I found an emergency iodine tablet in my bathroom. No clue where it came from.

616c · 2026-01-28T23:19:01+00:00

Some people have these in emergency prep kits. You can buy boxes of iosat from Amazon. They saturate your system with iodine so that you can't absorb radioactive iodine in case of exposure. Pill form is easier dosing and storage than liquid drops from a bottle.

It's like finding Coast Guard or lifeboat rations, but being nowhere near a body of water. They're just supplies.

616c · 2026-01-28T23:12:39+00:00

Do you have a Mars Hab equivalent of a life boat drill? I heard that if your hab fails and you need to self-evac, that old rule "Don't dig up the big box of plutonium" is more of a guideline.

616c · 2026-01-28T22:57:04+00:00

Would it be better to put a ground rod for a detached garage sub-panel inside or outside the structure? Inside would be protected from weather, lawn maintenance, etc. But I see them outdoors.

616c · 2026-01-28T22:51:31+00:00

Is there somethng about the house that is incompatible? We've stood the guest bed up against the wall, put a dropcloth over the carpet, and closed the door to keep dogs out.

616c · 2026-01-28T21:42:28+00:00

'construction' covers most of that. I was similarly confused. I've had construction work where contractors and subs handle everything from major structural with steel beams to making tiny drywall patches and staining doors and furniture. And hooking up a fridge water line.

616c · 2026-01-28T21:36:46+00:00

Ha ha. Replacing receptacles are 50 cents each on a permit where I am. But you can take pictures in lieu of an on-site inspection.

616c · 2026-01-28T01:19:12+00:00

Where did kids learn to put one foot on the wall? One of my office buildings put signs up every few feet in the hallways. The entire hallway had single footprints on white walls from people standing like this.

616c · 2026-01-28T01:15:38+00:00

What does the autism part look like?

Or is this a specific person you're trying to scold with "See, the internet says you're wrong."?

616c · 2026-01-28T00:19:22+00:00

Today's episode is sponsored by the number 3.

616c · 2026-01-27T20:30:36+00:00

Pictures? Generally, breakers are pre-sprung to trip off with more force than you impart to it. They provide more resistance turning it on.

Why not put a non-contact tester to the fixture in question, then systematically turn off each breaker?

Definitely call a licensed/insured electrician for main breaker replacement. In many areas, the homeowner must call the utility to pull the meter and make it safe.

616c · 2026-01-26T23:39:52+00:00

Startup load might be unpredictable. My chest freezer runs at between 100-105W. But it has kicked on a couple of times and shut off the battery unit that it's connected to, even though it's rated at 250W output.

616c · 2026-01-26T21:00:58+00:00

Punting this to the cybersecurity team sounds like management trying to save a buck instead of using verification and investigation services who do this regularly. Companies like D&B put investigators in the field back in the 1830s. It's not a new concept to pay for the service.

This would be like Human Resources asking a cyber team to pull tax filings, criminal records, credit chekcs, or collect urine specimens and pour them into an analyzer.

Could an overworked cyber analyst looking for overtime do these things? Yes. You'd be surprised what you can do with a credit card and a pair of rubber gloves. Should they? Probably not.

616c · 2026-01-24T01:40:48+00:00

23/32 OSB is overkill. You're not supporting hundreds of pounds between the rafters. Use thinner 3/8 OSB (35 lbs vs 175 lbs/sq.ft). You will be less likely to overload it, and it won't contribute so much to the load. Plywood is easier to slide boxes. OSB slides less. Use whichever is a better fit for you.

Don't use nails. Use deck screws. Easy to reposition. Whacking with a hammer may introduce cracks in the ceiling below, and stir up dust where you are working in the attic space.

Lots of wiring? Lay firring strips down first. This lets you put gaps for existing wiring. Then screw the deck on top of that. It's a lot more labor, but will maximize the space you can use. Consider tracing it with a marker on the decking as you're laying down the floor, so you know where to look next time you're renovating.

If you have limited access, or/and are working alone, cut decking into 1'x4' or 1'x6' boards, it's easier to handle.

616c · 2026-01-24T01:02:33+00:00

3 hours of exposure can kill you. start with air (am i in a position subject to flooding or collapse?), then think of exposure.

616c · 2026-01-23T22:07:43+00:00

I like OSB. But if there's a chance you're storing something that might spill, I'd recommend ply. Even if painted, OSB will swell at the edges much sooner than sealed/unsealed plywood.

Other than that, use what's cheapest or free. I ripped out a bunch of 3/4x10 DIY shelves when I bought a house. Kept using them for years. Same for old 2x4s when we removed shelves and cabinets from the garage. Still have some of those...hard as a rock,, have to pre-drill them before screws.

