Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house? | Page 341 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?

House has the old Type flood lights and I want to replace with something more modern.

Any recommendations? Opportunity to install with a camera also as a security feature?

One setup is flood light turns on, and it turns on another flood light behind the house. Third light is independent at the front of the house and that’s the one I wouldn’t mind installing the camera on instead of having a separate camera location.

IIRC @Jampy00 you mentioned a Blink system. How are those? I saw some flood lights with a camera attached in their lineup.
 
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House has the old Type flood lights and I want to replace with something more modern.

Any recommendations? Opportunity to install with a camera also as a security feature?

One setup is flood light turns on, and it turns on another flood light behind the house. Third light is independent at the front of the house and that’s the one I wouldn’t mind installing the camera on instead of having a separate camera location.

IIRC @Jampy00 you mentioned a Blink system. How are those? I saw some flood lights with a camera attached in their lineup.
Assuming you want to keep motion sensing floods, led versions are readily available everywhere. After I saw the aftermath of a cottage where halogens were turned on after a bird built a nest on top, I would be switching to low heat for sure. I would not want camera and light as an integrated fixture. I have my doubts that wither function would be as good as independent solutions amd if either kicks the bucket, you meed to throw both out.

Now, mounting a camera just behind or below the light is an interesting solution. Small visual impact and light gives camera lots to work with.

Why are linked lights a good thing? If a motion light trips, I often head over to look for cause. If bother front and back light simultaneously, I dont know what tripped it. Person that tripped it cant even see that other side lit up. I just dont see the benefit in that case. Imo, linked lights are better deployed across a facade. Trip one and the whole facade is glowing to remove anywhere where they can step into the shadows (or to light the path from the driveway to front door Iif they are visitors you want). They can also be helpful along the side of your house where a single fixture can easily light the area but motion sensor can only get people coming from one direction. Also, on a busy road, you could use a more shielded sensor to trip the main driveway light. Otherwise the light will be on all the time.
 
I’ve been asked by a lot of people when I’m building sailboat rigging , trouble shooting a diesel or building furniture , how did you learn this ? Fast answer is I’m just handier than the guy that needs help , not a professional by a long shot . I suspect in many cases , mine , handy is confidence.


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I started out making my own toys if my mother couldn't afford to buy them. I had a lot of toys made out of cardboard and I still do it. I just use better cardboard.
 
Assuming you want to keep motion sensing floods, led versions are readily available everywhere. After I saw the aftermath of a cottage where halogens were turned on after a bird built a nest on top, I would be switching to low heat for sure. I would not want camera and light as an integrated fixture. I have my doubts that wither function would be as good as independent solutions amd if either kicks the bucket, you meed to throw both out.

Now, mounting a camera just behind or below the light is an interesting solution. Small visual impact and light gives camera lots to work with.

Why are linked lights a good thing? If a motion light trips, I often head over to look for cause. If bother front and back light simultaneously, I dont know what tripped it. Person that tripped it cant even see that other side lit up. I just dont see the benefit in that case. Imo, linked lights are better deployed across a facade. Trip one and the whole facade is glowing to remove anywhere where they can step into the shadows (or to light the path from the driveway to front door Iif they are visitors you want). They can also be helpful along the side of your house where a single fixture can easily light the area but motion sensor can only get people coming from one direction. Also, on a busy road, you could use a more shielded sensor to trip the main driveway light. Otherwise the light will be on all the time.
There are two sets of flood lights.

Front of the house, and side of the house. The side flood light automatically turns on the back light when it turns on.

The front are independent of the side…and I need to find where they get their power as I need to put in a box extension.

@oioioi had a good suggestion of putting in a CAT6 cable where I may potentially want the camera.

Problem is Rogers box is right by the front…snip snip and cameras are useless.
 
Problem is Rogers box is right by the front…snip snip and cameras are useless.
You should have local storage of camera data. Some cameras can use an sd card (although in my experience it fails after a few years). Otherwise a dvr in an obscure location works. There are many options for this. Behind fridge, above basement ceiling with an access panel (receptacle there may not meet code though), in a tote in the garage, in attic, etc. Dont have an obvious bundle of wires disappearing near the dvr.
 
Most NVRs are quite noisy so i wouldnt recommend putting it in a room closet. Hidden away in the furnace room is usually best or for ease the electrical panel. I wouldn't put any electronic equipment, especially ones with a fan in the attic, the dust will sieze the fan and overheat/kill the NVR.

If your going the NVR route run cat 6 to a bunch of locations, even if you don't use then right away you can add to the system later on. I'd recommend front door, driveway, side entrance, and back door as must haves then if you have something you'd like to keep an eye on add them later.

