Modifying Light Fixtures.

I like things unique and exotic. “Visibility and standing out amongst the rest” is being practised by many to get a sense of satisfaction and contentment. Houses in the upmarket areas have unique facades. They have lots of rare designs and fixtures in them.

I have the privilege of visiting some of these exclusive houses.  It gives me a sense of euphoria when I am inside the house. 

I cannot afford exotic cars or houses but I have some exotic light fittings in my house.  

The manufacturer of these exotic lightings only produced a batch and there is no re-run. Breaking any of the components is like breaking the whole light fittings. There is no spare part. Cleaning is another problem. The parts, some in fragile glass sticks and moulded glass panes, have to be removed piece by piece to clean. The bulbs and the fluorescent tubes used in these light fittings are also non-standard type.

 

One of the fluorescent tubes in my kitchen blew out recently. I dismantled the tube and took it to numerous lighting and electrical shops in town. Unfortunately, none of the shops that I visited has the fluorescent tube. It was an uncommon and non-standard tube. 

I have two options. One is to discard the whole light fitting and buy a new one. That would be costly. The light fitting comes in a pair. So that means discarding two units.

 Being a DIY buff, I chose the second option to modify the light fitting.

I changed the fluorescent tube holder from the 4-pin to a standard 2-pin type and replaced the choke (ballast) as well. 

The 2-pin fluorescent tube holder cost RM4.50 (USD1.35) each while the standard fluorescent cost RM9.90 (USD3.00) each.  With this modification, I need not worry about replacing any blown-out fluorescent tubes again. 

The only tools required for the job are test pen, screw driver, wire stripper/cutter and a ladder.

Replacing Kitchen Counter-top Water Filter

I used a stand-alone counter-top water filter that was easily connected to the water tap (see the picture). This type of water filter is available at any supermarket or hypermarket. Anybody can fix this with a screw driver.

The disadvantage of this type of water filter is the high maintenance cost. The filter cartridge cost RM80.00 (USD24.00) each and last about six months only. Another problem with this type of filter is the adapter for connecting the filter to the tap. Water frequently leaked from the adapter. Once the filter cartridge is clogged,  water will sprout from the adapter. The original adapter from the manufacturer is very expensive. It cost RM60.00 (USD18.88), whereas the common adaptor from the hardware shop cost RM15.00. (USD4.50) but this will not indicate if the cartridge is clogged. Moreover, the filter cartridge is not serviceable. Once clogged, it must be replaced. The filter housing is also bulky and occupied the limited space at the sink counter.

In order to overcome the high maintenance cost and the leakage problem, I have decided to replace it with a stainless steel ceramic cartridge filter. This type of water filter is slim and aesthetic for the kitchen. It cost RM128.00, (USD18.00) for the standard wall mounted type. Because I wanted a counter-top mounting(sitting on top of the kitchen counter), I have to add in a brass counter-top tap and an adapter to change the mounting.  Accessories are available at the bathroom & kitchen fitting shop for you to modify whatever fittings you so choose.

Unless you are a handyman, you may required a plumber to fix this.  You can DIY with just two pieces of wrench and a roll of sealing tape. I have added a stop valve under the counter-top.

 This is to enable any repair work to the counter-top filter without shutting down the water supply to the entire kitchen. Just disconnect the flexi-hose and fix the stop valve with a wrench. 

Then, re-connect the flexi-hose to the filter housing unit. Ensure that the filter housing unit is properly anchored on the counter-top before connecting the flexi-hose.  Connect the ceramic filter cartridge to the housing cap, insert the filter cartridge into the housing and close it securely.

This is a fairly simple job but can turn complicated if the joints are not sealed properly. There should not be even a single drop of water dripping from any joints.

See my new filter on the left and compare this with the old filter on the right.

De-Clogging the wash basin/kitchen sink.

“The wash basin waste water is not flowing out. Please call the plumber!” This is a common exclamation you will hear whenever a wash basin or kitchen sink is clogged.

No worry. You do not need a plumber nor any special tool to de-clog it.

Under every wash basin or kitchen sink, there is an L-shape outlet pipe with a bottle-like contraption at the elbow. This is called the bottle trap. The function of this device is to prevent cockroaches and other creepy crawlies from entering the wash room or kitchen through the outlet pipe.

Besides preventing insects from entering, this bottle trap is also a catchment for sediments and hairs.  Hairs and solid particles are the biggest culprits that caused clogging of the sink and wash basin.

To de-clog, just unscrew the bottle trap with your bare hands and remove the sediments and hair. Wash the bottle trap thoroughly and screw it back. It’s as simple as that.

However, this simple de-clogging technique can become complicated if any of the O-ring rubber seal is damaged. When this happens, the whole set of bottle trap should be replaced.

Recently I inadvertently damaged the O-ring rubber seal while removing the sediments and hairs in the bottle trap.  It was a chrome bottle trap and cost RM39.00 (USD11.00). This chrome-type bottle trap is slimmer and is more aesthetic but clogs easily. It was rusty on the inside and sediments and hairs got trapped faster.

