Conant Custom Brass Model T-10C large dial thermometer

 This is an 8.25 inch diameter dial thermometer with large easy to read numbers with a pointer that makes it easy to read temperatures. The display can be easily seen from a window, which was our intended use.  It should be noted thermometer temperature readings that close to the house will be influenced by that location.  You would get more accurate temperatures out in the yard in sheltered locations. This particular thermometer may not be suitable for that, depending on mounting location.  

The main housing of the unit is brass, and the dial is covered by a glass crystal.  The temperature display is in Fahrenheit and centigrade.  The thermometer makes use of a bimetallic mechanism which should be accurate enough for its intended use. 

The unit is assembled in Vermont, but the components are made in China. It has a lifetime warranty.

The thermometer includes a brass mounting arm which can be reversed to mount either from the right or left side.  I am sure they think this is adequate, but for our location, mounting from the side did not work out.  For us, it was best to mount the unit vertically.  This meant that I had to come up with a different holder.  I sunk a copper pipe into the ground near the intended window.   I then used the mount arm as a template to mark and drill holes into the end of a ¾ inch flat metal strip which was inserted into the pipe.  I mounted the thermometer to that flat metal which holds the thermometer nicely.  As an added benefit, if we want, we can rotate the unit in this mount so it can be seen from different locations if needed. 

The tricky part of the installation relates to the need to adjust the thermometer reading prior to use.  This requires disassembly of the thermometer to access the mechanism.  Be sure to keep the outer box as it has the directions for adjusting the thermometer printed on the inside. My Conant thermometer read 100 degrees when it should have read 68, so you will likely have to adjust yours.

To adjust, you have to first remove the retaining ring which holds the glass crystal against the main brass housing.  This is easy enough, but I imagine could also be a way to potentially break the glass crystal.  Just be careful. Hold one hand over the crystal and the ring will spring out away from it when you pry it away as instructed.

Carefully remove the dial from the housing.  At this point, I placed the dial back over the inverted glass crystal, just to have a place to set the unit while adjusting it in order to keep the needle away from obstructions.  It is best to do this in a place next to a thermometer you trust as accurate.  It is also imperative that you allow adequate time after an adjustment for the thermometer to acclimate to the true temperature again, as it is fairly sensitive and will be impacted by you holding it during adjustments.  It took several small adjustments and several waiting periods to finally get to a point that my Conant thermometer was stable and in agreement with the source temperature.  When you think you have it right, let it sit for a good long time to make sure.  It is easier to wait then it will be to take it all apart to re-adjust when you realize you did not allow enough time. 

Reassembly is done in the reverse order of disassembly.  You might check the dial prior to closing up as it shows every finger print from any inadvertent touch you made in the adjustments.  Also, clean the inside of the glass if needed.  The tricky part here is getting the retaining ring back in place.  Just start at the bottom as directions suggest, and slowly work it in around the dial.  It requires a significant amount of pressure and dexterity to do this, but it can be done. 

Now the unit should be ready to mount making use of the provided mount and screws, or your own method if needed.   

DSC Wireless smoke/heat Alarm WS4916

This is a battery powered smoke detector intended to be used in conjunction with a DSC home alarm system with automated notification of alarms to an off site monitor company.  It replaces an earlier version that had performed fairly consistently over a period of 7 years or so and then had begun to give multiple false alarms. One prerequisite of the replacement alarm would be that it had at least some thought of elimination of false alarms that went into the design. I think the WS4916 meets that requirement.

Our previous detector sent false alarms due to battery age, dust and just out of spite a couple of times, or it seemed. Nothing wakes you up at 2:30 in the morning like a fire alarm sounding in the house. And not just the run of the mill smoke detector beep. This alarm is designed to wake the dead, so you will not end up that way. It is a good thing, but also it is a good thing if you do not have the fire department come by so you can complain to them about your smoke detector not working.

About the WS4916 detector:

This is a wireless detector, and as such it runs on batteries and can be mounted in places that are not reachable by standard wired in detectors (also available from DSC).  This one runs on two (included) CR123A Lithium batteries.  Our original was powered by 6 AA Alkaline batteries, which tended to be somewhat unreliable as a power source over the long haul. (Lithium batteries like these in prior years have powered my 35 mm camera after having been used in my alarm system for 4-5 years.)

This alarm has both a photoelectric smoke detector, and a heat sensor built in. So, if conditions are present that include rapid rise of temperature to a set limit, but not smoke, the sensor will still sound an alarm.

