Allan Block The Allan Block system incorporates lightweight blocks that are filled with gravel. They are ideal for homeowner projects. They also have a full line of different blocks and systems. The blocks are manufactured by independent distributors to rigid specifications.
Anchor Wall Systems
Keystone Retaining Wall Systems The Keystone system incorporates a more solid block that uses fiberglass pins to interlock the blocks. You can adjust the batter or setback of the wall system by inserting the fiberglass pins into different holes.
Loffelstein This is the original segmental wall from Europe. It is widely available throughout the USA.
RisiStone Retaining Wall Systems This is a Canadian product. These blocks interlock using a cast tongue and groove configuration.
Versa-Lok The Versa-Lok system uses nearly solid block and fiberglass pins.
Before you even begin to build or design your retaining wall you need to get a handle on the site, soil conditions, water drainage patterns and final grading. These elements play a critical role in the actual design of the wall system. Make a drawing or sketch of what you have and take it with you to the local company that sells your block system. Numerous 'before' photos of your yard would be of great value as well. Take them from multiple angles so that you can communicate just how your yard looks.
Design
Now is the time to plan exactly where your wall(s) will go. This will allow you to determine the height and the wall's batter as well. Quite possibly you will need to develop terraces to make your plan work.
Most of the manufacturers have great design guides. However, I found Allan Block's to be one of the best. It is available on their web site for free downloading in a PDF file. Most of the other manufacturers also have some type of design guide on their site. Perhaps you will find that the diagrams of one are easier for you to understand. All of the guides offer fine color diagrams and cross sections.
Construction
Segmental retaining walls begin at the lowest part of your lot. A trench is required in order to install the gravel base to a sufficient depth. The gravel also is the leveling medium. You install and compact the gravel in a level fashion so that the wall will be level side to side. If the courses of the wall begin to bury themselves into a rising slope, that is no problem. You simply begin a new trench as soon as the first row disappears below grade.
As each course of the wall is installed, you install the gravel backfill and compacted earth. An old mason taught me how to keep the gravel and dirt separated. Simply use a piece of plywood that acts as a form. Position gravel on one side and dirt on the other. After you install the materials level with the top of the block course, lift the plywood up. Compact the materials and start with your next course.
DEAR TIM: I built a new home about two years ago. I have the electrical pole next to my barn, not next to the house. The pole has a transformer, meter and a 200 amp service. I had the contractor dig a trench (200 ft) from this pole to the house. This is how the electrical service comes to the house. Each time the air conditioning unit comes on, I notice a slight dip in the lights within the house. The electric company that supplies power says its because the pole is not adjacent to the house. I do not believe this, can you shed any ideas as to why my lights dip when the air conditioning unit kicks in. Thanks.
Ron Elliott
DEAR RON: Air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, furnaces, etc. that have large motors require enormous amounts of power when the motor first starts to spin up to speed. I am talking huge amounts of energy. Once the motor is spinning, the energy requirement drops way down.
This instantaneous need for motor shaft speed is what causes that momentary dimming of your lights. AC units come equipped with start-up capacitors. These give the motor an electric boost when it first starts up. But over time, these capacitors can get weak and become ineffective. Eventually the power draw can become so enormous, the actual circuit breakers protecting the wiring to the units can pop from the current.
Your air conditioning system may also be overcharged with too much refrigerant. When this happens it puts lots of stress on the compressor and in turn the motor when it tries to get the compressor engine moving.
Relocating the pole would do little to solve the problem. I would ask your AC service man to look to see if your AC unit is overcharged or if it needs new start-up capacitors.
Tim
I received this email on 12/05/05:
DEAR TIM: The answers to this problem can also be that the conductors pulled in by the homeowner are too small to prevent the voltage drop being created over 200 feet. The problem could also be with additional homes having been added to the high voltage lines. That will also cause the dips. If surges get serious enough it can affect modern day electronics.
Whole house surge protectors that connect to your electric panel are generally tougher to find. The two primary sources are your local utility company and supply houses that sell electrical equipment / supplies to electricians.
I located one manufacturer of these important surge protection devices. They are Panamax. They make a very compact - yet effective - surge protector. They have two versions of the same protector. One has the wire leads that come out the back of the unit and the other has side outlet connection capabilities.
The two devices offer UL 1449 clamping voltages of 500 volts. The total joules available are 1,920. The units have an audible alarm and warning lights. They also offer a $10,000 connected equipment warranty AND a generous labor allowance in the event of catastrophic failure. I have connected one of these units on my electric panel.
Wait till you study the table below! You already know that if you want protection, you need joules. There is a wide variance in the amount of joules for each surge suppressor. The all important clamping voltage is fairly consistent in many of the models, but the joule rating is all over the map.
Sears has everyone beat hands down. They have an affordable suppressor that has all the bells and whistles AND offers a 2,500 joule rating! It is also affordable with a retail price of $59.99. These suppressors offer the highest protection of all the ones I could readily find. If you can't get a Sears suppressor, the Belkin top-of-the-line model will give you great protection as well.