So, I decided to change to the PVC type which costs only RM4.50 (USD1.30). However, I could only find a white colour PVC bottle trap which does not match well with my stainless wash basin.

To overcome this, I bought a can of silver colour spray paint costing RM7.80 (USD2.30)). The final result is an aesthetic looking PVC bottle trap that looks like aluminium and the total cost is only RM12.30 (USD3.60) as compared to the chrome version costing RM39.00 (USD11.50). Furthermore, no tools were used to fix the PVC bottle trap. Only one roll of white sealing tape (RM0.50/USD0.15) was required to seal the threaded joints.  

Re-assemble the bottle trap and putting the O-ring in correct position.

Re fix the bottle trap to the basin.
See for yourselves.  My new PVC bottle trap on the right and the same set re-sprayed with silver paint below.  

Completed job with the new PVCbottle trap. Q.E.D.                         

Mowing your lawn

Most landed properties, terrace/linked house, semi-D or bungalow would have a small plot of land with cow grass or special turf.. This area requires regular mowing every month. Otherwise, the place would look unkempt and wild.

You can pay freelance gardeners who go around the housing area with a grass cutter for their services. The gardener’s charges for a terrace house is about RM50.00. For a semi –D, you will have to pay about RM100.00 and a bungalow owner has to fork out something like RM150 to RM300.00, depending on the size of the garden.

However, if you are one of those DIY buff, you can save the monthly charges by investing in a small electric mower and trimmer. The cost of the mower is about RM450.00 while the trimmer costs about RM130.00 (Borsch).

I use a Borsch mower and a Black & Decker trimmer. Why do I need both a mower and a trimmer?  The answer is obvious.

 The mower cannot reach all corners and edges. The trimmer complements the mower to finish the job!

You can maintain the lawn yourself and recover the cost of investment in the equipment within one year. With the electric mower, you can cover 2,000 sq feet within one hour. So, if you have a terrace house with 300 sq feet of lawn, you can complete the task within 10 minutes!

You can save lots of money DIY lawn mowing and doing it at your own convenience. On top of this, paying a free lance gardener can be risky and troublesome. Why is it risky? The gardener can spy on your house while mowing the garden. Your maid can become the target for the gardener and your home can be burgled without any obvious break-in. How?  In many instances, your maid collaborates with the freelance gardener.

Engaging a freelance gardener can be troublesome too. Unless you employ the same gardener every month and he has good memory of your requirements and expectations, you have to personally supervise him. He has to know how short you want the grass trimmed and where to dispose of the cuttings. You could have completed the task yourself, for the same amount of time spent giving instructions and supervising him..

Invest in the right tools and you can save money and soon enjoy the immense satisfaction of doing it yourself. On top of that, you get plenty of exercise, sweating out.

Getting Instant hot water from Solar Heater.

Most modern homes have hot water systems for shower or washing.


Why do some homeowners choose solar heater over the instant water heater despite the cost of purchasing the solar heater being 15 to 20 times more than the instant water heater?


The main reason is recurring electricity bills. It costs about RM1.00 of electricity per shower using the instant water heater, whereas the solar heater costs nothing.


A common problem with the solar heater is that it does not provide hot water instantly. We have to drain out the cold water in the pipe (the whole length of the pipe from the solar heater tank to the shower head) before getting the first drop of hot water. Depending on the distance between the solar heater and the shower head, an average of one to three gallons of water is wasted before we get any hot water running for a shower.


The solar water heater also has another shortcoming of low pressure sometimes.


Hence, how do we get the best out of the two water heating systems?


I use a combination of a Microsolar heater and an instant water heater with a built-in jet pump. Of course I have to spend more on the purchase but I get the best of both worlds.


With this arrangement, I have instant hot water using the instant water heater for the first one to two minutes. I then turn down the temperature setting to cold, as I can still get hot water from the solar heater via the mixer. This way, I am able to save more than RM0.90 per shower.


I installed the instant water heater DIY.

Fixing a home instant water heater requires a few basic tools and some basic knowledge of plumbing and electricity.


If you do not have the existing water supply outlet point and the electric power point, you should get a qualified plumber and electrician to fix these two items first. Usually, there is already a tap/shower head outlet in the bathroom. The plumber can tap the connection from here using a T-joint. As for power supply to the heater, there must be a 13 amp power point nearby to tap and extend a 3-pin socket point to the water heater. It is best to leave the electrical wiring job to a qualified electrician.


Tapping and extending a 3-pin socket power point cost about RM150.00 and connecting a T-joint plumbing costs around RM60.00.


With the water and power supply points in place, the charges for installing the water heater unit is RM75.00 per unit. This installation job can be done DIY and you can save the RM75.00 for this one-hour job.


The tools required are an electric drill, a wire stripper, a screw-driver and a test pen.