What stuff looks like in the attic after a while.
Screenshot_20230422-085037_Gallery.jpg
 
Most NVRs are quite noisy so i wouldnt recommend putting it in a room closet. Hidden away in the furnace room is usually best or for ease the electrical panel. I wouldn't put any electronic equipment, especially ones with a fan in the attic, the dust will sieze the fan and overheat/kill the NVR.

If your going the NVR route run cat 6 to a bunch of locations, even if you don't use then right away you can add to the system later on. I'd recommend front door, driveway, side entrance, and back door as must haves then if you have something you'd like to keep an eye on add them later.

What stuff looks like in the attic after a while.
View attachment 60449
Good points. If installing in a hostile environment, I normally put it in a filtered enclosure.

I have a switch with a fan in current attic. I hung it from trusses so it is 4' above insulation. I will take a picture next time I am up there. Last time I was up it was almost as clean as the day I installed it. No enclosure for this one as I had to cut it into an existing cat 6 line using the width of the switch to get slack to terminate. Pulling a new cable to that location would be many hours of suck.

My nvr isnt loud. Just the spinning hard drive. If you install it on a shelf without a pad, that could still be annoying. I dont like closets for installation as burglars are looking in closets for valuables and will take the nvr if they see it. Ideally you have a ups to keep the cameras up in an outage. That is harder to hide and unless you kill the beeper it will attract thieves to the nvr.
 
So do you want a different style? Easy enough and cheaper to just throw led bulbs in that fixture.
Different style.

Also, side question....CAT5/6 cable...does it need conduit to be run outside or simply just run the cable?

This is the best time to run it around the house instead of mucking around through the inside. Maybe an access point to the upstairs part, and then a conduit to the new shed.
 
Different style.

Also, side question....CAT5/6 cable...does it need conduit to be run outside or simply just run the cable?

This is the best time to run it around the house instead of mucking around through the inside. Maybe an access point to the upstairs part, and then a conduit to the new shed.
How outside? In soffits I would run normal cable. If you are running to shed, I would use direct bury cable. Conduit is a wet location.
 
Different style.

Also, side question....CAT5/6 cable...does it need conduit to be run outside or simply just run the cable?

This is the best time to run it around the house instead of mucking around through the inside. Maybe an access point to the upstairs part, and then a conduit to the new shed.

The outer jacket of Cat5/6 will get brittle outdoors over time but as long as it's not messed with it will be fine without conduit. Under the Hardie board shouldn't be an issue.
 
I'm swapping out all my nickel door knobs and hinges to black levers and black hinges. Somehow I'm short 1 hinge... Either a pack of 12 hinges only came with 11 or I've lost one throughout the house... What a piss off
 
I'm swapping out all my nickel door knobs and hinges to black levers and black hinges. Somehow I'm short 1 hinge... Either a pack of 12 hinges only came with 11 or I've lost one throughout the house... What a piss off
At some point my house got switched to nickel knobs but they left the brass (ish) hinges. I am not annoyed enough yet to switch them. At some point I probably will pull the trigger.
 
At some point my house got switched to nickel knobs but they left the brass (ish) hinges. I am not annoyed enough yet to switch them. At some point I probably will pull the trigger.
Our builder put silver hinges on all exterior doors and wouldn't change them to the black ones we had throughout the rest of the house claiming we didn't tell him in time that we wanted black ones. Finding ones in black that matched the colour/profile of the silver ones was hundreds of dollars so a can of $10 black spray paint and a hour of my time fixed that up easy enough.
 
Our builder put silver hinges on all exterior doors and wouldn't change them to the black ones we had throughout the rest of the house claiming we didn't tell him in time that we wanted black ones. Finding ones in black that matched the colour/profile of the silver ones was hundreds of dollars so a can of $10 black spray paint and a hour of my time fixed that up easy enough.

I want to swap over my front door handle also but these sh*tty Golden Windows doors the builder installed have the handle so close to the jamb that anything new you would install would be a blonde one away from hitting the jamb. Also they have this weird multi latch system so I don't even know if I could change it out with any old Weiser off the shelf.

I've also had their service department out looking at them before because I get sand/super fine dirt blowing in around the fixed side light panels... The service guys kind of hinted that it is because its windy as eff up here, which is true, but these things are designed liked sh*t. Nothing a tube of caulking couldn't fix though...
 
I am looking for suggestions to protect the tarmac driveway when working on the car. There's a (good) chance rust, oil, brake fluid will leak. Something like an oversized shoe tray would be awesome. Any sugestions?
 
I am looking for suggestions to protect the tarmac driveway when working on the car. There's a (good) chance rust, oil, brake fluid will leak. Something like an oversized shoe tray would be awesome. Any sugestions?
I have a 48”x48” rubber chair mat from Amazon that was about $40 for under an old vehicle in my garage that has a random oil leak.
I also kept some spare poly Vapor wrap from a house build for working under a snowblower or other similar oily jobs. Either would work for your needs and can be rolled up when not in use.
 

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