Techmerc’s Fix it Blog

Given the fact that I do system administration work for a hosted solutions provider, I thought it would be nice for a change of pace to post a computer related article. I seem to be tied up in all sorts of mechanical projects at the house, time for a change. So let’s kick this off with some things I figured out at my job, without giving away confidential data. One customer today was using hand held bar code scanners made by Symbol. Specifically they had 2 models, LS1902 and LS2208. They had no problem scanning barcodes and getting them to display in notepad on the local machines. The trouble came about from trying to get a proper read into their hosted terminal services system that we maintain. Their barcodes had the “&” symbol in them but it would just put the number 7 in their place. Further troubleshooting revealed that sometimes it would also shift the case of the letters in the barcode. We then realized that if the Terminal Services window was not in fullscreen mode that it would work properly. After some research and experimenting we found a work around for the issue. It had been working previously but broke several days ago coincidentally. The solution was as follows. Go to your options within the connection you are using on the local machine (options button on new connection, or right click and edit an existing connection icon). From there go to the local resources tab, then look at the keyboard section. There should be a field there about “Windows Key Combinations”, change the setting to “On the local computer”. It’s now time to test your barcodes. See Picture….

Local resource tab for Terminal services connection

This is using RDP Client V6 on Windows 2K3 terminal services, which is also the same combination we were troubleshooting. The down fall to this fix is that you will not be able to use Window’s shortcut keys within the Terminal Services connection. (Ex. Alt-Tab, Win-E, Win-D, Win-L, etc.) These combination will only work on the local terminal. The default behaviour is for it to act locally unless in full screen mode on the connection. Changing this setting now forces all those combination keys plus more to act locally at all times. Use cautiously.

Terminal Services for Microsoft Windows Server 2003: Advanced Technical Design Guide (Advanced Technical Design Guide series)

Microsoft Windows Server(TM) 2003 Terminal Services (Pro-One-Offs)

Windows(R) Server(TM) 2003/2000 Terminal Server Solutions: Implementing Windows Terminal Services and Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 (3rd Edition) … Addison-Wesley Microsoft Technology Series)

Tags: Computers, Networking, Windows by Technical Mercenary
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This may not be new to some of you blog surfers out there, but it is to me, so I decided to give it a shot. Now I’ve done quite a bit of video and web page perusing to figure out the basics on this one. Two electrodes in electrolyte doped water, add some current and you get a gas that goes boom when ignited. “Why is this so important?” you ask. Simple….because you can use it as a fuel for engines. That’s where I will take this. Tonight was just a “proof of concept” test run. Some left over bits of wire and copper tubing, a little lye in some tap water, with the power supply used for my ham station and viola. The container is a resealable plastic decanter from the local mega mart. Rumors abound on the internet about using Hydroxy gas (also called Brown’s Gas or HHO) made on demand in this manner as a fuel booster. Not only does it help replace some of the gasoline or diesel that your engine burns, but it assists in the burning of what your engine does use. This should have the overall effect of boosting your mileage. We shall see just how well it works. Now, one of the things that everyone talks about is having to fool your O2 sensor if you try to feed your car a significant percentage of this stuff since it makes the emissions cleaner. There’s bound to be something to it as this gas is used in industry for cutting and welding as well, so we know it burns and better yet, the byproduct is water. So follow along with me and we will see what it takes to make hydroxy for your vehicle.

Top view of my Test rig

Full side view of test rig running

The electrodes I used are copper tubing, but that won’t work for a production system, they were just to test. Within seconds of use the positive terminal developed a layer of corrosion and began to flake off. I’m going to use stainless steel for the final production. Suggestions are welcome if you’ve used this before.

Duracell DPP-600HD Powerpack 600 Jump Starter & Emergency Power Source with Radio

Fuel from Water: Energy Independence with Hydrogen, 11th Edition

Alternative Energy Demystified

Tags: Automotive by Technical Mercenary
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While I had the vinegar out to clean the vaporizer, I thought it might be time to clean my shower head. After all in this world of water saving shower heads, it’s hard to find one that feels like it delivers enough water to do anything. I found mine on sale and love it, despite the fact it is still a water saver. So let’s do some maintenance to ensure it sprays good for a while.

Concept here is the same as the vaporizer. Use a vinegar and water dilution, this time in a zip top bag (gallon size for mine), and soak the head for a while. A 50% dilution should work fine. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes and check it. If your vinegar has lost its punch, you will stop seeing bubbles from the deposits. My shower head didn’t have a lot of build up yet, just enough to annoy me, so it took less than 30 minutes. When done it came out clean, no need for anything crazy like power washing. Just rinse and re-attach. If you have bad build up, a stronger solution of vinegar or perhaps some lime busting cleaning supplies might be in order. While you have the shower head off check the threaded inlet and see if there is a filter screen. Mine had one that just took a twist or two to unthread. Go ahead and clean that by rinsing while you have the shower head off. Check to see if you have a rubber seal in the inlet, and it’s condition, and when you re-attach, use thread tape a needed. Simple….

