Year: 2005
VAC, Part 3
I did some more exploration of the local electrical power situation I outlined in my previous two postings. (Part 1 and Part 2.) I drove to another block fed by a different phase of the same three-phase distribution lines that feed my building. After a couple of times around the block, I spotted an apartment… Read more
Google + Keyhole = Google Earth
Google just released the next version of their Keyhole software. It’s called Google Earth, and of course it’s a beta release. (Update: All I got was a message from a Google email address saying that they were making the beta available to current Keyhole subscribers, which I am. The message included a download URL that… Read more
Some Relief For Skyway Congestion
People driving between downtown Chicago and northwestern Indiana have for several decades now had the option of taking the Chicago Skyway. This is a toll road built and operated by the City of Chicago, and it’s the only toll road not operated by the Illinois Toll Highway Authority. That’s a bit of a problem, because… Read more
VAC, Part 2
As I mentioned in my last entry, we’re having a few electrical problems at our house. ComEd is supposed to supply voltage at 120VAC (Volts Alternating Current). That’s just a nominal value, it can vary a bit. ANSI standards supposedly permit 5% variation, from 114 volts to 126 volts. ComEd’s rule book says they may… Read more
VAC
Here’s a question that’s turning out to be harder to answer than I would have thought: What’s the acceptable voltage range for your house? A few days ago the lights flickered and the speakers on one of my computers started making funny noises. Turns out they’re fried. That computer system wasn’t on a UPS, so… Read more