Recently, I attended the 1998 National Hardware Show in Chicago, Illinois. I saw numerous surge suppressor vendors displaying product. Most of the suppressors were low powered units. I was shocked to see some of these inadequate units being marketed as OK for computers and such. They simply had way too few joules to do any good. I have listed below just some suppressor manufacturers / sellers (Sears).
You may find a great surge suppressor on a store shelf that I have not listed. You are looking for four things as far as I am concerned: A joule rating near or in excess of 2,000, a UL 1449 clamping voltage of 330 or less, an audible and visible alarm if the suppressor has been exhausted, and a generous, enforceable connected equipment warranty.
You should also read the fine print on many of the packages. Some manufacturers will replace their units if they fail in the field. All you need to do is make a simple phone call. You may need to keep some paperwork. If you are organized, this should be an easy task. Pay attention to the length of the surge suppressor power cord. Some come with a generous length such as 6 or more feet. This can come in very handy. Look for surge suppressors that protect your phone equipment and cable TV equipment as well. Call the following manufacturers and get some literature right now!
American Power Conversion (APC) 877-272-2722
Belkin 800-223-5546
Pacific Electricord 310-532-6600
Panamax (Whole House Surge Protector) 800-472-5555
Computers, printers, fax machines, stereos, calculators, copying machines, you name it - if it has an electric cord, it very likely has one or more computer chips that control some function. Chips are everywhere and they are multiplying like rabbits. They make our lives less complicated but when a chip burns up because of a voltage surge, our lives can become miserable about as fast as the surge roared down the power line.
Small Spaces
One reason electric surges are becoming more of a problem is because computer chips are becoming more efficient. In other words, the distance between the electrical pathways on the chips is shrinking. This means that it takes less electricity to arc across the borders between the pathways.
Surges are also becoming a problem because of the deregulation of the electric industry. Electric utility companies are now having to deal with electric coming from many different sources. This wasn't such a problem years ago when just your electric company generated power. If they needed more juice, they would simply make the buy and prepare for the delivery. I believe it is much more complicated today with the net result being an increased possibility of electrical surges sneaking into your local electric distribution network.
Lightning strikes near your house or in your neighborhood can cause all sorts of problems. The huge voltage surge can travel down electric lines, telephone and cable TV lines. This rush of current is hunting for a place to go. It wants to go to the ground, but if it can't get there quickly enough, it will search out and destroy things in its path until it does find adequate pathways to the ground.
You can stop much of this damaging current with protection at your electric panel. This protection may include a surge protector, sacrificial lightning arrestors, oversized grounding wires and ground rods to dissipate the massive quantities of electricity. Think about it - imagine trying to drain a swimming pool through a drinking straw. That is not a good fit. Standard sized ground wires work fine for regular dead fault short circuits. They are no match for the massive amounts of amperage / voltage contained in a lightning strike. Never, ever underestimate the power of Mother Nature.
Plenty of Protection
If you want solid protection for your household electronic equipment, I feel you need to install two levels of protection. A whole house surge suppressor will absorb many - if not all - surges that originate outside your home. The point-of-use surge protectors that connect behind your computer and stereo will do that as well. They will also capture larger surges the might originate inside your home.
The surge suppressors you buy must have the highest joule rating possible. These ratings represent how many metal oxide varistors (MOVs) are inside the suppressor. The MOVs are sacrificial. Each surge no matter how large or small eats away at the MOVs. Eventually, the MOVs inside the suppressor will be destroyed. You want as much protection for as long a period as possible.
Super Safety
I have always been a Doubting Thomas. I have used surge protection equipment for years, but in the event of electrical storms, I always unplug my protector from the wall outlets. This automatically isolates all of my computer equipment from any possibility of damage.
I suggest you think about doing this as well, especially if you plan on leaving your house for vacation or some other reason. It seems to me that this plan offers the highest level of protection. I know what lightning can do as my house suffered a strike or near strike 10 years ago. We came home and all of the smoke detectors were blaring, the garage door openers were fried, the VCR was toasted, 5 circuit breakers were ruined, and all of the GFCI outlets were burned up as well.
Connected Warranties
Virtually every surge suppressor sold today comes with a connected equipment warranty. This is good coverage, but be sure you know what is covered and how you can make a valid claim. I urge you to create a file folder that you keep all product packaging, receipts, instructions, etc. You may need these things to make a claim.
Also keep in mind what the warranties don't cover. Think how many hours you might have invested in electronic files on your computer. You need backup data storage for this, not a warranty! Don't forget, tapes in computer tape backup drives can be fried if they are left inside your computer!
The door chime market is controlled by two major players. I'm quite sure that years ago there were many manufacturers. The two companies today both make excellent products. You can find them in virtually every home center or lighting showroom.
