On Jan 31, 3:32 pm, imrazor <[email protected]> wrote: > On Jan 31, 7:03 am, Ross <[email protected]> wrote: > > > What's your so-called dilemma? Get the BIG-ASS electrical load off the > > DP G5 circuit. Try running the Intel and !!!heater!!! off of separate > > circuits. HEATER! Damn, with a DP G5, you should be looking for AC, > > not heat. Whole thing is non-sense from this observers' POV. Got power > > problems, by a nice APC UPS rated at 1.5KW for ~$150.00 to $200.00. > > Have an electrician install two separate new home run circuit to your > > computer room. and load balance the main electrical panel. This is > > cheap insurance for all systems and won't cost any more than the > > deferred maintenance you have NOT been paying for for 3-years. Clean > > up any "dirty gounds", separate, don't share neutrals with disparate > > circuits, while you're at it. > > > Shut down your DP G5 and open it up. R&R the optical drive with > > specialized screw set from the unit. Make any minor adjustments to the > > drive itself, and to bottom legs to get the chasis level. Stand the > > system, reinstall the optical drive with the specialized screw set. > > Adjust the drive to clear the door when ejecting the tray. Preserve > > the external shimming of the upright system unit as you put it where > > it wil lbe running. While you are inside the unit, if dusty, blow it > > out you lazy housekeeper! Check your video card fan while you are at > > it. > > > Lastly, just give the DP G5 away to someone who would be grateful to > > receive it, not treat it as a an excuse for drama. You well-heeled > > penurious types who create these NON-ISSUE issues slay me. I'm a > > working boy, LEM all the damn way. If my stuff quits, I fix it, I > > don't just pass, bitch, and buy another new system to neglect. > > > /rant > > > Ross Holland > > Menlo Park, CA 94025 > > Oh, boy, where to begin. First of all, the heater is in a separate > room with my SO, who can’t stand to have the temp below 76F. Secondly, > the cost of rewiring the house along with upgrading/rewiring/replacing > the breaker panel would be hundreds (perhaps thousands) of dollars, > far exceeding the value of the heater, the G5 and the quad Intel > combined (it’s a PC, not a Mac Pro.) Money I don’t have, by the way. > Not unwilling to spend, mind you, but do not have. > Your suggestions about the DVD-RW are spot on. And perhaps if I have > some spare time and I feel like tinkering, I may give it a try. > However, the G5 sucks power like a Hoover , and as you noted, turns my > little home office into a sauna in the summer. For $100 in Xmas gift > cards and some spare parts, I built a much more efficient machine to > handle its function. If I was as well heeled as you seem to think I > am, I would’ve bought a shiny new Mac mini to do the job. > Drama? I didn’t think so, but perhaps next time I’ll wear my cape and > Fawkes mask to drive the point home…
You need to drive yourself home, grab up that G5 and install it under the kneewell of your SO's desk. Tell her she can keep the heater across the room, turned off for one hour to test the well-known efficacy of a running G5 DP in supplying heat directly to one's legs and lap, at a considerably constant rate she'll enjoy as much or more than that overkill heater. Let her know if she gives it a fair shot, she'll stay toasty warm with that electron sucking heater still in reserve for the truly frosty times. Meantime, you both save electricity, you don't need AC, she doesn't need heat. If you get too cold playing/working with your Intel (Hackintosh, or PC), you can share her space, heat and love to keep you both happy, and still have the space heater in reserve. More fun, conversation, and lesser utility bills. Win/win/win. If your SO doesn't have a computer, and doesn't want one, give the the albatross away. Problem solved. Freecycle it for something useful to you. Or dump it at a bargain rate to someone who could never afford one either. (not me) If your old run down mansion has been insulated and weather stripped, with or without the aid available from state utility programs, you are going to enjoy a warm draftless home. If your present main electrical panel is 40A to 90A, It is no doubt not up to snuff. Get thee to Lowe's, Home Depot or your local electrical supply, OSH, or Walmart. Buy and install a new 8' ground bar, clamp, and 8' of #8 bare ground wire to install at the new service entrance, provide a weatherproof exterior 100A or 200A Main service entry panel with 10-12 breaker positions available, a service entrance masthead, some pipe strap to anchor the mast to the wall. Install a mains disconnect, enough breakers for circuits you intend to refeed, one or two for the kitchen (use a GFIC outlet in the first outlet in the kitchen, and the downstream outlets will be protected, one for the bathroom (GFIC breaker at the main panel feeding the existing bathroom outlet circuit), and a new single outlet for the heater to the room where SO works and plays. You can gut and use the existing main panel for a junction box to refeed old circuits after your new parts and have been inspected and signed off. Run any new circuits in EMT with Raintight fittings along the base of your exterior walls, or under the eves, supported at a maximum of every 4' with a EMT pipe strap, screwed to the wall clamping the EMT in position, level and straight. Neatness counts. The professionals who used to be electrical contractors that now work at the supply houses, and major DIY stores are an excellent resource. They will fix you up proper. The stuff is not rocket science. Go slow, be careful and neat. Get a permit BEFORE you start, as the planning/permit dept. will have their own ideas on what is acceptable for grounding, approved equipment, mounting, etc.. Incorporate their drawings as part of your permit application. ASK QUESTIONS! DO NOT BE SHY! You are a property owner with rights to do the work yourself. Your utility company also has opinions on what is acceptable, and what they will hook up. STAY AWAY from any parts/ breakers that are made by Federal Pacific. Notorious fire starters that they are. USE SQUARE-D, GE and/or any brand recommended by your planning/permit dept. or utility company. You can refeed existing circuits in the old main panel, or in any accessible subpanel, at your own pace/need. Do not share neutrals between disparate circuits; One neutral shared between two lines/two breakers/two circuits. Practice good grounding. Done badly, source of many problems. DONE WELL, no gremlins. Map your existing circuits thoroughly with circuit testers and determine which neutrals go with each existing circuit. Do this before starting the new work. Label the work as you go along, don't rely on your memory as it will get confusing if you don't. BE CAREFUL! When refeeding the old circuits, use the correct size wiring and breakers for the AWG gauge of the oldest, smallest circuit conductors. Do not under/over protect. Get the ampacity right for the old wire gauge the first time! Buy quality, take your time, you won't be doing it again... DO NOT DO AS RICHARD GEROME SAYS IN THE NEXT POST! throw away all extension cords, they are inherently dangerous fire-starters, never the right size ampacity, with little margin for error. Eventually you will leave something running while plugged into one, only to come home to where you used to live, admiring all that fancy-schmancy fire- fighting equipment parked in front of your former abode. I hope that makes sense to you. It is the right way to approach such a project, and you will have success! There are many Sunset and Handyman series books on retrofitting, and refurbishing electrical services, and junction panels. Great guides on best practices. Seek out, and use your library card. Ross Holland Menlo Park, CA 94025 -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
