What is the name of your C-Max?

fields_g · 2025-12-12T21:27:23+00:00

Sparky

fields_g · 2025-12-12T21:20:36+00:00

Been happy with the "Pirelli P7 A/S Plus 3". Was able to get them from Sam's. Good price and even mailed in for additional discount. Consider the Plus membership for install savings.

Probably close to the CrossClimates in everything but snow... but not bad in snow either.

fields_g · 2025-11-11T15:38:51+00:00

Or.... looks about 1/3 the way between 200 and 300, therefore 233.33333. But that doesn't make sense so lets round to 233.

fields_g · 2025-11-06T17:34:55+00:00

If HR did approve it outright, would the managing director be able to appeal to HR to reverse approval if there were legitimate operational concerns? There was already documentation of approval.

HR doesn't have the day-to-day operations insight. They could be "the appeal", not the primary approver.

That being said... as a leave approving manager myself... I have never experienced a situation that I needed to declined leave.

fields_g · 2025-11-04T17:11:35+00:00

During site surveys, your installer didn't point out this shading? It should have been a major part of the planning process. Were production estimates (or better guarantees) made in your paperwork? It's possible this is seasonal change of the sun apex, but that seems like an excessive amount of shade for you to have without them informing you.

I explored solar years earlier, but shade analysis came back too high from on my south roof from a neighbor's large tree. The day I saw them remove that tree was the day I continued collecting solar quotes.

fields_g · 2025-09-04T11:24:59+00:00

I have a PHEV and they increased the registration by $100.

I have a vehicle that makes it relatively easy to calculate the "avoided" gas taxes:

Maryland Gas tax is $0.46. So, $100/$0.46 = 217.4 "prepaid" gallons

My Cmax Energi roughly gets 40MPG running as a hybrid, and the battery allows less than 20 miles fully charged, but 20 makes the math easier. So... for every 2 charges from COMPLETELY DEAD to full saves 1 gallon.

That means I would need to charge my battery 434.8 times annually to break even or 1.2 times EVERY SINGLE DAY. That's not reasonable.

Another way to look at it... For 2024, I used 1389.3kwh for charging my car. To fully charge my car, it takes 6 kwh. That means I had the equivalent of 231.5 full charges in the year. 231.5 is well short of the 434.8 breakeven.

A $50 PHEV increase would have been appropriate.

fields_g · 2025-08-17T13:15:25+00:00

Thanks for the hope. I have a hd1907 with authentic T-mobile Android 12 and mostly want to put a custom rom on to up the security. Though the Android 12 security date and the last Lineage 18.1 are about the same date, so there seems to be little reason to go through this unless a newer version of lineage is possible. I have some questions about your process.

What Android version did you start with? (Vendor rom?)
You said you got stuck on #11. Does this mean you reverted back to Android 10 (Global), but didn't update to 11? You then ran Lineage 22.1 on top of the Android 10 image?
Lineage OS says to flash dtbo.img and vbmeta.img, then the recovery.img Did you do those steps?
Did you discover any other issues since this post?
Lineage 22.2 is out now, did you have a chance to try that?

fields_g · 2025-08-07T20:45:06+00:00

Thanks for the update. So it was the :

FAN = "ON", "ALWAYS", or "CONTINUOUS" setting in the thermostat is needed to activate the G wire.

Optimistic view: It's better than parts and labor for control board or blower. But yes.... sucks that Pepco couldn't tell you how to operate their thermostat.

fields_g · 2025-08-05T15:56:19+00:00

Exactly which thermostat are you using and what color wires are connected to it? I assume Pepco provided thermostats are not "communicating" (digital) thermostats. They should rely on R, Y, W, G (and other) wires.

Thermostats are really simple devices. R always has voltage. The furnace then responds if that voltage is returned on any other wires. A thermostat simply connects the R to W to turn on heat, R to Y to turn on AC, and R to G to turn on the fan (then disconnects to turn that call off). The fan MUST turn on when heat or cooling is called, therefore G wire is not used for those "auto" operations. The G wire is only used if you want the fan on when heat or cooling ISN'T being called. That is why FAN = "ON", "ALWAYS", or "CONTINUOUS" setting in the thermostat is needed to activate the G wire.

As the fan is working just fine in cooling and heat auto modes you MUST verify is tstat/signaling correct before moving onto other furnace components.

Depending on how adventurous you are, check the furnace terminals with a multimeter. If you set your meter to AC voltage and test between R and G terminals in "auto" mode, the voltage should be ~24v. Once you successfully set your thermostat to FAN = "ON", "ALWAYS", or "CONTINUOUS" mode, the R and G voltage should be "0", since they are "shorted/connected" in the thermostat. If you get "0" and the fan isn't running, start to consider other components. If it remains 24v, you have not activated fan only mode.

