CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
The old wall safe where the fireplace used to be trick. Genius!
The Home Improvement Thread
- Thread starter texasislandboy
- Start date
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
I got the ethernet over power plugs and those things are sweet! They do not connect in my shop, which is what I was expecting since the shop has its own breaker box. However, my WiFi pool controller has been intermittent for months because it is becoming too old for the new WiFi systems. With the ethernet over power plugs, I can plug an ethernet cable into the pool controller and it looks like that is going to work more reliably. I will have to report back in a few days because my entire pool system is off right now due to the new deck coating being applied.
In other news, I discovered that the cable and phone lines are in fact ran to my shop in a separate buried conduit than the electricity lines, but there is no string left behind for additional wiring. I am back to thinking about snaking an ethernet line through this conduit and installing a router in the shop. Either I need to try to find a really long snake, or I will need to disconnect the phone line and attach an ethernet to it and pull it through that way.
Or, I do one of those wireless bridge systems like was mentioned earlier. I just got upgraded WiFi from Spectrum and I now have 400mbps and a WiFi 6 router in the house. It reaches out to my front gate (yay, now I can get a Ring doorbell to install there) but still not enough to penetrate the metal building though.
In other news, I discovered that the cable and phone lines are in fact ran to my shop in a separate buried conduit than the electricity lines, but there is no string left behind for additional wiring. I am back to thinking about snaking an ethernet line through this conduit and installing a router in the shop. Either I need to try to find a really long snake, or I will need to disconnect the phone line and attach an ethernet to it and pull it through that way.
Or, I do one of those wireless bridge systems like was mentioned earlier. I just got upgraded WiFi from Spectrum and I now have 400mbps and a WiFi 6 router in the house. It reaches out to my front gate (yay, now I can get a Ring doorbell to install there) but still not enough to penetrate the metal building though.
If you can go with physical cable - go physical cable. The speeds and throughput will be better.
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
Yeah you've got the LB and if you aren't using the phone line, I'd use that as a puller and pull through new CAT cable along with a string for any future expansion.
balakay
BabyMax
In-laws came and packed up the majority of what was left in the house today. My mom and sister are coming to finish up tomorrow. Planning on being able to get some stuff done myself tomorrow as well. Feeling much better today. The nerve pain is pretty much completely gone and now I'm just dealing with the muscle soreness from limping around the last few days. Movers will be here between 7:30 and 9:30 Friday morning to move everything we have ready. But we have until Tuesday to be out of the house so planning a trip to the dump and metal recycler on Saturday to get rid of all the junk we're not taking with us. At that point we should be done other than a shelving unit me and my dad have to move to his shop on Monday when we're both off work.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
A shame the EoP won't work for the shop, but at least it was a cheap test and good that you found another use for it. I assume the pool controller is outside, but will admit that I'm not very familiar with pool systems.
Not all WiFi 6 is created equal. Do you know the rating? For instance, I just purchased a Linksys AX5300 setup from Best Buy. Gotta say, I am beyond impressed with it. When I first set it up, it told me that my nodes were too close. Not that it was a problem, but that I could get better range by distancing them. So I did. My speed was cut in half with them at a distance, but even with that "cut in half speed" I'm still getting 7.5x better download speed and 5x better upload speed than what I was getting from the ATT router (which was/is an AC867).
Always. It is guaranteed faster and more secure.
Pretty much my thought exactly.
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
Speaking of pools, I'm going down the rabbit hole of what it takes to make a "plunge pool."
We've been getting quotes on adding a screened in porch, but working with contractors right now is a giant PITA. They never follow through and meet their own deadlines.
I don't want a full sized pool, but was thinking a plunge pool might add a really cool element. I'm like 99% sure I won't do it, but I'm sort of loosely looking into what it would take to get one setup properly.
The concept of a plunge pool is new to me. It's basically something you can sit in....like a giant in ground hot tub, except not heated....unless you want it to be. You can get super fancy and add jets so that you can do resistance swimming, etc. It's actually a really neat idea.
A basic one:
A more elaborate one:
We've been getting quotes on adding a screened in porch, but working with contractors right now is a giant PITA. They never follow through and meet their own deadlines.
I don't want a full sized pool, but was thinking a plunge pool might add a really cool element. I'm like 99% sure I won't do it, but I'm sort of loosely looking into what it would take to get one setup properly.
The concept of a plunge pool is new to me. It's basically something you can sit in....like a giant in ground hot tub, except not heated....unless you want it to be. You can get super fancy and add jets so that you can do resistance swimming, etc. It's actually a really neat idea.
