Monday, June 6, 2016

Mr. FixIt

It has been a busy few days fixing all sorts of stuff - or at least trying too.

Here we have the vacuum -

We never could get the replacement filter to fit properly.  But that didn't stop me from shoving one in and carrying on with the job.  We thought maybe it was generic filters not fitting right but after buying the name brand one, we found that one didn't fit either.  So off to Wal-Mart I went to look at their floor model.  Took it apart and took a picture and came home.  Eureka (pun intended) - the bottom of a previous filter was stuck in the housing.  Yanked that out with a pair of pliers and the new one popped right in.

The on-going issue, that may very well beat me, is air bubbles in the return jet to the pool - but only when the solar valve is open and only when the valve that diverts the water between the stairs and the wall jets is in a particular position.  I replaced O rings and swapped valves and tightened everything that could be tightened - still got the pesky bubbles.  They don't hurt anything but somewhere, somehow, air is getting sucked in.  On a positive, pool related note, I did manage to move the solar sensor to the top roof near the panels and that seems to really be helping in terms of valve opening and closing.  Season high of 81ยบ today and Mocha and spent some time in there together.

Today I was on the elliptical and noticed this wet spot on the floor coming from the AC unit:

Not good.  Called our AC guy and texted him a picture.  He called me right back and told me to check the condensation drain pipes that come off the unit and basically dump into a hole in the floor.  When I lifted them up, a big plug of dirt and debris blew out and condensation began flowing freely.  That was an easy one.

And finally, one of the solar powered driveway markers wouldn't light up anymore.  They are just basically a re-chargeable battery, solar panel and LED light.  So tonight I took that apart and found a tiny wire had become unsoldered.  That was another quick and easy (and free!) fix.

So it has been busy but overall everything has been either fixable or inconsequential.  And I can live with that...

Friday, June 3, 2016

Ashleigh Graduation 2016

It was a long and expensive time coming but Ashleigh graduated on May 19, 2016.  We were so proud.  She is on her way!