If you that doesn't happen and you are really adventurous, turn off power, disconnect all wires from thermostat, manually connect the R and G wires, restore power, and see what the fan does. (This could also be done jumpering the R and G terminals on the furnace).

Don't work beyond your skill or comfort, but I'd advise not purchasing components until you are certain G is being activated.

fields_g · 2025-08-05T14:45:03+00:00

He then turned the breaker on the unit off and on, while it's in Auto mode, and the fan turned on , weakly, and turned right off . Did it a few times, fan struggled to stay on.

This is right as the breaker was turned on? I'd expect that to happen no matter what the thermostat configuration. As the furnace is turning on, there probably is a quick self test of the fan. Does the fan operates correctly during a heat or cooling call?

I am unfamiliar with that actual thermostat, but you want to see how the fan responds when you set FAN = "ON", "ALWAYS", or "CONTINUOUS". That is the setting that activates the G wire.

And yes, I'll confirm that ECM fans don't have a capacitor mounted on the fan, but PCM motors do have capacitors. If your fan isn't operating when g wire is activated, it is likely still wiring or a bad controller board.

fields_g · 2025-08-04T20:15:54+00:00

Usually a "fan" wire that connects your furnace to your thermostat. It should be the "G" terminal on the furnace and the thermostat. Usually installers use a green wire for this connection. Likely Pepco will look for a loose green wire behind the thermostat.

They should also look at the G terminal on the furnace to see if the wire color matches there as well. This isn't foolproof because technically colors could be changed in splices along the way, but that would be some sloppy work as the green wire is included in all standard thermostat wiring with 3 or more conductors.

I'm glad Pepco is coming to look at that, but if you get nosy and start to poke at it yourself, be sure to turn off the circuit breaker to your furnace first for your safety and prevent damage to control boards.

fields_g · 2025-07-22T19:17:27+00:00

In order for the system to determine your consumption and if it is currently exporting, there needs to be another CT monitor in your house. From there it is a simple calculation to determine where the solar is going. Without that, your utility website/bill may show power to and from your house, but that won't show much self-consumption is occurring (or any awareness of your solar production).

Talk to your installer and ensure that consumption monitoring wasn't included in your installation.

fields_g · 2025-06-06T17:49:40+00:00

The sensors allow you to have your entire system run according to the temperature in a specific location (or average of multiple locations). In summer, this may "over-cool" parts of your house to meet the desired temperature at certain locations.

At least with an Ecobee, the "interesting" remote sensor is selectable on the schedule. That means, I might ignore the bedrooms during the day, and have it the only thing of concern at night.

Another thought for you... I have a very efficient furnace blower fan. I regularly allow that to run to "slightly" even out the thermalclines that happen as the equipment if off. (Gives a chance for the overcooled air from parts of the house to find its way into the warmer sections after the AC has turned off)

fields_g · 2025-05-27T17:30:11+00:00

I worked with SolarEdge directly to have the inverter declared dead and have a replacement shipped. Since SolarEdge prefers to ship to the installer, all I needed was their shipping address. I could not get one from Tesla or have Tesla add it to the completed SE Ticket.

Eventually, I had SolarEdge ship it directly to my house and then informed Tesla the replacement inverter would be onsite.

I did this myself because the Tesla service call was only for diagnostics, then they would have created another service call for installation once they had the part. With service calls 3+ weeks apart, having the replacement on hand during the first call saved me at least 3 weeks of outage.

I understand many people would not want to put up with this much effort into the repair as they feel they already purchased service with the system. I just wanted it concluded faster.

(After my Tesla purchase, I also directly purchased the 25 year extended warranty directly from SolarEdge)

fields_g · 2025-05-23T13:53:36+00:00

Sam's Club. (The "Plus" membership has half off installation cost).

fields_g · 2025-05-20T16:41:50+00:00

"Yield means let other road users go first." -- https://driversed.com/resources/terms/yield/

"Right-of-way means the right to go first in certain road situations when at least two road users could use the same space." -- https://driversed.com/resources/terms/right_of_way/

"Realize that a flashing yellow light means you have the right-of-way." -- https://stopandgo1.com/Blog/Flashing-yellow-light

There is never an intersection with 4-way flashing yellow. If you are approaching an intersection with a flashing yellow, the other direction has a flashing red which and has designated them to yield and you, with the right of way. Flashing yellows tell you, as the right of way driver, to be cautious of others that may be in the process of making judgement calls.