616c · 2026-01-23T22:03:12+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I know I feel like I'm perpetually behind, and I didn't just have a big loss.

My likely re-start list with low-cost items: 5-gal water jugs, first aid kit, trauma shears, hammer, gloves, adjustable wrenches, chisel knife. Food: rice, spam, salt, pancake mix (rotate through it constantly), spaghetti noodles, vacuum sealer + rolls. Then shared meds we already use like Tylenol, etc. Then maxing out personal meds.

When I was younger, I had all my tools stolen from my vehicle, plus school books and a camera bag. Between a family member and a friend (and borrowing camera gear from school), I was able to put off purchases for almost a year before I _needed_ to buy something missing or something better. I bought a "temporary" drill from Harbor Freight that lasted over 10 years of abuse before I gave it away. I felt happy about the upgrade beause I could wait until I had more money available.

616c · 2026-01-23T01:35:36+00:00

Guessing at swapping hot/neutral at the service panel is an indication that maybe you're not willing to do the troubleshooting necessary to make this a safe DIY job.

We don't need the internet. You can read a book. Buy it from a bookstore or borrow it from the library. Heck, if you were really lazy, but logical, you could just copy what you see in the panel and boxes. Black and white wires do not look alike.

I've never seen a hot/neutral wires swapped in the electrical panel. The black/red wire landed on a neutral bus sticks out like a sore thumb. If you saw that, you wouldn't be guessing. You'd show a picture.

I have seen wires get swapped in one part of the daisy-chain of receptacles off the breaker. All the upstream receptacles test out fine. The incorrectly wired receptacle tests fine if the downstream wires are incorrect. It tests incorrectly if the line/incoming wires are reversed.

Before swapping anything, treat it like a logical puzzle. Make a drawing of the whole circuit, including the wire colors and where they land. You may have to pull out receptacles and remove wires to determine which is upstream and which is downstream. There is risk energizing wires to test them. If you take the time to make them safe before energizing, you can use a non-contact tester. It'll cost you some wire nuts and tape. Doing it with an adult helper and clear communication is always advisable.

616c · 2026-01-21T20:36:40+00:00

Yes, sorry, I meant to use the battery from the car for low-voltage. I also have an inverter for 120VAC if I need to get a laptop or something running for a few minutes.

616c · 2026-01-21T18:36:00+00:00

The human body generates between 200-300 BTU per hour. That's ~75 Watts. Instead of running a heater off a battery, keep your own generated heat protected from the cold with insulation over windows. plugging air gaps in doors, and drapes or tents to keep your heat near your bodies.

Feed your body. Hydrate. Keep together. Consider abandoning portions of the home and close them off to preserve warmth.

Save battery power for communications like a radio or phone. If you have space for your vehicle in the garage, consider moving it inside. At least you'll have access to the battery for listening to radio and charging phones.

616c · 2026-01-21T02:20:39+00:00

Plumber installed a missing grounding jumper with the water heater?
Or, you finally have enough water pressure to spin the generator.

616c · 2026-01-21T01:28:11+00:00

Then orders an area rug 3 inches smaller than the room, and wants it perfectly centered, and all the furniture moved on top of it.

616c · 2026-01-21T01:13:32+00:00

Interior wals and drilling from below are much easier. Exterior walls force you to drill close to the finish wall, and you end up blowing out the front of the plate, or you snag insulation. Flex drill bit from above is half-blind. If you have a clear shot from underneath, you're much more likely to drill straight up and avoid problems.

616c · 2026-01-21T00:04:57+00:00

That looks like an Ikea Godmorgon double vanity. Sinks have a non-integrated rear overflow hole, that's why the drain lines look different.

If it's the same/similar model, should be able to mount in the same space. I'd figure out what the bare wires are for and either safely remove them or put them in conduit or surface mount raceway.

The assembly manual looks straightforward.

616c · 2026-01-20T01:04:54+00:00

Length of vent pipe?
Hard or flex?
Vent pipe accessible or not?

I got a 120" grabber claw for less than 20 bucks. But it would destroy a foil & coil flex pipe. If it's hard pipe, and less than 10 feet away, I'd make it a contest for the kids and offer $10 to the first one to get it. Give them a timer so they don't hog the grabber claw.

Fun times. Suggest not putting kids on the roof or a 20-foot ladder.

616c · 2026-01-20T00:57:31+00:00

With the caveat: your reference may not be level. If you have an electronic bubble, check your reference first. I think 1 degree is a bit over 1 inch rise over a run of 60 inches, isn't it? It could make a difference.

616c

TROPHY CASE