Candy Range Hood LED Ugrade!

Bamboo House is a very strange place.  There were all kinds of inexplicable problems when we moved in, especially with respect to the appliances in the kitchen.  

For example the Range Hood, which is a high-quality brand (CANDY), had been installed, but the user manual had never been taken out of the assembly!  Who knows how many years of service the fan underwent with a massive air blockage, but it was significant.  The manual(s) were wrapped in plastic, which was covered in stale cooking oil.  Once we removed the plastic covers, the manuals were in perfect condition.  WEIRD.

The other thing that seemed strange was the light.  It was yellow and very weak.  I mean *really* weak.  So, once I had figured out how to open and service the filters (which had never, ever been cleaned and which required a steel brush and turpentine to get even close to clean), the next step was to understand why the light was so dim.

As it turned out,. the light was dim because there was an ancient light bulb in there, and the frosted glass cover was coated with old, stale cooking oil!  Once again, I had to break out the steel brush and turpentine, as well as steel wool!

Even stranger, the CANDY Range Hood was configured to take TWO light bulbs, even though it only had one installed.  So I ordered a couple of replacement LED bulbs (9W) and this video shows what happens when you put pair of high-intensity white bulbs in where a single low-intensity yellow filament bulb had been before...

Kitchen Cabinet Hinge Rescue - Part 1 to Part 5

In this video series, I take on the somewhat common task of fixing a hinge that has worked loose from its cupboard mounting.  This happens over time, and (like most people) it gets ignored until the door is so loose that it cannot be closed, or closed easily.  By that point, the hinge mount is so damaged that simply putting in a new screw isn't feasible and the mounting point needs to be "built back up" to the point where the original screw (or a close copy thereof) can then be used to re-attach the hinge mount.  This typically involves reaming out the hole to round (if not already round) and then the insertion of enough supplemental material to give the old (or replacement) screw sufficient purchase.  This video series covers this process in fine detail, so anyone can reproduce my results.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

WINO the UNCOOL Wine Cooler (Part 1 to 6)

Some people leaving Hong Kong asked if anyone was interested in "rescuing" a broken wine cooler - how could I resist? WINO is an 18-bottle capacity Vinvautz wine cooler manufactured (of course) in China to the most widely applicable specifications possible. It's actually not a "Vinvautz". The unit is apparently a white label wine cooler that carries a number of badges (given they all share the same controller board). This includes Emerson, Midea and some other mid-tier brands that tend to purchase appliances that have reached commodity status.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Fixing WINO - The UNCOOL Wine Cooler!

The Story Of The Wine Cooler That Didn't Cool

Failing capacitors are often at the heart of power supply failure, so that should be the first components to look at when a device stops working properly.  In my case, the failing device was WINO - a Vinvautz 18 Bottle Wine Cooler.  It apparently stopped working one day, and the original owners just didn't have the time or opportunity to go about fixing it.

When I picked WINO up, it was already disassembled.  The power/logic board had already been removed.



The replacement filtering capacitors weren't expensive at RMB1.50 each, so I got ones that were rated for the same heat environment (CD288H  @ 105C) and a higher voltage (400v).  In total, five replacement capacitors cost about USD1.00.

The capacitor replacement, while probably a good idea, didn't solve the problem, so I needed to go downstream from there.

Looking at the board

This particular one looked like it had been serviced somehow:

The next component to take a look at is the STPS2045CTC, which is a pair of Shottky diodes in a TO-220 style transistor package

Dual center tap Schottky rectifier suited for SwitchMode Power Supply and high frequency to DC converters. Packaged either in TO-220AB, I²PAK, or D2PAK, this device is especially intended for use in low voltage, high frequency inverters, free wheeling and polarity protection applications.

Looking on the other side of the board, I discovered that it was a Schottky diode pair (STPS2045CTC) in a TO-200 transistor package. 

Converting from AC to DC is simple when using a Schottky diode STPS2045CT rectifier from STMicroelectronics. Its peak non-repetitive surge current is 180 A, while its maximum continuous forward current is 20 A. It is made in a dual common cathode configuration. This rectifier has an operating temperature range of -65 °C to 175 °C.

Here's what a common cathode configuration looks like, electronically speaking:

UPDATE:

After replacing the STPS2045CTC with a replacement unit, the problem persisted.  If the machine has been turned off for a long time, you get a buzzing sound and the LED lights flicker.  Turn the machine off and then back on again, and you get nothing - dead machine - unless you wait a while.

Strangely, the machine boots when the high-current connector to the cooling system is unplugged, indicating a problem of some kind with that system along - by that I mean that the interface boots and the fans activate.  



Even stranger than that, if you turn the machine on with the pelletier circuit disconnected, then connect it after the machine is up and running, the machine works fine!

- Replace Power/Logic Board = RMB150 / USD20.00

- Introduce 12v Timer Delay Board = RMB16 / USD2.00

Which is cheaper and more fun?  Why the 12v Delay Timer Board of course!

ENTER The 12v Delay Timer Board

Another way to get WINO working is to simply work around its power supply problem with a timer delay board that defers the activation of the pelletier cooling circuit until all of the other systems are in place.