The alarm tests for smoke or heat every 7 to 8 seconds. During this, it also monitors self diagnostics, tampers and faults.  The red LED light will flash once every 50 seconds or so. It will not go into alarm unless alarm threshold is met and exceeded.  Once threshold drops below alarm level, the alarm will reset.  The old one was not like this to my experience. In order to reset that one, you had to physically remove it from its mounted position and pull the batteries. This is no way to live when the alarm has sounded falsely.  The new WS4916 should reset OK if it ever sounds a false alarm.

One guard against false alarm for the WS4946 is that in order for an alarm to sound, the unit has to stay above the preset threshold of 75%  for two minutes prior to entering alarm mode.  So, in theory, if you are awakened by a repeating chirp, you should have time to determine what is happening prior to the unit actually waking the dead and calling for the fire department. And let me tell you, this alarm by itself is extremely loud even prior to sounding the alarm in the main panel.

Another feature that should prove to minimize false alarms is what they call “Drift Compensation”.  This works as an automatic adjustment to the sensitivity of the smoke detector over time and resets sensitivity as the unit ages and is impacted by dust or other environmental impacts.  This could have saved me at least two false alarms by itself. Once the alarm reaches its limit on adjustments, it will show on your main panel that it has “trouble”.  The unit can then be cleaned by first calling your alarm monitor service and putting unit into test, and then blowing canned air into the easily accessible smoke chamber.  The alarm company should be notified any time you need to service the unit, for cleaning, battery changes or testing.

Removing the unit from its installed position will initiate a tamper alarm and the monitoring company will be notified.  You may have up to 10 seconds to replace the unit once you have tampered with it. My old unit was not so generous about easily made mistakes like this. 

My old unit at least two times, sent a alarm based on batteries being too low, even though they tested at 1.5 volts each. For the WS4916, you should still have up to 14 days of use once the unit senses a low battery level. At that time, it will send a low battery warning to your main panel. If you fail to notice that, after 7 days, the unit will begin to chirp and continue until battery failure. The unit will still send alarms as needed at this point, but the alarm will be preceded by a chirp. 

Installation is simple and if you are at all handy, I recommend you do it yourself.  My alarm company walked me through any special instructions I would need to know about prior to installation, and you should also ask them if they have special requirements.  It is easy to do. The unit has many possible hole mount patterns, so I was able to find a combination that kept me from having to add more holes in my ceiling.  They should also help you in testing procedure after they have programmed the serial number of your new detector.  When it was all said and done, I saved myself at least $100.00 for the service call and installation. 

The smoke detector cost me just under $100.00. You can find them on the Internet in the $60-70 dollar range, but even if you get one of these you may have to pay your alarm company to reprogram your main panel for the new alarm.  

Hampton Bay Antigua 56 Inch Ceiling Fan

This is a fan put out by Home Depot. Originally it was available in the brick and mortar stores in a variety of finishes. Currently it is only available at http://www.Homedepot.com in a brushed nickel or bronze finish. Both of these finishes at Homedepot.com come with matching light kit. I also found that there are still a few of the fans available in Flemish Brass through R.E. Williams Contracting (http://www.rewci.com). The Flemish Brass variety does not have a matching light as it must have been discontinued along with the fan when Home Depot stopped carrying it in the store or online.

This is a five blade fan with the individual wooden blades having a carved leaf appearance. The fan has the standard three speeds with reverse direction switch if you want to make the fan blow air against the ceiling in winter or downward to cool you in warmer months. The light kit has room for three 60 watt candelabra style bulbs and the bulbs are included in the versions that ship including the light kit. This was not the case back when the Flemish brass light kit was around. I am still looking for another one of those to match my second fan.

Here is a description of the bronze version from the website.

· 5 hand-carved featherwood blades with a medium cherry finish

· 56 in. fan blades for enhanced reach

· Hand-painted alabaster bowl light kit is included and is an optional installation

· 3-speed with reversible control for versatile use

· Oil-rubbed bronze finish complements many interior accents

· Designed for interior use

· Uses three 60-watt max Candelabra Bulbs (included)

· Ideal for large rooms up to 20 ft. x 20 ft.

· Standard mount for ease of installation

There is a limited lifetime warranty through Home Depot.

