Markpelly's recent activity

  1. Comment on Goodbye refrigerants, hello magnets: Scientists develop cleaner, greener heat pump in ~enviro

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    I think it would be good for someone to find what they are comparing this to. A lot of heat pumps nowadays have a COP of 3 or more down to 32 F. If they are comparing the COP to the avg heat pump...

    I think it would be good for someone to find what they are comparing this to. A lot of heat pumps nowadays have a COP of 3 or more down to 32 F. If they are comparing the COP to the avg heat pump in the market, at varying temperatures, and it is close in comparison to cost and efficiency...that's a huge win.

  2. Comment on Goodbye refrigerants, hello magnets: Scientists develop cleaner, greener heat pump in ~enviro

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Thanks for sharing. I'll have to take a look!

    Thanks for sharing. I'll have to take a look!

    1 vote

  4. Comment on How to pass the time when you have nothing to do at work and just your phone? in ~talk

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    I would work with your manager and IT department to make an exception for a site that you can use. It's in their best interest that you continue to learn.

    I would work with your manager and IT department to make an exception for a site that you can use. It's in their best interest that you continue to learn.

    6 votes

  5. Comment on A few questions about replacing our clothes washing machine in ~life

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Our Whirlpool unit has a secondary filter on the front that seems to work well. Only needs to be cleaned once in a while, and the unit lets you know when to remove the lint from it.

    Our Whirlpool unit has a secondary filter on the front that seems to work well. Only needs to be cleaned once in a while, and the unit lets you know when to remove the lint from it.

  6. Comment on A few questions about replacing our clothes washing machine in ~life

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    I second the heat pump route if you are going to replace both at some point. Only challenge I found, if you live in the US and are used to a large dryer, I found only one brand last year that had...

    I second the heat pump route if you are going to replace both at some point.

    Only challenge I found, if you live in the US and are used to a large dryer, I found only one brand last year that had a dryer big enough. Whirlpool sells a pretty large one and has been great for us. It's ventless, it's actually a 240v unit so it will just work in your existing location. Also side benefit is that it can get a little hotter than a standard heat pump dryer with the higher voltage.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Wow that's interesting. I can certainly see the pros and cons for the borrower and the bank. Thanks

    Wow that's interesting. I can certainly see the pros and cons for the borrower and the bank. Thanks

    4 votes

  8. Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Can you explain the phrase "set to renew"? Just curious what type of mortgage you have.

    Can you explain the phrase "set to renew"? Just curious what type of mortgage you have.

    2 votes

  9. Comment on How a simple math error sparked a panic about black plastic kitchen utensils in ~health

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Obviously I don't want those chemicals in my food, but the major problem for me is that I have seen black plastic in my pan from normal cooking. Good or cheap utensils as well. I don't want...

    Obviously I don't want those chemicals in my food, but the major problem for me is that I have seen black plastic in my pan from normal cooking. Good or cheap utensils as well. I don't want chemicals or plastic in my food.

    Just get a wooden, metal, or good silicone spatula. Then you don't have to even think about it.

    3 votes

  10. Comment on How do you shave your nose and ears? in ~life.men

  11. Comment on How do you shave your nose and ears? in ~life.men

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    That thing looks like a torture device.

    That thing looks like a torture device.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on What have you spent "too much time" trying to fix or streamline? in ~talk

    Markpelly
    Link
    I've been working on my HVAC system for a couple years now, and I have finally landed on something that works well for my house. We had an oil furnace on 3 zones and an outside AC unit, the whole...

    I've been working on my HVAC system for a couple years now, and I have finally landed on something that works well for my house. We had an oil furnace on 3 zones and an outside AC unit, the whole system is forced air. Pretty common in the US. Because of limited locations to put many heat pump units outside, and also wanting to try and use our existing ducting, we settled on one 5 ton heat pump for everything and a high efficiency propane furnace for back up. The heat pump works down to -4 F, but I have it shutting off at 25F right now. Then the burner comes on to warm the house.

    The math I'm working on now is to figure out the most efficient temperature to switch over to propane. The one thing I'm not trying to put into the equation is heat loss and air tightness of the house. Mainly because I don't have the equipment to figure this out, and it would be expensive. So I'm using efficiency charts for the heat pump/coil/propane burner combo to figure this out. Based on the math it says even down to 5F it says that the heat pump is still more cost effective for me, even with using more KWs.

