The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[wpeg]

can dampshield be used as a plaster primer on gypsum (rhinolite)?

 

[chickenbeef]

The other day I was at ACDC and saw that they had PIR sensors on special for R180 each, and bought and installed one to control the light in my garage. The issue with our garage is that the light switch is near the front of the garage and the interleading door is towards the back, so navigating the dark garage to find the switch was not kind on the shins whenever there was washing to be done.

I installed it a few weekends ago and have not looked back. They are manufactured to fit into a recess that a downlight will normally go, but I just fashioned up a bracket to attach it to the truss:

So much better just walking in and having the light turn on by itself and off again after two minutes of the room being vacant. I also replaced the old fluorescent fitting with a modern LED one that is much brighter at half the electricity consumption. A win win situation! Definitely a good investment and one I would recommend to anyone in a similar situation.

Nice, is the 2 minute timer configurable?

 

[PhireSide]

Nice, is the 2 minute timer configurable?

It is.

There are no graduation marks on the setting screw, but the manual states from 15 seconds up until 10 minutes.

There is also a lux setting so that it won't activate when the garage door is open and there is enough light in the garage for it to be of no use. It took about 15 minutes to get the settings right but has been flawless since.

The only thing that I am not sure about is whether or not you can override the sensor in any way. Older motion sensor lights used to have a mode where you flick the light switch off and on, off and on to force the light to remain on until you cycle it off and on again. I haven't tested it out yet but should do it soon.

Last week I spent an hour organising my shelves and it only left me in the dark once when I was in one of the corners busy fixing a hinge on a cupboard door. Flailing my arms around a bit made it turn right back on, so it is sensitive enough to not strand you in the dark for no reason.

 

[CamiKaze]

Looking at the below (I think it's Polyurethane), I am planning on doing my ceiling (The one section of my roof is finally done).
I can go with Rhino board but the below looks cool.
What I think might look better than this is knotty pine that is painted white.
I'm thinking that it would give a more natural look. What would you guys choose?




VS

(Actual wood)

 

[Steamy Tom]

Looking at the below (I think it's Polyurethane), I am planning on doing my ceiling (The one section of my roof is finally done).
I can go with Rhino board but the below looks cool.
What I think might look better than this is knotty pine that is painted white.
I'm thinking that it would give a more natural look. What would you guys choose?

View attachment 702185

looks like pvc, its the new thing, pvc ceiling boards

 

[howardb]

Looking at the below (I think it's Polyurethane), I am planning on doing my ceiling (The one section of my roof is finally done).
I can go with Rhino board but the below looks cool.
What I think might look better than this is knotty pine that is painted white.
I'm thinking that it would give a more natural look. What would you guys choose?

View attachment 702185


VS

(Actual wood)
View attachment 702191

We used the plain white wider PVC boards on our patio, looked really good when first installed (DIY job, quality boards), but sadly the white turned to an off-white with yellow tinge after 3 months. If I was to do it again I'd go with anything but white.

 

[CamiKaze]

We used the plain white wider PVC boards on our patio, looked really good when first installed (DIY job, quality boards), but sadly the white turned to an off-white with yellow tinge after 3 months. If I was to do it again I'd go with anything but white.

I'm more for the option of wood, that can be painted again. It will be in the kitchen and maybe the bathroom.

 

[chickenbeef]

It is.

There are no graduation marks on the setting screw, but the manual states from 15 seconds up until 10 minutes.

There is also a lux setting so that it won't activate when the garage door is open and there is enough light in the garage for it to be of no use. It took about 15 minutes to get the settings right but has been flawless since.

The only thing that I am not sure about is whether or not you can override the sensor in any way. Older motion sensor lights used to have a mode where you flick the light switch off and on, off and on to force the light to remain on until you cycle it off and on again. I haven't tested it out yet but should do it soon.

Last week I spent an hour organising my shelves and it only left me in the dark once when I was in one of the corners busy fixing a hinge on a cupboard door. Flailing my arms around a bit made it turn right back on, so it is sensitive enough to not strand you in the dark for no reason.

Thanks! I see communica has it too.

Looks like this one https://www.communica.co.za/collections/majortech/products/pir-33


I need one for my passage. For some reason they put the light switch in the middle of the passage so I always have to feel the wall to navigate to it.

 

[PhireSide]

Thanks! I see communica has it too.

Looks like this one https://www.communica.co.za/collections/majortech/products/pir-33


I need one for my passage. For some reason they put the light switch in the middle of the passage so I always have to feel the wall to navigate to it.