(similar to stereo delay timers)

Here's the board I decided to use:

Here's how you wire it in:

REFERENCES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBhVS7GhCOM

Bamboo House - Retrofitting a Dishwasher (Part 1 to 7 + Follow Up)

Putting A Dishwasher Where There Was None Before

Bamboo House came with a major omission - no dishwasher!  Horrors!

There are a few things in a marriage that are non-negotiable.  Not having a dishwasher is one of ours.  Mrs. Maker places very few non-negotiable demands on me, and washing dishes is one of them.  

So, when we relocated to Bamboo House, I had to figure out a way to put in a dishwasher where there was none before.  In fact, the kitchen of Bamboo House was really deficient for anyone but a confirmed bachelor surviving on a diet of all-day-breakfast, sandwiches, coffee, canned food, pizza and Kraft Dinner...and now you know the extent of my diet before I met Mrs. Maker!

The only logical place to put a dishwasher was where a half-fridge alcove had been constructed into the galley-style kitchen of Bamboo House.  Not ideal, but really the only place where such an appliance could even conceivably be positioned.

Three small problems:  (1) A non-standard niche; (2) No water supply; and (3) No drain!

Once we managed to find an unusually narrow dishwasher that fit the niche reasonably well (with 1cm to spare on both sides) I still needed to launch a fairly serious retrofit project to put in the utilities necessary to make the dishwasher more than a glorified dish storage cupboard.

This series of videos documents the entire process I followed, including a set of false leads that forced me to backtrack, pause, ponder, regroup and re-attack the original problem(s) I thought I had solved (but actually failed to solve) along different lines.

Here's the entire series, with no steps skipped.

It took a few tries to get everything just right, so you may want to watch all of the videos in the series before attempting to duplicate my results.

Part 1

Part 2 In this segment of the dishwasher retrofit story, I get into the actual plumbing of this 45-year-old house.  Working with older, brittle plumbing turned out to be non-trivial, and there was a nasty surprise in store for me..

Part 3 In this segment, I recover the plumbing from having shattered, leaving next to nothing behind to work with and jeopardizing the entire project. Happily, after a lot of HACKERY, I was able to put the project in a position where it had a chance of successful completion - but not a sure thing by any stretch...

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Follow Up

Help a Maker Out?

Did you see anything in this video you want for yourself?  If the answer is yes, consider using one of the link(s) below to buy it directly from amazon.com.  When you do, I get a small commission that keeps me going!

Bill of Materials

GLOVEWORKS HD Industrial Black Nitrile Gloves - 6 mil, Latex Free, Powder Free, Diamond Texture, Disposable, Large, GWBN46100-BX, Box of 100
https://amzn.to/35fifrv

Dry Wet Sandpaper by Heylure, 45PCS 9 x 3.6" Silicon Carbide, 120 to 5000 Grit Sandpaper Sheets Assortment, for Metal Sanding, Automotive Polishing, Wood Furniture, Wood Turning Finishing
https://amzn.to/36AhUj5

Utopia Towels 12 Pack Dish Towels, 15 x 25 Inches Ultra Soft Cotton Dish Cloths, Blue
https://amzn.to/34rdwC1

Best Value 24-Piece Master Combination Wrench Set with Roll-up Storage Pouch | SAE 1/4” to 1”
https://amzn.to/2GyIU87

WORKPRO 4-piece Adjustable Wrench Set, Forged, Heat Treated, Chrome-plated (6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch)
https://amzn.to/31765zV

Channellock 440 Tongue and Groove Pliers | 12-Inch Straight Jaw Groove Joint Plier with Comfort Grips | 2.25-Inch Jaw Capacity | Laser Heat-Treated 90° Teeth| Forged High Carbon Steel | Made in USA
https://amzn.to/2RBw7YQ

DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Drill Combo Kit, 2-Tool (DCK240C2)
https://amzn.to/2vGXk3Y

Hole Saw Kit, JELLAS 19Pcs Upgraded Hole Drill Cutter Set in Hard Box, 2 Mandrels, 1 Installation Plate, 1 Hex Key, Durable and Cut Precise Holes for Soft Wood, Drywall, PVC Board and Plastic
https://amzn.to/33ciC5Z

Komelon SM5425 Speed Mark Gripper Acrylic Coated Steel Blade Measuring Tape, 1-Inch X 25Ft , White

https://amzn.to/35N4ZLe

Le Corbusier LC3 - New Feet!

Le Corbusier LC3 - New Feet!
========================

We have had a Chinese version of the Le Corbusier LC3 for some time now, but the feet on the bottom have perished and the tube steel was cutting through, risking damage to the floor.

After some searching online, we found replacement feet that fit the tubes of the legs perfectly, so we could remove the temporary protectors I had fashioned from kraft paper.

We couldn't be happier!

Help a Maker Out?
==============
Did you see anything in this video you want for yourself? If the answer is yes, consider using one of the link(s) below to buy it directly from amazon.com. When you do, I get a small commission that keeps me going!

Bill of Materials
===========
Prescott Plastics 1 Inch Round Plastic Plug, Pipe Tubing End Cap, Durable Chair Glide (20)
https://amzn.to/2wVLVhh

A VERY TRICKY Laundry Alcove Door Push Latch Fix!

