How can I inexpensively stop my washing machine from melting my ice cubes without burning my house down?
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posted by M.C. Lo-Carb!
on Sep 17, 2009 -
13 answers
I want to create a customized
Settlers of Catan board. For the purposes of this question, it could also be a custom Monopoly board. I want the pieces ( cities / hotels ) to light up when they are placed on the board. I know I would put LED's in each piece, but besides that, I am not sure if or how I could power up the LED's. I am not an electrical engineer, but magnets, watch batteries or
inductive charging sound good to me. Help me make an awesome electronic board game!
posted by jasondigitized
on Sep 4, 2009 -
8 answers
When my window-unit air conditioner revs its motor, my overhead light dims... then seriously brightens up when the AC slows down. It's annoying. Is there anything I can do?
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posted by SuperNova
on Aug 19, 2009 -
13 answers
Do 2 or 4 bulbs in a regulation exit sign light up automatically? Ie, are the two outer small bulbs automatic and the two inner 120V/4W jobs there as backup? I'm not an electrician and retailers don't have much (anything) in the way of repair guides..only product order forms.
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posted by JaiMahodara
on Aug 13, 2009 -
1 answer
My new rented house used to be a duplex, and it still has two electricity meters. Do we really have to pay two bills every month because of this?
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posted by showbiz_liz
on Aug 12, 2009 -
14 answers
One of the zones in my outdoor sprinkler isn't working, caused it appears by a malfunctioning solenoid valve. I spent the morning learning how to inspect, repair and/or replace it, and I'm about to do so, but I am unsure as to whether electricity is running to it. How can I know?
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posted by scunning
on Aug 8, 2009 -
7 answers
Will a surge protector or UPS plugged into an ungrounded outlet do anything to protect my electronics in the event of a power surge?
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posted by nitsuj
on Jul 30, 2009 -
9 answers
Calling all MeFi electricians: why does my light switch make a popping noise, and will it kill me?
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posted by feathermeat
on Jul 1, 2009 -
12 answers
What are the best options to measure the electricity usage of common area in a condo?
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posted by coust
on Jun 16, 2009 -
8 answers
What can I do to help a friend with interference issues causing phone problems in her house?
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posted by notashroom
on May 13, 2009 -
7 answers
How dangerous is it to take apart an old TV if it has been unplugged for many months?
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posted by yarrow
on May 2, 2009 -
15 answers
Craigslist HD TV deal..it was $25. The rub being it "doesn't always turn on". The first week it was fine. Then it started not turning on until later in the evening. The boyfriend (possibly) diagnosed the problem and will attempt to fix it when it becomes absolutely necessary. However, until then we are leaving it on all the time.
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posted by Epsilon-minus semi moron
on Mar 15, 2009 -
20 answers
Is there a list of datacenter projects that have been built from a green-field state to take advantage of a guaranteed low per kilowatt-hour electrical rate? In particular I'm thinking of the big Google facility near The Dalles, Oregon and the Microsoft datacenter in a small eastern Washington town. Both were built in areas with excess capacity originally intended to serve large Aluminum smelters.
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posted by thewalrus
on Mar 5, 2009 -
5 answers
I just got shocked while making coffee. In the 16 years I've had the machine it's never happened before. What's the deal?
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posted by miss lynnster
on Feb 23, 2009 -
18 answers
Just returned from fabulous 2 week holiday in New York. I Brought back Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One Printer from Staples costing $230. Unfortunately, I cannot use it in U.K., unless I plug voltage converter/transformer products. Has anyone else bought this set over there with more success?
Any advice \ information appreciated.
Please specify me What exact voltage converter product to buy & where to buy it from USA online store. Thanks.
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posted by omaralarifi
on Jan 28, 2009 -
4 answers
What percentage of U.S. power plants can run on either natural gas or residual fuel oil? Please cite source.
posted by zembla3
on Jan 16, 2009 -
4 answers
On one of the morning "news" shows (Today, GMA, one of those, don't remember which), a guest recently said that an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 will use just as much power turned off as it does when in use - that you have to physically unplug them to get them to stop draining the juice. The Wii, it was said, is fundamentally different, has some kinda internal widget that makes it more energy efficient. Any truth at all to this?
posted by jbickers
on Dec 7, 2008 -
24 answers
I would like to learn more about electricity markets, electrical infrastructure, utilities, transmission systems, generation technologies, applicable regulations, etc. Where can I find up-to-date and comprehensive information on these topics?
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posted by theexpgen
on Nov 20, 2008 -
6 answers
Can I damage my laptop by using a power adapter that has a slightly higher wattage than the original adapter? The original adapter was 65W, and the aftermarket one is 70W. The voltage is switchable. My original adapter had a voltage of 18.5V, this one says that if I need 18.5V, I should choose 18V.
Any chance of damaging the computer by using this one?
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posted by leticia
on Nov 13, 2008 -
8 answers
I'm trying to find out the date and time that the city of New Orleans lost power during Hurricane Katrina. A customer service representative at
Entergy told me that it was staggered throughout the morning of August 29th, the day the storm hit Louisiana, but I would really love more specific information. After searching news archives and situation reports, all I've found so far is that the Superdome lost power at 5am that same morning. Where can I find the time and date?
posted by easy_being_green
on Nov 7, 2008 -
2 answers
Having watched
Thunderbolts of the Gods, and found it quite eye-opening, I'm wondering if there are compelling reasons to accept or not to accept the possibility that the Sun is made of electrical plasma, rather than being a nuclear furnace.
posted by Tarn
on Oct 2, 2008 -
11 answers
Does my window air conditioner use just as much electricity on the "fan" setting as it does on the "cool" setting?
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posted by amro
on Sep 28, 2008 -
7 answers
How can I ground a large roll of plastic wrap to prevent static electric shocks when unrolling it?
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posted by attercoppe
on Sep 25, 2008 -
7 answers
Why should energy supply companies bother making people houses greener when they are essentially reducing demand for their good? (quite a UK based question)
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posted by henry.oswald
on Sep 8, 2008 -
11 answers
What does it take to convert a house from natural gas to electricity for the stove, dryer, hot water tank, etc.?
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posted by AllieTessKipp
on Sep 5, 2008 -
18 answers
First time living alone, and just got my first electric bill... what's using so much power? How much power does my computer really use?
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posted by Kosh
on Sep 4, 2008 -
35 answers
When I plug my MacBook Pro Power Adapter into most/all outlets, I see a blue spark as the prongs enter the outlet. Is this normal?
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posted by plasticbugs
on Aug 17, 2008 -
10 answers