No problem! I took a pic of the exact one I got from their pamphlet. This promotion is valid until 31 August and they state while stocks last, but they ordered one in for me despite not having stock at the time.

I sometimes feel that the contractors don't always consider the people who will be staying in the homes that they build, and you end up with little niggles such as this.

It's the one labelled ES-P27B:

I also see I got the price wrong, I think my total invoice was R180 but that was with some other LED bulbs that I needed as well.

Another item that seems to work pretty well is a Smart Wifi Switch for R244 with timer function. It has DIN rail mountings so you can stick it in your Distribution Board and control any circuits up to 16A. Apparently it works with Alexa as well, but I have not had any experience with that. The model number is ATMS1601 230VAC:

Product Individual – ACDC Dynamics Online

www.acdc.co.za

 

[Naks]

planning to epoxy my garage, since the concrete floor was ruined by the builders when we renovated the house back in 2011-2013.

But then I saw this video, anyone know if we get this product in ZA?

 

[howardb]

planning to epoxy my garage, since the concrete floor was ruined by the builders when we renovated the house back in 2011-2013.

But then I saw this video, anyone know if we get this product in ZA?

I only see the Rocksolid Garage product listed on import sites like ubuy - may be an option to import from the US; check Amazon as well as they sometimes offer delivery to SA.

 

[Steamy Tom]

No problem! I took a pic of the exact one I got from their pamphlet. This promotion is valid until 31 August and they state while stocks last, but they ordered one in for me despite not having stock at the time.

I sometimes feel that the contractors don't always consider the people who will be staying in the homes that they build, and you end up with little niggles such as this.

It's the one labelled ES-P27B:

I also see I got the price wrong, I think my total invoice was R180 but that was with some other LED bulbs that I needed as well.

Another item that seems to work pretty well is a Smart Wifi Switch for R244 with timer function. It has DIN rail mountings so you can stick it in your Distribution Board and control any circuits up to 16A. Apparently it works with Alexa as well, but I have not had any experience with that. The model number is ATMS1601 230VAC:

Product Individual – ACDC Dynamics Online

www.acdc.co.za

there is literally no way that can be 1200W - i would hope it would be 12W

 

[WAslayer]

there is literally no way that can be 1200W - i would hope it would be 12W

Perhaps the rating is the maximum draw it supports for the down stream device it's connected to..? I am assuming that whatever power draw the downstream device draws, would travel through the sensor..?

 

[Steamy Tom]

Perhaps the rating is the maximum draw it supports for the down stream device it's connected to..? I am assuming that whatever power draw the downstream device draws, would travel through the sensor..?

oh does it have an output?

 

[WAslayer]

oh does it have an output?

I believe it does.. it acts as a switch from my understanding, so needs to be connected to the downstream device it's operating..

 

[Steamy Tom]

I believe it does.. it acts as a switch from my understanding, so needs to be connected to the downstream device it's operating..

I completely misunderstood this, I thought this was a light/sensor combo but i see now

 

[ToxicBunny]

planning to epoxy my garage, since the concrete floor was ruined by the builders when we renovated the house back in 2011-2013.

But then I saw this video, anyone know if we get this product in ZA?

I used the following product on my garage floor : SikaFloor 263 SL

Flooring

Flooring solutions for floor systems in manufacturing and life science industries, warehouses, parking garages as well as decorative floor systems.

zaf.sika.com

Was bollocks easy to install, and has been very very durable

 

[PhireSide]

I completely misunderstood this, I thought this was a light/sensor combo but i see now

WASlayer is 100% correct, some units have a different load depending on whether you are using LED/incandescent or Fluorescent but the 1200W rating is the max rating that this particular unit can supply. I guess this is more for people who use one sensor to control multiple light fittings. I don't think my 18W LED fitting would even cause it to break a sweat

 

[Steamy Tom]

WASlayer is 100% correct, some units have a different load depending on whether you are using LED/incandescent or Fluorescent but the 1200W rating is the max rating that this particular unit can supply. I guess this is more for people who use one sensor to control multiple light fittings. I don't think my 18W LED fitting would even cause it to break a sweat

yeah i see now

 

[Polly101]

Hi. We planning to revamp our bathrooms and do wooden flooring throughout the house.potential to do built in cupboards for the rooms as well. Please can someone recommend a reliable and fairly priced contractor? Based in midrand. Thanks

used tilemotec for my bathroom, very happy with their work