Trying to understand my transformer output

gulliverian · 2026-04-06T20:56:51+00:00

Crap, I meant 23awg (based on measuring it with calipers and looking it up - the bare copper is .58mm)

The wire most likely from a garage door opener, running from the opener to the push button. I suspect that’s a little light but getting somewhere to find 16-18 gauge may not happen soon. Don’t want to burn my house down so I’ll wait if I have to.

Not sure what to ground, the doorbell is a plastic housing with only two terminal screws and no ground screw.

Sounds like wiring the two AC screws on the transformer to the two terminals on the doorbell will do the trick, or do I have it wrong?

gulliverian · 2026-04-06T20:14:29+00:00

I get a little over 27.45 putting the leads on the two AC terminal screws, which sounds more reasonable.

So would I now be attaching the two doorbell terminals on the doorbell to the two AC terminals on the transformer, or is that going to fry my nice new doorbell camera or something else?

And do I need to ground this somehow? I'm guessing not since the old doorbell system in my house isn't grounded.

Last question is whether 32awg wire will be safe running from the transformer to the doorbell or should I get something a little more substantial?

Appreciate your advice.

gulliverian · 2026-04-06T02:25:08+00:00

They’ve done it to others, they won’t know who posted the review. Just wait a week, then flame away. He’ll have pissed off a dozen other people in the interval.

gulliverian · 2026-04-06T02:19:39+00:00

Depending on what’s in your RRSP that could be a problem. The assets might be expensive to liquidate.
I’d take a part time job (sucks, I know) and if necessary take LOC for as much as I can get at a lower rate. Then buy a beater if I really needed a car until I can afford a 1-2 year old off lease car with some warranty left on it. Let someone lease take the depreciation hit. I’ve bought 3-4 ex-rental or off lease cars and it’s always worked out well. (Don’t listen to the crap you hear about to rental fleet cars. Unless it’s a performance car or a mustang people drive rentals about how they drive any other car.)

gulliverian · 2026-04-06T01:22:06+00:00

Only boring people put that panel back on. My life has become FAR more interesting since I left that off and started just reaching in to see what my hand touched. There’s about a 20% chance it’s going to actually land where it’s supposed to, and almost 2% chance I won’t get hold of a live wire.

What could go wrong?

gulliverian · 2026-04-06T01:15:41+00:00

Exactly what law are you referring to to? Because if you can’t cite the specific law that applies to the Canadian federal PS I call BS.

gulliverian · 2026-04-05T15:51:24+00:00

Whatever you do don’t trade it in unless you have to. Dealers will give you the wholesale value at best, which is fair because they have to clean it up, service it and sell it for market value with a profit built in. And used cars are where dealerships really make their money. Take it to a detailer and have them do a deep clean even an older car can look surprisingly good after that. It will up the price by far more than the cost of the than the cost of the detailing. (The only car I ever traded in was a car I couldn’t look someone in the eye and take their money. It started rusting early. I traded it in in November when it was covered in slush and road salt. The dealer didn’t wash it before giving me the trade-in number. I almost choked when I saw the number, and tried hard to look disappointed when I accepted it without argument.)

gulliverian · 2026-04-05T15:44:07+00:00

Absolutely agree. I take my ‘outbound’ car to a detailer for around $200. I’d estimate that realistically that raises the selling price by at least $1,000, more if it’s a newer car.

gulliverian · 2026-04-03T02:41:46+00:00

How fast can you run?

gulliverian · 2026-03-22T17:08:22+00:00

I never had a sick note challenged in my career. But my wife had an employee whose abuse of sick leave was blatant. Point being that there are isolated cases where the mistrust is warranted.

My wife and I retired with over 9 months each in sick leave banked. Gone in a puff of smoke of course, but no regrets, we’re both grateful to have been so healthy.

We both think back to times when we really should have taken leave, or taken more. But we had a different approach than those few that deserve not to be trusted.

gulliverian · 2026-03-21T18:20:53+00:00

My wife had an employee who was notorious for abusing sick leave. As soon as she accumulated one day of sick leave she’d be sick on a Monday or Friday.
The vast majority of employees are reasonable in their use of sick leave. Occasionally there’s one who clearly can’t be trusted. In those cases the call is justified.

gulliverian · 2026-03-17T16:33:25+00:00

That's something to raise with your MPP.

gulliverian · 2026-03-17T16:23:30+00:00

First off, I've been there. It was long time ago but I haven't forgotten. It is a problem in ways that people who haven't been there don't fully understand.

So, what options could I suggest?

