My family's been wanting to upgrade to compact florescent for years, but we've always found they burn out quickly thanks to our flaky power surges. Would dimmable bulbs be helpful, or is there some sort of inexpensive power conditioning that can be added to light sockets?
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posted by mccarty.tim
on Jul 10, 2008 -
9 answers
Help me understand electricity and physics and how they apply to motors. I have my head around electricity basics and electromagnetism, but I have a few unanswered questions about the more subtle aspects.
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posted by kaizen
on Jun 22, 2008 -
11 answers
What is wrong with my electricity? Lights started to flicker, circuit breaker didn't trip, circuit started to buzz, now afraid the house is going to burn down.
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posted by quin
on Jun 19, 2008 -
16 answers
I need to work out which of my DC adapters powers my devices - I don't want to damage anything.
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posted by chairish
on Jun 14, 2008 -
13 answers
Can anyone help me figure out what kind of power source I need for my outdoor art project?
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posted by xo
on Jun 5, 2008 -
10 answers
Kinkyelectricsex: My partner wants to bring a TENS machine into the bedroom. How safe or dangerous are these things?
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posted by anonymous
on Jun 3, 2008 -
7 answers
How do I test a Hunter attic fan controller? I want to be thorough before I climb in the attic.
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posted by notsnot
on May 20, 2008 -
6 answers
I am new to renting and I just called the power company and they said that I have to pay a deposit no mater what my credit is. Is this normal practice?
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posted by stevechemist
on May 16, 2008 -
31 answers
How does the button on the pedestrian crossing lights work? Does it actually send some sort of signal to the traffic lights, or is it just a psychological thing? It seems rather random timing-wise.
posted by divabat
on May 14, 2008 -
21 answers
Should I have our small business switch to a third party green energy provider? We had a salesman for
Accent Energy come to our door and he was a bit shady so I told him that I wanted to look into this on my own time. But from what I'm reading online it could be a great way to convert to a more environmentally responsible energy solution. And its Earth Day today too. Our company wants to do what we can to be "green" and we would even pay slightly more to do so, but if a switch to a third party will cost three times as much then we just cant do it.
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posted by minicloud
on Apr 22, 2008 -
2 answers
I'm an electrical engineering student/hobbyist looking to buy an oscilloscope. I'd like to spend around $200 ($300 max, probes/shipping included). What should I look for, and where?
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posted by phrontist
on Apr 16, 2008 -
10 answers
If a plug is not fully in its outlet, and you touch one of its prongs, will you get shocked?
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posted by cgs
on Mar 31, 2008 -
32 answers
Working on DIY solar charger from modified garden power lamps. Of course the panels look different than the ones in the pictures!
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posted by aetg
on Feb 17, 2008 -
6 answers
My touch lamp has the same vibrating static electricity feeling that my massage clients used to have. Why?
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posted by kristymcj
on Jan 28, 2008 -
7 answers
I need help sorting out an issue involving my electric company, my electric bill, and the other apartments in our building.
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posted by youngergirl44
on Jan 19, 2008 -
5 answers
You are an electrician. But you are not my electrician. Question about low-voltage track lighting system inside.
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posted by ook
on Jan 17, 2008 -
9 answers
Looking for a smart surge protector that shuts down peripherals when a computer is turned off or asleep.
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posted by floam
on Jan 14, 2008 -
7 answers
I have a light switch on the wall that controls both an overhead light and an outleft. I'd like it to only control the overhead light, while still sending power on to the outlet.
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posted by donnagirl
on Jan 3, 2008 -
16 answers
Residential Electricity: Is it possible to measure current flow through romex in a non-invasive manner?
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posted by allelopath
on Jan 2, 2008 -
16 answers
Anyone know a simple and cheap solar panel setup to run a small boombox about 9-12V DC?
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posted by Bengston
on Dec 4, 2007 -
3 answers
Can I use a lightbox purchased online from the US, which includes an international voltage adaptor for 220v, in the UK? I think the UK mains voltage is 240v and have no idea whether I have to be bang on 240v or if 220v is good enough.
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posted by penguin pie
on Nov 16, 2007 -
8 answers
When it rains / storms our power inevitably blinks out (usually comes right back online in a few seconds) and we have lost 1 TV and another one is now behaving erratically. Need help coming up with a plan of action.
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posted by dino terror
on Oct 9, 2007 -
8 answers
So the electrician said nothing was wrong. But something WAS wrong, only it fixed itself by the time he got there. Help me diagnose this maddening problem our tenant had.
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posted by dhartung
on Sep 21, 2007 -
17 answers
2 outlets & a ceiling light stopped working at the same time. None of the circuit breakers were flipped. What would cause this, and how can I troubleshoot it?
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posted by designbot
on Aug 30, 2007 -
15 answers
We received a menacing letter today from our electric provider. They stated that since our last few bills have been late (which I don't dispute) we will now be required to pay a $200 "security deposit"... BUT... We have a 13-year payment history with them, at the same address, so where is the logic in suddenly requiring a "security deposit" that we obviously can't afford? Is there any way I can convince them to not do this to us? Please read the background info inside before responding.
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posted by amyms
on Aug 18, 2007 -
30 answers
Which (American-style) electrical surge protector will most reliably and economically protect my precious computer equipment from unforeseeable disaster?
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posted by zachxman
on Aug 13, 2007 -
13 answers
Is it possible to buy an exercise/stationary bike which generates electricity? If not, how hard would it be to build one or modify an existing exercise bike?
posted by handee
on Jul 25, 2007 -
5 answers
Will the 65 watt apple adapter work if I plug it directly into a 220v (UK) current? Or will I fry it if I don't use a converter?
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posted by Tommy Gnosis
on Jul 9, 2007 -
10 answers
I have a table lamp that takes a three-way bulb. The lamp does not have a standard switch; rather, you adjust the intensity of the light and turn the lamp on or off by tapping the metal base one, two, or three times. Recently the lamp's bulb burned out and I replaced it with the same kind of three-way bulb that was in there before. But now tapping the base produces no effect - the lamp stays on its brightest setting and can only be turned on and off by plugging it in or unplugging it. What happened, and can it be fixed? I've only had this lamp for about six months, and it wasn't cheap. I've tried various different bulbs, but nothing seems to work.
posted by zembla3
on Jun 8, 2007 -
7 answers
