Category Archives: Landscape

Outdoor living, gardening, buildings

Incomplete Sailrite Sewing Project

Posted on December 13, 2020 by ellen

I started a new vinyl cover for a spa section which broke my Singer 9960 sewing machine. I sent it out for repair and it is not yet ready. But I purchased a really heavy duty expensive Sailrite zig zag … Continue reading →

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The Wrong Tool

Posted on October 27, 2020 by ellen

Unfortunately I tried to use my Singer 9960 sewing machine to sew a spa cover with vinyl. I didn’t stop the first time the machine jammed. Just cleared the jamb and continued. Then it jammed again and I could not … Continue reading →

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Packing the Pool

Posted on October 11, 2020 by ellen

I also packed the pool up for the winter. We had fun using it this summer with its jerry-rigged solar heater. But after reading the advice for and against I decided to take it down for the winter. We were … Continue reading →

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Fixed the Spa

Posted on October 11, 2020 by ellen

We are finally enjoying the spa again. It broke on January first and here we are in fall and it is back online. After installing the new Megatrol equipment, I had to wait for the new controller to get the … Continue reading →

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Finally Repairing the Spa

Posted on August 26, 2020 by ellen

The story of the new spa equipment is a sad one. I unfortunately wired the first shipment of a new controller box incorrectly and blew out all the 110 volt connections by sending 220 to them. I sent everything back … Continue reading →

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Buried Pool Power

Posted on July 3, 2020 by ellen

When I applied for a permit for the pool the requirement was to have a separate 20 amp GFCI line for it. The electricians installed that back in 2016. I have been using a long extension cord for the pool … Continue reading →

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Fixing Leaks in Pool Plumbing

Posted on July 2, 2020 by ellen

I’ve been spending a lot of time on the pool plumbing. I’ve had a couple of pipe blow offs including one that moved a lot of water out of the pool. Each one of these threaded pipes blew apart when … Continue reading →

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Solar Pool Set Up

Posted on June 7, 2020 by ellen

The extra parts arrived and all of the piping was finally connected with minimal leaks. Not without several issues however.I had the bypass valve assembly ready to install. Unfortunately the plastic that the reducers were made from did not hold … Continue reading →

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Solar Pool Heat

Posted on May 25, 2020 by ellen

Everything takes time and money. The solar pool heat project is no different. I have put together a system based on the old copper collector and a new stainless steel heat exchanger. This is the system design. I purchased a … Continue reading →

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Replaced Pool Valve

Posted on May 24, 2020 by ellen

The used pool filter had a big crack in the valve that I tried to repair with silicone goop and tape. It was good enough to run for awhile while the new valve was ordered from Intex. Because of COVID-19 … Continue reading →

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Stripped Down Solar

Posted on May 19, 2020 by ellen

One of the reasons the repair I tried for the 3′ x 7’ solar panels was a disaster is that the glass broke when I was moving it. The glass in the solar panels seems to be extremely fragile. I … Continue reading →

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Low Growth Full Sun Xeriscape

Posted on May 16, 2020 by ellen

Dave started a garden border in front of the house. He installed leftover tile pieces in a concrete base to create a flat planting area for some xeriscape plants. He leveled the tops of the tile pieces and filled the … Continue reading →

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Pool Problems

Posted on May 8, 2020 by ellen

Seems like nothing I do lately is without issues. The pool was leveled but not very well, so that when the water delivery happened it was about 3″ out of level. Not too bad, water guy said he had seen … Continue reading →

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A Little More Awareness

Posted on May 4, 2020 by ellen

A little more awareness would have gone a long way towards my installation of the new spa pack. I usually read directions but this came without specific directions just diagrams and pictures. I followed the diagram to wire the equipment. … Continue reading →

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Getting Ready for Summer

Posted on April 27, 2020 by ellen

This summer will be a staycation due to the Covid-19 virus. So to get ready I want to set up a 4′ x 18′ round pool that I acquired a few years ago but never utilized. I was able to … Continue reading →

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New Spa Equipment Install

Posted on April 22, 2020 by ellen

The exercise spa that we have been enjoying since 2015 broke down just after New Year’s Day. I thought that the heater wore out but it turned out that the circuit board burned through where the heater connected to it. … Continue reading →

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Draining the Spa

Posted on February 1, 2020 by ellen

I had to drain the spa because the winter weather is unpredictable and I did not want the pipes to crack. My planned repair did not work. I ordered the new spa heater from Acura Spa but it was cold … Continue reading →

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Spa Wifi Controller

Posted on January 20, 2020 by ellen

Last year I purchased a wifi controller for the spa so that I could set the temperature from my phone instead of having to go outside. Although the device did not seem difficult to install, it required opening the spa … Continue reading →

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Spa Heater Burnout

Posted on January 20, 2020 by ellen

On New Year’s Day we used the spa and I noticed it was losing heat while it was open even though I had turned up the thermostat while we were using it. I noticed a day or two later that … Continue reading →

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Change of Plan for Living Room Pillar

Posted on November 14, 2019 by ellen

Not only was there not enough stone for the pillar but it was way too bulky to install in the house. So instead I am going to use it to cover the broken stucco on the garage wall. This pile … Continue reading →

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