A basic one:
A more elaborate one:
Wish I could but the little structure there (it was an add-on to the house) is so rotted out, I'd have to completely rebuild it. I actually thought about putting two 30 gallon water heaters inside it at one point (can't fit an upright 50 gallon). The cost of my rebuilding it, isn't worth it because of the amount of time it would take me plus the cost of materials. Like right now, there's nothing but the 12" duct holding the roof up. The little ceiling joists just fell down bc they were totally rotted out.
As someone who grew up taking care of, maintaining, and is still dealing with a pool, if you're going to get a pool put in, get the biggest one you can afford. A small pool will take as much of your time as a large one will. The only difference is an increase in cost for more pool chemicals with a larger pool.Speaking of pools, I'm going down the rabbit hole of what it takes to make a "plunge pool."
We've been getting quotes on adding a screened in porch, but working with contractors right now is a giant PITA. They never follow through and meet their own deadlines.
I don't want a full sized pool, but was thinking a plunge pool might add a really cool element. I'm like 99% sure I won't do it, but I'm sort of loosely looking into what it would take to get one setup properly.
The concept of a plunge pool is new to me. It's basically something you can sit in....like a giant in ground hot tub, except not heated....unless you want it to be. You can get super fancy and add jets so that you can do resistance swimming, etc. It's actually a really neat idea.
A basic one:
A more elaborate one:
Those little plunge pools are worthless bc kids can't really play around in them with their friends. You'd be better off buying a large above ground hot tub. Easier to maintain, install, etc...
But if for some reason you're deadset on getting an in-ground pool, pay the upfront cost to make it a salt water pool. You'll recoup the additional costs for salt water equipment in a year. It'll be easier to maintain, better for your skin and not as harsh on the pool walls.
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
Since you're doing all this work, and are on the water, an in-wall marine aquarium would be baller. I have absolutely missed having an aquarium. Get the right crabs and shrimp and there is minimal maintenance.
I've read that all of the cost with the plunge pool is less than a regular pool. I don't want a regular pool for a couple of reasons. One of them being the size of my back yard....well, I guess the shape moreso than the size. It is plenty long, but isn't very deep. I only have so much space from the back of the house to a steep drop off. Like I said, I'm like 99% sure I won't do anything with the idea. However, it would add a very nice touch to an otherwise boring back yard in a bougie neighborhood.
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Speaking of pools, I'm going down the rabbit hole of what it takes to make a "plunge pool."
We've been getting quotes on adding a screened in porch, but working with contractors right now is a giant PITA. They never follow through and meet their own deadlines.
I don't want a full sized pool, but was thinking a plunge pool might add a really cool element. I'm like 99% sure I won't do it, but I'm sort of loosely looking into what it would take to get one setup properly.
The concept of a plunge pool is new to me. It's basically something you can sit in....like a giant in ground hot tub, except not heated....unless you want it to be. You can get super fancy and add jets so that you can do resistance swimming, etc. It's actually a really neat idea.
A basic one:
A more elaborate one:
There are a couple of those around here. I "think" they are drop-in fiberglass ones. At least I know for sure one is, I think the other is as well. They seem to be nice. No idea on pricing.
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
Ah, gotcha
My pool controller is inside the laundry room and there is plenty of signal in that room, but I think the antenna on the device is too old and just flat out doesn't stay connected to the network. This EOP device saved me from dropping an ethernet line down the wall like I was thinking about doing.
I don't know what rating my router has. The modem and router were both provided by Spectrum.
---
Speaking of pools, some of you might remember the terrible concrete job I had done by a crappy contractor. Here's a photo as of this morning showing the first layer of texture that they sprayed down yesterday. I don't want to jump the gun but I think I'm going to be happy with this. The crew has already impressed me with the amount of time they spent taping off to prevent overspray, and they had to lower the water level in the pool and went ahead and shut off the pumps for me.
Notice the terrible workmanship around the diving board, skimmer, and the amount of overspray on the existing deck that I wasn't planning on getting retextured. Notice they also concreted over the mastic joint around the stone which is a huge no-no. I'm convinced they just lied to me when they said they have done pool decks before.
This is where we are at this morning. Still have a few days to go. Of course because of the way the other company poured the concrete around the diving board I won't have the nice joints, but they were able to level it out with the texture material. Ideally that entire section should have been cut out and a new slab poured, but that just wasn't in the budget. Having to make do with what I've got and hopefully it'll last at least 10 years without having to go back and address that section.
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I ask myself that every time I walk through the front door
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Looks good. The deck around our pool is coated with similar, I can't recall the name but it has held up well and its UV resistant, so when its hot as fuck you don't burn your feet.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
Yeah, this is a similar product to what was on the existing deck. I also like how it doesn't burn feet when people are by the pool in the summer