Soak it

Rinse it and inspect it

Test it out

Thunderhead High Pressure Rain Shower Head - White - Large

Captain’s Quarters Gold Shower Head

Ridgid 31100 18-Inch Aluminum Pipe Wrench

Tags: Home Maintenance by Technical Mercenary
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So most of us have seen the vaporizer that you can load up with your favorite steam delivered medication. Usually consisting of Menthol, Camphor, Alcohol, etc., to help with your stuffiness and coughs during the flu season. Specifically the brand vaporizer and medicine we are using are from Vicks. Well my little one got the sniffles the other day and so we plugged in the vaporizer for him in his room. Only it didn’t work all that well. Instead of producing a nice cloud of steam, it barely produced any at all. So what to do? Well if you are reading this blog, I’ll give you one guess. Yup, I tore it apart.

Vaporizer Internals

Gee I wonder what the problem is. Hmmm, let’s think about it. Took this heating module apart with a T10 Torx driver, there were two accessible from the top. Noticed that first of all there is a big clump of minerals on one of the heating elements. Now looking closer you come to realize that each one of the elements is hooked up to a different wire on the electrical cord (aka one is hooked up to phase, or hot, and the other is on neutral, or not so hot). This means that since there is no connection between the two sides in concerns to heating, then it requires the presence of water to complete the electrical connection and generate heat. This is obviously for safety purposes so that power can be applied to it without the presence of water and it won’t create a fire hazard. Well with that big clump of minerals on there it obviously isn’t going to make a good electrical connection with the water for heat generation. So let’s clean them. Start by soaking the elements in vinegar. Vinegar is Acetic Acid and will help dissolve the calcium mineral build-up since it’s closer to a chemical “base”. Remember your high school chemistry, acids and bases neutralize each other. However after soaking about 30mins, I got impatient, and just blew the minerals off the element with an 1800PSI pressure washer using a turbo nozzle. That got most, so I soaked it a little longer, and blasted again. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. With a little scraping here and there I got it clean. The picture below shows a little on there, but I got that off too.

Heating elements after some cleaning

Vaporizer Heater re-assembled

Now put it all back together already, but make sure it’s dry. 120V AC applied to wet wires is not my idea of fun, and shouldn’t be yours either. Oh, and if I didn’t mention it, don’t work on things when they are plugged in. (Token Disclaimer) Mine works great now. The wife went ahead and bought a replacement one just in case, but turns out there was no need. Just means we have enough to cover two rooms now.

Vicks Nursery 1 Gallon Vaporizer with Night-Light

FAIP Powerwasher 1,800 PSI 1.6 GPM Electric Pressure Washer #PWS1800-U

Bondhus 12632 GorillaGrip« Set of 8 Star Fold-up Keys, sizes T6-T25

Tags: Home Maintenance by Technical Mercenary
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So what good is the previous parts washer without a brush to apply the cleaner with. Well I guess I could go buy one. But they are pretty simple, not easily found locally for myself, and probably pretty cheaply built given their simplicity. Sounds like this scenario is ripe for a DIY product. Let’s begin….

Brush and Tube Fitting before

So go to a tool store and pickup a cheap parts cleaning brush, as plain as you can find one. I picked up a pack of two for around $3 US. You’ll need a drill, epoxy, and something to feed the fluid with. In this case I chose a small piece of tubing with a coupler to allow the brush to be disconnected from the cleaner. This becomes pretty self explanatory with the pictures. Just drill a hole from some where on the brush so that you drill through the bristle attachment point. You will loose the bristle’s at that point, but if you drill it out, where exactly are they suppose to be attached? Shove the tube in the hole then epoxy liberally. If you notice in the picture, not only is the hole epoxied, but the metal band is as well to prevent the fluid from leaking out from the top, which it did on a dry run without the epoxy.

Brush with fitting ready for epoxy

Brush with fresh epoxy

As the epoxy cured I used a rubber band to hold the hose close to the brush for a more inline connection. Once cured, attach to the hose on the parts washer. I also loosely zip tied the hose to the end of the brush through the hole in the handle. This should help maintain control of the hose as I move the brush around. If I could do this differently, I would have tried to use a longer drill bit and just drilled out the center of the brush on a drill press, then made the hose connection on the end of the handle. This would have made a more professional looking product. However I don’t have a bit to do that, nor do I currently own a drill press.

Lisle 14000 Parts Cleaning Brush with Polypropylene Bristles

J-B Weld 8277 J-B Water Weld. 2 oz.

Northern Industrial Flow-Thru Brush and Hose for Parts Washers

Tags: Automotive, Tools by Technical Mercenary
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