First, draw a template of the back plate of the water heater to mark the correct position of the screw holes. Stick the template onto the wall where the heater is to be installed. Drill the three screw holes marked on the template. Insert wall plugs into the drilled holes and fasten the heater to the wall firmly. Wall plugs and screw are supplied with the heater.


Get the required length of the three-wire power cable and a three-pin plug. Connect all three wires to the correct poles in the water heater and the plug. The standard red wire is for live point, blue wire for neutral and the green wire is for earth.


Strip 5mm of the insulation from both ends of the three-wire cable for connection to the connector in the heater and the plug.


Connect the hose from the water supply outlet to the heater. Just follow the instructions to connect the hose and shower rose. These items are included in the heater unit.


Plug in the three-pin plug to the socket, turn on the water supply source and switch on the power point. The water heater is ready for use.


The latest range of instant water heaters is equipped with a jet or booster pump to provide adequate water pressure for a nice shower. Some units come with separate switches for pressure pump and heater. So, the choice is yours.


I use the instant water heater with solar heater. I have the best of both worlds as I can turn off either the heater or pressure, depending on the situation. On a cold day, when the solar heater does not provide enough hot water, I turn on the instant water heater. At the start of a shower, I use the instant heater as the water flow from the solar water heater is still cold until the hot water from the storage tank reaches the shower head. After that, I switch off the instant water heater to continue my shower. This way, I save on my electricity bill.

Repairing cracks on the column and wall

“Oh no! The paintwork and plaster on the column is cracked and peeling off. This is so ugly!” exclaimed my wife.

Don’t be alarmed by such a thing. It is a small matter and can be fixed by DIY.

See the cracks on the Roman column base? Is this column going to topple?

Don’t worry, be happy. It is only a surface crack. “This type of crack normally appears at the joint between the building foundation and the column.” explained one building engineer. The blackened line is due to bacteria growth in the groove.

This is a small repair job but requires a few trips for the repair man. Why?

Trip 1 involves scraping off the plaster near the damaged area, removing the dirt and bacteria growth in the cracked groove, washing the area and letting it dry.

Trip 2 entails filling the affected area with new plaster or instant putty filler and leaving it to harden.

Trip 3 will be to repaint the restored surface.

You can do this DIY at your convenience.

Tools required are a drill, scrapper, washing brush and painting brush.

Materials needed are putty filler and weather-proof emulsion paint.

Cost of materials:-

Putty filler 1 liter, RM10.00

Weather-proof emulsion paint 1 liter, RM25.00

Scrapper – 2 pieces, RM7.00

Washing brush, RM4.50

Painting brush, RM3.50

Total time required is about 4 hours.

First, use a drill to remove the dirt and the bacteria in the crack. Drill the cracked line to at least 4mm width for easy filling of the putty filler. Wash and brush the drilled groove to remove dust and dirt. Let the groove dry well before filling in the putty filler to ensure optimal adhesiveness. Wait for a couple of days before repainting the patched area.

.

The whole job costs less than RM100. If you were to call a contractor, he would be very reluctant to undertake this small job as he couldn’t charge you “much”. His “not much” is around RM800.00 but to the owner, it may mean a big hole in the pocket!

So, it pays to be a DIY handy man at home. You would avoid the headache of workmen moving in and out of your house but most of all you save your money.

Cleaning your water filter and unclogging your kitchen tap.

The water pressure from the kitchen tap is very low. Look at the picture on the right. Is it due to the mains' low pressure or is the rocket filter clogged? What else can cause the low pressure?

No need to call a plumber. The plumber will charge you RM60.00 (USD18.00) just for the transport fees. Check the faucet outlet filter and the central filter unit. This can be done quite easily by DIY.

Cleaning the water filter, the stainless steel rocket type, is not as easy as claimed by the vendor. The instructions for the back flush cleaning are simple and easy. You just have to turn a few lever valves. This goes well for the first two years of usage. Subsequent years however, do not produce the same effective results.

If you are using the kitchen tap with an outlet filter, you will encounter problems with water pressure. Sand, pebbles and carbon particles are trapped in the tap outlet filter, thereby reducing the water pressure. To rectify this problem, you can either replace the tap or dismantle the filter and clean it. It is very difficult to clean this tiny filter (see picture on the right).

This proved that the rocket filter itself has a defect. The water filter is supposed to filter all unwanted materials, yet sand and carbon from the filtering element can reach the kitchen. This is caused by the defective filter element separators in the filter unit. To overcome this problem, I have to install an additional ceramic carbon filter in the kitchen for drinking and cooking.

The irony is that I have spent more than a thousand ringgit installing the rocket filter to get rid of the mud and other particles but I still get sand and carbon elements in the filtered water. I am still looking for an “ideal and practical” filter.. Is there any in the market? Or can anyone invent one?

The sand and pebble filter element is supposed to be the best organic filter. But now, there are filters with pulp and ceramic elements in the market. However, I would not try another filter until it is proven to be practical!