The fans themselves are fairly easy to install. Installation should be to only ceiling fan specified mounts. The included instruction book walks you through the installation process. I have seen some reviews of this fan out there that suggest the installation instructions are lacking in some way. I did not find this to be true, but if you have a problem, just read the steps again, or have someone else read them to you as you physically hold the pieces they describe in the book. It would be a help to make sure you are familiar with the terms the book uses to describe each part prior to the installation. Once you get the fan up is not the time to realize you missed a critical item.

The website suggests that this is a standard mount for ease of installation. I am not sure if that means that the version on Home Depot’s website will only work with the included short down rod or not. For the Flemish Brass version, you have a choice of using the down rod, or omitting the down rod making the fan a flush-mount to your ceiling. Either way, there is sufficient length of connection wires to drop the fan down on a longer rod of your choice. I cut off at least two feet of wire prior to mounting our fans.

All fan-internal connections were made simple by use of plastic wire connectors. Match a connector together, push it into place and the electrical connections are done, safe and secure.

One criticism may be that the light kit seems more for show than to provide actual light. If you put the light into a high ceiling room, the three 60 watt bulbs really do not provide much light. But, fan operation is smooth and noise free at any speed.

DEWALT DWD115K 8 Amp 3/8-Inch VSR Mid-Handle Grip

For the last five years or so, I have used a 3/8 inch Black and Decker 2.2 Amp 0-1600 RPM variable speed drill with standard pistol grip and standard key chuck. This has been a pretty good drill for what it is, but it is starting to wear out a bit at this point. Hey, I am older now too. When I started to look around for a replacement I was rapidly overwhelmed by the numbers of possibilities. I decided on a corded model because I did not want to hassle recharging batteries in a project although I am sure batteries have improved since my last experience. I wanted to stick with 3/8 inch, but I wanted it to be heavy duty compared to my Black and Decker, but still easy to use. I wanted a quality name I recognized but still wanted affordability. The DeWalt DWD115K fit those needs. As luck had it, it was also the one drill my local Lowes was out of. So, at least it appears to be a popular choice. This is a 3/8" VSR mid-handle drill with keyless chuck. The weight of the drill is listed at 4 pounds. This is a bit heavier than my old drill, which was a concern of mine in my searching. But heavier duty drills I looked at felt heavy in my hand compared to my old 2.2 Amp Black and Decker. This was a concern for me because my hands are not what they were when I was younger, and the pistol grips on current day drills are hard for me to hold on to due to the heavier drill extending away from my hand grip. Although the DWD115 is heavier than my old drill, having the grip in the middle seems to help distribute the weight of the drill so I have no problem holding it in use. The DWD115 is listed at 8 Amps, so it really has a lot more potential power than my 2.2 Amp Black and Decker to do the heavier drilling I may run into in around the house jobs. And it also has higher maximum RPM at 2500 compared to the maximum 1600 for my old drill. The grip itself is comfortable enough, having a combination hard plastic and rubberized feel. The trigger is easy to use and variable speed is easy to control. In use, there are two bubble levels to help hold the drill horizontal or vertical as you drill. The keyless chuck is easy to figure out and I am sure it will be as asset once I can get to the point I stop looking for the key to change bits the old fashioned way. There is a hook of sorts on the top of the drill itself. I suppose this is to hang the drill off of a tool belt. I am not sure how handy that would be since I do not have a belt to hang it on and can see no other possible function for this hook. The one thing on this particular drill I wonder about is the forward-reverse switch. It is true it is located in an easy to access area just above the trigger. But it is a simple plastic switch that sticks out away from the trigger itself. On one side the drill goes forward. Click to the other side for reverse. But the problem I see down the road is that something could catch on this switch and break it off. The DWD115 comes in a plastic case that has a compartment that just fits one of my 4” by 5.25” box of drill bits. It also has space for my 2” by 2.5” box of driver bits. The case may seem a bit awkward to some since the hinge for the door is on the side as compared to the carry handle on top. This is a minor adjustment. The warrantee is 90 day money back guarantee, 1 year free service; 3 year limited warrantee- which seemed a bit better than most I looked at. My contractor working on my house at the time uses a similar DeWalt, so that was also a factor in my choice. Specifications Chuck Size 3/8" Keyless Chuck Yes Amps 8.0Amps No Load Speed 0-2,500rpm Max Watts Out 650W Capacity in Wood (Spade Bit) 1" Capacity in Wood (Hole Saw) 1-1/8" Capacity in Steel (Twist Bit) 3/8" Gear Reduction Single Handle Style Mid-handle grip Anti-Slip Grip Yes Anti-Lock Control No Tool Weight 4.1lbs Shipping Weight 6.4lbs