What have you fixed lately?

[Taf]

I converted an elderly neighbours from fluorescent to LED, removing the ballast, starter and capacitor.

I checked the circuit before starting and found the neutral at 30vac with the light switch off! I suggested he leccy nephew who rewired the house give it a once-over.

[Anonymouse]

This isn't something I fixed so much as made.

To explain:

I looked into getting a case for my mobile to protect it against stray (or cracker) RF signals. Bit pricey, I thought (hey, I'm on UC, what do you want from me?!). Then I had an idea: get an ordinary one and slide tinfoil inside it. Same job, less price.

Then I had another idea: why not take that to its logical extreme and make an RF-proof case?

At one time I would've used sheet plastic, but in the unlikely event I ever get back to model making, I want to save it - I still have this mad plan to scratchbuild a SHADO Interceptor Carrier. So instead I recycled the foil-covered bottom sheet of a madeira cake box. Double-sided tape to stick tinfoil to 5 cut pieces (4 walls plus bottom). Sellotape to fasten the whole thing together.

Weatherproof it's not. Pretty and elegant it's not. Durable it likely isn't. But it will deal with the risk (minimal IMO) of RF whilst I'm carrying it. Like all my home-made creations, it'll do the job for, in this case, zero extra cost. I can do this again if I ever need to.

Not bad, eh?

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Anonymouse

This isn't something I fixed so much as made.

To explain:

I looked into getting a case for my mobile to protect it against stray (or cracker) RF signals. Bit pricey, I thought (hey, I'm on UC, what do you want from me?!). Then I had an idea: get an ordinary one and slide tinfoil inside it. Same job, less price.

Then I had another idea: why not take that to its logical extreme and make an RF-proof case?

At one time I would've used sheet plastic, but in the unlikely event I ever get back to model making, I want to save it - I still have this mad plan to scratchbuild a SHADO Interceptor Carrier. So instead I recycled the foil-covered bottom sheet of a madeira cake box. Double-sided tape to stick tinfoil to 5 cut pieces (4 walls plus bottom). Sellotape to fasten the whole thing together.

Weatherproof it's not. Pretty and elegant it's not. Durable it likely isn't. But it will deal with the risk (minimal IMO) of RF whilst I'm carrying it. Like all my home-made creations, it'll do the job for, in this case, zero extra cost. I can do this again if I ever need to.

Not bad, eh?

how do you get a signal if your phone is in a foil pouch ?

So ... you made a tin foil hat for your phone

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by Taf

I converted an elderly neighbours from fluorescent to LED, removing the ballast, starter and capacitor.

Ah does it give the room MORE LIGHT with the LED bulb? (I gather it does)

[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

how do you get a signal if your phone is in a foil pouch ?

Err...actually, that's a good point. Hadn't thought of that. <sheepish>

OTOH, I seldom receive calls when I'm out anyway...more usually it's when I'm at home doing something else. Nor are they usually from anyone I want to hear from.

Hmm. That's an engineering problem: allow signals you do want, and block ones you don't.