    So at the moment I'm gathering some data from my Ecobee thermostats on running the heat pump at 25F and running the propane at 25F and measuring how long each are on during an hour to see how they are doing at raising the temp in the house. Hopefully I can keep dropping it down and testing. I'm sure people will jump in and say defrost cycles will use a ton of energy below 32F but from what I have read, those are built into the COP from the manufacturer.

    Long story short I wish that installers of this stuff would work out the best efficiency for a hybrid setup like this. However, they are more prone to have it change over at 35F to be safe. I spoke to many installers and they all said the same thing. Its probably a safe option for them that prevents service call backs.

    2 votes

  13. Comment on Portland Airport grows with expansive mass timber roof canopy in ~transport

    Markpelly
    Link
    Side note: Building commercial buildings with wood for environmental reasons is becoming pretty popular. I'm not even going to try and explain the reasoning because it's not my expertise, but I...

    Side note: Building commercial buildings with wood for environmental reasons is becoming pretty popular. I'm not even going to try and explain the reasoning because it's not my expertise, but I will link a video from Matt Risinger: https://youtu.be/2rN-HqSoVBY?si=x0RUm1VINPLUJySu

    5 votes

  14. Comment on Great shows with a truly satisfying ending? in ~tv

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    I had been watching it for a season or so and I fell off, maybe I can pick it back up again soon. Thanks for the encouragement.

    I had been watching it for a season or so and I fell off, maybe I can pick it back up again soon. Thanks for the encouragement.

    2 votes

  15. Comment on Sohla and Ham make Thanksgiving dinner with SPAM | Mystery Menu in ~food

    Markpelly
    Link
    I used to watch Sohla a lot when she was at BA and after. Very entertaining 😌

    I used to watch Sohla a lot when she was at BA and after. Very entertaining 😌

    1 vote

  16. Need a little help with Wyze bulbs and automation

    ~tech Ask (advice)
    I've been doing some research to try and find a way to turn a Wyze bulb on and off with a button on the wall, or cheap switch, but I'm struggling. Situation: I have a Wyze bulb that I have been...

    I've been doing some research to try and find a way to turn a Wyze bulb on and off with a button on the wall, or cheap switch, but I'm struggling.

    Situation: I have a Wyze bulb that I have been turning on/off with voice for a couple years. It's not something I want to be on a schedule. I just want to turn it on with a switch/button. I have switched outlet in the room, but the lamp is on the other side of the room from the outlet. The switched outlet has a neutral wire but it's being used at the end of the run of the circuit (14/3 from panel going to outlet, and the from the outlet to the switch with 14/3). So essentially I cannot use a cheap Wyze switch or other smart switches to replace the current standard switch.

    I have heard of some smart switches that don't need a neutral but I have not found any. I also wanted to see if I could get a simple battery stick on button to just trigger an automation to turn the bulb on. However I have not found anything that seems to work with Wyze or the Google Home app. However I'm probably just missing something.

    Any advice would be appreciated!

    6 votes

  17. Comment on Scientists are learning why ultra-processed foods are bad for you in ~food

  18. Comment on Scientists are learning why ultra-processed foods are bad for you in ~food

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Agreed. The process of refining white flour removes the most nutritious components, while whole wheat retains those beneficial nutrients, making it a healthier choice

    Agreed. The process of refining white flour removes the most nutritious components, while whole wheat retains those beneficial nutrients, making it a healthier choice

    2 votes

  19. Comment on Thousands of Americans see their savings vanish in Synapse fintech crisis in ~finance

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    I don't think the problem is fully on the FDIC here, it's that these companies are putting the customer in an awkward situation. In theory it appears that the FDIC should be covering the customers...

    I don't think the problem is fully on the FDIC here, it's that these companies are putting the customer in an awkward situation. In theory it appears that the FDIC should be covering the customers money. However, the company has created a place where you can put your money that isn't 100% within the jurisdiction of the FDIC. They want the money there but they got into a bind.

    I agree I want this to work out for consumers but that company did something wrong.

    7 votes

  20. Comment on Thousands of Americans see their savings vanish in Synapse fintech crisis in ~finance

    Markpelly
    Link Parent
    Correct. A lot of these "man in the middle" financial institutions fall into grey zones for the FDIC. I'd rather keep my money directly with an institution that holds the actual money. I do get...

    Correct. A lot of these "man in the middle" financial institutions fall into grey zones for the FDIC. I'd rather keep my money directly with an institution that holds the actual money. I do get the allure of using a great looking fintech, but there are some gambles made for these companies.

    11 votes