Mrs. Maker pointed out a defect in our house today. This is NO GOOD. As it turns out, when the contractors put in the laundry alcove, they messed up the door latch install! First, the latch is in the WRONG PLACE, which I will fix another day because I have a few other projects to finalize before I can optimize this one (EZ-RIDER, LIME, CRAZY, etc...). Second, the latch was initially MOUNTED INCORRECTLY, which I thought I had taken care of in a pre-YouTube fix, but apparently that fix, while good, wasn't good enough! Third, the latch is BROKEN NOW, and the little magnet that helps to keep the door shut (by magnetically sticking to a steel striking plate mounted on the door) has fallen out. This situation is annoying Mrs. Maker to no end, and she knows how Mr. Maker works. All she had to do was ask me to operate the door and see how it WASN'T RIGHT...and I was irresistibly drawn in. Oh, how well she knows me! There was NO WAY that I would leave that situation to linger in the knowledge that: A) It was bugging her B) I had previously "fixed" it, but apparently not well enough for the fix to prove permanent, which reflects poorly on my self-held MAKER skill level C) I now have an audience that I can show how to fix this class of problem. So I went to work - and learned a couple of things. Hope you enjoy it! (P.S.: Mrs. Maker is happy again...for now....) **HELP A MAKER OUT** If you feel like buying any of the items mentioned in this video, please do so using one of the links listed below. I get a small commission that helps me to produce more videos like this one: BILL OF MATERIALS: ================= Contact Cement https://amzn.to/2MmfehY Pick / Beading Awl (better quality) https://amzn.to/2ZjDwOL Magnetic Door Latch (better quality) https://amzn.to/2PJckWt Scotch Tape (better quality) https://amzn.to/2EKhgUE Tape Measure https://amzn.to/35N4ZLe

Cutting Board Refurb & Upgrade (part 2)

Mrs. Maker pointed out to me that she HATES mold, and that the cutting board that I had DE-MOLDED for her still bore the scars of having once had mold, which disgusted her. Obviously, the mottled appearance of the cutting board was really bothering her, so I took it upon myself to make the "mold scars" go away - and also take the opportunity to upgrade the cutting board a little bit while I was at it! First, I identified where the cutting board needed to be refurbished, which was mostly on the sides, where the open grain of the bamboo was being exposed. This is (understandably) where water can most easily penetrate into the bamboo - after all, it's where the plant moves water around within itself when it is alive! It's basically a bunch of straws! But now that the bamboo is no longer a plant and now a cutting board in Mrs. Maker's kitchen, water entering the bamboo open grain ends is NO GOOD. So, I whipped out some 100 GRIT and 220 GRIT sandpaper and sanded away any and all signs of mold. Mold, mold go away! Don't come back another day! Bamboo is a very soft material, so the sanding didn't take very long at all. Once the sanded surfaces were nice and clean by wiping them with a slightly damp rag, I took out some 3M sticky feet that I had purchased and stuck one to each of the corners of the bottom of the cutting board, about 1/4 inch from the corner edges. My theory here is that the air gap produced by the feet will help to dry the cutting board much faster, therefore reducing the conditions in which mold might be able to grow. Time will tell on that one. I'll keep you posted. Finally, I sealed the cutting board surface with CASTOR OIL, which I am using more and more these days when I want to use a non-petroleum based oil, like with a cutting board where food will definitely come into contact with it. All in all, this was a fun little project. It wasn't that complicated or challenging, but it did come with a unique reward - Mrs. Maker is right pleased with the result, which is all Mr. Maker could ever hope for!

#MMTM #HouseholdChanel

Yuk! How To Eliminate Cutting Board MOLD! (Part 1)

We are heading into the mold season here in Hong Kong, the winter months when it's always damp and a bit cold. Because everyone turns off their air conditioners, the relative humidity in homes drifts up from 50% to levels well past 80%...and the mold starts to proliferate like crazy! Even with sophisticated air quality management in place (like ours) some spots just stay damp no matter how hard you try. Like the kitchen sink. The other day, Mrs. Maker noted to me that one of her favorite cutting boards was now moldy because I have the habit of leaving it in the sink to drip dry after washing it. Well, we have some things to fix now: (1) Eliminate the mold on the cutting board; (2) Refurbish the cutting board so it bears no signs whatsoever that the mold was ever there; and (3) Put a cutting board drying solution in place so it doesn't get moldy again! This video covers point #1, how to Eliminate the mold on the cutting board. HELP A MAKER OUT: If you want to try out this solution, or buy any of the products mentioned in the video, consider doing so by clicking on one or more of the links listed below. If you buy, I get a small commission, which helps me to continue making these videos! Products Used in this video: ======================= Bamboo Cutting Board - https://amzn.to/38EdSbH Bleach - https://amzn.to/38JRdeg Dish Towels - https://amzn.to/2YRkbEf GLAD Cling Wrap - https://amzn.to/2Ei5ReL Sriracha - https://amzn.to/2M0lYlc

#MMTM #HouseholdChannel