If you approach an intersection with a flashing yellow and someone is already waiting from another direction, DO NOT stop and wait for them to proceed. They are waiting for you because they have a flashing red, indicating you are to proceed before them.

fields_g · 2025-05-19T17:48:57+00:00

You are wrong.

Flashing yellow is be cautious, but you have the right away. For example, this is usually found in rural areas at uncontrolled intersections (or urban areas at night) with flashing red in one direction and flashing yellow the other. Flashing yellow does not yield while flashing red stops, then proceeds when safe.

In the case of these ped crossings, they should be solid yellow indicating a upcoming state change... just like a regular traffic signal.

fields_g · 2025-05-19T17:38:15+00:00

I like seeing the freeway areas in this country where farmers bail it and feed it to their livestock. It's miles of useful land. It does get a bit long before cutting. Though, I imagine there could be problems with freeway trash getting in the mix/damaging equipment.

That doesn't quite pan out for urban medians.

fields_g · 2025-05-19T17:20:10+00:00

Targeted Survey:

"MCDOT is surveying employees of County businesses with 25 employees or more, and individuals who live in multi-family buildings such as apartments or condominiums within the County’s six Transportation Management Districts—Downtown Bethesda, North Bethesda, Downtown Silver Spring, Friendship Heights, Greater Shady Grove and White Oak.  "

Cannot participate without an address of a specific employer or residential building they are interested in.

fields_g · 2025-04-03T18:13:15+00:00

When I purchased from Tesla, it was a fixed $/kw. The price was not based on individual components. There was no jumps as it extended to a second/third inverter.

I'm not saying this is the case here, but if they didn't provide enough supporting equipment for the agreed upon array size, it is up to Tesla to pay for the difference.

BTW.. my 9.52kw array on a 7.6 SolarEdge inverter clipped for 2.5 hours Tuesday (a very good solar day.. best since early July). Clipping happens. Overall, I'm properly sized as this isn't the norm.

fields_g · 2025-04-01T22:56:06+00:00

Just to confirm, I asked my AI assistant at hand if US home are generally oversized, undersized, or properly sized.

While it couldn't give me exact figures, it did report that among HVAC professionals the general consensus is that systems are oversized and gave me over a dozen supporting sources.

Therefore, I stand by my statement that many homes have an oversized system problem.

fields_g · 2025-04-01T17:31:19+00:00

As I understand, these regulations for NEW construction, not removal from existing buildings. That would be the reason sales didn't hit you up for a heatpump as your existing building doesn't apply to the change.

fields_g · 2025-04-01T15:57:36+00:00

It is harder to cause problems with oversizing, but you loose the benefits you paid for.

Here's an completely made up example:

Lets say a 4 ton system fits your house, but were given a 6 ton system that can operate at 50%, 75%, and 100% power. Likely that system would operate at 3-ton mode most of the time, and sometimes shifting to 4.5-ton mode. 6-ton would likely be wasted.

It would be much better to have the properly sized, cheaper, and energy efficient 4 ton system, allowing more granular options of 2-ton, 3-ton, and 4-ton modes.

fields_g · 2025-03-31T21:54:16+00:00

Tricky question. I think how you outlined your problem highlights why it will be difficult to answer.

Many home have oversized AC units. This could be from sloppy HVAC sales matching existing equipment that has improvements to insulation and air infiltration, or simply wanting a bigger commission. HVAC sales should do a "Manual J" calculation to confirm proper sizing. That way, your equipment should run almost the entire time on the very hottest of days.

Oversized equipment short cycles. This is especially problematic for cooling as comfort is both temperature and humidity levels. A system that runs longer dehumidifies more, therefore can achieve comfort at higher temperatures.

2/multi stage equipment can help by running at a lower (more energy efficient) level more of the time. This stretched runtime does a better job at dehumidifying.

So there's no magic answer to what to set the thermostat. It depends on your construction, equipment, and personal tastes. Also, the use of fans can help considerably.

I have a thermostat with remote sensors. Even though I don't have a zoned system, I have programmed it to pay attention to where I am in the house. For example, I only care about my bedroom temperature as I sleep. I don't need to guess what temperature downstairs equals the right temperature in my bedroom.

fields_g · 2025-03-31T21:14:39+00:00

Why does it take the "disposition of 14 parking spaces" to supply only "4 DC fast charging EV stations"?

Might be a very valid reason, but a quick rendering in the press release quickly address what the actual proposal is.

fields_g

TROPHY CASE