6:08, I'm surprised that I have to break the tongue and grove connection. I thought that the tongue and grove would actually be strong, if it exists.

I can imagine breaking that connection by running a circular saw along the joint with only 3/4" of the blade exposed. Once that's done, I would be left with a gap that would get wider and narrower with humdity. Should I put some material in this gap?

I like your idea of caulking around the subfloor and putting a membrane on top of the subfloor. I wouldn't have thought of that.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at February 21, 2008 9:12 PM in response to Seeking advice on a new tile floor

6:17, thanks for confirming my thought on movement in the subfloor.

I've been looking locally for new thresholds for this project so that I can plan accurately but I haven't had any luck. Everything I found is too small and rises to its highest peak in the center. I need them to rise on one edge.

Perhaps this project should start with finding the right thresholds first.

Do you know how much space I should have between the bottom of the door and the top of the threshold? Its a modern 36" fire rated metal exterior door.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at February 21, 2008 9:27 PM in response to Seeking advice on a new tile floor

Its not so easy. There is no such thing as a single router that can reach all ten units in a NYC building. Regardless of the construction of the building, no single router is going to work well.

I've installed data networks, both wired and wifi in about a hundred homes and businesses, so I know what I'm talking about.

If you have to do this wirelessly, you can do it using multiple radios (one on each floor). There are still issues that can come up such as: incompatible laptops (yes it happens), low signal or no signal to some rooms, privacy and guarantees of service etc.

Your better and cheaper option would be to run armored cat5e cable into a closet in each apartment or some easy to access and hidden location inside each apartment and then have the tenant setup their own router at that location.

And forget about doing it cheap. Netgear routers and other home routers have the power to route traffic for about 4 computers and no more. You will need a real firewall and you will need a connection to the internet with at least 1 fixed IP per unit.

Don't forget that each you also have to setup rules regarding porn, tenants trying to host web servers or ftp servers or file sharing servers and what is allowed to be on those web servers, ftp servers or file sharing servers. And of course, bandwidth usage.

All in, you are looking at over 5k to do it wired. (3k for firewall + switch, 2k and up for wiring + patch panel)

For wireless you are looking at over $6500. 3k for firewall, 1500 for four wireless radios and 2k for wiring through the hallway.

Plus monthly internet service (20Mb) of about $250.00 (if you are lucky).

The reason you need a serious firewall is not for stopping intruders but more for monitoring what is being done on the network and enforcing bandwidth limits and rules (no incoming connections etc.).

Posted by: thecomputerguy at March 3, 2008 10:35 AM in response to Coop-wide Broadband?

BrookBry,

I haven't used them but I've seen their work in various stages since I have done cabling work on two of the houses that they designed and managed.

One was over the top and the other had clean lines with good materials and quality workmanship.

They are well worth taking to.

Prospect Architecture, Jeremy & Carla Shannon
www.prospectarchitecture.com.

If I'm not mistaken, they are advertisers on Brownstoner.com

Posted by: thecomputerguy at April 14, 2008 1:55 PM in response to Design/Build Recommendations

Try Angie Cordero of CCRS Management 212-979-1387. I've worked with her company for three years and found her to be very effective.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at April 28, 2008 6:48 AM in response to Coop Management Company needed!

Kiddo,

Are you for real or are you just screwing around to see how many people respond?

I ask because the power system inside the computer is controlled by a digital circuit that should have been damaged by the short that tripped your power breaker. Usually a power event this large would have damaged the motherboard or at least damaged the power supply.

So either, you are VERY lucky or just fooling around.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at May 10, 2008 6:31 PM in response to Why did our USB port explode? - Anxiety about wiring

Guest 11:23pm, I was thinking about you guys when I saw the station closed. I started thinking that who ever has already bought into the buildings across the street are going to be thrilled!

Even though I live around the corner and own a car, I'm glad to see this station go. I hardly ever used that station. Maybe three times in the three years that I've lived in the area. It was an eyesore and served as a default hanging out spot for cars with loud radios.

