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Timer

quitereal said:
I got thinking along the lines of sump pumps and float switches, How about this
HydroCheck Hi-Lo Pump Controller with Dual Float Switch (HC6000v2), Made in the USA https://a.co/d/3QhuLtO
100 bucks tho
Click to expand...
If it wasn't 100 bucks it would probably do the trick. The mat tops out at about 1/2 to 3/4 inch capacity for fill level. Not a lot but it is 180 square feet.
 
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van123d said:
Would an auto bilge pump work? Not sure how deep it would need to be
Click to expand...
It might but part of the problem is that the building isn't heated.
It warms up some from the heat of a recently driven vehicle, hence the drip mat, but is frozen solid today at -20 whilst it was +2 yesterday and I vacuumed the drip mat twice. I think the bilge pump would freeze up in short order but the vacuum has no pump to freeze.
 
Doggggboy said:
It's my car now and we don't use much for salt out here in Saskatchewan.
I mean they do put it down but it either blows away or turns 30 below in a few hours.
I've been parking my work van in a heated building for 12 years and driving it daily for 10 of those and it looks like brand new still. No rust.
Click to expand...

I was mostly having fun with @Hruul.

But salt or no salt, if your vehicle doesn't show rust for 12 years kept inside, then it would be rust free for 18 kept outside. But I was born in Saskatchewan so I totally get why you do it.
 
slow-poke said:
Hot tip of the day ...... how do you start a POS car that has been sitting in -40 for a few days or longer and no plug anywhere to plug in the block heater.

Get a metal tray, we used and upside down metal garbage can lid back in the day, put some charcoal in light it up and slip it under the oil pan. 20 minutes later the car will turn-over and start like it's the middle of July.

We did this on more than one occasion in Winnipeg and further North.

One of the cars in that video is a dead ringer one of our winter beaters, (the 67 Falcon). My buddies and I all had Hot Rods that never saw the snow, so we would buy winter beaters going price back then was $100+/- a bit. If you were really lucky someone would run into you because you would get more than you paid from Autopac and if it was still driveable they would sell it back to you for half the offer.

Favourite beater was a 69 Galaxy paid $125, that thing would blow warm air by the time you exited the parking lot even if it was 30 below and had been sitting in the cold for a couple of hours, best winter beater ever it lasted a good 5 very abusive years with zero problems until the tranny gave in. My buddy drove it home clear across Winnipeg in reverse because it happened at work. The looks at the traffic lights was priceless.

Works well for a frozen septic cap, they wanted to charge $350 to unfreeze it with heated steam, F that, 1/2 hour later the grass was burning around the perimeter of the lid with the $10 charcoal approach.
Click to expand...
With a lot of the newer cars having an abundance of plastic shields, hoses and fittings under them, including some with plastic oil pans, the next generation is going to be in trouble with this plan:D
 
Doggggboy said:
With a lot of the newer cars having an abundance of plastic shields, hoses and fittings under them, including some with plastic oil pans, the next generation is going to be in trouble with this plan:D
Click to expand...
That's for sure, but the new fuel injected cars would probably start anyway. Lubrication to the bearings during start up, well that's another story;-)

N.B. No cars were set ablaze (by me) using this method, however they were are all pre 70's POS beaters. This is bringing back a lot of memories. Ever play slap-shot with an empty 45 gallon drum and a 67 Bel-Air wagon, that was fun. Creative thrill seeking teenagers and winter beaters make for an interesting combination.
0FB6858B-CCD1-49F3-AE21-D9669BBD4B06.jpeg
 
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Doggggboy said:
I'm going to hold off on having to buy diapers for as long as possible :rolleyes:
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I've had to wear a diaper a few times in my life already. It totally sucks.

IMHO, wearing a diaper while crawling into bed with a hot wife is the most humiliating thing a man can ever have to do.
 
On the list of significant and important things a person can do in their life it has always struck me as odd that not shitting your pants was so close to the top of the list.
I mean, you could find the cure for cancer and world hunger but if you drop a deuce at the press conference, that is all you'll ever hear about.
 
Seems your needs are not met by an affordable store bought option. Just an idea to meet your needs have you thought about an Arduino and relay set. You can program the inputs and outputs to match your needs. Can get the Arduino Nano and 2 relay set for around 10bucks.

I did this with my pump out for our yard at our old house. As I had a shallow dry well to pump out I set the Arduino to take the float input then run the pump with an off timer delay to stop cavitation of the float.
 
djberta said:
Seems your needs are not met by an affordable store bought option. Just an idea to meet your needs have you thought about an Arduino and relay set. You can program the inputs and outputs to match your needs. Can get the Arduino Nano and 2 relay set for around 10bucks.

I did this with my pump out for our yard at our old house. As I had a shallow dry well to pump out I set the Arduino to take the float input then run the pump with an off timer delay to stop cavitation of the float.
Click to expand...
I don't think a pump will work as well as a vacuum in my application as the water depth will hopefully never be more than 1/2 inch.
The Arduino and relay would work with the vacuum but i think the timer should do the trick as well.
 
I live in Saskatchewan, too. In the winter I bring cars into the garage but only when they need work. 5 vehicles including my kid's cars.
To help deal with melting snow from the vehicle I turn "on" an overhead fan and let it run. The first model is the identical fan I installed:

Industrial Ceiling Fans - Lighting & Ceiling Fans - Homedepot.ca

Shop Industrial Ceiling Fans from our Lighting & Ceiling Fans Department at The Home Depot Canada.
www.homedepot.ca www.homedepot.ca

Even on a medium speed it really moves the air and helps dry up the floor.

In the summer, when it gets really hot and I am working in the garage, it does an equally good job of keeping the room a little more pleasant to work in.
 
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slow-poke said:
Hot tip of the day ...... how do you start a POS car that has been sitting in -40 for a few days or longer and no plug anywhere to plug in the block heater.

Get a metal tray, we used and upside down metal garbage can lid back in the day, put some charcoal in light it up and slip it under the oil pan. 20 minutes later the car will turn-over and start like it's the middle of July.

We did this on more than one occasion in Winnipeg and further North.

One of the cars in that video is a dead ringer one of our winter beaters, (the 67 Falcon). My buddies and I all had Hot Rods that never saw the snow, so we would buy winter beaters going price back then was $100+/- a bit. If you were really lucky someone would run into you because you would get more than you paid from Autopac and if it was still driveable they would sell it back to you for half the offer.

Favourite beater was a 69 Galaxy paid $125, that thing would blow warm air by the time you exited the parking lot even if it was 30 below and had been sitting in the cold for a couple of hours, best winter beater ever it lasted a good 5 very abusive years with zero problems until the tranny gave in. My buddy drove it home clear across Winnipeg in reverse because it happened at work. The looks at the traffic lights was priceless.

Works well for a frozen septic cap, they wanted to charge $350 to unfreeze it with heated steam, F that, 1/2 hour later the grass was burning around the perimeter of the lid with the $10 charcoal approach.
Click to expand...

Hot tip option #2 - 0W30 full synthetic and a healthy battery.
 
I use a smart plug for my Xmas lights. You need wifi to set the schedule, but after that I don’t know.. I don’t pay for a subscription and they still work with my iPad turned off so maybe the schedule is stored internally.
 
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