed Corona (singer/guitar with a clarinet player). Randy said we were the perfect hangover set, gently pulling people from their tents down to the music bowl for a day of fun.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Eve and the Bad Apples</i> - (Eugene-based) solid band with some cool vocals. This was only their second gig, so there will be much growth to see, for sure. I felt the songs where there were many words or syllables close together lent best to Eve's vocal style. There were some songs that were almost rap-like in how the words were pressed together, but you could clearly make out every word, following the story she was sharing. Instrumentally solid with interesting bass twists and slide guitar work mixed into more straight supporting stuff. The drummer was like a clock, keeping time and keeping it simple.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://joeandthewheelmokeys.com/" target="_blank">Joe and the Wheel Monkeys</a></i> - (Hillsboro-based) I play with Joe on Wednesday nights at Pizzario, and because their regular bass player misses shows sometimes, there was a risk that I would have to jump in. Dave arrived during the Eve set, so that was avoided. Joe plays an approachable country / bluegrass / rockabilly blend. Depending on who is joining him onstage (it seems different almost every time), he may have a lead electric guitar, a fiddle, a dobro or a mandolin for solos. This weekend, he had Rose (Boo's sister) on fiddle and Spencer (Sunkicks' guitarist). They were predictably solid.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sunwelltheband/" target="_blank">Sunwell</a></i> - (Salem, OR-based) These guys were amazing, and the loudest of the weekend. Boo described them as a blend of Perfect Circle and Tool. I would add some Primus just because of how talented the bass player is. The drummer and bass are about as locked a pair as I have had the chance to see; every single hit was together. Very impressive; Boo and I are big fans, so take these next few sentences through that lens. The vocals and lead guitar work was all handled by one player. There were spots where he was trying to do something fairly complex on the guitar while hitting a moving vocal line. I'm not sure a brain can actually to that level of context switching. Of all of the successes Randy had with the sound, the clarity on the lyrics was not there. I don't think it was Randy's to solve and perhaps splitting focus that was negatively impacted vocal clarity. He hit the notes, we just couldn't pick out the words. His solo work, complete with hammer-ons, was fun to watch. Great band.</div><div><br /></div><div>Boo and I went back to Hapy for some dinner and missed the next band, arriving late for the Raventones.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Raventones</i> - (Eugene?-based) the former landowners took the stage for their other band: just the two of them. TK is an accomplished bassist, but in this new configuration she plays a baritone instead. Her partner, Randy the sound guy, plays drums (and quite well). The baritone allows her to play more guitar-like stuff, with some chords while still focusing on the low-end. TK leads the mood mixing stories and song into a tapestry where you can't really be sure when a song has ended or started.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="http://www.alderstreetband.com/" target="_blank">Alder Street</a></i> - (Eugene-based) During our sound-check in the morning, Randy mentioned Alder Street as <u>the</u> band to make time for. Mentally noted, Boo and I made sure we were well established on the festival blanket, dog fed and settled, etc. when they started. OMG, these guys are incredible. If you look at their calendar, they are not playing many venues, which is absolutely puzzling. These guys are an absolute MUST SEE. Starting with the mandolin player, his voice is phenomenal, ranging all over the place, and performing with absolutely no filter. His solos are soaring, and when playing against his fiddle player (who was also next-level) some magic happens. They share the stage with an acoustic guitarist who also lead-vocals on songs (and lead guitar's in spots), a stand-up bass player who does not approach it like a blue-grasser (that's a good thing, once you hear him) and a female drummer with a clear sweet voice. We were treated to 2 sets, but crowd fatigue had caught up with me and Boo, it was getting dark and Tuukka needed to be moved away from the crowds as well. So, we headed back to camp. Can't stress enough how much these guys are a must see.</div><div><br /></div><div>We missed a progressive rock band and the DJ. We were unable to hear either from Hapy, which I found odd since we were able to hear Steel Wool so well the night before. On Sunday morning, there was supposed to be a hangover set, but I think the artists (TK and Randy) overslept. Since they had played twice already, perhaps it was just as well they got the morning off. In the vacuum, some of Joe's Wheel Monkeys played around the bonfire pit.</div><div><br /></div><div>In summary, Sunkicks were good, Sunwise rock and Alder Street is amazing. IMHO, all 3 are worth finding. Eve and the Rotten Apples are finding their footing, but give it 6 months and they are going to be tearing it up too.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it for this time. Thanks, as always, for following along-</div></div>PdxPauliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11699318765453255885noreply@blogger.com0