I thumbed through the PDFs on the DOB website and saw that it is probably not going to be affordable, but that it is using the "quality housing" standards. So this will probably not be a pink monster and instead might actually be a welcome first sight, as you leave the subway station.

There's another large steel framed building going up on Myrtle near this lot. Its also on Myrtle but between Marcy and Nostrand, about 100' West from Myrtle and Marcy. I talked to a guy behind the construction fence and he told me that it was going to be rentals.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at May 31, 2008 9:08 AM in response to New Residential Development at Marcy and Myrtle

Thanks Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy. That was a big help.

My staircase is wooden and sprinkled. Its the only way up to the second and third floors. There is a skylight at the top and a window in the door at the bottom. It seems like I won't be allowed to install the sensor because the stair case would count as a "fire stair".

BFAG, can I bother you to explain what a "fire stair" is? I tried to look it up (Section 15-10) but I got lost after the second page in that section.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at August 29, 2008 4:41 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

Awesome! So it looks like this is legit! Thanks for your help.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at August 29, 2008 5:10 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

I find it interesting too.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at September 12, 2008 12:36 PM in response to Bird Blog: Week 17

Awesome! So it looks like this is legit! Thanks for your help.

Posted by: thecomputerguy at August 29, 2008 5:10 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

How do you "consent" to the extinguishing of a light?

Btw, if you are using CFL bulbs, note caveats here, since many sensors don't work with CFLs but there's a work-around:
http://seeinggreen.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/08/compact-fluorescents-ii.html

Posted by: cmu at August 29, 2008 5:43 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

What's the law regarding having hall or fire-stair lighting on motion sensors? It would save a lot of money if lighting, only used when occupied, in stairs or hallways lights with sensors could be automatically switched on and off to avoid wasting electricity. However, I don't think the letter of the law permits this?

Posted by: FenFen at August 29, 2008 7:50 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

Like every code or rule in this town, it is up to the interpretation of the authority having jurisdiction.

Posted by: Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy at August 29, 2008 9:06 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

The code for commercial is that there has to be a very low level of illumination permanently and a motion sensor can be used to brighten up the lights. Practically, in a brownstone you could probably get away with one 7w CFL/stair level and whatever it takes to meet code the motion sensor kicks in. However, this is a fairly new rule, I believe.

Posted by: cmu at August 29, 2008 10:27 PM in response to Is it legal to attach hallway lights to an exterior sunlight sensor

FOLLOW UP: We returned the scanner and bought one from a different company. My husband again had sparks appear when he tried to hook it up to his imac, but I used it 4-5 times with my laptop without incident. Then last week I was using my laptop (Lenovo, running on battery, with my HP printer attached through USB). I plugged another USB cord from the (new) scanner into my USB port on the laptop, and heard a loud popping sound. This time the laptop was dead, as was the transformer brick on my printer. The laptop's motherboard needed to be replaced and I was lucky (again) that the thing was still on warrantee and that I was able to find a place that fixed it back to normal very quickly (Lincoln Business Machines near Lincoln Center). The circuit did not trip this time.

Yesterday we had an electrician evaluate our apt. He couldn't see anything in our wiring that would explain our USB power surges problem and basically said these events with different scanners and different computers must each have been a freak accident (!)

But one thing he noticed and questioned was that the devices involved (all except my laptop) have 3 pronged plugs on the end of their transformer cords. He thought this was strange, and a new trend he hadn't noticed before, so he wondered if this could have something to do with it.

On Google I found some articles about the 3-prong transformer cords leading to excessive electrical noise that is particularly a problem for audio recording. They say the problem is that the devices are attached to each other by cords (like USB) but if 2 or more of the devices have 3-prong transformer electrical cords they are also connecting to each other through the grounding wire. The suggestion in these articles was to attach only 1 3-pronged device to the computer at a time, and if you have to use another one, use an adapter to cover its grounding pin.

Has anyone else heard of or experienced a related problem? Given this new information, any ideas what is causing such powerful surges through our USB ports? Do you think the 3-prong transformer cords could have something to do with it? Thanks in advance for any ideas you have.

Posted by: kiddo at September 13, 2008 9:58 AM in response to Why did our USB port explode? - Anxiety about wiring