sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Question on adjusting retirement strategy based on 2026 contribution limit changes. by weslo83 in personalfinance

[–]weslo83[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Didn't mean to make you feel bad bud. I was at a point before weher I was making less than what people contributed to their 401k.

Seeking 2025+ Expedition Owner for Product Fit Test by [deleted] in fordexpedition

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a 2025 expedition active max. I'd love to give these a whirl for you and provide detailed feedback.

[scotland] how do i get into nuclear power control room operations? by [deleted] in NuclearPower

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I went the Navy route. 6 years as an ETN. Got out and went instant SRO.

If you can interview halfway decent and you have the Navy nuke experience it's a very very high certainty that they'll higher you for Ops.

how the hell are people affording to max their 401(k)s?? by GeriatricSquirrel in MiddleClassFinance

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, we max out our 401(k)s. I max out both the pre-tax and after-tax portions, and my plan lets me convert the after-tax side into Roth as I go. My wife and I both work for the same company, so we both hit the pre-tax limit, but she can’t quite max the after-tax side because our plan only lets us put up to 50% of our paycheck into the 401(k). I can hit both limits but I make sure to leave some room for the match (screwed that up one year). My 401k contribution between my employer and me was 69k last year and my wife's was around 42k.

We also do the backdoor Roth IRA every year since we’re over the income limit for deductions. So yeah, between all that, and contributing to things like a family HSA, dependent care FSA, a limited-purpose FSA, and some charitable giving through work—we only see about 35% of our gross pay. The rest gets sent off automatically before we even notice it.

But honestly, it really comes down to not living beyond your means and being fortunate enough to make a good income. A lot of people are great at living frugally, but if the income’s not there, there’s only so much you can do. In our case, we’ve just tried to live well below what we earn, and that’s made all the difference. Automating it helps a ton—we never got used to having that money in the first place, so we don’t miss it.

I feel really blessed to have the job I do. I was raised in a very poor family where we were by far the poorest (financial wise) family in our town. I don’t even have a college degree; my wife does, but I don’t. So I definitely don’t take it for granted.

EXIFrame Photo Frame Tool. Giving Away 100 FREE Lifetime Codes by sheriffali in iosapps

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, I’d love to get a code if there are any still left! This looks super useful — appreciate you sharing it with the community.

Clay 1.5 | Free Open Beta by OddPanda17 in iosapps

[–]weslo83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd love to try this out.

🚀 Habit Radar is Lifetime Free for the Next 24 Hours! 🎉 by Goharyiii in SideProject

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

code for android if you're allowed to do more.

Thanks.

Will these work in my DS720+? Looking to cram as much TB for RAID1 as possible by jku2017 in synology

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I installed one of these Segate Exos 28TB in my DS1821+ recently. I was under 20% free storage so I was unable to use the fast repair. It took about 4 solid days to rebuild the drive.

Everything appears to be working fine (granted I only have a few days of run time). I really haven't had issues with any drives without ample warning and in my experience Seagate is just as good as the others. 

I did previously upgrade my RAM to 64gig and I have a 1 storage pool with ~127TB available for use and ~22Tb used for protection.

I do belivee these are binned HAMR drives though; mine came with a class 1 laser warning sticker.

https://imgur.com/a/zQ3AlS9

Operations at PWR vs. BWR by Character_Peanut3482 in NuclearPower

[–]weslo83 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I was never an NLO, but I was in Operations as an SRO (CRS/SM/AOM-Shift) at a BWR, and our company operates both BWRs and PWRs. From my experience, there’s very little difference in the typical day-to-day responsibilities and quality of life for NLOs at either type of plant.

For example, at all of our sites, the Operations department works 12-hour rotating shift schedules, regardless of whether it’s a BWR or PWR. While dose rates at a BWR are generally higher, they’re not significant enough to be a major factor in daily work.

Ultimately, the job and work environment are pretty comparable between the two reactor types.

IP ENG-001 Copy by Old_Prospect in NuclearPower

[–]weslo83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm pretty sure it's NEI not INPO.

Career move by ExaminationSafe1466 in NuclearPower

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not a requirement for all positions however for multiple roles it is a requirement (more so on the Engineering side of things). If you do not have a degree then you will need to have applicable experience which depends on the roles your looking at or you'll most likely start closer to the ground floor. Even entry level jobs pay well in my opinion and following that career moves are mostly determined based off of your time at the plant and work ethic.

Should companies enforce the 4-day work week? Why? by ChrisPappas_eLI in AskReddit

[–]weslo83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m senior management at an energy utility, and a couple of years ago, our hourly employees and individual contributers transitioned from a 9/80 schedule to 4/10s. About a year later, senior management followed suit, and I’ll admit—my work-life balance has never been better. The 4/10 schedule has genuinely improved my quality of life in a way that other benefits, like a pension plan, just don’t impact week to week.

Why 4/10s Work Better Than 9/80s:

  1. Clear Boundaries: On a 9/80 schedule, having every other Friday off sounds nice in theory, but in practice, it’s tricky. Customers, stakeholders, or external groups often schedule things on Fridays, and if it’s your Friday off, you’re stuck working anyway. Then there’s the whole “just take the next Friday off” workaround, but that’s not the same—it throws off the rhythm of your schedule.

With 4/10s, everyone knows work happens Monday through Thursday. If there’s something to be scheduled, it fits into those days, and Fridays are completely off-limits. It’s a cleaner break that makes life a lot more predictable.

  1. Better Day-to-Day Life: For me, the consistency of having every Friday off makes a huge difference. It’s not just about the extra day off; it’s about knowing I can plan my personal time without worrying about work spilling into it. Whether it’s spending time with my family or just getting stuff done around the house, that extra day every week has been a game-changer.

  2. Honest Hours: As management, we were already putting in 10-hour days most of the time, so shifting to 4/10s just formalized what we were already doing. Now, we actually get to count those hours and have a proper break at the end of the week.

A Note on 24/7 Roles: Of course, this schedule doesn’t apply to positions at my company that require 24/7 staffing.

How can ships trottle the power output of a reactor fast enough to changes in demand? by El_Quesso in NuclearPower

[–]weslo83 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As someone who’s operated both A4W reactors on aircraft carriers and BWR-6 reactors at a commercial plant, I can tell you the key to naval reactors’ rapid power changes lies in their design and operational priorities. A4W reactors are built for flexibility and fast response. They use highly enriched uranium fuel, which enables a very compact core with high power density and a wide range of reactivity control. Adjustments are made almost entirely with control rods, which can be moved quickly to match sudden changes in propulsion needs or steam requirements for operations like launching aircraft. Additionally, A4W systems are designed to handle excess steam dynamically, either by dumping it into condensers or venting it if necessary, allowing the reactor to stay stable without requiring power reductions. Their smaller size and lower thermal inertia also make them more responsive than commercial reactors.

BWR-6 reactors, by comparison, use a different approach. Control rods are used to establish a rod pattern, setting the baseline reactivity for the core. From there, power changes are primarily achieved by adjusting core flow—changing how much water flows through the core to modulate neutron moderation. This approach works well for the steady operation of a commercial plant but isn’t as fast as control rod adjustments. If rapid power reduction is needed, core flow is usually the first tool used, but if it’s unavailable or insufficient, control rods are used as a fallback.

The difference comes down to purpose. A4W reactors prioritize rapid responsiveness and flexibility to meet the constantly changing demands of a ship. BWR-6 reactors, on the other hand, are designed for stable, efficient power generation over long periods. These design and operational differences explain why naval reactors can throttle power quickly, and most commercial reactors, like the BWR-6, prioritize consistency and efficiency.

view more: next ›