The variety of designs and styles is overwhelming. You can buy the simple, traditional rectangular plastic box two note chime or you can upgrade to elegant art deco wall sconce fixtures. Chimes that contain wall clocks, ones that look like planters, etc. are all available.
Even the door chime buttons are impressive. Broan and Nutone each make over 25 different buttons. Many are solid brass and will go with any style house.
If you are a purist and want an old fashioned doorbell or buzzer, you can get those too! The bells are very cool, as they have the bell clapper on the outside of the bell. When you activate the button, you actually see the clapper going back and forth. It takes you back 50 years or more. The buzzers are wonderful too. If you want to install one inside the house to aggravate your husband in his workshop to tell him dinner is ready, it is an easy chore!
Is someone in your family hearing impaired? If so, you can get a door chime that sounds a tone and has a strobe light. When the button is pushed, a strobe light pulses on and off for 10 seconds. Call the manufacturers below and ask for brochures. You will be amazed at how stylish the chimes are!
Both Broan and Nutone above make wireless door chimes. These have a radio transmitter and their own chime. However, another company has a wireless system that uses your existing chime button and chime in addition to adding a slave chime somewhere else in your house.
The slave chime plugs into any electrical outlet. It receives a radio signal from the small transmitter that is installed with your existing chime. I suggest that you call this company and get additional information. Two of my readers contacted me after my column appeared in the paper. Both readers have the system and love it. They said it was affordable and very simple to install. Thanks to Gretchen G. and Robert W. for helping!
Kathy, my wife, just doesn't like doorbells, door chimes and especially the buttons. As a result, we have beautiful solid brass door knockers on our front and side entrances. When those bad boys are "activated," they can be heard down the street!
Last week, we missed a UPS delivery because we don't have a doorbell or button adjacent to the door that leads from the house into the garage. I had coated the front and side porches with a wood sealant and the UPS driver had no other choice but to use the garage entrance. He is not the only person to use this back entry. Often people mistake our garage door opener buttons for door chimes. To make a long story short, I'm installing a lighted button at the garage door that will operate an old fashioned doorbell. The Carter house is climbing out of the dark ages!
Simple Devices
Door chimes are very simple electrical devices. They operate on low voltage (commonly 16 volts) and the electrical current is direct current (DC). Regular household high voltage wiring is alternating current (AC).
Direct current devices obtain their power from transformers that push electrons out from one terminal screw and pull them back into the transformer at the other terminal screw. In other words, a DC transformer is nothing more than a small electrical pump - it pumps out electrons instead of water. When you install a simple switch and a doorbell between the two terminals, you create a loop. The electricity flows out of the transformer past the switch, into the bell and then back to the transformer. As the electrons pass through the bell, they "tickle" it and make it vibrate or ring. More sophisticated door chimes do the traditional "Ding - Dong" or play a four or eight note tune.
The Loop
To solve pesky door chime wiring problems, you need to always keep in mind the loop wiring diagram in your head. If you understand how the electrons are supposed to flow, you can almost always quickly identify where a problem exists in your doorbell/door chime wiring loop.
If you don't own a simple volt meter, I suggest you go to Radio Shack and buy a medium priced digital or old fashioned VU meter volt meter. This is absolutely necessary if you want to locate a doorbell problem.
Check Connections
If your current doorbell/door chime doesn't work, the problem will very likely be a loose connection, a broken doorbell/chime, or a burned up transformer. I always like to check the transformer first to see if it is generating power. This is where you need the voltmeter. If you touch the two leads of the voltmeter to the two screws on the transformer, you should see the voltmeter register power. If it doesn't the transformer is bad and/or the high voltage power feeding the transformer is off. If you have 16 volts or near that let's move on.
The door buttons are the second place to look for trouble. I always remove the cover and detach the wires from the button. If you touch the two ends of the bare doorbell wires together it very possibly will activate the doorbell/door chime. If you see a brief spark and no noise from the chime, it usually means that there is a problem at the bell/chime. Don't continue to touch the wires together as you can burn up the transformer!
To test to see if the door chime is the problem, I suggest you purchase the least expensive doorbell or buzzer. Go to the current door chime location and hook up the buzzer or bell to the existing wiring. If you hook up the wire from your existing chime that is attached to the screw that says "Trans" and then you attach the other wire to the buzzer that is connected to the screw that says "Front", you should hear a BUZZZZ when you push the front door button. This assumes that you have power at the transformer and the button works.
Old Wiring
If you have an old house - say 50 years or older - there is a possibility that the low voltage doorbell wire has older cloth insulation. This insulation can deteriorate and cause shorts to develop. If you check out the transformer, button, and bell/chime and all seem to work, you could have bad wire.
Transformers
The transformer for your door chime system should be adjacent to your electric panel. In fact, they are allowed to be connect directly to the side of the panel through a regular 1/2 inch knockout.
Transformers are affected by heat. Never install them in an attic or other area where they will be subjected to high temperatures. If you are installing a new chime, ALWAYS install a new properly sized transformer. They are inexpensive!
Column B209
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