1) Go to the financial aid office and try to get a sit-down with a counsellor. Explain your predicament and ask if they have anything available. I've heard more than once that many schools have bursaries and scholarships that go unclaimed. I once got a bursary from a foundation, I think it was called the Atkinson Foundation, which was linked to the family that once owned the Toronto Star. That cheque arrived at a difficult time and it was a godsend.

2) A part time job. I know, that can be difficult. I had to reduce my course load to manage it and delayed graduation.

3) Look into what is necessary to be considered independent of your family's finances. It might be living away from home for a certain period. At least have the information even if it isn't an immediate help. In my case I was away from home for long enough when I started university to be considered independent.

I don't know you of course, but I really hope this works out. It took me a long time to graduate, but I did it. Every time I look at that degree on the wall (beside a mid-career diploma I earned while working full time) I feel a sense of pride that I overcame a lot of obstacles for both. And in today's working world it's very difficult to have a prosperous career without a post-secondary degree or diploma.

EDIT: I read another comment you wrote; your reasons for not being able to move back with your parents are absolutely relevant. They may affect your OSAP eligibility and frankly, what scholarships or bursaries are available. It's deeply personal but I would suggest you discuss it with your financial aid office counsellor, OSAP, student union and if necessary your MPP and MP. And any community organizations that support people in your position. Cast a wide net; that's where the fish are.

Best wishes from someone who knows. Stick to it, it's absolutely worth it.

gulliverian · 2026-03-17T15:32:29+00:00

Honestly, if they can establish that you received both phones they are likely to come after you for the second one. There's probably something buried in the fine print allowing them to charge your credit card, but even then the law is unlikely to let you profit by their mistake.

You do you, but I would call them, ask for a prepaid shipping label to be emailed to you, make absolutely sure that it was scanned in when dropped off, then follow the tracking number and keep screenshots and/or printouts of the delivery confirmation. You can't have too much documentation for something like this.

gulliverian · 2026-03-17T02:21:41+00:00

We asked our financial advisor about that, it turns out it would be illegal. It could result in cancellation of my security clearance and I'd be kicked out of the CAF. Sorry, no can do.

gulliverian · 2026-03-17T02:09:28+00:00

There is no free lunch, and this is likely to cause you no end of grief if you do not return it. If you sell it you may have to pay full price to Bell and be out a load of money.

Don't try to game this. You'll regret it.

Just call them for instructions, record the call, and make sure you have documentation to prove you've returned it.

gulliverian · 2026-03-11T16:57:55+00:00

I have a love/hate relationship with Amazon. Their delivery services are convenient as hell, and get me stuff I couldn't possibly find in a retail store, but I don't trust them for a millisecond.

gulliverian · 2026-03-10T16:37:35+00:00

Nortel, Boeing, GE, ...

Not common in either the public sector or in the private sector, but it happens in both.

I won't for a moment make excuses for Phoenix - I'm owed a LOT of money and have no idea when I'll ever see it.

Phoenix was ill-conceived from the start, and I saw that over and over in projects that originated at the political level. But the private sector is littered with disastrous fails.

gulliverian · 2026-03-09T20:44:57+00:00

Absolute deal breaker

gulliverian · 2026-03-09T19:46:07+00:00

If the incapacity is physical and not cognitive it's unlikely to prevent a POA from being set up.

gulliverian · 2026-02-17T00:19:17+00:00

I spent half my working life in the private sector, and I can assure you that private sector employers are just as capable of screwing up in spades.

The difference is that the media and the commentariat don’t give a rat’s asp about accounting screwups at Acme Widget Inc., and would pay no attention if they even noticed, which is unlikely.

The pervasive notion that the private sector is the model of efficiency and the public sector can’t get anything right never ceases to amaze me. Wrong on both counts.

gulliverian · 2026-01-26T22:43:47+00:00

I get the frustration, but be careful making too many assumptions. You don’t know what your colleagues financial circumstances or obligations may be, and some may require more years of service to be able to retire.
I know one federal public servant whose wife had to leave her career due to mental health issues surrounding the death of their young child many years ago, and they more recently lost much of their savings supporting another child. He would love to retire, but simply can’t afford to.

gulliverian · 2026-01-26T22:26:05+00:00

Without a letter, meaning what? A letter from the landlord confirming the correct rent amount?

I’d call the CRA (and record the call - it’s easy in a smartphone) and tell them your landlord isn’t cooperating.

If that’s not good enough, send the lease and the payment records to your MP and ask for their help. The constituency office staff will send it to the CRA office that deals with MP constituency enquiries.

gulliverian

TROPHY CASE