h a l f b a k e r yA riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a rich, flaky crust
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In older houses like mine water
pressure is not sufficient to do
pressure critical things all at once.
The chief example is when one
person is showering: any other
users
will upset the balance in the hot and
cold water. Scalding or chilling the
person in the shower.
Now you could,
I suppose, hook up
some pressure increaser or any of
the lovely antiscald devices, but that
is
asking for trouble, the pipes might
not take it and there you are with
cartoon-style spraying leaks all over
the house and some 'splainin' to do
to the spouse and the after-hours
plumbers.
Instead you use the YO! light. A
small
pressure switch (like the oil
pressure
sender from my 1969 VW Bug but
adjustable) is introduced into the
system and when the pressure
drops
(as in when an appliance is using it
or
someone is in the shower) it sends
a
simple radio signal.
The receivers are sealed plastic
rings
with red LED's that go on when the
pressure drops. Occasionally a
yellow
light comes on to say it needs to be
recharged in the induction charger.
But this is infrequent since the LED
is
a low power draw and there is no
button or flashing etc.
How to use:
You can either wear the plastic ring
around your wrist (overkill but if
you
regularly scald your loved ones it is
a
small price to pay) or just drop the
rings over the kitchen spout or any
tap handles that might tempt one.
Just put them wherever it would
best
be seen before turning the handle.
For instance: when at the kitchen
tap
you reach for the handle, see the
red
light and you think...
That's the back garden's timed
sprinklers, no big deal, I can turn
the
handle.
That's the dishwasher, it is stupid
and will run poorly with less water,
I'll wait.
That's the Fembot, I'm not sure
she's
waterproof...
That's the brother-in-law, time to
hit
the toilet lever NOW.
The advantages as I see them
are:
Minimal invasion to the plumbing
system
No risk of overpressure for an old
system
User can still override (for whatever
reason)
Shower Adjustment Indicator Lights
http://www.halfbake...0Indicator_20Lights
Similar idea. [kropotkin, Oct 05 2004]
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Annotation:
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<mildly off topic>My last house was high-pressure, low flow. This was caused by some fool do-it-yourselfer years ago having a problem with high pressure and thinking that running the entire house's water supply through a 1/2" line would fix it (and this 1/2" line had many turns and twists). The result was a house where you couldn't use more than one or two water appliances at a time, yet would still blow sprinklers apart.</mot> |
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Oh yeah, my point (I've been doing this a lot lately. Too much coffee?), these would have been highly appreciated at that house. |
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you could also have a little light in the shower that tells you when you the amount of hot water in your heater that is left (if you are showering). e.g. 3/4 full - 30 minutes of shower time at x degrees left. have a little screen thjat displays petinent info. |
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we need this in our house |
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Great idea, but "YO" ?!?!? |
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you're right [spacecadet] YO!? is
much better. |
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I was going to call it HEY YOU
JACKASS, I"M IN HERE TRYING TO
TAKE A SHOWER FER CRISESAKE!
but the all caps and the hey
sounded too southern... |
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[adequate]'s Shower Adjustment Indicator Lights idea (see link left or above) is very similar to this, featuring a set of LEDs that show when other users are changing the amount of hot and cold water they are using. |
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I saw [adequate]'s post and
thought it near but different
enough to warrant a post. I prefer
mine for the prevention aspect
(and the way there is still the
opportunity for mischief) |
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While this would reduce the number of accidental scaldings, it may increase the number of intentional scaldings. |
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Yup, [DonB] I think you are right, it
might just do that...
<evil laugh and hand washing
motion>Brooooohahahahahahaha
h! </evil laugh and hand washing
motion> |
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<off topic> No matter how many times I click on this idea it simply refuses to turn red. |
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i think there are two possible
reasons this topic will not turn red
for 2 fries:
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The webpage is under sufficient
pressure when he loads it that
there is little effect from his
clicking on the over all web
pressure in his IP address
block.
or
something about using
punctuation in the title? |
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