Chatbox Thread

[gunn]

Two random thoughts:
1) I got the new covid booster and man, it's made me sore. Even a day later, I'm kinda achy all over. Never had this reaction (although this is my first moderna shot and all my previous injections have been Pfizer). Last covid bout was in April this year, which sucked because I caught it on vacation. Was mild but didn't want to get the elderly fam sick so I isolated at the hotel and watched Korean zombie flicks while my wife and kid went out.

2) just replaced my perfectly good 2yr old gas water heater with a hybrid heat pump to take advantage of my excess solar.
- these things are basically the same price as gas after PGE instant $700 rebate AND 30% tax credit
- biggest downside is that my plumber was new to heat pumps and the rheem is a bit fussy. It shuts itself down if the moisture sensor on the bottom detects water. I had to make sure the condenser drain dumps off the pedestal, and have done my damndest to dry the plastic sensor mesh on the bottom (compressed air, constant fan). For now, to keep it running, I disabled the shutoff valve control and have to reset it so it ignores the moisture sensor for 24 hours.

Would I do it again, up. Uses <500w in heat pump mode and the mfers at PGE have already asked for a gas rate hike this winter of 10% price hike ($3.29 a therm or something like that). Insane.

 

[Derphound01]

Never got a single covid shot and I don't regret it one bit. Nothing but either horror stories of side effects or people still getting covid even after getting them from what I have seen.

Almost lost my job over it at one point but they caved. Then I found a new job that didn't care one way or the other. I personally don't care who or what people do or don't do. Get the shots or don't get the shots, I don't care. Just don't make anyone else conform to what you think they should do. Unfortunately that's a lost belief these days.

 

[Zep5.0]

Interesting that they do heat pumps for water. We have a lot of those for HVAC, of course. My in-laws have an in-line water heater. They are crazy expensive though.

On the shot side, I'm not going to get another one, unless they start to show efficacy. I got the first pair, with minimal side effects. But the variants come and go enough, I don't think they have a handle on it like they do flu. And even that's hit or miss.

 

[Derphound01]

My in-laws have an in-line water heater. They are crazy expensive though.

They also have to be de-scaled on a semi-regular basis from what I've read.

And you also lose the hose bib for washing cars in cold weather.

 

[theterminator93]

I looked into a heat pump water heater briefly when my current tank developed leak stains from the top, but opted against it. Didn't feel like pulling new wire, and my load center is about maxxed out already.

I also briefly considered a tankless heater, but I need to rerun bigger gas lines. Didn't feel like messing with that at the time either.

In the end I just replaced the anode rod, swapped out the dielectric nipple, and called it a day. If I get 2 or 3 more years out of it, I'll be thrilled.

 

[Zep5.0]

They also have to be de-scaled on a semi-regular basis from what I've read.

And you also lose the hose bib for washing cars in cold weather.

Knowing I'm going to sound like the "one-up" guy here, but I'd be willing to bet I have the most cold weather auto wash stories. We used to clean my dad's 18 wheeler outside as long as it was 20° or more. That was until they got a slightly heated shed later on. Hot water didn't stay hot very long!

 

[dDUBb]

Two random thoughts:
1) I got the new covid booster and man, it's made me sore.

Random question .. is that the one they shove up your ass ?

Random thought ..

 

[Derphound01]

Knowing I'm going to sound like the "one-up" guy here, but I'd be willing to bet I have the most cold weather auto wash stories. We used to clean my dad's 18 wheeler outside as long as it was 20° or more. That was until they got a slightly heated shed later on. Hot water didn't stay hot very long!

I consider anything below 65°F to be cold, so there's that.

 

[gunn]

They also have to be de-scaled on a semi-regular basis from what I've read.

And you also lose the hose bib for washing cars in cold weather.

I looked into a heat pump water heater briefly when my current tank developed leak stains from the top, but opted against it. Didn't feel like pulling new wire, and my load center is about maxxed out already.

I also briefly considered a tankless heater, but I need to rerun bigger gas lines. Didn't feel like messing with that at the time either.

In the end I just replaced the anode rod, swapped out the dielectric nipple, and called it a day. If I get 2 or 3 more years out of it, I'll be thrilled.

Besides descaling, tankless isn't terribly energy efficient running with how much power they draw (or gas they burn), and you risk dealing with the whole 'cold water sandwich' as the water heater turns on/off based on demand. Its either heating at full blast, or not at all.

A heat pump water heater is nice in that even compared to a super efficient gas heater is 50% better. For starters, there's no exhaust flue for your wasted heat to leave. I would be more skeptical if all the components (A/C condensor/evaporator, water tank, etc) weren't all proven technologies.

 

[VicRattlehead]

Matt. This asshole is here

 

[supergordo]

Matt. This asshole is here

What site is that Keith?

 

[XR7-4.6]

Matt. This asshole is here

I know, In fact actually know quite a bit after some sleuthing tonight

 

[Zep5.0]

So, random Porsche sighting today heading up the Colorado 103. It's steep and winding as it goes up the mountain.. Anyway, about 8-10 911/Carrera/GT type cars, all in black. One had what may have been some of that camo cladding in the rear. It was a small square about 8-10" or so, right where the gas door would be. Didn't really notice anything else, but it was surrounded by the other cars. I know there was a ZR1 Vette seen it here testing in much more cladding. Think there is a chance it was an electric 911 variant? Cladding covering the lack of a fuel door?

They were in a stop off area taking a break, and it was in a tight curve, so I didn't have much chance to look.

 

[General Zod]

Now I have to re-do my avatar because all the text doesn't fit in the standard square box for the pic

 

[VicRattlehead]

What site is that Keith?

YellowBullet.

 

[dDUBb]

Hate my job. My superintendent was sending me emails from 430am until 6pm yesterday. I start at 630am and get off at 230pm .. but it never really ends.

 

[ShadowDragon]

My CSO has my cell number, it truly never ends. When I take vacation I have to turn my ringer off because my employees will text me at 7am while trying to sleep in.

 

[Derphound01]

I have a separate work phone for that exact reason. When I'm not on duty or on call, it gets turned off. My boss is the only person who has my personal number and can contact me in an extreme emergency. Everyone else can wait.

 

[ShadowDragon]

Yeah, we don't have corporate cell phone anymore except for EMEA and APAC employees. Strictly BYOD for US, India, and Philippines.

 

[Derphound01]

My last company was that way. I bought an unlocked iPhone XR from Apple and a $20/month plan from PureTalk. It was worth every penny for my peace of mind.

When I went back to my old company, they gave me a corporate phone and I sold the XR for what I paid for it.

 

[dDUBb]

They gave me the choice between a company cel phone ( cheap POS ), or a $35 a month reimbursement. I took the $35 option.

 

[theterminator93]

We do the same thing; we give employees a physical phone and a dedicated line for free, or they can get $40/mo and a Google Voice line on their personal plan/phone.

I let everything outside of business hours roll to voicemail and I deal with it next business day. The exceptions I make are almost exclusively when subordinates or peers need something.

 

[gunn]

Anyone heard from Grog recently?
Out of the blue, I got a notice from paypal about a chargeback for the fuel pump and pickup stuff I shipped him a few months back. Total surprise.
He sent me the money on 5/31 and I shipped the parts the same/next day. Shows as delivered.
Hope he's okay.

 

[MadMikeyL]

He had said that his niece stole his credit card and charged like $20k worth of stuff. It might be a situation where if it was within the time period, the credit card company assumed it was fraudulent. He has been on here a fair bit, so I would send him a PM to let him know so he can either straighten it out with the credit card company or just resend the payment.

 

[gunn]

Ahh, that totally explains it and I suspect you may be right. I sent him my number here and on TCCOA. I'm ok with either option (just don't want to be dinged by these folks at paypal).

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

How do y'all change your banners?

 

[theterminator93]

It's a reserved feature for now. More on it hopefully next month.

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

Has any one purchased an Ultra Power strut rod bushings recently? Are they still the proper design? Mine are still good, but I want to get a few more spares incase a few of my buddies want to start drifting with me

 

[General Zod]

So here at work today in the shop, I was talking to one of the welders since we needed the battery box cover on the frac pump modified so it was more secure in the way it sits atop the box. I got to asking him about how much welders here make generally speaking, and he's like, "oh I put in 14hrs a day, and stay extra days, and I'm clearing $200k/yr".

Not only that, he tells me that they are short on welders (about 3-4) because some of the ones that do apply don't know how to fabricate, just strictly weld and that's it. I mean, here in the shop it's not pipeline welding so they don't need certs, and there's always work, but it's still "chill". Hmmmm

 

[dDUBb]

That's the thing about welding professionally .. they stick you under the hood for ungodly amounts of hours. The pay sounds nice; but how about health care benefits after breathing all those fumes and grinding dust all day ??